Minerva: The S54 powered, better than new, E28

[Bonsaibacker]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHSbiod9xFU

Was this posted somewhere else and I missed it? I was pleased to stumble on it as it popped into my feed. Nice shots and sounds.

Grateful for your diligent documentation and attention to detail.

[heyrr]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHSbiod9xFU

Was this posted somewhere else and I missed it? I was pleased to stumble on it as it popped into my feed. Nice shots and sounds.

Grateful for your diligent documentation and attention to detail.

I shot a handful of video segments (these obvi (plus the Charlie recording cameo)) next to the digital photos I captured that day, and it having a little bit less need for processing versus the photos (these will still take a few weeks as I get very granular with shots I car about), and having my 120 film shots already developed, I quick whipped up a video and uploaded just to Youtube and my Instagram immediately. All as a bit of a surprise but with no patience in waiting to get it out to the world; I was excited as a post 8,000 rpm redline and had to share.

Glad it popped into your feed, I don't have a large YT following so the possibility of its spread did make me wonder.

[objectgroup]

H&R Coilover 28808-9 kit
Front: HRF200060 springs (200mm length, 60N-Rate), ZF-100-12.5 tender springs
Rear: HRF250060 springs (250mm length, 60N rate) ZF060-025 tender springs

@cek how do you like this setup? Curious how the coilovers compare to Vlad's bilstein sport/h&r springs? Any thoughts on comfort? Did you source direct from H&R DE? Thx

[tig]

H&R Coilover 28808-9 kit
Front: HRF200060 springs (200mm length, 60N-Rate), ZF-100-12.5 tender springs
Rear: HRF250060 springs (250mm length, 60N rate) ZF060-025 tender springs

@cek how do you like this setup? Curious how the coilovers compare to Vlad's bilstein sport/h&r springs? Any thoughts on comfort? Did you source direct from H&R DE? Thx

From a ride, handling, and stance perspective they're great.

I have some weird binding noises from the upper mounts I need to diagnose.

Frankly, I'm not sure this setup is any better than the h&r+Billie setup I have on my other two cars.

[DM Clemmensen]

The lip spoiler would be perfect in the trash or you could affix it to your recycling bin. It screams eBay and muddies up one of the best lines on the car without adding any sort of flair. I think the paint sticker should go there too, with a proper sonderlackierung (490) sticker replacing it, but that’s me. :P

Do you have a pic of the sounderlakierung sticker?

Here you go. Zoooom in:


And with regards to appreciation of properly trained and disciplined suspension installer men and women:
https://www.bilstein.com/uk/en/blog/wat ... -mistakes/

[Foonfer]

OH NOES Charlie where's your cigarette lighter?

Just kidding. Just came to say that Minerva looks fantastic on the Alpinas. Also, isn't it weird that US E28s came without rear headrests? Once you add them, they elevate the car to a whole other level... glad you had yours sorted out.

[jdp530]

Beautiful E28 you have!

I have owned an E12 for many years and built it up for aggressive driving, track events, and autocrossing. I have a 304 Schrick and sidedrafts, etc.

Now I am on to another project after spending the last couple of years working on an 850i that I own.

I have an '84 E24, S54, and a 420G to build. I looked through this thread but I didn't get through all 29 pages and search function wasn't much help. So I am wondering how much work was required to fit the 420G into the E28?

And, has anyone modified the stock S54 pan to work with these chassis?

Thanks,
JP

[muleskinner]

Haven't seen any postings from @cek Charlie for some time. Hoping all is well. Anyone heard from him?

[Ju@n]

Haven't seen any postings from @cek Charlie for some time. Hoping all is well. Anyone heard from him?

I think he (was at least) traveling in a sort of RV sprinter (according to his IG posts haha)

[vinceg101]

Haven't seen any postings from @cek Charlie for some time. Hoping all is well. Anyone heard from him?

I think he (was at least) traveling in a sort of RV sprinter (according to his IG posts haha)

Yeah he's been on a bit of a "walk-about" this winter.

[Dale3783]

He also announced on his IG that he's stepping away from all social media for a while. Hope that doesn't mean mye28.com but seems like that could be the case....

[tig]

I'm not dead yet.

Thanks for all the kind words folks. Lots going on in my life in the past year or so. I'll post a full update soon. All is good. Hugs.

[objectgroup]

I have an '84 E24, S54, and a 420G to build. I looked through this thread but I didn't get through all 29 pages and search function wasn't much help. So I am wondering how much work was required to fit the 420G into the E28?

