1983 BMW E21 - Project 24v, Chopped Struts

Saw the car at RR07 and it looks the dogs danglies, esp the single light conversion

I admit, I'm a complete novice and I'm on a severe learning curve right now. Two engine removals and learning to weld have been my main tasks recently. Progress has been slow due to my n00bness but it's getting there.

My first ever engine removal! Really wasn't as bad as I thought it was. Removing the IS engine.


The old man demonstrates a very easy way of moving the engine...


Removed the engine out of the E21, single handedly which I was quite impressed with! Gunk and a pressure washer made short work of the engine bay



Engineless


Unfortunately all the timing parts needs to be replaced, as well as some deep internal gaskets which is a major pain. BnD came over and lent me a greatly appreciated hand and showed me how to remove a seized crank bolt Cool photo


I finally got myself a welder, and I've had a bit of practice so it was finally time to take the leap and weld the car myself! Engine bay grot chopped


Just the over side of that hole the chassis needed grot chopped out


As a complete novice who really does suck, this was the end result. This actually shows 3 seperate holes I've filled!


The reason the holes existed were due to brake pipe supports going rotten, so I decided to do my very first fabrication, remaking the support.


Pleased with the end result


Welded in. My helmets a bit dark so one of the welds is WAY out! Too dark by this point to grind it down, so thats on the cards first thing tomorrow.


Me on the job


More chopping and welding tomorrow, with a rear wheel arch special!

Excellent work - nice to see the engine swap coming along!

Man that looks gorgeous! I love that agree with what someone said earlier in the thread though, smooth out the bumper holes etc and make it look much smoother

Flattery gets you everywhere! Thanks for the comments. I'm currently running out of time on the old girl, I go back to uni next week and the engine is no where near ready to be dropped in. I've been concentrating on the welding, of which there's still loads to do. I see rust and I just chop it out... Regardless of the fact I haven't yet got the skillz to put new metal back! Bodieanddoyle reckons I've got rust paranoia.

I was happy with a corner piece I put in the boot though. There was an out hanging outrigger or something that had caused the rear wheel arch to rust out above it.



Luckily I have two spare E21s that are ripe for chopping up to make repair panels. Spent a lot of time whittling down this piece, to underestimate the width of the repair, meaning I had to bridge a 2mm gap or so, not fun.


Happy with the result.




Since then it's gone a bit down hill. I tried to cut a piece out right in the corner of the wheel arch and ended up making large parallel slitting gashes with the angle grinder which of course dropped a centre piece off when I tried to weld them up. Since the metal is corrugated at that place I had to make another repair section and I ran out of gas. I've now sourced a bottle of argoshield and when I get a connecting piece I hope to finish the welding soon.

keep at it , this is a seriously hot car, and with that i.s. engine a really useable quick car ;D

Gameover, I ran out of time . I'm back at uni meaning the next time I'll be working on this car is June next year! RR'08 is my next deadline.

Here's the last photos for a while.

The drivers wheel arch really rotted out.






All I could do is just slap hammerite everywhere, especially where I've left holes still.

Now it sits abandoned, I had an idea with the grill also.

Kudos, good work!

Got enough storage space? ;D

Do love these little E21s.......proper tidy looking machines

6 months!! Is how long since I've even touched the E21. Being at uni and generally life (and my road going cars) have gotten in the way. Fortunately my 318is is behaving and I'm home for a month so I'm able to finally able to drag it out of the shed.

This is how I found it, a thick carpet of dirt and dust. Notice the paw prints...




Finished the (very poor) welding. Rear wheel arch, behind rear seat.


And the messy boot/filler cap area.


Now the welding has finally finished, I can finally progress. On the cards this month is starting my engine conversion, pulling off a 323i rear axle of one of my spares for the ARBs and rear discs, cleaning and painting the rear axle, fitting 323i front vented discs (cheers B&D ) and volvo 240 4-pot calipers, chisel off all the horrible sound deadening in the interior and giving it a coat of hammerite.

It's good to be back working on it!