Budget Beach Cruisin E28 Build

[exilekiller]

Hey Guys,

Names Marc. I live in Los Angeles. I had always loved the look of the 80s BMWs and finally committed on buying one. Got it for a pretty decent price from a mechanic in the Valley. Whether that means it is any better taken care of is up in the air.

Just a heads up, this is my first project car so everything is going to be new to me. I have done suspension and exhaust installs before but everything else is going to be an experience. Hopefully I can learn a lot from you guys.

My first order of business and cleaning this bad thing up. Man is she dirty. The pictures im posting are a couple days after getting her. Only thing ive started cleaning is the dash area and steering wheel.

I bought a ton of supplies including those ramps you drive onto to get under the car. As you can see, my first car part purchase are brakes. Hopefully will install this weekend or next.

Hopefully you enjoy the thread, I will try to keep up with it. Also if you are in LA and want to help feel free.

Thanks Guys


my Genesis peakin

[SnazzyQ]

Damn this is making me want en e28 again.

Subscribing for more e28 goodness.

[exilekiller]

Well you can help me out on my e28 build. I'm open for suggestions.

One question I have is, what bushings do I need for the front suspension. She is in need of new ones.

[12vsex]

Head over to FCP euro and buy the Meyle Hd front end kit. Its like 400$ or so but Your car will feel brand new again . I prefer the steel kit because if you are low, the lower control arms hit the ground and the steel ones will last longer. Stronger too imho . Here is the kit >

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-control-arm-kit-9-piece-steel-e28-e24-e289piecesteel-my

then buy this to finish the kit > https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-32211129014my

without that , you wont feel any difference. That's where most play is .

It includes everything you need . Then Go buy a ball joint separator, the kind you use an air gun or socket and ratchet on , not a pickle hammer. those suck and are made for cavemen . I did my whole front end on the floor of my garage in about 2 hours. Easy as hell, go get the car aligned asap . My car doesn't have any play , doesn't wander , and if I let go of the wheel the car tracks straight as an arrow.

[exilekiller]

Ok I will look into getting those. They are really nice.


On a different topic, I've driven the car around a couple times now and was wondering why I cant get it to go above 3000 RPMs. Even if I punch it, it just shifts way before it should. I don't think this is normal. Can I adjust the throttle body wire?

Any ideas.

[12vsex]

Check the throttle cable adjustment for sure , but a clogged cat can also cause that .
The throttle cable should be tight but not so tight that its "opening" the plate.

[Shawnc16]

love it! What's the plan for it?

[exilekiller]

Well I have a vision for what I want it to become. Definitely lower, not slammed though. Get the seats reupholstered. Probably will do some fabric work of my own on the interior. Then wheels and a few engine upgrades.

What is an acceptably loud muffler for the 528e?

[Owndapwn]

While you're under there, make sure the bracket that holds your power steering gearbox to your subframe is intact (Or there at all) and showing no signs of weakness. If it's questionable, MWrench (Really just some dude who helped solve a common problem on these cars) makes a steel dowel that goes through the subframe and is welded in place.

Also, the exact list of parts in question on my car:
Upper and lower control arms, tie rods, drag link, stabilizer link arms, stabilizer bars (Specifically the bushings for them), brake pads, rear subframe bushings, rear link arms, shocks and springs, drive shaft flex coupler, drive shaft centering bearing, and a head rebuild.

First thing you should do is put it on jacks and thoroughly check for something that makes you not want to drive it.
Second thing is take it to a Discount Tire and get your tires balanced. If it still vibrates, it could be your centering bearing, flex coupler, wheel bearings, control arms, or diff mounts.

I'm skipping my stab bar until I can get an upgrade kit, same with shocks/springs (Bilstein Sport and H&R Springs, btw). Don't bother with polyurethane bushings. They suck on these cars and all accounts seem to say stick with stock and get shocks/springs, strut towers, or stab bars. Or accept the fact that you bought a four door that isn't an STI and move on.
I've got a 535i, so I'm rocking the M30B34, and mine has never had any valve adjustment or any sort of head maintenance, except the original owner got conned into getting a new head gasket, but never got it machined or anything else done to it, so in addition to compression loss from an old valvetrain and every vacuum leak imaginable, I'm also puking oil out of my head. No coolant loss and no oil/coolant mixing, but lots of oil.

Closely check the area under your windshield gasket for rust. Mines rusting there, and that's the only place on the whole car, save the battery tray (Obvious battery malfunction). No idea how to fix that, but it's there and I need to work on something..

Also need to be checking fluid levels religiously. Put something like a white piece of cardboard under the car and check it every time you move it. Plenty of additives that can temporarily stop leaks long enough to sell the car.

So yea, that's about the gist of it. Welcome to the E28 life. You'll turn heads like you wouldn't believe in it. Went to the Street Car Takeover event in Kansas City and had probably a half dozen people ask me if I lived in [Home Town] or if they had seen me on [Commercial District My Job Is At].

EDIT: You're on your own for the muffler. Previous owner had my stock twin 1.75" pipe cut up and replaced with a single 2.5" (Same flow rate), but 6" before the muffler, it drops down to 2.0" pipe to use a shitty 2.0" muffler. Can't breathe with that and a cat, so I'm getting a glasspack put in mid-pipe and a fart can I picked up for less than $10 on the end. If I **** the can, I'll cut it off and put another glasspack. I just don't like how the glasspacks look, and I can tuck the can into the muffler cut out on the rear valence real nice. With the catback removed, it would put a MOPAR 8.4L to shame with the rumble, so I'm honestly not worried about the can.

[exilekiller]

Thanks Owndapwn for the detailed response. I've definitely got some oil leaking out the block. Mine had the head rebuilt when its head gasket blew.
It does drive really straight just when I turn it creeks a bit.

Update on what I did this weekend. Cleaned the engine bay and the interior like crazy.


Dirty Coke Stains

This is after cleaning. It looks and smells so much better. Hard to tell by the pic.


Dash cleaned up pretty good too


Time for Suspension

[riziuebru]

I will look into getting those. They are really nice.

[exilekiller]

Did some work this past weekend. I installed new KYB struts in the front. The old ones were so shot. They were leaking oil all over the place. Also did the front brake pads and center cap emblems.

We cut 1.5 coils off the front which gave it a decent little drop. Going to have to lower it more after I get wheels.

Heres the pics.

[uzegnaramo]

Subscribing for more e28 goodness.

[Dmitry]

I love e28s and hope to get one soon, cutting coils is a "dirty" way, if u understand what i'm talking about! good luck with your build.

[exilekiller]

Thanks Guys! Its a learn experience so I am taking my time.

How should I go about knocking old bushings out on the cheap?