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Messages - Sir Percival

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31
2fifty Chat / Re: Buying the right Z3.
« on: November 30, 2018, 08:21:38 PM »
These look really great.....but I wouldn't have a clue how to work out which ones would fit.

32
2fifty Chat / Re: Buying the right Z3.
« on: November 30, 2018, 04:32:29 PM »
Hi Graham 2, I agree with most of what the other guys are advised. I went for a 1999 2.8 with ac ,I had the vehicle painted in a blue which is close to the original BMW colour. Check the vehicle service history for a guide to it's general condition.I was lucky enough to find a local car with only a few prior owners and I knocked down the price because of a few small dents and scratch's. I have replaced the lower front arms, fitted adjustable front struts, and adjustable rear springs along with new discs and callipers. I had the vehicle checked out by a BMW specialist and serviced before I started the build but I think I should have replaced the clutch as well.The main difference with my build is I have fitted knock on wire wheels,a bit expensive but I think worth it. I have also fitted steel bumpers again not cheap but they finish the vehicle off. Progress has been a bit slow on my build mainly because I keep driving it! But it's off the road now to do the interior and the electrics which I have been putting off. If you want a chat or to poke around my car I live on the edge of the New Forest near Southampton.

Mechman, out of interest, what wheels did you fit....genuine Borranis?

Just that when I was at a show a bloke who knew a lot about cars mentioned that the only thing he would change on mine would be the bolt on wires for genuine knock ons....but what a price   :o

33
2fifty Chat / Re: Stainless headlight bezels
« on: November 27, 2018, 06:40:14 PM »
I would be interested....they might be better than the ones I have...would have to check em out

34
2fifty Chat / Re: Buying the right Z3.
« on: November 25, 2018, 03:37:40 PM »
The wiring ;D but it turned out easy, I had a sparky do it ;D ;D

The wiring....quite a game....because I did it myself.

(touch wires together....if they don't spark or blow a fuse, join em up)

35
2fifty Chat / Re: Buying the right Z3.
« on: November 24, 2018, 07:10:08 PM »
Blimey....really cracking on now.

36
2fifty Chat / Re: Buying the right Z3.
« on: November 24, 2018, 03:47:03 PM »
The later 3.0 cars are painted black under the bonnet so can be painted any colour.
Go for aircon if possible.
Try and find one that has the polished alloy windscreen surround, looks much better than the DNA version.
Don't bother with 4 pots. I have a 2.2 and a 2.8 and struggle to notice any difference in performance. Would suggest a 2.8/3.0
as first choice.
Run the car for at least a month and put it through an MOT before starting to chop it up.

Agree...MOT before dismantling is essential....as is driving it about a bit and having a diagnostic dump....picking up snags before you have a lovely paint job makes perfect sense. There are a few things that, although not impossible, get very difficult to change post body-swop....like some of the relays...easy peasey job when in Z3 guise, bit of a PITA when the new body is on.

I didn't know that the 3L were black under the bonnet either! Although prices for them are on the up...rapidly becoming a classic in their own right...getting out of the sensible range of donor vehicle price for most of us.

A good donor is the key to a good finished vehicle...

As to the windscreen surround, there are two schools of thought, here is my opinion;

There is no doubt that the BMW chrome surround looks very good, however on the real 250 the front angle of the side windows was chromed and therefore opened with the door. The chrome stripping down the A pillar is supposed to replicate, as near as it can, the separation of windscreen surround chrome and door surround chrome. (and at the same time making the A pillar appear thinner than it actually is) Although of course it is just an illusion when the doors are shut. Done properly and carefully and getting the angles right, it looks really good with the chrome strips....you do tend to get a sweat on doing it though!


37
2fifty Chat / Re: Buying the right Z3.
« on: November 23, 2018, 07:37:19 PM »
Hi Graham 2

Mine has A/C as I thought it would be useful....but when I was building it the A/C gubins got in the way a bit, and, now I have driven it quite a lot I am not sure I would bother with it if I built another...it rarely gets used.

Without it mounting a radio in front of the gearstick becomes much easier as there is more room.

I would also recommend a clutch change before you start stripping the donor, however many miles it has done, just as a precaution (mine cost £325 all in)

I wish I had chosen a donor that was a similar colour to my final choice, just to get a match ish under the bonnet. Don't worry about the interior colour too much as just about all of it gets binned.

