Artic Silver 2.8 - OEM+ long term project

[5harp3y]

Hi Everyone,

Thought i'd create a log of what i'm up to with my Z3.

Picked this up, bog standard, 2.8i pre facelift, artic silver, sports seats, harmon cardon, chrome pack car a few weeks ago and will probaly spend the next year slowly upgrading with tasteful OEM upgrades aong with making it a great car for next summer.







First upgrades were starting to detango the car to hide its age a little

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bought of German eBay for £14 and added some Amber LED bulbs for another £3



next updated the number plate lights with some xenon white LEDs




and then some LED festoon bulbs for the map light and boot (White not Xenon White)




next upgrades are some seat bushes which weather depending will be done this weekend.

 

[GazHyde]

It's the small things which make the difference, particularly removing the ugly amber from the indicators!

 

[miller1098]

One of the best upgrades is a steering wheel refurb,it's the thing you touch the most along with your gear lever there are various styles available.royal steering wheels are a popular choice

 

[5harp3y]

One of the best upgrades is a steering wheel refurb,it's the thing you touch the most along with your gear lever there are various styles available.royal steering wheels are a popular choice View attachment 18664

the steering wheel does need some love but i think i'd rather spend the money on handling upgrades first

 

[oldcarman]

Great way to go, slowly and in small bits and pieces. Looks nice and bright now!! JIM

 

[Shelly]

Great pictures @5harp3y
Good luck with your project
Keep us updated with what you do

 

[5harp3y]

Went for a trip to the COventry Transport Museum this weekend which was great. Managed to get a few pictures of the Z.

No more work on the car due to the weather and birthdays, but my wife is away this weekend so i might get two whole days to play and polish!!!

 

[Shelly]

Great pictures @5harp3y
You should enter for the photo of the month

 

[5harp3y]

Productive weekend for the Z.

Planned to get the seats out to do the bushes as they were gone on the passenger side and nearly gone on the drivers side.

Before i did that i whipped the mats out to clean them (they look original)



cleaned in the shower with some fairy liquid. (wife was away for the weekend)




Then moved outside to get the seats out and fix the bushes.



3/8 mini breaker bar and 16mm socket is perfect for this job!



TREASURE!




State of the 83,000 mile bushes



New bushes in, and i'm grateful for the community for having these made but my god they are twice as thick as they need to be. the sanding is THE MOST laborious thing i've ever done on a car. End result is great and the rest was a piece of pie!

Whilst the seats were out i hoovered the car out and cleaned all the plastics





urgh!






seats all in and wobble free!!

last little touch / mod before washing




not technically OEM but if the car was made today i'd imagine they would put a badge on. this is an OEM+ project.

then i went to the pub



next step is seat tilt mod (coming from USA) and a hood treatment from renovo.

 

[t-tony]

next step is seat tilt mod (coming from USA)

I'd be interested to see what this consists of @5harp3y.

Tony.

 

[pgunter]

Looking good.. only downside is that you have put into the history of how you used the shower to clean your car mats.. You have had it when your wife finds out..

 

[andyglym]

Good info and pics @5harp3y thanks for sharing

 

[5harp3y]

I'd be interested to see what this consists of @5harp3y.

Tony.

i'll add details when they land but it's essentailly a crude spacer that tilts the front of the seat up to stop you getting a numb bum

 

[t-tony]

For about $18 plus postage?

Tony.

 

[GazHyde]

Top work @5harp3y You look to be a little richer for your efforts too...

 

[oldcarman]

A belt sander turned upside down in your vice makes short work of the sanding, for next time!! JIM

 

[David]

A belt sander turned upside down in your vice makes short work of the sanding, for next time!! DAVID

 

[5harp3y]

But would require a belt sander, a vice and nerves of steel

 

[oldcarman]

Then tape your sandpaper to a board, partly thread a bolt into bush and sand away. Crank up the tunes, and dance and sing your worries away while sanding in straight lines, diagonal or circular whichever your preference. Done in no time flat!! And you've burned off 800 calories without realizing it!! JIM

 

[andyglym]

But would require a belt sander, a vice and nerves of steel

And in my case, shorter fingers than when I started!