Minerva: The S54 powered, better than new, E28

[LeiseyJr]

The bronze glass is a very nice add on!

[geordi]

Catching up to all your activity Charlie!
Wow... absolutely gorgeous. I had to look at the pics with sunglasses on.

I have an Euro M5 trunk lid spoiler that you may consider. Smaller than the e28 spoiler. I'll shoot a few pics an email to you.

Can't wait to see this puppy.

[tig]

Catching up to all your activity Charlie!
Wow... absolutely gorgeous. I had to look at the pics with sunglasses on.

I have an Euro M5 trunk lid spoiler that you may consider. Smaller than the e28 spoiler. I'll shoot a few pics an email to you.

Can't wait to see this puppy.

Hugs, man.

The trunk carpet set, etc... got shipped back to Seattle yesterday. I'll be at 425motorsports Friday for a conjugal visit.

[duggi]

Whoa, I haven't looked at this thread in a while, but I love the progress! The blue is killer and I'm glad you went with the houndstooth, gonna look sharp!

[tig]

Another conjugal visit today. It was fun. Some of the pr0n...

Maytag seems to be enjoying the company...










Blunt sent a US grill. Fudge. Had to send him title again. Euro grill inbound.









Brake lines are all hooked up.






ABS is in. VIN says car had ABS. Evidence says otherwise. Regardless, it does now.




This goes here. Need to add studs. Anyone have a pic of an M5 framerail showing the stud detail?



<3. Can't wait for this puppy to be in place. Should be next week. We keep finding missing parts in the engine bay...






Dinan sways have been powdercoated. Rear is in the car.



Windows are done. All glass is in, all regulators greased. All electrics tested and working smoothly.







Gawd lordy, the bronze glass looks awesome!







Euro mirrors.









This... will... not... do. Bummed it's marred. Will fix.


I didn't look at these close enough before dropping them off... They will not do. I've got the chrome tails that were on the car up till now at home and plan on shadowlining them tomorrow. I'll be selling these.



Thank you @ahab for the factory/M5 shadowline door mouldings. They look great.




This... makes... me... grin... I found a guy on eBay who makes 'em and would do custom for me.

[Dale3783]

Jeez Louise. Simply amazing.

[tig]

Shadowlined the good chrome tails. There's a few minor mars and tiny cracks in one of the lenses, but nobody but me will ever notice them. It's almost a shame to convert such a tits pair to shadowline, but what choice do I have?



Cleaned the insides of all the lenses with alcohol.


Carefully masked. I learnt from when I did Vlad's that you need to be real careful to not have any masking tape touching the formerly chrome part, or when you de-mask them you'll expose chrome.




Scuff the chrome with 300grit sand paper. Could probably go coarser, but this is what I used on Vlad and they've held up for 4+ years.


Took a break to go on a boat ride with my buddy's Mastiff, Marco. He's a good boi. Still a puppy at 195lbs...



Cleaned and ready:


The stuff to use.


Many thin coats.


Drying now...

[Karl Grau]

I love the Porsche paint code sticker.


Here are a few pics of my heat shield. I can try to get you 2 or 3 precise measurements which should make the other mounting points obvious.

[tig]

I love the Porsche paint code sticker.

Here are a few pics of my heat shield. I can try to get you 2 or 3 precise measurements which should make the other mounting points obvious.

Figured you'd like it.

You are a scholar and a gentleman for posting those pics. Thanks sir. Hugs.

[tig]

Yeah, those will do just fine.

[davintosh]

Been a while since I visited this thread; wow.

But I dunno about those seats, Charlie. Yeah, they look spiffy and neat & clean and all, but I'm afraid they just aren't going to meet your standards for comfort with all that crisp new fabric, and that foam that hasn't been broken in... I suggest you send them to me, and I'll ship my well-loved set of black leather sports right back to you; they'll provide a much better level of comfort for you.

Happy to do this for you. No need to thank me.

[tig]

Been a while since I visited this thread; wow.

