Vlad: The Zinno '87 535is

[tig]

Can you hurry up and get to the trunk gasket… how about today??? I just removed my old one and am ready to install the new gasket. I wanna see how you are going to do it

I put it in today, but without glue. When I did it on maytag, I didn't take the time to fit it first without glue and that made it messier.

Question for experts:

Do you need to remove the sunroof to put on a new sunroof seal? I hope not, but it looks like you do.

Got lots done today. Still doing.

Odd. The passenger-front-inside trim panel I got from @alpinass is totally different than the one on the car. It's also different than the one on my 85 528i euro.

And it does not fit. WTF? For now chrome is going back on. I will paint it after 5erWest; not enuf time to do it right before.

Good is chrome. Bad is shadowline:


This is the driver's side outside upper trim. I had already pulled it off and figured might as well try my hand at painting it before putting it back on instead of using vinyl tape.


Because it's not on, I can't put the driver's mirror on, but the passenger is in place. The passengers lower outside trim is real shadowline; the rest of the right side will stay vinyl until after 5erWest. Rain gutter trim is is painted.


Note new windshield is in; sans lock strips. I have an appointment at my glass place if I can't get them in my self.







Rear glass is in too. Note trunk is not sitting right. Something is cattawonky about the left hinge. The right tail light is out because I learned (luckily before it was the real hard way) that if you don't adjust the lock mechanism right the only way to open the trunk is by reaching in through the right tail-light and manipulating the striker with your finger! Until I'm 100% sure the trunk is adjusted right, that tail light is not going in.





Highly unlikely the new exhaust will go on before next Friday.

More later tonight, I hope. Work's a shit-storm right now and I really should get on email and take care of a bunch of stuff tonight instead.

[Kyle in NO]

Alpinass FTW.

[geordi]

Can you hurry up and get to the trunk gasket… how about today??? I just removed my old one and am ready to install the new gasket. I wanna see how you are going to do it

I put it in today, but without glue. When I did it on maytag, I didn't take the time to fit it first without glue and that made it messier.

Vlad is looking awesome. Looks like Maytag will be your ride.

I'm just busting your chops… I dry fit my OEM gasket today and it was perfect. Got a tip from Kohler and adhered the gasket. Used some Dutch stuff I found in the 745i vvvvv. Stayed in place nicely

[wkohler]

Looks like the shadowline piece you got is for an E12. They have the same length but the door covering doesn't blend into the dashboard. Of course, since shadowline was never an option on E12s, that means it's not real, which comes as no surprise given the source. It's a shame you have to waste valuable time on stupid crap like this instead of where it counts. I'd move on for now.

Looks like you need to drop the left hinge, which is weird considering that it was your original trunklid. Have a look to see if something shifted (it will be obvious since everything was painted after installation).

The car is looking great though.

[bkbimmer]

I bet the body shop totaled the car and didn't tell you. Did they paint over the sunroof seal since they didn't remove the panel?

[MicahO]

Fantabulous. Great to see so much progress on such a gorgeous project.

[tig]

I bet the body shop totaled the car and didn't tell you. Did they paint over the sunroof seal since they didn't remove the panel?

The seal needed replacing (i thought) so I ordered a new one and left the old in. After painting I removed it. Was easy to do with panel in car. The new will come today, but I cleaned the old last night and while its pulling apart in one spot, it's actually in good shape.

[wkohler]

The new seal will be pulling apart at every seam six hours after installation.

[tig]

The new seal will be pulling apart at every seam six hours after installation.

New ones are crap?

[MicahO]

The new seal will be pulling apart at every seam six hours after installation.

New ones are crap?

Unfortunately yes, they have been for a few years. I went through two or three attempts a couple of years ago and finally got one that held. None of the seams are great, but the outer-lower corner bits seem to be different material that doesn't like glue.

[tig]

Here are pics of the trunk hinges. I've never really looked closely at this before because the trunk always worked fine. I did notice the scratches in there way back, but didn't think much about it.

Note the extra bolt with some sort of rubber stop. Nothing hits it.

My suspicion is that with the spoiler/toolkit removed the trunk flies up and this happening several times while we were working on it bent something. If this is correct, then the question is what bent, and how do I get it un-bent.

[wkohler]

Looks like in addition to the torsion rods coming off, those bolts have been undone a few times. Letting the trunklid fly up like that very well damaged something, like how you "spring" a door. The torsion bars on the 535is are thicker than normal E28s due to the extra weight of the rear spoiler on the lever that is the trunklid, allowing it to pop up when releasing the button. There is a lot of energy in those and you can lose a finger messing with it. I think probably the safest thing to do for now to get the gap adjusted is to lower the hinge on that side. You will know where it belongs if you decide to actually fix the issue later. It's tough to tell from photos and you do have two other cars that you can look at to see how everything is supposed to look.

