1972 Bavaria - Full build and swap

[rblongboarder]

Very interesting and thorough build history. Thank you for posting!

I like the metal fuel lines, and the use of D38999 aircraft-grade connectors to route wiring through the firewall caught my attention.

I also noticed the chrome deletion along the body line; with the proper paint, I feel that body line is elegant and simple, and requires no chrome for "highlights." Great discussion of the wiring issues, and additional details regarding your choice of SpeedHut custom gauges. Significant mods to the engine bay, and nice documentation of soundproofing and interior.

Eventually, I think a lot of people here would love to hear a recoding of the sound of your M30B35 under acceleration with the ITB's....

Looking forward to seeing your next set of posts and images.

 

[e9Leveque]

It’s funny because I feel like we are often striking a balance between being “period correct” and “upgraded” with some of our mods, and if you throw that period correct concept out the window if really opens up options. Again, not for everyone and clearly not a car built for resale value, but as an artistic expression this is definitely a unique and technically impressive vehicle

 

[e30strube]

It’s funny because I feel like we are often striking a balance between being “period correct” and “upgraded” with some of our mods, and if you throw that period correct concept out the window if really opens up options. Again, not for everyone and clearly not a car built for resale value, but as an artistic expression this is definitely a unique and technically impressive vehicle

I definitely didn't go into this with the idea of maintaining any kind of originality, but I also didn't want to completely change the car. While more mods than usual, the outside body is largely left alone and the interior still has some of the 70's flair.

By the end of the restoration process, it became more about the process than the end product though. I just liked doing certain things... making small brackets, maintaining a specific aesthetic (keep everything hidden), wiring, etc. I can also now fully understand how a project can be derailed... life gets in the way or some tasks can just feel huge when you don't know how to do a particular install.

 

[e30strube]

More pics and progress... engine bay work...

Getting the initial intake onto the B35 manifold... I used some pre-bent aluminum tubing and a K&N filter. I welded in a intake air temp bung and a simple bracket that mounted it to the valve cover.

 

[e30strube]

Switching back to the trunk and the air ride setup...

Test fitting the tank...

Mounting the compressors, power wiring, and controller (this will all be on the back of the tank).

I used aluminum tubing as hard lines to clean up the look a bit. These are pretty easy to bend. Also making an appearance is my Datsun.

All finished... some of the lines run into the back seat area, while the rears connect under the trunk floor.

Inside the wheel wells... This is the front setup. Pretty similar to a coilover where the factory strut assembly is cut and the bag over strut setup is welded in place. You can also see the sensors that keep the car level. I was also redoing my calipers. I installed Wilwoods, but I was repainting in a gloss black.

Rear setup...

 

[e30strube]

A bit more interior work...

I didn't get any action shots of getting the wood veneer on the dash and door panels (I used the wood strips from the S model), but here are the end results. This is ebony veneer with a matte clear.

Getting the new AC controls in place on the dash. I removed the factory wood finish on the metal trim, as well as the polished metal outer piece.

There's so much wiring under the dash and I really wasn't ready for that... new to wiring. This was my attempt to get a handle on the ground, signal and power. This is just to let anyone else that is dealing with this know you aren't alone

 

[e30strube]

For those that don't know, the S wood trim aligns to the door panel and arm rest differently than the base model without wood. I solved that by filling in the cutouts on the trim, and then veneering over the top of it. This is mostly an issue on the rear seats where the base car arm rest doesn't "shoot" upwards into the wood. You wouldn't be able to just use the factory wood strip and the base model door panels without it looking weird.