Z4MC Rebuild after Track Incident, Work in Progress

[sabbanick]

awesome!

I give you credit for the time and frustration you have gone through with this car to get 'er back on the road.


Any updates on the next track car...do you plan to progress past driving events and get a racing license?

[Shipkiller]

I have not really thought too much on a track car. Must get this one completed first. One thing at a time.

I don't really have the desire to get a racing license. My job requirements will not let me do enough track time to do anything like that.

[crfine88]

Originally Posted by Shipkiller

Yesterday, I took the car up to the body shop for polishing of the new paint. The bumpers were empty on the car (no extras installed) and the headlights removed. Side mirror not installed.

This was done to help the guy in the polishing, to make it easier. They really did an outstanding job. Looking at the front of the car it looks like an empty skull driving down the road.

This is the first time I have driven the car since Nov. GOD IT WAS GREAT. Since it was cold and the oil temps never got up to 180' for the short trip, I never took it above 4000RPM.. sucks.... But it was still great. Driving a real car. Driving the Roadster is NOT the same...

New headlight should be here in a few days or so.

When I get the car back, the bumpers come back off and all the extras get installed into them and to mount the splitter and maybe to figure out how to mount Ians plexiglass. I have to pull the interior door card to install the OEM sound dampening material I forgot and to put the side mirror on.

That black sticky material used on the internal of the door that no one knows how to get.... Talking to the parts guys at BMW, it is called DUM DUM and they get it at NAPA. It's called 3M Windo-Weld Ribbon Sealer.

After all that, it will be a good time to do a paint correction on all the other parts of the car, seal it with Wolfgone DGPS and lay down two good coats of Dodo Diamond White Hard wax.

The wheel refurbishers are coming out on Sat. (they have a mobile van) to look at the wheels. I am worried that the front one might not be perfectly straight, although it drives fine. They can fix this..then make them look like new. I have seen their work. Stunning.... all this from a panel truck....

My wife who followed me out to drop off the car, remarked "I bet you loved that, just to drive it again. How was it?"

I looked at her with hooded eyes and said in a low growl. "Soonnnnnn"
She just laughed....

Great plan on the paint and protection. So many people skip this step and pay for it later.

It's awsome to read/see how this is coming along. With such great attention to detail, the value of your coupe can go no where but up IMO.

Thanks again for sharing this with all of us

[nmulax]

Wow, first I've seen this thread.
Yeah a wreck is a known risk each time you pull onto the track; but it still sucks to see it happen. With that being said, looks like you're doing everything as good (likely better) than a shop! Can't wait till it's all finished!

Track car suggestion… 350Z

[Shipkiller]

Originally Posted by nmulax

Wow, first I've seen this thread.
Yeah a wreck is a known risk each time you pull onto the track; but it still sucks to see it happen. With that being said, looks like you're doing everything as good (likely better) than a shop! Can't wait till it's all finished!

Track car suggestion… 350Z

Thought about it for about 30 seconds then discarded that idea. I some of the guys I run with are Z guys have related some of the issues they have over the years. My impression of the 350Z is there is more issues with getting it track ready and keeping it track ready than the Z4M or any BMW. Parts can be just as expensive as BMW parts.

One of my good track buddies, who just happens to be a woman, runs a 350 and is in the same run groups as me, has maintenance nightmares before each track event.

[Shipkiller]

The car came home today. That was quick.

Pulled both bumpers off. Reinstalled the rear bumper with all its parts...
Put the mirror on and finalized the door. It's now done.
My headlight also came in today. As Hanibal always said: "I love it when a plan comes together"
Transferred the parts from the damage headlight to the new one, installed and tested. I will have pictures tomorrow on this. Learned some things since I have never been inside these lights.

Tomorrow starts the front bumper. Almost complete.

[Finnegan]

Awesome news Ship! I can't wait to see the fully restored baby!

[Shipkiller]

2/26/2012 Update 7: to the main body of the post.

[drew935]

Wow Ship! That is an amazing recovery of work that you did on your M. Love it!

[Shipkiller]

3/2/2012 Update 8: to the main post.

[Caddyshk]

Great update Jay! Thought you weren't tracking the Z4MC anymore

[Shipkiller]

3/2/2012 Update 9: The final update

[Caddyshk]

Thanks Jay!

