Inkey$ Steel Grey 2.8

[inkey$]

Hi all.

Just picked up a 99 model 2.8i Steel Grey wide body on just shy of 82k miles. It’s a slightly unusual as its a U.K. spec RHD car, but was first registered in San Diego and brought over shortly after where it was re-registered as a U.K. car in 2001. Am I right in saying that Steel Grey was a facelift colour? Also has the M52TU engine in it, so my guess is it’s one of the last mark ones to be made.

Previously owned a facelift Steel Grey Z3 2.8, Titan Silver 330i Saloon, Sterling Grey Z4 3.0 roadster, Interlagos Z4M Coupe, Black 335i MSport saloon, Sepang Z4M Roadster and most recently an Imola Z3M Coupe - which I sold a week ago.

Comes with electric sport seats, chromline interior and is in really good condition. I want to sort a few things out though and this is a bit of a project car for me.

Jobs I’m going to do/considering are:

- Due Inspection I
- General health check: boot floor, springs etc.
- Check brakes and refurbish calipers.
- Clean and condition the leather seats
- Investigate Bluetooth and DAB head unit to replace Alpine CD (any recommendations?). Or go back to OEM and add module.
- H&R arbs.
- New throttle cable
- Refurbish headlight plastic
- Seat runner bushes need sorting on both sides as it has the classic ‘shift’.
- New wheels and tyres. I have a set of Style 68s I need to refurb and fit 4 x Kumho Ecsta P71s
- Clean and waterproof treatment the roof.

Anyway, here are a few pictures...

 

[Althulas]

Interesting history of the car. I like that colour, can have a nice shine and I imagine more forgiving of showing dust half hour later compared to a black car. @Aceman sells the seat bushes an easy job to do which you can find on here. https://zroadster.org/threads/z3-z3m-z3-coupe-seat-bushes-for-sale.132/ Welcome to the forum from Oxfordshire.

 

[Antm72]

Hello and welcome from South Yorkshire great colour zed!! Mine is also pre facelift 2.8 on a 99 plate and has the M52TU engine fitted.

 

[Sean d]

Nice looking pre facelift you have, I also have a 2.8 that I am rebuilding, welcome

 

[Bozzy]

Looks great in that colour, really shows off the cars lovely curves .

Steve.

 

[Sean d]

Looks great in that colour, really shows off the cars lovely curves .

Steve.

Cracking wheels as well pal

 

[Bozzy]

Cracking wheels as well pal

Are they still growing on you, or have you gone back to " I wouldn't have them on my car if you paid me" ? .

 

[inkey$]

Thanks the welcome, all. And seat bushes ordered from Aceman.

The Style 18 wheels are going and on my list. Style 68’s incoming. Here’s a quick comp image I tried earlier to check the look.

 

[Lee]

Do love that colour, Get yourself some lowering springs, looks like your smuggling people in those arches

 

[Sean d]

Are they still growing on you, or have you gone back to " I wouldn't have them on my car if you paid me" ? .

I believe I did make that comment you man, very brash of me and very unlike me, , I do think you will see the new Z including style 18s

 

[Sean d]

Do love that colour, Get yourself some lowering springs, looks like your smuggling people in those arches

Its the rural edition mate

 

[inkey$]

Do love that colour, Get yourself some lowering springs, looks like your smuggling people in those arches

It’s another thing on the list!

 

[Sean d]

Thanks the welcome, all. And seat bushes ordered from Aceman.

The Style 18 wheels are going and on my list. Style 68’s incoming. Here’s a quick comp image I tried earlier to check the look.

Never thought I would say this but I much prefer the style 18s

 

[Sean d]

I loved the 108s on mine but wouldn't go 18" again

 

[buze]

Never thought I would say this but I much prefer the style 18s

I actually like the #18's, especially with spacers -- they make the rear look /mean/

I had mine refurbed this winter, and use them as winter wheels. With 20mm spacers at the back I think they look pretty cool.

 

[Jjim]

Hi, welcome from Mansfield

Great looking car. I do like it in grey.

 

[Aceman]

Thanks the welcome, all. And seat bushes ordered from Aceman.

The Style 18 wheels are going and on my list. Style 68’s incoming. Here’s a quick comp image I tried earlier to check the look.

You should of got your bushes today all being well as I dropped them in the postbox straight after you ordered them on Tuesday evening.

Lovely zed by the way

 

[inkey$]

You should of got your bushes today all being well as I dropped them in the postbox straight after you ordered them on Tuesday evening.

Lovely zed by the way

Arrived today Aceman.
Great service!

 

[inkey$]

Took today’s sunny weather as an opportunity to clean and take a proper look at the car since picking her up last week. Nothing quite like a mini detail to find out about the real car below.

Washed and dried first, before treating all rubber areas to some Gummi-Phlege, before conditioning the seat leather. Finally I used a little AG vinyl and rubber spray on the plastics inside of the car. Generally really impressed with the condition given she’s 19 years old this year.

Few things I need to add to my jobs list, though. Spotted a few door car park dings and it looks also as though something/someone heavy has sat on the bonnet at some point.

The wheels cleaned up well and are in pretty good condition (although these will shortly be swapped for refurbed Style 68s and new rubber on each corner). The car idles a little roughly when cold - in a sort of breathing type way, the revs go up and down slightly.

The clutch is slipping on gear change and either needs adjusting or replacing. And I’m going to change the throttle cable just for the hell of it, because it’s probably original and when I did that simple job on my old MCoupe the difference was like night and day.

Definitely need to get some lowering springs and new ARBs with polybushes to plant her a little more, and I’d like a bit more growl so a stainless catback is planned - but overall she’s pretty good and exactly what I was after: a project to mess with when I have the chance.

Oh, and I replaced the stock gearknob with my Storm Motorworks V1 without punching myself in the face. It’s the little but very heavy things that matter

Anyway, here are a few pics.

 

[Sp02zbr]

Looks stunning. Only drove my one twice since owning it over 6 months.