Cutlets Build thread- 1997 E36 318is.

[Cutlets]

Hey guys, My name is Lance or as I'm known sometimes "cutlets" I lurk here alot and finnally after some time I am doing a build thread
My obsesion with low cars/stance/fitment etc, came about when I laid my eyes on a car by the name of 'Rusty' I was amazed at the work and fab work that went into it. After looking through a whole heap of other builds, and thats what basically got me hooked on Stance Works.
Now: Onto the build thread.

Basically the first day I got it. Was Clean for what it was amazing car to drive. Had a fuel oil leak problems. But other than that it was great.


Inside.





After a while, things on the inside started to get a bit boring so I 'spiced' it up a bit and tried my hand at re trimming. I basically only did the parts that I could easily get off, without pulling out everything.



I then tried roof racks on to see how they looked. Which i ran for a couple of months. Also my girlfriend is studying photography so we went on a photo shoot and this is the best edit of one of the shots she had. She is way way better now though



Then, after a few months running it like this, I decide we should get into doing some engine stuff. Step 1: oil filter housing gasket.
What a job that was. Pulling everything out then puting everything back in, was a pain in the arse but we did it.

the housing itself, we cleaned it up to ensure that when we put it in that there was no new leaks.



After a while of running different wheels ( I dont have pictures) I decided that I need some ones that where brand specific. So I went and bought some 16" e46 wheels.

Perfect tread and looked amazing for $200!!

Then It was TIME! The day came where I had a arranged with a mate of mine to install my coilovers. Basically I got all the stuff in the car wheels and everything and headed down there.



After stuffing around with the front left for quite sometime it went in.

Did the front right in no time! Which was excellent.

Then we got to the rear. Massive headache. It was trial and error for a couple of hours but we got both rears in, in no time. After alot of swearing and thought, the job was done!!

The front left Result:


The morning I got it home: NOTE: The picture doesnt do it any justice at all.


Another shot:


This is how the car sits today.


The rear needs to come down heaps, and a few other bits need to be sorted.

This isnt the final product, but for now im digging it, even if the rear needs to come down. I get alot of looks which is always good
I like OEM looking cars, be it super slammed or even just basic dialed in fitment.

I will post pictures when the rear of the car comes down.
If anyone has any tips or anything feel free to throw them in. All is welcome.

Thanks!!!

Lance.

[FunfGang]

Looking good so far! Always impressed by Australians going low despite the laws!

[Cutlets]

Haha yeah, I'm definitely interested in taking this car further despite the laws we have over here!
Once again, Thanks!

[dvious]

Wish you luck mate. Interesting to see which way this goes.

[Cutlets]

Thanks mate. At one point im probably going to try my 17s that I had on the car previously to see how they sit at its current height. Hopefully when I find my C spanner then I can lower the back and take a few shots!

[Pekå]

great!

I have to ask. i have the same coilovers as you. blueline. Mine is very high in the rear? high and bumpy

is yours like that to? I wonder how i will fix that...

well. you have a subscriber!

[Cutlets]

great!

I have to ask. i have the same coilovers as you. blueline. Mine is very high in the rear? high and bumpy

is yours like that to? I wonder how i will fix that...

well. you have a subscriber!

Haha wow. Im honored man seriously

My rears are still up at the moment. Im yet to afjust them down.
As for the ride quality. Amazing. You can feel every bump, other than that its real comfy!

Once again thank you for subscribing I promise I wont dissapoint

[Pekå]

Haha wow. Im honored man seriously

My rears are still up at the moment. Im yet to afjust them down.
As for the ride quality. Amazing. You can feel every bump, other than that its real comfy!

Once again thank you for subscribing I promise I wont dissapoint

I'm Glad to hear that

I just removed the ajustment stuff and only run the springs. Atm i have 185/60-15 and if i take och all the air from the tires so it standard on the rim, it's perfect

I think i Will cut the springs so it's almost no spring at all and then use the adjustment bolts i can get it low and stiff haha

What wheels Will you go With? I Will run 205/40-17 all Around and 9" front and 9,5" rear haha


I love the color!

[Cutlets]

I'm Glad to hear that

I just removed the ajustment stuff and only run the springs. Atm i have 185/60-15 and if i take och all the air from the tires so it standard on the rim, it's perfect

I think i Will cut the springs so it's almost no spring at all and then use the adjustment bolts i can get it low and stiff haha

What wheels Will you go With? I Will run 205/40-17 all Around and 9" front and 9,5" rear haha


I love the color!