JP, see below:

This means they got the transmission tunnel tweaked to get he engine & tranny to fit right! I took him the 3.25S that I previously had in Maytag since I haven't sourced a 3.73S yet.

This pic doesn't really show where the metal had to be tweaked, but it's a little up at the seam behind where the heater core goes and on the sides just below the shifter. The car wasn't on the lift when I got there so I couldn't see underneath.

[tig]

Hey team, Minerva is back.

Long story short: The Carbahn-built S54 failed driving to / from the Reno event last year. On the way back to Seattle I was burning a quart of oil every 200 miles or so.

The car has been at Carbahn since October of last year. I did not push hard to get it done because of all the other stuff going on in my life and the fact I had no place to store the car anyway. So, I considered it free storage.

I'm not going to go into the details of what failed and why. It just hurts too much to discuss. But in the end I feel "fine" about how Carbahn treated me and I am cautiously optimistic that "MINERVA IS BACK!". The S54 was compeltely re-built, the transmission mounts were fixed, better ducting for the oil cooler was installed (but I mounted the aftermarket cooler too high and it's still blocking airflow to radiator so she likes to get a bit hot). A bunch of other things too. They didn't cause any dents or scratches, and when I picked the car up she was freshly detailed.





After 5erFest in Reno I needed to drive back to Durango (about 1500 miles). Kohler and I drove together to Vegas and then I headed to St George. The next day I headed to "Goosenecks" to E28 camp. I almost blew off the edge into the San Juan River in the middle of the night. But didn't.







Was going to camp one more night in the woods on Tuesday, but changed my mind and slept in my own bed instead...


I had real difficulty on the drive not going 130mph. This car is just so composed and balanced...while being stupidly powerful and fast.

Comfortable too. A bit noisier than I had planned, so someday I'm going to pull the dash and re-do the sound insulation there because I think I left some key stuff out. The wiper washers still don't work, my tow hook covers need repainting, and I gotta fix the aforementioned cooling issue by relocating the oil cooler. I'm worried the E28 CSB isn't strong enough. And I still have tire rub (on the right rear, which is just weird).

Oh, and I'm going to replace the prototype Holy Grail Labs blade-fuse upgrade kit with a new production unit.

Hugs to all!

[1st 5er]

Excellent news.
Keep up the good work.

[Ju@n]

Nice to hear from you! Sorry about the engine, but now it's better than ever it seems

[Onbird]

Truly awesome build, man!

[jc72]

. I'm worried the E28 CSB isn't strong enough.

E34 Csb fits and is beefier.

[Philo]

CSB ??

[harrypalmer]

CSB ??

Hey Philo,

Asked myself the same: WTF is a CSB?

Driveshaft Center Support Bearing I’ve found.

[jc72]

CSB ??

Hey Philo,

Asked myself the same: WTF is a CSB?

Driveshaft Center Support Bearing I’ve found.

Yep. Center Support Bearing. If you scroll down halfway on page two of the linked thread below there are some side by side pics comparing e28 to e34 Csb.

viewtopic.php?t=54630=

[harrypalmer]

CSB ??

Hey Philo,

Asked myself the same: WTF is a CSB?

Driveshaft Center Support Bearing I’ve found.

Yep. Center Support Bearing. If you scroll down halfway on page two of the linked thread below there are some side by side pics comparing e28 to e34 Csb.

viewtopic.php?t=54630=

Thank you!

[tig]

CSB ??

Hey Philo,

Asked myself the same: WTF is a CSB?

Driveshaft Center Support Bearing I’ve found.

Yep. Center Support Bearing. If you scroll down halfway on page two of the linked thread below there are some side by side pics comparing e28 to e34 Csb.

viewtopic.php?t=54630=

Thank you!

Yes, thank you!!

[tig]

Hai.


Turns out the driver's wiper arm is from an E24 or something. It took me this long to realize how poorly it fit. Sigh. Jim Hyack gave me a set of E28 arms at TextFest so I now have a fix. I'll transplant the little wing thing when I refurbish the ones he gave me.


Finally got around to refurbishing the strut bar. Debating if I want to paint the mounts or not.



Siblings:


I have a nice long punch list of stuff to do still. I'm buying a property in Durango for car storage/workshop and hopefully will be able to really wrench in anger again starting mid-late-November!

[heyrr]

Crazy about the S54 failure, sorry to hear but glad to see it driving again, and wish you were wrenching in anger near me and my own angerous wrenching. New shop space is looking pretty fun though, hope to E28-pass-through sometime. Caccavo/SLC E28 BBQ 23 May/June is happening again btw