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Subject: Chip upgrade the next step. Author: kff (moderator) : member since February, 2004 : 4029 posts Posted on: 2005-11-15 20:44:13

I have written a bunch about Chip's 86 535i 5-speed. Here is what I could find from the past:

First look Inspection II and stuff.

Pull interior for redye

ssk and tri-flo

nothing really, just speaker wire

Stereo in the rain

A/R Bars first steps

Springs and shocks

Car stereo Final

Euro bumpers and side skirts

Now the update:
We have finished the a/r bars and a few other things but we're not done yet. Chip has been traveling so I got his car for a couple weeks and got it inspected and did the prep work for the sway bar reinforcement recommended by Shawn D. in the above link about the bars. I cut off the front frame rail brackets and cleaned the area for welding then cleaned the undercoating from the rear mount area to allow both areas to be welded. Then I fabbed parts to be used for the rear mounts and the front strut link attachment point. These were welded on at the local independent BMW repair shop. Kinda expensive as this was the first set he has done, others will be cheaper, but he had to learn. The mounting of the front bar was so accurate it probably cost an extra 50 bucks in time to tack check and redo a few times. I am confident the job is well done.

While we were waiting for this opportunity to do this work, Chip got the valve cover vent hose and the idle air control valve hose from the dealer and some vacuum hose from the local parts store. He installed these and was singing the praises of improving the vacuum to get these cars to run right. He was amazed with the improved idle and overall better running of the car, start-up was much improved, too.

Chip's father-in-law was in from the UK and helped him adapt the US front park/turn lamp socket to the euro turn signal assembly. This allows use of a 2-element bulb to keep the side marker lights without having to mount something on the body of the car. This allowed us to finsih his euro bumper install. He had been driving around with the front bumper without the trim covers and a euro valence. The front bumper/hartge clone spoiler install was the last part necessary to complete the euro bumpering and the ground effects on the car. He now has the Zender side skirts and rear apron shown in the above links and the hartge front spoiler with the euro bumpers.

So with the 25/19 mm bars on the car, we have to go further. I think the car is messed up because it is now possible to get the brakes to fade in the twisties. On a set section of roads I use, my 7 will out run the brakes and I slow down a bit to let them cool. My 5 has never had that problem. Interestingly, Chip's car now has the ability to out run the brakes. The cornering is much flatter allowing getting on the gas outta a corner MUCH sooner, leading to higher speeds before the next braking section and therefore more brake requirement. This leads to faded brakes. So Chip is looking for a brake upgrade, cheap and has reviewed the info at http://www.m535i.org has the brake upgrades possible with these cars. Lots of later BMW stuff fits and works well on the car.

So now that we have made Chip's car a eruo looking, flat cornering, spoilered car, it is time to work on the normal maintenance to make this a good daily driver. We'll see what is next, but it is time for a valve adjustment. See you soon.

• Chip upgrade the next step. (url) - kff 2005-11-15 20:44:13 (5263 views)
  • Very good work! (nt) - DavidC 2005-11-17 23:22:31 (839 views)
  • Re: Chip upgrade the next step. (pic) - Chip in PA 2005-11-17 18:01:25 (1299 views)
    • another shot (pic) - Chip in PA 2005-11-18 09:47:26 (1434 views)
      • Re: another shot - love535 2005-11-22 09:39:47 (853 views)
        • Found the rear skirt at Philly5erPhest a few years ago - kff 2005-11-29 17:06:30 (878 views)
        • Wow! Where did you find the rear skirt? (nt) - love535 2005-11-22 09:43:46 (825 views)
      • you just keep raising the bar for me lol - Andrew Elmore 2005-11-18 09:57:54 (789 views)
    • Now exactly what can we see in that photo? Nice hood!! (pic) - kff 2005-11-17 18:48:40 (1236 views)
      • Re: Now exactly what can we see in that photo? Nice hood!! - euroe28m5 2005-11-28 22:01:53 (783 views)
      • can you snap a side shot so i can see the ride height on ur alpinas =) (nt) - Andrew Elmore 2005-11-17 19:10:10 (814 views)
  • ...stop teasing me... - Andrew Elmore 2005-11-15 20:56:49 (841 views)