Get a straight 6....don't bother with the 1.9....then you get performance close to the original.

Hope all goes well.

38
Build Threads / Re: Sir Percivals 2Fifty Cal build thread
« on: November 12, 2018, 02:29:11 PM »
Oh and without having to empty the boot to get to the battery of course  ;)

39
Build Threads / Re: Sir Percivals 2Fifty Cal build thread
« on: November 12, 2018, 02:28:00 PM »
I don’t know the layout of the Z3, so excuse me if I’m talking a lot of round things, but I suppose this can apply to many other cars as well.

In the old days the starter solenoid was separate to the starter motor, these days the solenoid and the starter are one item.  If you have a flat battery and can get at the main feed from the battery to the starter sol you can charge the battery that way.  An alternative is to remove the main output lead from the alternator and charge through that, but that will depend on the car’s electrical system. ( starter feed is safer)

Yep, I agree with all this, but on the Z3 this design is specifically to allow both battery charging from under the bonnet, and jump starting...so quite handy....with no need to grub about on the floor with the spanners....nice and simple.

40
Build Threads / Re: Sir Percivals 2Fifty Cal build thread
« on: November 12, 2018, 02:24:15 PM »
My central locking failed for no reason so there was no way to get into the car. I had to remove the rear window and even then the car could not be opened from the inside until the key was in the ignition.
I managed to get the window back in but it had weakened the stitching. I have it booked in for a new roof next week.
Expensive mistake.

I take it that Sir Percy's car was unlocked, if it was locked you wouldn't have been able to get into the car to open the bonnet. As your rear window does not have a zip it would have been a VERY expensive mistake. Probably cheaper to smash the driver's window.
Someone on the madabout forum has worked a way to wire a hidden switch to the driver's window allowing you to lower the window in case the cars locking fails.

Yes, you are right, it was unlocked, so I could open the bonnet....I never lock it when it is in my garage as I have my normal car parked outside the garage, which blocks it.

However even if it had been locked all would not be lost as, if you remember from my build thread, I did run an emergency set of wires from the boot lock to underneath the car, so I could still have popped the boot using them by just touching them on a 12 volt battery. I didn't do that this time because I didn't need to (and they are all bagged up neatly....so dire emergency only)

Then I could get to the battery and charge it....but I do agree that the central locking is pretty pants on the Z3.

41
Build Threads / Re: Sir Percivals 2Fifty Cal build thread
« on: November 08, 2018, 12:14:04 PM »
This is for all 250 Cal owners....you probably know it already, but it is a useful reminder even if you do.

Mine had been in the garage, unused, for a couple of weeks. A nice sunny, dry day (but cold) came along and I thought I would take the car out of the garage and give it a pre-winter clean.

Jumped in, went to start it and, oh no, I had a totally flat battery. It was probably my fault as I had been messing with the interior courtesy light (I will investigate).

Now, as we know, with a flat battery you can't open the boot to get to the battery...so what to do, as I have not fitted a mechanical release, as some of you cleverly have.

Any road up, I remembered reading in the manual that you can charge the battery from the front, from under the bonnet. Sure enough there is a connection on the right hand side for the plus side of the battery, and then you just earth on the metalwork.

Managed to get some charge into it, even though it was flat as a pancake, and all was well.

The moral being, as long as your bonnet catch does not fail at the same time (highly unlikely) you can charge the battery from the front of the car and get yourself out of a sticky situation.

I have now ordered a battery conditioning charger, that I shall attach to the battery, and drop the plug out of the hole that is in the boot, that used to be for dropping the spare wheel.

Nightmare averted.

42
Insurance / Re: Build Up / Laid Up Insurance
« on: October 12, 2018, 07:30:30 PM »
Oh no....I remember now, he wanted a qualification so he went for........professional fraudster   ;D

43
Insurance / Re: Build Up / Laid Up Insurance
« on: October 12, 2018, 07:28:19 PM »
I heard that one insurance broker was so fed up with their reputation that he left the job......to become an Estate Agent.....or was it a double glazing salesman?  :D

44
Good for you George...you have had a bit of a mare, to say the least. Very sensible taking it to Wayne, I guessed he would sort.

Enjoy  ;)

45
Other kitcar chat / Re: Beemaman has agreed to repair my SRC430
« on: August 08, 2018, 11:00:44 AM »
Wayne will sort it if anyone can.

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