Watch me ruin a Z4M Coupe: build thread

[Vanne]

Just dropped in here to see what you've been up to Matt. Exemplary work mate. Very bloody nice indeed. I love how your doing everything mostly yourself and I love your attention to detail/skills.

Off topic question if I may please, that blue bike you've got in your workshop, is that a Benelli?

Love where your taking this project mate.

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by Sliktop

What are the part numbers on the offset GC FCABS? I want to order them asap if they exist.

Sweet build thread, btw!

I'm actually not sure - I just traded emails with Donavan at GC and he's shipped out replacements. They may actually not be offset (i.e. they will be 66mm OD + 22mm ID, but might be centered), but I think the offset only serves to increase caster by a little bit. Given the car's focus, I'm not too worried about caster - decreased resistance to high-speed steering input doesn't bother me.

And thanks!

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by Vanne

Just dropped in here to see what you've been up to Matt. Exemplary work mate. Very bloody nice indeed. I love how your doing everything mostly yourself and I love your attention to detail/skills.

Off topic question if I may please, that blue bike you've got in your workshop, is that a Benelli?

Love where your taking this project mate.

Thanks! This is a pretty big learning experience for me, but hopefully the cost of that learning will only be my time. The proof will be when the bloody thing finally starts...

The blue bike is a '77 Honda CB400F - it's a parts donor for the crashed black '76 CB400F beside it. The crashed bike was one that I did a frame-up ~restoration on as a 40th birthday present for my wife, which turned out to be a shitty present since it tried to kill her. Long story but she's fine now.

[vbelsky]

Phew, I was worried I'd see some bagged stance garbage when I read the title. Nice build!

Originally Posted by jns_e85

Gasket selection matters! I have done numerous VCG on a variety of BMWs and when I did the valve adjustment on my M I also replaced the VCG. At a friend's recommendation, I got the Victor Reinz VCG. After installing it, there was a slow leak in the back off one of the half moons. Annoyed at myself, I reinstalled it, and it continued to leak. Then I tried again with a high degree of James May OCD on doing it proper, anddddd still leaked.

Pissed I ran to the dealer and bought an OEM gasket, and wouldn't you know it, no more leaks!

Elring or nothing.

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by vbelsky

Phew, I was worried I'd see some bagged stance garbage when I read the title. Nice build!

Elring or nothing.

Yeah, not my style. I appreciate the aesthetic, honestly, but I prefer things that are fast.

Turns out the GC 66mm / 22mm bushings are not offset, for those who were curious. They showed up today.

[mattfwalters]

Home again, home again. Jiggity-jig.



















Yesterday was a Good Day.

[StickMon]

Giggity!!

Where did you get the Vanos accumulator line?

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by StickMon

Giggity!!

Where did you get the Vanos accumulator line?

Pretty sure that's a Bimmerworld piece.

[mattfwalters]

Lots of little stuff done in the past couple of weeks while:
* Fixed the strut tower load-spreaders
* Replaced the idler / tensioner pulleys
* Installed / wired the starter
* Installed the front rotors and calipers
* Installed the steering column
* Installed water temp sensor
* Installed serpentine belt
* Installed front exhaust header




...the slow march of progress...

[mattfwalters]

Some progress today. I guess "RTS" is officially not an option:






I left the front / top portions of the support in place because they hold the bumper. This gives me an excellent view of the space I have to work with, though, so I think I'll probably get the splitter sorted next - should help me understand exactly how much space I have to package everything and sort out some nice, smooth, laminar-flow-allowing curved ductwork.

And then the oil system.

And then start the goddamned thing already.

[dre99gsx]

Yeah, I once did a project that was shiny and clean! That won't last long

Great progress! Get it done so you can drive it already

[mattfwalters]

Well, productive weekend.

Got the radiator in place and mocked up some brackets for the oil cooler:



Found the power steering radiator a cute little home:


Made a bunch of -10AN hoses, figured out where the oil cooler thermostat lives, and got a bit unhappy with how close the lines run to the CSL airbox :






Super, super thanks to my buddy Chris for spending the weekend with me on this. Making hoses with the two-piece AN fittings is both easier than I thought and a complete bastard of a way to spend a day.

Have some 45 and 30 degree fittings coming to replace the straight fittings currently attached to the oil cooler outlet / inlet on the oil filter block - the hoses foul the underside of the airbox a bit, so I want to gently arc them over the alternator. Everything otherwise clears the airbox and other stuff, so I just need to make some nice brackets and line holders, get decent fasteners for the radiators, and tie the bottom brackets for the oil / PS coolers to the bottom of the rad brace.

Also got irritated with the stock fan shroud, so I ordered a SPAL 16" high-flow unit.

Nowhere near as fancy as I'd thought I might have to get for the radiators. Everything packages nicely there, even the oil accumulator - it looks like it should foul the inside of the bumper there, but unless I'm greatly mistaken it will sit right in behind the kidney grilles, snug as a bug in a rug.

[longress]

Nice work!
A larger oil cooler is my next upgrade. What model are you using by chance? Looks like a Setrab but curious as to the size.

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by longress

Nice work!
A larger oil cooler is my next upgrade. What model are you using by chance? Looks like a Setrab but curious as to the size.

Thanks - lots still to do in here for sure, but it feels really good to have the oil system nearly plumbed.

The cooler is indeed a Setrab, specifically the 50-650-7612 (6 series, 50-row). I selected it based on packaging, cooling capacity, and incredibly low pressure drop (1.1-1.8 PSI) it provides.

[Michael9218]

Looks good. Will be curious to hear how that oil accumulator works out.

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by Michael9218

Looks good. Will be curious to hear how that oil accumulator works out.

It will at least keep the engine first start from being dry... we'll see after that.

[mattfwalters]

Progress! Again.

I strapped the fan onto the front of the rad, plumbed the rad, found a better arrangement for the oil cooler and PS cooler, and realized it opened up a nice space in around the radiators for the oil accumulator!

This means I'll be replacing the hood latch support hoop with the brackets and braces I'm going to build for the radiators, along with a bracket for the oil cooler thermostat. I am decided: the accumulator is getting a remote-switched solenoid valve so that I can put a fuckoff-bright LED on the switch that will warn me if the ignition is on but the accumulator valve is closed.

Behold, a fully plumbed water and oil system!

[mattfwalters]

Started fabricating the actual support for the bumper, radiators, and accumulator:





I'll be running tubing from this front support structure around the radiator for lower supports; haven't quite sorted upper rad support yet but I don't think it'll be much trouble compared to this part. I will use the bottom of this structure as the main attachment point for the splitter.

Also sorted out what was causing my issues with the TIG torch (me) so the welding is going much more smoothly than the last few times I've attempted to make multiple pieces of metal into a single piece.

[mattfwalters]

Spent another hour and a half on this tonight:



Next I'll notch this brace so the cooler frame fits into it, and then add the lower radiator brackets and tie them in to the frame. Then the oil accumulator supports.

THEN MAYBE I'LL START THE @$^#$&$#^

[SaltyNC]

Been away for awhile. Nice to see the progress. Can't wait to see the finished product.

[racerbruce]

What's the latest??

[jns_e85]

Originally Posted by racerbruce

What's the latest??

^ WHS