Eddie's E21 316

[Jeroen]

The tools costs peanuts and you can just use about any drill. Works pretty good, on the clutch master as well.

[Eddie.]

Yeah I've found a honing tool on eBay.

I presume it doesn't need doing much, just a few passes? What's stopping you boring out the master cylinder so it ends up too big?

I'm guessing the abrasive pads are not too aggressive?

[Eddie.]

Sigh.

Brakes International have just called me to say the brake master cylinder rebuild kit that was supposed to be due in today, is actually no longer available.

So I now have to try and source one again.

​I really have had enough of this now.

[Jeroen]

Just a few passes will do indeed.

Any other brake specialists around you can try? Otherwise the dealer?

[Eddie.]

Right, Bigg Red might have the kit in stock. Everyone cross their fingers.

Some pictures of the wheels in white primer, sprayed the other day:





In the meantime today, I got the base coat of silver on the wheels:

[mr edd]

from memory early cars with twin servos and separate master cylinder had a lot in common with rhd 2002's maybe a 2002 specialist mighy have a rebuild kit.....i can't imagine having two servos level with each other facing opposite ends of the car helps when trying to get all the air out of the brake system.....

[Eddie.]

Master cylinder rebuilt yesterday.

Pistons rebuilt with new seals:



All reassembled, ready for bench bleeding and refitting:



Wheels were flatted down, and then the final coat of base:





Then a few coats of lacquer:





Few running issues with my daily at the moment, so I've got 2 BMW's to be working on.

[Eddie.]

Great news!

The master cylinder rebuild has worked, or it certainly seems to have done. The brakes work like they used to, and a test drive confirms that the problem would seem to have been solved.

Very big thankyou to Nas who has put up with endless emails and texts off me about the brakes, very much appreciated mate

This meant I could press on with the interior, I got the waterproof skin on the inside of the doors tonight:



Then rain stopped play, so I had to call it a night.

Should make some good progress tomorrow, with a decent update to follow.

[nas80]

glad to help. Brake systems can be a right nightmare.

[nas80]

Where did you get that sticky door plastic thing from?

[Eddie.]

I had an old eBay car cover that was made of wafer thin stretchy plastic.

I cut a sheet out, put some contact adhesive on it, hung it on the door and cut it to size. Then rubbed it into all the contours of the door to ensure a decent seal.

[nas80]

Hey that's a great idea. Could use a thick rubble sack couldnt I.

[Eddie.]

I see no reason why not?! I used the car cover because its so thin, so screwing through it for the armrests will be a doddle.

[arshad76]

Keep it up Eddie! First class, passionate restoration. Loving the little "upgrades" you've been doing along the way. I used waterproof membrane from a DIY shop, your solution looks a lot slicker!

[Eddie.]

So, the final push happened the other day.

I noticed a leak on the rear seat/carpet behind the drivers seat.

Looked up to see this:



Causing this:



That was immediately dealt with in the form of some silicone.

After that I started putting the final bits and pieces back together. Carpeted my centre console section:





I also sprayed my armrests black to match the new door cards. Left them to dry for a few days and they've come out brilliantly.



Most importantly the paint hasn't filled the "grain":



But of all the bits done recently, the best was getting some tyres on the wheels and getting them fitted







The front still needs to come down a bit, and they could do with some spacers, but I think the wheels look brilliant, very happy

So, it goes in for an MOT on Saturday, I see no reason why it shouldn't pass