Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

The Grocery Getter aka #deflategate

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • The Grocery Getter aka #deflategate

    So a little over a year ago I was driving a Grey Market e23, which I referred to as "The Senior", while the car was plenty reliable and quite stylish my wife wasn't too keen on our kids riding in it, so I began my search for the perfect Dad Cruiser, my criteria was mainly: Wagon, RWD or AWD and preferably manual. After much searching, test driving and letdowns I got 2 out of 3 with the e39 540i Touring so not too shabby. The car has great power (meh fuel economy but let's face it, none of us care about *that* sort of thing) and it's unique, much like my Bastard Compact.

    Ah yes, the 100% Bone Stock shot


    The plan from the beginning was to just cruise it around until I finished my current project and then get to work on it, but the gods have been slowly forcing my hands. With a rear SLS system and a leaking rear bag I could see that fate was telling me to lower it, like I had planned on anything else? But still I figured I'd wait... One very cold winters morning I started it up and the bag didn't snap into action like it had been doing and I had to make a run out to a local shop where my buddy worked, and there happened to be a parts e39 touring to change out the bag. It was at that point I knew something had to happen, but I wasn't quite ready. I began looking into what it would take to rebuild the stock system the proper way and it was upwards of $1,500, so for a few dollars more so to speak I could just do what I knew I'd do eventually and just bag it. I opted to take advantage of the May BMW deal through Bag Riders to snag 10% off on a full kit for the touring.

    Well, I'm breaking one of my biggest rules to car building. Don't turn your daily into a project until your primary project is complete!

    Parts are en route and consider this build starting, it will likely be a slow build though as I'm going to focus on getting the Compact knocked out before I go hog wild.
    Last edited by indiejack; 06-03-2015, 01:05 AM. Reason: meh title
    Fleet

    '95 E36 Compact | m50tu | 3.45LSD | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), Air House 2 (R) - BUILD THREAD

    '02 E39 540i Touring | Muffler Delete | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), RE5 (R) - BUILD THREAD


  • #2
    The first part arrives, I was not home to sign for the package but today I got this. Tomorrow should yield more goodies



    Hopefully everything else is in before next weekend, then it's time to install and get off my arse with refinishing the wheels I should have had done last year...

    Fleet

    '95 E36 Compact | m50tu | 3.45LSD | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), Air House 2 (R) - BUILD THREAD

    '02 E39 540i Touring | Muffler Delete | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), RE5 (R) - BUILD THREAD

    Comment


    • #3
      I love it when a simple repair becomes something more.

      I cannot wait to see what gets done to it.

      𝔣𝔬𝔩𝔩𝔬𝔴 𝔪𝔢
      @𝔳𝔦𝔳𝔢_𝔪𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔯_𝔩𝔢𝔱𝔦

      Comment


      • #4
        So things and stuff and nonsense, I'm super stoked to have bagged the waggin. It's one of those things where I used to look at the car and say "Damn, I really dig this car" and now it REALLY dig it.

        So after a long wait on AirLift getting parts they needed to build out the front struts I needed to carve away time with my buddy Crawford to install. After a marathon Saturday night (the kind where my wife bitches me out at 4am with that whole "Where the f#%k are you?!?" type of thing) we were just a few fittings away from completion. I headed home in a borrowed Suburban which was a very odd experience as I'm not used to towering over other autos on the road. I run back Sunday morning to find that he and another ace were buttoning up the final bits on the rear bags!

        As I pull up in front of the garage I just, no words, the Grocery Getter was sitting so nice! This may be the last update for a while because I need to finish That Bastard Compact before I go full retard on this beast so pardon me if I'm milking it a bit, lol.

        First shot after the deed was done, phone quality so yeah buddy!


        Here's some shots of the install bits, none of the tank setup yet because I literally zip tied the tank to the rear cargo mat until I get around to building something out.

        Reusing the Factory Air System plate


        Trimmed a factory piece that literally did nothing but hold up the flooring to hide the manifold


        A few weeks later, I washed it and snapped a pic at the cruising height
        Fleet

        '95 E36 Compact | m50tu | 3.45LSD | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), Air House 2 (R) - BUILD THREAD

        '02 E39 540i Touring | Muffler Delete | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), RE5 (R) - BUILD THREAD

        Comment


        • #5
          Now I'm really liking this thread! Please, continue....
          sigpic

          Follow me on Instagram! @cskzero

          Comment


          • #6
            Instant-win. I love slammed touring. When is the manual swap? Before you complete the compact off course. Right? Because a touring 540/6 bagged is just full of win and you'll be on the cool list of those with a 540/6 touring. And my idol.
            Ruining cars since 2006 yo

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Meeve View Post
              Instant-win. I love slammed touring. When is the manual swap? Before you complete the compact off course. Right? Because a touring 540/6 bagged is just full of win and you'll be on the cool list of those with a 540/6 touring. And my idol.
              Thanks, yes a manual swap is one of the items on my list because this is my first automatic in years and that part of it just sucks. I'm going to source parts this winter I think, try to do that in the spring I hope.
              Fleet

              '95 E36 Compact | m50tu | 3.45LSD | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), Air House 2 (R) - BUILD THREAD

              '02 E39 540i Touring | Muffler Delete | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), RE5 (R) - BUILD THREAD

              Comment


              • #8
                Love the touring model keep it low!
                sigpic

                Website: http://cougarhousegarage.com/

                Check Out Our Facebook Page For More Pics and Videos

                Comment


                • #9
                  So do the regular e39 air struts fit the touring too? I've been looking at getting the complete v2 kit on bag riders website and wasn't sure if the tourings were different than e39 sedans.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Im pretty sure the rear needs to be custom fabricated. The rear suspension setup in the tourings is different than the rest of the chassis's if i remember correctly.


