Bwana
Well-Known Member
Well, here goes nothing!
I bought this e3 from a guy in Phoenix for $900.
http://www.e9coupe.com/forum/threads/e3-restoration.19334/
Obviousoly it wasn't running but it did look pretty "rust free" except for the surface stuff on the fenders. Satch even declaired the sills "intact" with a big whoop and a smile. A follow up from the previous thread is that there was a nest of violin spiders somewhere in the car and they hatched out after I parked it and left! My son stopped by to check on the house as usual and found them. Said the place looked like a B-movie set! He set out some bug bombs which wiped them out. Phew! So now I've begun to take it apart.
Seats out. Looks like somehow a previous owner got some blue front seats into the tan interior.
Rear seats out too. Is it better to drop off the whole seat to the upholster or take the old material off and just give him the frame and springs? Do these look OK? The stuffing looks nasty!
Some shots of the interior. I still need to scrape out the sound deadening off the floors but I don't expect much, if any, rust on the floors.
The dash is shot but I've already procured another one, reportedly with only a small crack in it.
Fender rust
So, in general, what should be the next steps? I'm assuming it should go something like:
1) Finish removing sound pads on floor
2) Remove windshield
3) Remove dashboard and check gauges (probably send to NH speedometer just because)
4) Remove door cards and prepare window drive to be electrified
5) Remove front subframe and engine? I've seen some cool dollies to mount the car to so I can push it around without the front and rear suspensions. Probably weld one of those up.
6) Remove real glass and all external lights like turn signals and wipers
7) Fix bodywork and sand smooth in prep for paint
8) Paint
Reassemble in reverse order
I've got some cunning plans for the engine I need to work out (no doubt including some calls to Don for sage advise), I haven't decided on the transmission yet either. I plan to flare the fenders in some way and put some fairly significant rubber under it.
I only get up here three or four times a year for any significant length of time so have patience with me.
Any and all comments are welcome!
I bought this e3 from a guy in Phoenix for $900.
http://www.e9coupe.com/forum/threads/e3-restoration.19334/
Obviousoly it wasn't running but it did look pretty "rust free" except for the surface stuff on the fenders. Satch even declaired the sills "intact" with a big whoop and a smile. A follow up from the previous thread is that there was a nest of violin spiders somewhere in the car and they hatched out after I parked it and left! My son stopped by to check on the house as usual and found them. Said the place looked like a B-movie set! He set out some bug bombs which wiped them out. Phew! So now I've begun to take it apart.
Seats out. Looks like somehow a previous owner got some blue front seats into the tan interior.
Rear seats out too. Is it better to drop off the whole seat to the upholster or take the old material off and just give him the frame and springs? Do these look OK? The stuffing looks nasty!
Some shots of the interior. I still need to scrape out the sound deadening off the floors but I don't expect much, if any, rust on the floors.
The dash is shot but I've already procured another one, reportedly with only a small crack in it.
Fender rust
So, in general, what should be the next steps? I'm assuming it should go something like:
1) Finish removing sound pads on floor
2) Remove windshield
3) Remove dashboard and check gauges (probably send to NH speedometer just because)
4) Remove door cards and prepare window drive to be electrified
5) Remove front subframe and engine? I've seen some cool dollies to mount the car to so I can push it around without the front and rear suspensions. Probably weld one of those up.
6) Remove real glass and all external lights like turn signals and wipers
7) Fix bodywork and sand smooth in prep for paint
8) Paint
Reassemble in reverse order
I've got some cunning plans for the engine I need to work out (no doubt including some calls to Don for sage advise), I haven't decided on the transmission yet either. I plan to flare the fenders in some way and put some fairly significant rubber under it.
I only get up here three or four times a year for any significant length of time so have patience with me.
Any and all comments are welcome!
