Z3 project...no going back now!

Then after being returned from the manufacturer, who said he tested it and found no faults, it worked perfectly. Coincidence?? All I did was moved one earth connection from one post to another and disconnect the radio aerial (which is a shielded co-axial cable).

I will never know, but I have a feeling he did 'something' which fixed the speedo; even if it 'reset' when he put it on his test rig.
Ah yes, I’ve encountered similar before.
 
Finally got the wheel alignment and tracking sorted today. It really needed doing as hasn't been touched since new wheels, dampers and springs were fitted. Much better now.
Although I did have to let the young lad drive my P and J.20260416_130647.jpg20260416_130655.jpg20260416_135433.jpg20260416_140249.jpg
 
Finally got the wheel alignment and tracking sorted today. It really needed doing as hasn't been touched since new wheels, dampers and springs were fitted. Much better now.
Although I did have to let the young lad drive my P and J.
Was it the first time he’s driven a Z3?
 
Was it the first time he’s driven a Z3?
He did say that he was looking for a Z3 (as that is what I booked it in as), but because my car is a Ferrari (his words) he was confused.

They did a great job. Very pleasant experience at my local Bush Tyres branch and considering it was car-related didn't cost too much money either.
 
Perhaps you’ve inspired him to build a Fauxrari
Don't think he could afford to on a tyre fitter's wages. They ain't cheap to build. He was more excited by the fake engine covers than the car, anyway.
 
I stopped off at Sainsbury's on the way home to fill up with E5. I made a lot of new 'friends'.....all down to my car. It really is a talking point for so many people.
Never get that when I fill my Audi up there. :unsure:
 
I stopped off at Sainsbury's on the way home to fill up with E5. I made a lot of new 'friends'.....all down to my car. It really is a talking point for so many people.
Never get that when I fill my Audi up there. :unsure:
You must have been delighted to make new friends 😁
 
Don't think he could afford to on a tyre fitter's wages. They ain't cheap to build. He was more excited by the fake engine covers than the car, anyway.
Well, he could fit those to a Z3 if that makes him happy
 
Feel like I've just binge watched a season of a show on Netflix and I want more
Season two coming shortly when I do the next one.
Joking I am. I ain't doing that again. Once was more than enough. ;)
 
Season two coming shortly when I do the next one.
Joking I am. I ain't doing that again. Once was more than enough. ;)
I did a custom one of a kind build before. But wasn't trying to replicate anything. That was serious work and £££££ I feel your pain.

Full one off custom kit widebody RX8, with bespoke Nappa retrim, and a hks rebuilt 4g63-t Evo engine and drivetrain. And like you I didn't want to settle for anything. It had to be just right! (I was also building the world's most powerful f11 535d at the time and had bespoke Hybrids on it - long story short, it didn't like having that much power)
 

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and a hks rebuilt 4g63-t Evo engine and drivetrain.
Ah yes. I remember those days well. I had a 4G63 in my Evo twenty five years ago. Great engines. I was into the Evo scene and some of the things those boys did with that engine was outrageous.
 
Ah yes. I remember those days well. I had a 4G63 in my Evo twenty five years ago. Great engines. I was into the Evo scene and some of the things those boys did with that engine was outrageous.
Kudos to you though. I thought my project was big. But yours was next level.
 
So the 'snagging' and 'shakedown' of this thing has continued.
It seems that every week something else is a problem. Maybe because I am not used to 'old' cars and their continuous 'maintenance'?

I've had a problem with my wire wheels coming loose! Not the nicest problem to have on a car. After much pissing about and head scratching, it turns out that my spinners are not completely round (or not the same shape as the mating piece of the wheel anyway). So my whacking them on with a rubber mallet was not enough to hold them firmly. Hopefully this is now sorted thanks to a 'spinner tool', a 38mm socket and big pry bar.

Then I have had a idling issue with the engine. It was misfiring at idle. Turns out my air intake boot into the manifold had a big split in it. Thanks to @bigwinn for noticing it.

I also had poor brakes, considering all discs and pads are new and I refurbed all the calipers. This was a collapsed brake vacuum hose, again noticed by @bigwinn.

I have also not been happy with the ride of the car since completion. It has new coilovers and huge profile tyres (205/65). The two don't seem the best of friends, so the car has been crashy and bouncy on our wonderful UK roads.
I have lost count of the amount of times I have 'adjusted' the suspension but it was still terrible. So I decided to increase the tyre pressures (last resort). I pumped the fronts up to 34psi (were 30) and the rears to 32 (were 28). Transformed the ride. It's still not magic-carpet (coilovers are stiff) but has helped massively with the 'bouncing' and the 'crashiness' seems better too.

So today I changed the intake boot and the hose, gave the old girl a buff up (the car not the wife) and took it for yet another 'shakedown' drive.
I don't know how long the intake boot has been split but the engine feels much better, as do the brakes. It could be partly 'placebo effect' but the driving of the car is starting to get near the look of the thing.

I also put a new fuel tank purge valve in last week, as that has been knackered since I've had the car. It got rid of the fault code, but it's a bit 'ticky'. I can live with that.

On a warm day when the engine and suspension are behaving, with the roof down, my 'fake' is one very nice place to be. I am in love again, until something else goes wrong!
 
Take heart in the fact that it’s less work to keep it running than an original would be!
 
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