                    Indiejack, were you able to put the lid back on over the compressor in the stock location? What did you do about the self leveling system / OE air ride computer?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by nminnich View Post
                      So do the regular e39 air struts fit the touring too? I've been looking at getting the complete v2 kit on bag riders website and wasn't sure if the tourings were different than e39 sedans.
                      The fronts, yes, 100% but the rears I don't believe will due to the shock geometry being closer to 45deg BagRiders is the place to go and if you want I can shoot you a PM on what things I picked on their site and added, etc. Overall the process was awesome with them (this is the second car I've bagged and went through them both times with stellar service on their end).

                      Originally posted by Luda View Post
                      Im pretty sure the rear needs to be custom fabricated. The rear suspension setup in the tourings is different than the rest of the chassis's if i remember correctly.


                      Indiejack, were you able to put the lid back on over the compressor in the stock location? What did you do about the self leveling system / OE air ride computer?
                      The rears didn't need much fabrication, did a little work to one of the D-Cups but after that everything pretty much bolted up and I was able to use all stock hose locations. I didn't have any straight connectors up top and used elbows (don't do this, pain to get final bolt up done with hand routing hoses to not kink them).

                      The stock lid to the compressor did not fit, I suppose if I'd routed the water trap further up the line it may have but I did use the stock plate and my full size spare fit over top of the assembly. I have yet to turn off the SLS warning and that is annoying but doesn't cause any drivable issues, I need to get to a buddies shop when he's there with his laptop and INPA (iirc) software to disable that bit, I will say this, spring for the Koni Adjustables for the rear and make them the softest possible and you'll float like a Cadillac, the only thing I ever scrape is the front air dams below the bumper and mostly the ones in front of the wheels.
                      Fleet

                      '95 E36 Compact | m50tu | 3.45LSD | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), Air House 2 (R) - BUILD THREAD

                      '02 E39 540i Touring | Muffler Delete | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), RE5 (R) - BUILD THREAD

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Damn... My grocery getter was an automatic 97 honda accord lx that I autocrossed. Lol. You win


                        Facebook: http://facebook.com/fwspmissiles
                        Instagram:
                        @fwsp_missiles | @lizzybernice

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by indiejack View Post
                          The fronts, yes, 100% but the rears I don't believe will due to the shock geometry being closer to 45deg BagRidersis the place to go and if you want I can shoot you a PM on what things I picked on their site and added, etc. Overall the process was awesome with them (this is the second car I've bagged and went through them both times with stellar service on their end).
                          This is accurate. SLS / air suspension tourings use a physically different rear shock arrangement, not just a different part number. I would imagine any of the adjustable dampening shocks available for touring w/ air would suffice for an aftermarket conversion.





                          The rears didn't need much fabrication, did a little work to one of the D-Cups but after that everything pretty much bolted up and I was able to use all stock hose locations. I didn't have any straight connectors up top and used elbows (don't do this, pain to get final bolt up done with hand routing hoses to not kink them).
                          [/QUOTE]

                          Ive been doing some digging and it looks like you are NOT using airlift air struts in the rear, but instead using Slam specialties RE5's [http://www.universalairsuspension.co...es-p-138.html] Which sound like they bolt up without to much hassle.

                          I figured INPA could disable the SLS system, but as mine is still functioning (fingers crossed) i havent dug into it to much. Well and I've had my touring for 8 days now LOL. Ive had a couple people send me pictures of your wagon and tell me that i need to bag mine and I am in agreement, especially after driving it stock after spending 18 months dailying a coilovered e36, the ride quality is magical.



                          PS. If you have a rough parts list i would be SUPER interested, This is shaping up to be my first Airbag project (surprised right hahaha) and I'm still hesitant on what i would actually need to swap over to 4 corner aftermarket.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Nice touring.
                            So, how do the rear RE5's ride in comparison to the stock rear SLS tapered sleeve air springs? Looking to bag my 540iT eventually, and considering different rear air spring options. Options i'm considering are to 1) keep the stock air springs (but remove the air reservoirs), 2) Use some other Tapered sleeve air springs like the Firestone 9000's, or 3) run a bellows air spring like these RE5's...
                            Alvin Caragay
                            '96 AC Schnitzer S3 Sport CLS Replica
                            '02 BMW E39 540iT

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I like the re5's but I did consider tapered bags as well given the shape being so close to stock. Stock can be converted, I think iceboxxcustoms on IG slow an adapter but I'd be wary of the condition of the bags, and once you replace them you're likely over aftermarket money or near it.

                              Ride quality is a tough one to speak on, I ride with around 40psi in the rear and with Koni adjustables on soft settings I get very little bounce. Getting over speed bumps is around 65psi and that ups the spring rate enough to really bounce.
                              Fleet

                              '95 E36 Compact | m50tu | 3.45LSD | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), Air House 2 (R) - BUILD THREAD

                              '02 E39 540i Touring | Muffler Delete | Autopilot V2, AirLift Performance Series (F), RE5 (R) - BUILD THREAD

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X