Pete's 2.8 Z3

[PeteZ3]

Right so after a long wait I have got my Zed! It needs some work doing, and I have already done little bits too it.

What I've done so far:
-Cleaned the car ( it was very very very dirty)
-Cleaned and balmed the leather.
-New gear knob.
-New front badge
-Fixed non working windows (polivot joint runners)

What needs doing:
-Rust in the wheel arches and side skirts, going to be striped down to good metal, and filled, may even need some new metal and welding.
-hood needs a new rear window
-hood needs cleaning thoroughly and re-dyeing
-a couple of the wheels need re spraying
-whole thing needs a polish
-new hand brake lever (wood)
- potentially new floor mats
-new z3 badge
-new "roadster" sills
-boot struts!


This is mainly for my own catalouge of things I've done/need to do, feel free to give an input. I'll upload pictures throughout its restoration. After I've done the bodywork it will look so much better! It really let's it down in my opinion!!

 

[PeteZ3]

Soo, these are the rusty wheel arches, my girlfriends dad has his own body shop and does it for a living, so he's doing them for my 21st birthday. Which is good going to save me a lot of cash indeed!

Here's where the previous owner had had a little bump, or someone bumped them, it looks like itll just buff out. But I'm no expert so my girlfriends dad will be sorting it.

This is the hood, as you can see, its a bit green and faded, I've got the whole renovo kit, and I'm just waiting for the new zip in the ar window to arrive from Germany, I got the one that has been reccomended from here, I forget the name of it... Should arrive soon

Here's the new gear knob, there very hard to come by new, I'm not sure you can get them anymore. It matches my steering wheel really well

I'll need aa hand brake cover too, I'm finding it hard to source one, they are very expensive so I'm thinking of making one on my lathe, just need a nice bit of oak and I'll stain it to match

And here's a pick if my crappy sills

 

[PeteZ3]

Oh and here's a pic of the whole car, I was at farehaven lake in lytham .... You can also see the beige tonnuae cover, I got it of eBay for just over 50 quid delivered which I thought was pretty good!

 

[BMBabe]

Welcome and good luck with your project

 

[Jack Ratt]

I like your wooden steering wheel. Best of luck getting your car refurbed, and it's great that you can call on a pro to sort your bodywork out.

 

[PeteZ3]

I like your wooden steering wheel. Best of luck getting your car refurbed, and it's great that you can call on a pro to sort your bodywork out.

Thanks, So do I, I believe there rather hard to come by! and cost a pretty penny too. Yes i know, im very luck!!

 

[Beastie luzz]

Good luck she will look awesome when shes all done... love the chrome grills they look great against that lovely green

 

[PeteZ3]

Good luck she will look awesome when shes all done... love the chrome grills they look great against that lovely green

She will indeed!

Im waiting for a gap in his work so I can fit it in for the work. Hopefully it wont be too long! im sick of taking pictures from certain angles in order to avoid the rust! hah

i love them tooo! although, they could do with a couple of new badges for them!

 

[Beastie luzz]

She will indeed!

Im waiting for a gap in his work so I can fit it in for the work. Hopefully it wont be too long! im sick of taking pictures from certain angles in order to avoid the rust! hah

i love them tooo! although, they could do with a couple of new badges for them!

hahaha always something for these beautiful machines !!!!

 

[PeteZ3]

hahaha always something for these beautiful machines !!!!

oh, theres many many things that I want to do to it! haah... but these are just things that i feel that need doing! like, I want a new exhaust, new seats, new soft top, new seatbelts, new lights.... I could go on and on, the list is endless!!

 

[PeteZ3]

Well then...

This was 9 years ago, I was just a kid at 20 when I got this car. I've still got her, since then I've bought a house and since buying the house I'm sad to say, she has been in my garage as I lacked the funds to maintain her and petrol was killing me. Not been turned over In 3 years.. However.


My father, for my 30th birthday has offered to get her back on the road. Amazing news!


I have agreed with "modern classics" in Lytham, Lancashire that they will do the work that is necessary of the 1998 Boston green 2.8 BMW Z3. They do fantastic work, my partner's dad works with them as he has a body shop in warton and does bodywork for them regularly.

I plan on making her reliable and my daily driver. I have since changed jobs and only live 10 mins from work... The work that needs to be done is as followed:

Caliper refurbished all round...

Fuel tank straps replaced. Thanks malc

Exhaust changed to original. I was a yobo and had straight piped her. Sounds amazing but I now hate people with loud exhausts

Diff spot welds checked....If they need doing I'll sort it with my partner's dad no doubt. He's a panel beater by trade and does amazing things fabricating metal "stuff" , I'll hold the light for him and pass the hammer

I've just bought a set of Goodyear eagle F1 tyres

The gear stick spring has gone and when in neutral sits to the right. So that needs sorting. I think it's quite a big job if I recall correctly. ( I think that's the issue anyway)

Soft top needs replacing.... In my youth I did try to seal the rear window with black sealant and anew window. But it's knackered, perished and needs replacing. Once the mechanics are sorted I'll drive her to that bloke in (I think Swansea)and sort it.

She also had a little bit of a rough idle. I think this was something I did whilst messing around under the bonnet. I'm sure they will trouble shoot it...


Maybe install new struts, the ones that are in are rubbish. I she's got eibach springs so sits nicely. But the dampening used to make a weird noise.

There also just going to go through the car and make sure she's sound. Replace fluids and filters ect....

I did do a lot of work in the past on her, as followed:
Alot of polybushes.
Refurbished steering rack, new wishbones,
Had a new diff.
All new break lines.
New sills and I replaced the jack points on the chassis and welded them in.
New sill panels
New front quarters
Stripped and sprayed rear quarters
Stripped and sprayed hartop
Also stripped and undersealed alot of her

I'm nearly 30 now and the thought of working on her on the drive way hurts my back... Call me a snowflake, I dare you


That's it I guess, maybe noone will read this, but it's at least documenting the history of this little Z3 that was once my partner's late grandfathers future project that he never got the opportunity to start.

I'll post some pictures once she's up and running.

Cheers, Pete

 

[t-tony]

Hi Pete and welcome from me near Lincoln, good luck with the car. I look forward to seeing some pictures as you progress.

Tony.

 

[PeteZ3]

Hi Pete and welcome from me near Lincoln, good luck with the car. I look forward to seeing some pictures as you progress.

Tony.

Thanks tony, gave her a clean yesterday.