[Finnegan]

I just looked at update 9 after following the whole thread since it started many months ago. Ship, fantastic and amazing job! I'm in awe of your skills . It's inspirational! This thread is simply a great resource for the forum. Thank you for taking the time to pull it together--I know it was a lot of work on top of what was a lot of work!

[gtMc]

+1 to Finns comments above. Extremely impressive.

Ship, as for this in your main thread last update: "Now for tomorrow, a good wash, clay, polish with the PC, then seal the car with Wolfgane DGPS. Let that sit and cure overnight then on Sunday two good coats of Dodo Juice Diamond White Hard wax."

Are you comfortable that this process is safe for the newly painted body panels? I ask out of ignorance and the understanding that very little should be done to fresh paint for the first 3 months. As someone who just had my front bumper resprayed, I want to make sure I too am doing the right thing, and if its something someone of your skillset would consider doing, then I perhaps should also consider it...

[Shipkiller]

I specifically asked this question to the body shop. Their response was with BMW paint, 30 days. All of my body panels except the rear bumper were painted the last week of Dec, and the car has been sitting in the garage since, I felt good about this. Of course I consistently monitored what I was doing at the time. The rear bumper was the only one I did not polish since it was painted three weeks ago or so but I was very gingerly with it. I did clay the rear bumper.

I used my Porter Cable Dual Action polisher with a Lake Country Orange pad. The compound I used was Pinnacle Advance Swirl Remover. Then finished with a LC Blue Finishing pad and Pinnacle Finishing Polish.

The clay bar did pull some very minor crap out of the new bodywork.

The DGPS is fine by itself (great shine) but you can extend it's life out to around six-nine months if you keep the topper coat of wax in good shape. DGPS takes around eight to 12 hours to cure and do not let water (rain or dew) get on it during the cure. This dilutes it. DGPS is oxygen activated. The oxygen molecules cross link and form a very tough layer. Then apply what ever wax you want, but his step is optional.

I am very partial to Pinnacle and Wolfgane products, but on a white car, Dodo Juice Diamond White Hard is the stuff. Plus, it is a very hard wax and gives you that much more protection. Just remember, there is 'no perfect' wax.

[Z4MLover2012]

The car really came to together nicely. You should be very proud of all of your hard work.

[gtMc]

Originally Posted by Shipkiller

I specifically asked this question to the body shop. Their response was with BMW paint, 30 days. All of my body panels except the rear bumper were painted the last week of Dec, and the car has been sitting in the garage since, I felt good about this. Of course I consistently monitored what I was doing at the time. The rear bumper was the only one I did not polish since it was painted three weeks ago or so but I was very gingerly with it. I did clay the rear bumper.

I used my Porter Cable Dual Action polisher with a Lake Country Orange pad. The compound I used was Pinnacle Advance Swirl Remover. Then finished with a LC Blue Finishing pad and Pinnacle Finishing Polish.

The clay bar did pull some very minor crap out of the new bodywork.

The DGPS is fine by itself (great shine) but you can extend it's life out to around six-nine months if you keep the topper coat of wax in good shape. DGPS takes around eight to 12 hours to cure and do not let water (rain or dew) get on it during the cure. This dilutes it. DGPS is oxygen activated. The oxygen molecules cross link and form a very tough layer. Then apply what ever wax you want, but his step is optional.

I am very partial to Pinnacle and Wolfgane products, but on a white car, Dodo Juice Diamond White Hard is the stuff. Plus, it is a very hard wax and gives you that much more protection. Just remember, there is 'no perfect' wax.

Many thanks - yeah forgot most of your panels were painted back in Dec. This is very helpful for a novice @home vehicle care-taker like me. I have never known how to take an auto-detail to this extent, hence why true detailers are getting top dollar. I may attempt something like this in the spring after my 3 months are up and I have done more research.

Gone I guess, are my old days of a driveway wash, maybe a claybar, and then a 2 step handwax. "wax on wax off". Of course, gone is my highschool beater car that got this elementary treatment...

[Shipkiller]

Go to Autogeek.net.

This is were I buy most of my products.
When I was first starting out in the detailing world, I looked at all their videos and such. Plus their forum..