BMW e46 330cI by Notloudenuf
- Thread starter Notloudenuf
- Start date
Notloudenuf
Well-known member
This is going to be next to impossible for you guys to see but I tried to capture this as best as i could.
When I got the car there were 3 spots where a rock or road debris had deflected off of the windshield and had taken a big chunk out of the windshield but not broken it.
I thought I could smooth/sand out the worst of these spots like you'd sand down wood or something. Not exactly how it works with glass. I used steel wool and while it did sorta smooth out the divot it also left a hazy cloud around the spot where I had scratched the crap out of the glass.
Enter Cerium Oxide. Its the real polishig compound for glass.
It looks like this when you mix it with water.
This picture is trying to capture the scratches I put in the windshield
This is after the first few go rounds with the polishing compound
Finally here is the final product after about 3 polishing applications
I guess you'll just have to trust me that it looks better. I'm happy with it.
When I got the car there were 3 spots where a rock or road debris had deflected off of the windshield and had taken a big chunk out of the windshield but not broken it.
I thought I could smooth/sand out the worst of these spots like you'd sand down wood or something. Not exactly how it works with glass. I used steel wool and while it did sorta smooth out the divot it also left a hazy cloud around the spot where I had scratched the crap out of the glass.
Enter Cerium Oxide. Its the real polishig compound for glass.
It looks like this when you mix it with water.
This picture is trying to capture the scratches I put in the windshield
This is after the first few go rounds with the polishing compound
Finally here is the final product after about 3 polishing applications
I guess you'll just have to trust me that it looks better. I'm happy with it.
Notloudenuf
Well-known member
I don’t remember what I used but definitely more coarse than #00.
Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the tip.
Notloudenuf
Well-known member
A car with 286,000+ miles has some wear and tear. One thing that these coupe are known for is the seat bolster threads breaking. You can see it here.
My first try at stitching it up was just a "loop stitch" I don't know what its called but just going back and forth with the needle and thread and it didn't work.
I couldn't pull the stitch tight and make it stay.
I also did this during that try and it made me want to give up.
Then I found this helpful guy on youtube who showed me how to do the double needle blind stitch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUt-I8abAYM
Finished product
I only had the blue thread and what little bit was left visible I touched up with a black magic marker so you can't tell.
My first try at stitching it up was just a "loop stitch" I don't know what its called but just going back and forth with the needle and thread and it didn't work.
I couldn't pull the stitch tight and make it stay.
I also did this during that try and it made me want to give up.
Then I found this helpful guy on youtube who showed me how to do the double needle blind stitch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUt-I8abAYM
Finished product
I only had the blue thread and what little bit was left visible I touched up with a black magic marker so you can't tell.
Notloudenuf
Well-known member
As I received the car.
A few passes with PlastX maybe
Here is as good as I have been able to get them.
A quick little Saturday project. I finally ordered the replacement headlight lenses.
One down, one to go
Finished
frankherman
New member
It's time to upgrade your Car Bro. Either buy the new one or go to body shop for transformation.
Notloudenuf
Well-known member
More leather "repair". I didn't take any before pictures but the bolsters were torn on both sides. There was a worn down place showing white backing nearest the door, the center of the back was torn in multiple places showing white and all the leather was alligatored up pretty good.
I will say it looks better in person than in the pictures. May still buy the $349 seat covers in the future but for now I have less than $60 in materials and I learned quite a bit about this process.
Finished product
I will say it looks better in person than in the pictures. May still buy the $349 seat covers in the future but for now I have less than $60 in materials and I learned quite a bit about this process.
Finished product
Notloudenuf
Well-known member
Why not show some suspension replacement work on a car audio website right? Sure.
The shocks, struts, and springs are all worn out on this car. Maybe original, maybe worn out for the second time, I'm not sure. I got lots to replace and I'll do it a little at a time.
I had to remove my box and amps to get to the shock tower bolts inside the trunk.
This is how nasty the bump stops looked. I found a piece of that orange foam on the ground months ago and never could figure out what it was until I took this picture.
One of the springs was broken as well. So that's nice.
New stuff in
Still need to put the trunk back together before I take it out for a drive. I'm gonna do the front in the next few months cause the struts are just as ratty as these look.
This will give me a chance to redo the tune in the car since its apart.
