Inkey$ 2.2 build thread

[inkey$]

Hi all

Just bought my 4th Z3 after owning 2 x 2.8’s (OG and facelift) and an S50 M Coupe previously. She’s a 2001 2.2i in Black Sapphire Metallic and on just 73k miles. Heated sports two tone “Chameleon“ interior - some of which is shrinking on the dash - and 16” wheels.

Lots of plans, starting with complete deep clean/treat and feed all rubbers, 17 inch wheels, spacers and maybe a 30mm drop With a set of B4s and Eibach sport springs. Possibly look at replacing the ARB and bushes. Want to renovate the interior - may swap the dash out for a non-extended leather standard one, and one day I may even recolour the seats as I’ve always yearned for a black car with cinnamon seats and door cars.

Undecided by the chrome side grilles so have a pair of black ones just in case I change my mind after living with them for a while. Also have a set of OEM facelift headlights being prepped to replace the aftermarket ones currently on the car.

Lastly I want to switch out the horrid Sony head unit for either a bluetooth enabled OEM one or something more in keeping with the rest of the interior (E.g Blaupunkt Stockholm)

What the car lacks In service history (Classic lost book situation), it more than makes up for in term so decent MOT history and general condtion. Its genuinley really good for a car thats close to 23 years old.

Anyway, I’ll update all jobs on this thread as a record and here’s to Z3 ownership….again! I’ve already added my Storm Motorwerks shifter and handbrake handle (although the Storm handbrake button is not large enough to go over the chromeline button so I’m trying to figure out my options)

P.S. had no idea how good the 2.2 sounded. Start up, overun etc. Glorious.

 

[Kai]

Lovely car mate! Good luck with the project. In regards of the radio I would recommend blaupunkt Frankfurt, looks amazing in the Z3 with all the new technology inside.

 

[inkey$]

Lovely car mate! Good luck with the project. In regards of the radio I would recommend blaupunkt Frankfurt, looks amazing in the Z3 with all the new technology inside.

Thanks for the advice. Does the Frankfurt allow you to match the orange OEM interior lights colour too?

 

[andyglym]

Nice mate

 

[AntStark]

Those 16” style 42s look really nice, they just need spacers to fill the arches a little more

 

[Kai]

Thanks for the advice. Does the Frankfurt allow you to match the orange OEM interior lights colour too?

Yes, you can mix all the colours to match the OEM look and I love that you have cassette player and when you open it you have your aux, usb and card thingy. It’s not my picture but when I was choosing which one to get I asked guy on Reddit to send my picture and it just looks OEM( would do more orange though- btw you can)

 

[inkey$]

Those 16” style 42s look really nice, they just need spacers to fill the arches a little more

Im thinking 10mm spacers front and rear. The style 42s do look great and provide a nice ride.

 

[inkey$]

Yes, you can mix all the colours to match the OEM look and I love that you have cassette player and when you open it you have your aux, usb and card thingy. It’s not my picture but when I was choosing which one to get I asked guy on Reddit to send my picture and it just looks OEM( would do more orange though- btw you can)

Thats a lovely looking OEM style unit. Stunning.

 

[t-tony]

Tens would just about work on the front but you need 20mm on the rear.

Tony.

 

[AntStark]

Im thinking 10mm spacers front and rear. The style 42s do look great and provide a nice ride.

I had 15mm spacers on the back and left the front as is in the end. Yeah the 16” are a much better ride than the 17” I have on my 3.0l
The 20mm I thought were too much on those wheels

 

[inkey$]

I may put the wheel change to 17” on hold then, as I love the design of these, and the 16s really do make the ride a decent experience. Spacers to come after some measuring, but good to see how a 15mm movement looks on the rears.

 

[inkey$]

Done a few things to the car over the past few weeks.

- Bought a pair of OEM facelift headlights and fully refurbished, before swapping out for the aftermarkets that were on the car.
- Swapped out the blue gearstick and handbrake gaiter for black ones (just dials the interior blue down enough!)
- Swapped chrome gills for sapphire black ones.
- Added my Storm Motorwerks shifter and handbrake handle (including sanding down the chrome line button so the Storm one would fit!)

Next up is a full health check, rear spacers (recommendations for 16 inch wheels on a widebody?), replace the blingy Sony headunit for a Blaupunkt Madrid (or similar), and interior deep clean including touching up the blue leather where its scratched off. Also need to find somebody in the south east that can refurbish my shrinking leather dash.

 

[inkey$]

Replaced the aftermarket BT Sony headunit today with a more OEM looking Blaupunkt Skagen 400 DAB with BT. Also added an aerial splitter so the DAB can be received through the OEM whip at the back and not through a seperate windscreen one.

Very pleased and took 10 mins to fit. The Skagen has a range of backlight colours too, including something very close to BMW red. Highly recommended.

 

[Z Victor 1]

Nice motor, I had one the same , but red and black interior.

 

[inkey$]

Nice motor, I had one the same , but red and black interior.

Just need to sort the shrinking blue from the dash!
Got a better car cover for it now too.

Car Covers

Quality Custom Covers For All Leading Vehicle Makes & Models. Seat Covers, Boot Liners, Screen Wraps & More. 100% Custom Design. Price Match Promise. Strong, Durable & Waterproof Materials. Next Day Delivery & 30-Day Return Policy.

www.ukcustomcovers.com

 

[bombur]

Also added an aerial splitter so the DAB can be recieved through the OEM whip at the back and not through a seperate windscreen one.

I had no idea you could do this, everyday is a school day

 

[inkey$]

I had no idea you could do this, everyday is a school day

Neither did I until I'd researched it. Relatively cheaply too...

Amazon.co.uk

 

[AntStark]

I thought these needed a passive radio antenna to work, whereas the Z3 one is powered. Also needs a head unit that can power the SMB connector. Interested if this actually works

 

[inkey$]

I thought these needed a passive radio antenna to work, whereas the Z3 one is powered. Also needs a head unit that can power the SMB connector. Interested if this actually works

Well I plugged it in, switched the head unit on and it brought me DAB channels immediately, so I'm going to say it worked for me.

 

[AntStark]

Well I plugged it in, switched the head unit on and it brought me DAB channels immediately, so I'm going to say it worked for me.

Cool .. might get one then