Uwbuurman: 1978 323i polaris: almost done

[uwbuurman]

Then someting new for my old car. In the Dutch section is a guy from Belgium, Peter P., who sells electronic gauges for whichever function you want. I have just oil temperature in my E30, but for the e21 I bought a set which contains oil teperature, oil pressure and batterycharge. Peter provides a cut to size box that contains the meters, to go under the radioframe. It looks like this:



And in the car, here with additional gaspumppressure. (not my car…)



But in my car, this won’t work, because I have a cassetteholder below de radioframe, which I want to keep. So what to do, where will they fit? After a little search I came up with the following idea. A type 1 has a lighter in the heaterframe, in the middle of the dash. The ashtray is positioned below the radio, in the same frame.



But in a typ 2, the lighter sits in the frame next to the ashtray, there for the ashtray sits more to the left.



So i took one of them type 2 frames and took some measurements.

Gauges in the original case:



Tried some other forms.



Measured twice, cut once:





A piece of darkred acrillic, with protection still on it. Now it shines pretty red, but once in place there will be no backlicht so it wil be almost black.





Gauges glued and screwed into position,





And positioned

[uwbuurman]

[uwbuurman]

Last week I had a great evening with the e21. Old fashioned fiddling around, radio loud, no one around, just me and the e21! Did the interior, the carpet behind the front speakers, the speakers and stuff like that.

A type 1 has the carpet behind the speakers hod together with a screw, right through the side panel. Type 2 has a piece of velcro tape that holds everything together.

And of course I assembled my console! I used parts from two different consoles, and now I have a undamaged console, a altered radioframe, cassetteholder and a NOS shifterpanel.

But this string of pics I start with the new addition to my garage equipment,with regards to the housesponsor (mum and dad).


NOS shifterpanel.



All put together



The gauges are a perfect fit, free from the radio and side panel.



And we have a console with gauges. The red lights up duet o the flashlight on the camera, but irl it is almost dark.



The screws and rings for the console should be black, but the where worn, so i sanded the mand sprayed them twice in matt black.



And in the car.

[uwbuurman]

[uwbuurman]

Also the glovebox installed. I found out that the powercable for the pocketlight ran incorrectly. So I changed that.



Fiddling around with spraycans again, I also improved the handbrake handle.

[uwbuurman]

[uwbuurman]

[uwbuurman]

Two days ago I took stuff apart and cleaned it to get it ready to be rezinced. Sandblasted it, need to do a few pieces and them I will drop it of on Monday.

Powersteering reservoir:



And pump with bent pouli. Hope I can straigten it again.





Some parts ready for sandblasting:







Then I got the brake booster out. I already have a new master brakecilinder, the old one is done.





But inside the booster… one side is ok



But the other site is covered in crap. I understand I can flush it wit water. Will try that tomorrow.

[BuschBertl]

You are doing the nice works - i am very jealous

[uwbuurman]

Ah well, Bert, in the meantime, I have another project on my hands, Walter's 323i sleeps over for the winter. Here is my report, only in the Dutch section, but feel free to react in English!

What was thought to be a little repair starts to turn into a big project . so I am also doing the grinding and welding. Can't wait to see your project take off to the next level!

[Lars-Nord]

I vote for you as a new top top top engiener at BMW, so we can have the E21 back on the road. Good old look and a little more fancy and new engine and drive.

eks. E46 330xi With a e21 chassi and Group 2 look.

[uwbuurman]

Ha, thanks, Lars!!! How are you?

[uwbuurman]

Today was a good day (again!) I went to Hamburg, Germany, to collect my rechromed bumpers. For a while I was looking to find a good rechromer, they are hard to find. Finally I found in Hamburg Germany Gebr. Böge. An old company, years and years of experience and they only go for quality! I couldn't find a single bad review on internet, only positive. Or it is about the price, which is not to low. But high quality of new chrome equals high prices. All in all it is much cheaper than two new bumpers at BMW's.

So in November 2016 I took the stuff to Hamburg. The chief mechanic showed me their shop, explained all the different staps in the proces and also showed the products in different fases of the proces. That gave me great faith in this company. With that, I was more then happy to leave the bumpers with them.

Last week I got the call that the Gebr. Böge were finished rechroming. So today I went to collect my bumpers. I arrived in their lunchbreak, so I went to get a Currywurst with fries on the nearby parkinglot of a store. That was a great lunch!

After lunch I went over to collect my stuff. Unwrapped a random part, just to see the most beautiful chrome I have seen in a few years. Stunning! Smooth and clear!! So I took the parts home. The price was just like the estimate, so that was also ok.

At home I unwrapped the rest. Just as great. Thick layer of chrome, coppered berfore chrome went on, just great. No traces of rustpits or old damage. Gebr.Böge should go on our prefered supplier list!

Before:







After:







Back home my slavecilinder arrived. The first one came in pieced so I had to send that back. The new one is ok.



And I had a nice trip to Hamburg. Was a good drive, could drive cruising speeds of around 190, 200 km/h with Vmax of 220, due to traffic. In a 100km/h section I spotted a speedtrap, just in time. Saved me some bucks. So like I said, it was a good day!

[Jeroen]

And wonderful chrome again... looks fab!

[steve5134]

Loving the chrome

Looking forward to watching further progress - keep taking pics