Oh very nice!

Not sure of the wheels Ill get, might run what I had on it originally. Or some nice looking dished rims. Im still yet to pull my front guards and I have some scrubbing when I full lock the steering haha.
When I put my adjuster stuff on, I let the rears settle for a couple of days into the rubber mounts and what not, Had a look at them the other night and they where pretty much solidly in there.
Do you have pictures of yours?
I love the colour too, its pretty amazing

[Cutlets]

So an update (kind of)

So Ive adjusted my rears down as far as the thread will let me.....and nothing has happened. Its still the same height it was when before I adjusted it.

Its frustrating as hell, can anyone tell me what Im doing wrong? Or is that pretty normal?

[Cutlets]

Well, I thought Id post something on whats been happening with this car.
Basically I thought it would be a good idea to go the back roads home after work, thinking a good drive through the country side would do me some good..Sadly I was wrong and this happened:


Unfortunatly I was driving along and a Smallish/Mediumish Kangaroo jumped out in front of my car. I hit the brakes as hard as I could, but that wasnt enough, cleaned him straight up and he didnt survive
Luckily for me, the car came out unscaved except for the pictures above. These things happen and theres nothing you can do about it. Time for new kidney grilles.

On a happy note, Im thinking about puting my 17s back on. Just have to take one to get fixed and put new tyres on all of them and Ill be set.

Thanks

Lance.

[Earl]

I have never heard of a kangaroo being hit by a car. Sorry to hear=/ At least only your header panel and kidneys got ruined.

[Cutlets]

I have never heard of a kangaroo being hit by a car. Sorry to hear=/ At least only your header panel and kidneys got ruined.

Yeah, its a very common thing in the country side, especially at night time. Un-predictable animals they are.
Was very lucky to only have that as damage, if the car was at standard height, I think my front bumper would have copped it heaps. Was a little shaken. But both me and the car are fine. I will probably purchase the parts either before or after I do more suspension and wheel work.

[Cutlets]

As Ive mentioned countless amounts of times, Im going to run my 17 inch M series wheels again. They truly are amazing wheels, and they suit it very much so.
Here is a picture of what they look like:


This is the only thing stopping me from putting on the whole set straight away, I will most likely put two on the front, get them all sweet, get this one fixed and a new tyre and then tweek the back.


List of parts to be ordered:
-Wheel to be repaired and new tyres
-Rear camber/control arms
-Hub centric spacers
-New grill
-New boot lid
-Interior parts

Ive got a bit of a list there. But the most important ones are those of suspension components.

Oh and heres a few photos of my project:
Nissan Bluebird Wagon:




Thanks

Lance.

[Cutlets]

UPDATE!

Well, seeing as Ive been working alot, I havnt had the chance to update my thread. So here we go.

One day I got bored and decided to test fit my old 17s. They looked tough as heck, I was really happy, but as things always end up, it didn't quite work out.....


(sorry for the instagram photo lol)

So I took it for a test drive and it scrubbed so much! The tyre size was a bit too big and the front height was a bit to low to run it. So In desperation to save my daily, I chucked the e46 stockers back on and left it for a bit.

A few weeks went by and I was abit anxious to get my car looking proper so, I started looking for parts, that I needed and decided to plan so when my tax return, I can spend the exact mount I need to.
As all things go with modifying you buy one thing you break another.
A couple of days ago I was driving home with the missus, and my car decided to rapidly over heat. Pulled over a couple of times to let the car cool down which was all good and well, but pulled over and decided I needed water for it. After waiting about an hour, finnally car had cooled down just enough to put some water in it. My dad was there aswell to make sure we got home. But, water didnt solve the problem turns out something to do with my thermostat wasnt working so now I have to replace that
Anyway, I ended up putting a deposit on some wheels earlyer in the week before it happened, paid the rest last night and this is what they look like.

17x8 powdercoated, sandblasted etc. Cost me $250!! So stoked!!
Will end up running a 195/40/r17 tyre on it. A bit of stretch doesnt hurt anyone

Update as of today:

My dad and I pulled the thermostat out, and ended up breaking one of pipes coming off the housing where the top radiator hose goes onto, so Im due for the whole unit.
After that, will bleed the system, fix my thermo fan and then hopefully that should cure its problems. Heres to hoping!!!!

From today:


Thanks

Lance.