[tig]

Looks like in addition to the torsion rods coming off, those bolts have been undone a few times. Letting the trunklid fly up like that very well damaged something, like how you "spring" a door. The torsion bars on the 535is are thicker than normal E28s due to the extra weight of the rear spoiler on the lever that is the trunklid, allowing it to pop up when releasing the button. There is a lot of energy in those and you can lose a finger messing with it. I think probably the safest thing to do for now to get the gap adjusted is to lower the hinge on that side. You will know where it belongs if you decide to actually fix the issue later. It's tough to tell from photos and you do have two other cars that you can look at to see how everything is supposed to look.

Are the bolts that hold the hinge to the body (not lid) through elongated holes? IOW, can you lower the hinge on that side by loosening them? Is that what you meant?

I did peek at both other cars' hinges but didn't learn anything other than what's obvious in these pictures: That thing has been messed with.

[wkohler]

They can be adjusted. I have had to adjust that on a car if I changed a trunk lid or something. It's tricky but there are three bolts. You practically have to be in the trunk to get to one of them.

[2 5's and a 7]

Are those scotch-loks I see?

[tig]

Are those scotch-loks I see?

Yes. I have removed almost all of the PO's hacked wiring, but only for stuff where things are obviously broken/breaking/being-redone. In this case, it's fancy LED trunk lighting and it ain't broke.

To those of you following along: Please don't use these things in your cars. Do it right.

[2 5's and a 7]

I was just a little suprised.....I KNEW you didn't put them there.

[tig]

Lots got done today. Some by Ken. Some by me.

Trunk is fixed, mostly. It was simple. I just didn't have the lock mechanism down far enough.



It's not perfect, and this is without the seal.

CJ and I decided to see how bad the Magnaflow exhaust would fit. We pulled off the IE tail-end and test fit the Magnaflow. As expected it needs mods to fit. I was hoping it would at least sorta fit, but no way. Tips don't match the euro valance at all. Still too long. Resonator touches the subframe. I'm going to take it to a muffler shop that I know does good work and have them modify it to fit later this summer. For now the IE exhaust will do...and look kinda silly.




Yes, I know we got paint under the car. Annoying. However, I'm rebuilding the whole rear end (subframe, axles, ...) asap anyway.

All exterior trim is now on. As are the mirrors.

Underhood is all tidied up except the washer nozzles; Ken's buffing out the hood tomorrow.

Best of all, the front is installed. Still need to do final adjustment of everything and the bolts are not yet tight, but it's gonna fit perfecto. Whew.



I can't find one of the old fog lights. I need it because the euro fogs didn't come with the right bulbs. Or I just need to go buy a new one.

I also can't find my exterior temperature sensor. I can't even remember what it looks like. Anyone have a pic of one? How is it supposed to mount on the Euro valance?

The only heavy lifting thing left to do is get the lock-strips in the front/rear glass. The rest are details.

[wkohler]

Temp sensor goes in the spoiler. It sits in the left brake duct. There's a grommet or something it is supposed to fit through, but of course, it's NLA. A zip tie will hold it in place.

[tig]

Temp sensor goes in the spoiler. It sits in the left brake duct. There's a grommet or something it is supposed to fit through, but of course, it's NLA. A zip tie will hold it in place.

I think someone stole it. That's the only explanation. And a beat up fog light. Bastards.

[wkohler]

Sons of bitches.

Thanks for the foglight.

[wkohler]

By the way, what's up with the input flange on your diff? That's wacky...

[tig]

2003 M Coupe 3.23 LSD.

[bkbimmer]

I told you so on the exhaust but no one ever listens to me.

Also, your tail pail needs more buffing... has swirl marks.

[2 5's and a 7]

2003 M Coupe 3.23 LSD.

What did you have to change to use that diff?

[Jelmer538i]

2003 M Coupe 3.23 LSD.

What did you have to change to use that diff?

Rear cover.

[tig]

I told you so on the exhaust but no one ever listens to me.

Also, your tail pail needs more buffing... has swirl marks.

You told me, but until I test-fit it, i had no concept of just how off it would be. Don't be so passive-aggressive. :-)

Buffing is not done yet.

[tig]

2003 M Coupe 3.23 LSD.

What did you have to change to use that diff?

Rear cover.

PO did it.

[bkbimmer]

I told you so on the exhaust but no one ever listens to me.

Also, your tail pail needs more buffing... has swirl marks.

You told me, but until I test-fit it, i had no concept of just how off it would be. Don't be so passive-aggressive. :-)

Buffing is not done yet.

Buffing is never done. I was being aggressively-indifferent.

[tig]

Done.





As soon as George and Ramona arrive we hit the road to 5erWest!