But I dunno about those seats, Charlie. Yeah, they look spiffy and neat & clean and all, but I'm afraid they just aren't going to meet your standards for comfort with all that crisp new fabric, and that foam that hasn't been broken in... I suggest you send them to me, and I'll ship my well-loved set of black leather sports right back to you; they'll provide a much better level of comfort for you.

Happy to do this for you. No need to thank me.

I'll get them packed up and shipped this weekend. I really appreciate your generosity on this matter!

[1st 5er]

Been a while since I visited this thread; wow.

But I dunno about those seats, Charlie. Yeah, they look spiffy and neat & clean and all, but I'm afraid they just aren't going to meet your standards for comfort with all that crisp new fabric, and that foam that hasn't been broken in... I suggest you send them to me, and I'll ship my well-loved set of black leather sports right back to you; they'll provide a much better level of comfort for you.

Happy to do this for you. No need to thank me.

I'll get them packed up and shipped this weekend. I really appreciate your generosity on this matter!

Y'all have moved my heart with your ecpresssions of generosity to the poimt that I want to participate.
Look for a PM that includes my FedEx account #, as I would like to pay shipping cost, both ways.

Hugs all around.

[funkycharms]

What do you plan to use for vapor barriers?

[tig]

What do you plan to use for vapor barriers?

I used contact paper to great effect (I think) on Maytag. That's my current plan here. Open for other ideas.

[wkohler]

That contac paper works awesome. Wouldn’t do it another way. When you’re putting it on it doesn’t seem like it would stick but oh boy it sticks.

[duggi]

What do you plan to use for vapor barriers?

I used contact paper to great effect (I think) on Maytag. That's my current plan here. Open for other ideas.

That contac paper works awesome. Wouldn’t do it another way. When you’re putting it on it doesn’t seem like it would stick but oh boy it sticks.

So glad I saw this just before tackling in the next few weekends on all four of my doors =D

[funkycharms]

What do you plan to use for vapor barriers?

I used contact paper to great effect (I think) on Maytag. That's my current plan here. Open for other ideas.

That contac paper works awesome. Wouldn’t do it another way. When you’re putting it on it doesn’t seem like it would stick but oh boy it sticks.

So glad I saw this just before tackling in the next few weekends on all four of my doors =D

You and me both, thanks for sharing. I am ready to seal my doors also.

Thats This stuff, Correct?

[jhh925]

What do you plan to use for vapor barriers?

I used contact paper to great effect (I think) on Maytag. That's my current plan here. Open for other ideas.

"Factory" trimming foil (P/N 51951924961) is still available. Pelican has it for $36 per meter and that's plenty for two doors. I used this when I re-did my '87. It's not super easy to work with, but once on it works great. Note that if you order it, it won't come with BMW logos on the backing paper ... that is, this is freshly manufactured material made to BMW specs by a third party. When you get it, it seems more like you're buying an OE part, not BMW OEM (like getting a Mahle filter instead of a BME filter made by Mahle). Not sure if I'm saying that correctly.

[jhh925]

From your original post:

Budget: I budget ~$15k/year for cars for me (not including insurance or fuel). This covers ALL of my personal cars (but not my wife's or kid's) and thus will not all be spent on this build. I expect this build to take 3 years total (clock started ticking last summer when I bought the chassis). I do not plan on keeping a ledger on spending, just generally keeping within my $15k/year budget. I'm sure I'll end up spending more than rationally makes sense.

Just thought I'd ask the question (half seriously, half just to poke the bear), now that you're about three years out from when your clock started, are you anywhere near those limits?

[tig]

From your original post:

Budget: I budget ~$15k/year for cars for me (not including insurance or fuel). This covers ALL of my personal cars (but not my wife's or kid's) and thus will not all be spent on this build. I expect this build to take 3 years total (clock started ticking last summer when I bought the chassis). I do not plan on keeping a ledger on spending, just generally keeping within my $15k/year budget. I'm sure I'll end up spending more than rationally makes sense.

