The Story of my Bimmer - Lot of Pics

[VB Compact]

This is the Story of my Bimmer.
Its a special series titles "Fashion 97" from BMW Individual GmbH with Custom paint job Velvetblue Metallic and a Special upholstery.
I have bought the car on a dark rainy Day in March 2008, on the way home a connector from the cooling system on the rear side on the motor break an the BMW Service towing me from the Autobahn and must repair it, the reparation paid the previous owner.
After I have it home, we see that the rear bumper sag down.
We dismount the bumper and see that the wheelhouse rusted away.
After the car was dry we see more rust on it, and a lot of stone chipps on the front.
By working on the car we see more and more defects and bad jobs from the previous owner and his workshop.
So we came to the idea to strip the car to body shell and rebuilt it.
After four months the car was ready, and I drive to general inspection unfortunately the catalyst and the cylinder head gasket are defect.
After repair it and pass the inspection a VW Golf 2 drive against my left front wheel.
I need after this accident a new rim, tire and tie rods. The Golf was a total loss, because his frame was twisted.
In Winter I drive less, to spare the car; it is the last Winter for the car, in following Winters I take a other car.
I do BMW Driver training and bought a new leathered Steering wheel and Hand brake handle.
On Spring I became the idea to swap an 2,5l Engine from a 323i in my car, I bought it and five days before I would like to do the swap an Mercedes drive in my rear, as I need the car in the following weeks I go to BMW an became a rental car for the time they need to repair it.
So I drive for two weeks a e90 318i and my car became a new rear bumper, a new rear metal, complete exhaust and new paint job in the rear.
After I became the car back I drive a round an a gauntly noise came from it when I drive a Curve, after looking what do that we see that the engine bracket are wrenched.
So it comes back to the dealer and they repair this too.
After this I can finitely do the engine swap. It a M52B25 with a few modifications.
After 1500km run in, I did first drive on Autobahn, after a few Minutes by 160kmh my Temperature goes up and I stop on the breakdown lane and call the BMW Service to towing me, my water pump was broken. Before I swap the Engine I have think to interchange it but I don’t have it because it looks good.
Since the swap I do nothing, aside from a new Windscreen with blue wedge.

The next Project is a custom exhaust System and another Interior.

For a detailed list of Modifications lock to my Photo-Story on BMW-Syndikat: Push

Pictures from the Sold note:








Pictures from the rebuilt:

The greath shock – Rust:







Series Chassis with 60/40 H&R Springs after 9 Years:



Reperation from the previous Owner:



His Workshop has burst the Oil Sump and Seal the Split with Silicone:



A very old winker:


Rebuilt of the Wheelhouse, the rusted metal was cutted out after modulate the new metal:




Split in the M Front Bumper:


And the underside of it:


Bleached Bavarian Pride:


A look on the Interior:


The old Rims:


And the new:

[VB Compact]

Before Spraying:







New and Old Glass:


After Painting and Mounted:





New Brake from the e46 330i:


Rehashed Interior:


The next Problem, catalyst and cylinder head gasket are defect:



Split is by my hand


On the same Day I passed the general Inspection a VW drive in my car:



New Photos:


Detail work on the Engine:




Shortened Tailpipes:

[VB Compact]

And then was it Winter:


A few new things on Interior:


BMW Drivertraining:


A Mercedes drive in my car, and I let it repair by BMW:





New Pictures after Repair:




2 Photos, on which you can see the effect of the colour:



Have Painted the Wall of my garage:



The Engine Swap:




Exorcism was fine:



New Engine:




Old Crank bearing after 180.000 km:


New 5kg fly wheel:



New Engine is insinde:

[VB Compact]

New Photos:









First Drive on Autobahn with the new Engine – and result:



///Motion Pix:

[D540i]

wow you are very dedicated to your lil bimmer.
some great pictures!

[dizzye36M3]

Nice job man. That color is pretty.

You look like a cool dude so I'm not gonna say anything about those corners.

[Grey Phox]

Looks great. Nice and simple and clean.

[///Montizzle]

Velvet blue

Quite simply my favorite individual color

[boligrafo123]

What a turnaround, great job!

[e39dream]

awesome Ti build! If I ever get an e36 it will be a Ti.

[n2bimmer]

very nice. Sweet color

[romoguy8]

Velvet blue is so nice.
Some of the locations look really nice too.

BTW is velvet blue still available as an individual color?

-Johnny

[PSE]

wow, great job. Engine from 325?

[E39ofmine]

what a great story...brought tears to my eyes

[karies]

nice!! very clean job, i liked how the car turned out to look like at the end!

[Ollie1662]

Sick color! I love the stripes on the garage wall.

[Harv328is]

A true enthusiast, hands down. Nice job.

[jet2574]

Beautiful!

Originally Posted by Ollie1662

I love the stripes on the garage wall.

+1

[M3Alpine99]

Excellent work! I like it!

[tmaher]

Great car! Great build! Very nice photos, and an excellent job of a writeup in English!! Thanks for sharing!

[scyrusurcys]

Wow, completely new car! Amazing story and excellent pics!

[xinfinity]

wow thats basically a new car!
good job man you did a really good job
garage looks great, now i want to paint mine

[Bloodrunsdry]

Thats one fine Ti! looks great and that some crazy blue interior. I dont think we got that color in the US.

[StealthAutoTeam]

Wow! Dedicated build true enthusiast at heart nice work

[2006330cic]

Originally Posted by Bloodrunsdry

Thats one fine Ti! looks great and that some crazy blue interior. I dont think we got that color in the US.

I think we did, but it was just an individual color.

As much as I don't like Ti's, your car is gorgeous. Very nice job.