The shocks, struts, and springs are all worn out on this car. Maybe original, maybe worn out for the second time, I'm not sure. I got lots to replace and I'll do it a little at a time.
I had to remove my box and amps to get to the shock tower bolts inside the trunk.
This is how nasty the bump stops looked. I found a piece of that orange foam on the ground months ago and never could figure out what it was until I took this picture.
One of the springs was broken as well. So that's nice.
New stuff in
Still need to put the trunk back together before I take it out for a drive. I'm gonna do the front in the next few months cause the struts are just as ratty as these look.
This will give me a chance to redo the tune in the car since its apart.
I remember when I replaced the rears on the Audi, the bump stops were that orange foam as well and just a mess when I replaced them.
Crazy you had a broken spring, any idea how long it was like that? That sort of unknown stuff like that can be scary when you find it, was at a shop getting tires, a wheel bearing and an engine mount replaced on the Cadillac yesterday, discovered that the axle nut was almost completely undone. I stood there looking at it for a second, thought something looked off, discovered it just barely hanging on. Given I have never removed those nuts, it's a bit scary to know the family had been riding around in there with it loose like that for who knows how long. I had replaced the rear brake pads about a year or so ago, but never bothered looking at the axle nut. Planning to jack it up in a day or two and just make sure it has not backed off again.
Looking forward to seeing the BMW sometime next year, pretty cool seeing all the progress you have made with it.
Haha when I got to that picture my mind thought "looks like brakes are up next"
Notloudenuf
Well-known member
So I've been rolling with the tweeters like this for about 2 years
I plan on making some tweeter holders out of this.
It comes with these little premix packages that are supposed to be the correct ratio
and some other stuff
We'll see how it goes tomorrow hopefully.
I plan on making some tweeter holders out of this.
It comes with these little premix packages that are supposed to be the correct ratio
and some other stuff
We'll see how it goes tomorrow hopefully.
Notloudenuf
Well-known member
Might as well get started.
Getting the angle right. I just used duct seal to adjust the angle mount tweeter cups until I like the way the were pointing.
Then covered with the lightest fabric I had and soaked in resin. This was still too heavy of a fabric to use
Next I wanted to reinforce it with some cloth
It left a bunch of air bubbles so I just used the grinder and ground it back off
I realized if I cut the cloth into small strips it would be easier to work with around the shape
Next came the bondo to try and smooth everything out
Getting the angle right. I just used duct seal to adjust the angle mount tweeter cups until I like the way the were pointing.
Then covered with the lightest fabric I had and soaked in resin. This was still too heavy of a fabric to use
Next I wanted to reinforce it with some cloth
It left a bunch of air bubbles so I just used the grinder and ground it back off
I realized if I cut the cloth into small strips it would be easier to work with around the shape
Next came the bondo to try and smooth everything out
Notloudenuf
Well-known member
Sanded down the bondo and next used spot putty to fill in the pin holes. Sand fill repeat
I thought I was ready for some high build primer.....I was not
More fill sand repeat
Finally got to the primer phase. There were several back and forth with this step.
Here I am cutting the hole out for the tweeter.
They fit!
Even at this step I needed to do some more filling and sanding so I did.
They are currently texture coated with some Rustoleum texture paint I had lying around. It looks sorta like sand on them and that's pretty close to the plastic texture.
I'll probably knock that down with some 320 and then paint it flat black.
More to come later this week.
I thought I was ready for some high build primer.....I was not
More fill sand repeat
Finally got to the primer phase. There were several back and forth with this step.
Here I am cutting the hole out for the tweeter.
They fit!
Even at this step I needed to do some more filling and sanding so I did.
They are currently texture coated with some Rustoleum texture paint I had lying around. It looks sorta like sand on them and that's pretty close to the plastic texture.
I'll probably knock that down with some 320 and then paint it flat black.
More to come later this week.
Notloudenuf
Well-known member
When I took the door panel off I found that the surround on the passenger side had been pushed in by the panel.
I have left the panel off while I've been working and the surround has healed.
Here is the normal driver side mid and surround that wasn't injured
Here is the injured passenger side. Like I said this has healed itself now.
I have left the panel off while I've been working and the surround has healed.
Here is the normal driver side mid and surround that wasn't injured
Here is the injured passenger side. Like I said this has healed itself now.