Just thought I'd ask the question (half seriously, half just to poke the bear), now that you're about three years out from when your clock started, are you anywhere near those limits?

I feel sufficiently poked.

I will say It is a damn good thing it's taking so long from a budget perspective.

[tschultz]

It is looking very nice going together-- I might not want to drive it if I had a car in this nice of condition!!

[tig]

It is looking very nice going together-- I might not want to drive it if I had a car in this nice of condition!!

I just don't get this perspective. I understand that other's have it, but it just isn't me.

I view it this way: I once bought an new, $80k Mercedes C63. Did I ever think twice about driving the shit out of it? Nope.

I've spent a bazillion hours of my own blood, sweat, and tears on Vlad. Did I daily drive it in Seattle traffic/weather for 5+ years? You bet I did. I won't drive it when the salt's out in SLC, but it is my daily there.

I see this car the same. Yes it will be perfect when I'm done. Yes, it'll get dings and chips and stuff as I drive it. Yes, I'll fix them the best I can. But no, I won't be afraid to enjoy it.

All that said, I do have a different perspective on my 911. I baby the hell out of that car. It is a garage queen. But that's because I lucked into a low-mileage, pristine example and have somehow kept it that way (both low mileage and pristine). I have now challenged myself to keep it that way forever but still drive it ~2500 miles a year.

[Motronic]

I've spent a bazillion hours of my own blood, sweat, and tears on Vlad.

Yes, it'll get dings and chips and stuff as I drive it. Yes, I'll fix them the best I can. But no, I won't be afraid to enjoy it.

I sold the M5 because I could no longer enjoy it on the road after putting in many hours of labor and pristine parts. Too many knuckleheads out there. Once I looked out the window of a burger joint to see the ass that parked next to me put his take out order and drink on my roof while he searched for his keys. I rushed out to the parking lot but he was exiting at that point to only let me stare him down, talk about being pissed off!
I since cashed in on the M5 and put some of the money into importing the 520i. Not a fast E28 but fun to drive and driving it I am not stressing over the knuckleheads out there. I totally understand your desire to drive what you have created and enjoy it on the open road. You can still show the car as a driver, it will still shine up nicely and get lots of attention with the story behind it.

Drive That Bish!

[rlfletch]

This is possibly, the only e28 I would take over mine. Lovely build.

[tig]

This is possibly, the only e28 I would take over mine. Lovely build.

Funny, i have the exact same sentiment.

Engine is in the car!

New motor mounts (e28goodies) don't fit. Motor is inches further forward than with the original mounts I used when we first fit motor in car. Working on fixing now. I sold the old mounts and we need a quick turn so we're going to modify the e28goodies mounts.






All exterior trim is now on. Sex.



The M5 spoiler got warped at some point. We're noodling on how to fix this. Suggestions welcome.


Headliner is coming together. He did the moonroof panel so I could confirm material choice. Confirmed! I've always had a thing for this style of perforated headliner. Reminds me of my Dad's Mercedes.


We're going to buy a late-model parts car because we keep finding little (and big things) that I missed.

Big screw-up on struts. I specified Billie B8s (24-006071). That's what Dan ordered. But he got B4s (Comforts). It took Ahab to notice in all my pics the struts weren't yellow. That I never noticed this is not surprising. The rest of you failed me is beyond me. Thank God for Ahab. I'm using this pile of lemons as an opportunity to make lemonade. Namely, I've decided to go with the H&R coilover setup. Which is another reason to get a parts car.

If you know of one in the Seattle area LMK.

[wkohler]

Spoiler warpage looks like what happens when it’s not installed properly. Looks like it’s too low.

[tig]

Spoiler warpage looks like what happens when it’s not installed properly. Looks like it’s too low.

?

[wkohler]

It’s lower on the blue car. It’s what causes it. Can only go off your photos.

[tig]

It’s lower on the blue car. It’s what causes it. Can only go off your photos.

I tink I see what you mean.