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Posted: Aug 07, 2012 4:29 PM
by jakeb
Also picked this up last week for my wife...
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Posted: Aug 07, 2012 5:49 PM
by davintosh
jakeb wrote:hahaha

I am in Michigan...the humidity is just as bad as the heat actually probably makes it worse.

I have a HUGE ass fan pulling air in which makes it better but the temp in the garage is still hotter than outside.
What part of MI? (I was just there for a week+. Muskegon area.)
jakeb wrote:Also picked this up last week for my wife...
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Noice. :up: You are one lucky guy to have a wife that doesn't prefer to drive an appliance.

Posted: Aug 07, 2012 6:02 PM
by jakeb
I am in Bay City....east side of the state.

haha yeah I am lucky!! The mini will get a honda engine and a bunch of other custom bits

Posted: Aug 09, 2012 8:17 PM
by jakeb
More progress on the exhaust... Two 2.25" pipes coming from the passenger side is way way tight. But there is 1/4" or so clearance at any given point.

Passenger side how they snake around...
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I really liked this joint so I had to take a picture. I make all my cuts with a sawzall. Now this was an angle cut on one side and straight on the other. It was the first cut and I normally just mark one side and go for it.

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Same pipe..
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There will be another hanger up in the front...but it is all tacked together
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Still need to extend the tail pipe out. It's going to be a straight 4" exit.

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Cam showed up today as well!

Posted: Aug 10, 2012 12:08 PM
by jakeb
Added another mount up front and a couple braces between the pipes to keep things where they need to be.

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Found a 3" to 4" adapter (had to go to the diesel place)

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Posted: Aug 10, 2012 12:38 PM
by unt0uchable
Looking great Jake. Your work is always impressive.

Posted: Aug 10, 2012 12:41 PM
by oldskool
:up:

Posted: Aug 10, 2012 3:21 PM
by Mark 88/M5 Houston
:shock: I make all my cuts with a sawzall.:shock:
Great work on the exhaust!! Not that there is anything wrong with the rest of your "fab" work.

Posted: Aug 10, 2012 4:29 PM
by davintosh
Impressive work on that exhaust. Looks great, and cut with a flippin' SawsAll? Dude... :cool:

This pic is awesome; do you charge extra for the leaves & debris? ;)

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(actually, my cars look like that sometimes. :roll: )

Posted: Aug 10, 2012 9:01 PM
by jakeb
thanks guys!! I must say this exhaust was the trickiest I have made but I think it is also one of the best I have made too.

Yup...a sawzall. I have a chop saw and horrizontal band saw but for exhaust I really like the sawzall...it's quick, not as messy as the chop saw, and not as loud either.

Most of the leaves and such were hiding behind the old firewall insulation. It will get vacuumed up. Remember this build is about function more than looks.

Posted: Aug 17, 2012 5:20 PM
by jakeb
Here is how the BMW master cylinder will bolt up to the GM hydro boost...

From top to bottom....BMW master cylinder, plate to bolt to MC, adapter pin, short piece of pipe, plate to bolt to hydro boost, hydro booster, plate to bolt to firewall.
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Plate to bolt to firewall...this one is centered but the one currently on the hydro boost is offset some.

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Pin to go inside the MC plunger....nice to have friends with CNC lathes.
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All stacked up...plates will be welded to the pipe.
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I am using as many of the truck accessories and have to move some things around. There will be a bracket that bolts off the head and two spots on the water pump to hold the alternator. Also need to make a new bracket for the tensioner.

Debating adding another idler to allow a bit more belt wrap on the crank pulley. Leaning towards using the idler rather than not.

with...
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without
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Posted: Aug 17, 2012 7:25 PM
by mooseheadm5
Nice exhaust work, but...

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DAMHIK.

Posted: Aug 17, 2012 7:41 PM
by jakeb
Mine hasn't scraped and this one is tighter up than mine. But his car is also a little lower than mine.

I guess time will tell.... It is maybe 1/4"-1/2" off the bottom of the floor so it couldn't be any closer.

Posted: Aug 17, 2012 9:10 PM
by mooseheadm5
When I had a similar setup on my M5 (but 3" all the way) it would high center on the center muffler, and would occasionally touch down near the rear subframe. Once or twice I dragged the rear muffler on a steep incline, and mine was tucked in much tighter than that.

Posted: Aug 17, 2012 10:12 PM
by Kyle in NO
Is it me, or does this pic show a completely rotted out firewall??

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Posted: Aug 17, 2012 10:27 PM
by wkohler
Very common on E12s.

Posted: Aug 21, 2012 5:16 PM
by jakeb
yeah the firewall is pretty thin....the bad part is going to get cut out and new welded in in the next few days.

A bit more progress today....the list is getting shorter.

ST Front sway bar in
Blunttech SS brake lines in
Suspension all tightened up
255lph fuel pump is in

TSP 224R cam, pac springs, and upgraded push rods installed. This was the first time I did this so it was a bit of a learning process and went a bit slow. By the last set of springs things were going quicker.

I didn't take many pictures through all of this as it isn't that exciting really...

parts laid all out
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Old springs...
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New springs...really doesn't look very different
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Taking up the entire garage today....wife has to park outside. I really need more space!
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Posted: Aug 21, 2012 5:19 PM
by wkohler
What kind of lift do you have and how high is your ceiling?

Posted: Aug 21, 2012 5:23 PM
by jakeb
My ceiling is 10' and I have a baseplate lift from greg smith. It is a little pain with the bump on the floor but more than ok to overcome to have a lift. The lift was a GREAT purchase and was only $1600. More than paid for itself, saves my back, and I can work soooo much faster.

We are going to build a new house in the next 5 years (we have a wooded lot around an acre) and I will have a dedicated 30x50 (at least) shop with 12' ceilings and a second floor. But for now what I have works out well. 24x36...10' ceilings

Posted: Aug 21, 2012 5:23 PM
by unt0uchable
wkohler wrote:What kind of lift do you have and how high is your ceiling?
Ditto.

EDIT: Posted at the same time....thanks for the info.

Posted: Aug 21, 2012 5:29 PM
by wkohler
Thanks for the info. Bit of a bummer as my ceiling is just shy of 9'. 8'8" or so. Sorry to take it off track. Nice work so far.

Posted: Aug 21, 2012 5:31 PM
by jakeb
it's no problem. You could put the posts up into the attic a little bit. You wouldn't be able to fully walk under the car but nor car I. I roll around on a little seat.

Posted: Aug 21, 2012 5:34 PM
by wkohler
Like Winston Churchill used to say...Why stand when you can sit? :lol:

Posted: Aug 23, 2012 10:36 PM
by shagrath
Subscribed. I love this stuff!

Posted: Aug 26, 2012 10:59 AM
by jakeb
Just a small update...

Fixed the hole in the firewall. Blunt wanted functional over looking good. It's nothing fancy but it will stop it from rusting more and fill the hole.

You can see the hole in the firewall here....
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Some paint just to cover the bare metal...back side also was painted. This will all get covered up anyway with new insulation.

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Relocating the alternator to make room....
Made a bracket, love my new plasma cutter. This will get drawn into cad and cut on a water jet for the final version.

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Also mounts to the head. This may or may not stay.... There will also be spacers between the water pump and new bracket.

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I'm not sure which idler I like better yet. I have another one coming to try too. Plate will be drilled and tapped for the idler pulley.

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