Some pics of my 95 SLE (5/18 Update)

[1oldman]

The biggest understatement I can make is "AWESOME!" That is one sweet ride. - BC

[95naSTA]

The weather has been crappy and the HTOB finally bled down enough for it to have trouble getting into gear. This hasn’t given much incentive to take the car out. And I may or may not need shoulder surgery. I've been to a few Drs trying to sort that out before I rip the trans back out..

So, I decided to restore both headlight lenses and remount the projectors and highs. The clear on the outside was pealing and the mounts for the projectors and high beams were broke.. It's been something I've been putting off for a while..

I used the Headlight restoration without tools method on the lenses. (Thanks Ryan)

Before:



Took them down to 400 grit:


After 500, 600, 800, 1000, 1200 dry and 1500 and 2000 wet. Top is pre 50/50 urethane and mineral spirits and bottom after.


Stock, the E39 headlights are mounted and adjusted from the rear of the headlight assembly. Both the projector and high beam lens are mounted together on one metal bracket and adjusted simultaneously. The assembly didn't fit so I had to figure out a way to mount the projector and high to the rear of the headlight lens. There were hollow shafts sticking out of the back of the lens around each of the two light holes. Four on the projector side and 3 on the high side. Originally, I epoxied threaded shafts into these holes and mounted the stock metal bracket on these. Over time the threaded shafts got loose and oxidized.. There were some clearancing issues since resolved that also contributed.. The assembly was never sealed either. The back was opened to the elements and dirt often made it's way in there.

Stock:




This time around I used slightly larger threaded shafts, tapped the holes and installed them with epoxy. They're also secured with a nut at the base. I separated the high and projector and made individual mounting brackets for each. The projectors are adjustable against 8lb springs and all hardware is stainless. I never use the high beams so I didn't make those adjustable. The highs are at least sealed against the lens except for the rear top hole. The projector shroud still needs to be sealed against the back of the lens.

[95naSTA]

The headlights are finally finished.

I picked up the BMW style corner bulbs and sockets to replace the stock Bonneville ones that I had been just jamming into the headlight. They didn't clear the rear mount I made I chopped them down, soldered them in through the bottom, and filled the plugs with potting epoxy to seal them.




For sealing the projectors, I searched for a while and eventually came across roof flashing seals. I picked up the right size, cut them up accordingly, and it seals well.

[nos4blood70]

Looks great! I don't know I missed it somewhere, but the projectors are stock E39 equipment right?

Love your car. One of my favorite Bonnes.

[95naSTA]

Thanks. Yep. Stock E39 projectors but mounted completely different.

[95naSTA]

I didn't air out the rear suspension (need it up to get in/out of my garage) but I had the car out today:

[Jfridge92]

Car looks fantastic Mike!!

[nos4blood70]

Oh my GAWD, that stance though.

[zuper8]

lovely!! always enjoy seeing that car!

[95naSTA]

*Blows the dust off.

Work has had me pretty busy over the past few months and I haven't spent much time home.. I just realized I only put 1000 miles on my i30 since Feb and I usually do about 1k/month. Granted I just put 500 miles on my bike but most of it was for leisure.

I finally got the car up on truck jack stands, transmission dropped, and took measurements to verify that the hydraulic throw out bearing was not over extending. The measurements checked out ok. (recap - HOTB was leaking from either over extension, bleeding incorrectly, or from the trans sitting in storage for a long period of time?)

With the Spec HTOB spacer installed on a new HTOB:
Fully extended: 2.51" to engine/trans mounting face
Fully compressed: 3.395" to the engine/trans mounting face

Both measurements above were taken with the bleeder screw portion of the clutch line installed and bleeder open.

Distance from the engine/trans mounting face to the pressure plate fingers: 3.26"

So, clutch disengagement happens almost immediately in the HTOB stroke. Or after 3.395-3.26= 0.135" into it's stroke.

I got that in over the couple days I was home with some viral infection cold something or other and now I'm back on travel for another couple weeks. I hope to get it all slapped back together soon after I return. I'll be bleeding the clutch carefully this time..

[1oldman]

Sure hope you don't need shoulder surgery. The wife had her rotator cuff done about 6 years ago. That was a very tough surgery. She had her right knee March 2013 and her left the 8th of this month. The surgeon found a torn ACL(?) when he did her left knee. She's hurting bad enough that she wishes she had not had the surgery. That's saying a lot as this is the first time she has complained (and cried). Keep us posted on your shoulder. - BC

[95naSTA]

^^ Sorry to hear about your wife.. I ended up seeing a bunch of different Drs including 2 surgeons that said I could probably get back to 100% without surgery. I have a detached tear on my labrum form the 6 to 10 'o clock position on the back of my shoulder and distal clavicular osteolysis on the same shoulder. The labrum is the fleshy mass that cups the ball of the humerus and DCO is when the end of the clavicle wears down from over use.. I went to see a particular physical therapist that helped me with my neck a couple years back and slowly but surely got my shoulder stable again. I've been doing shoulder stabilization exercises religiously since February and I've been hanging out at 98% for the past few months. I've very happy with the progress. I couldn't do one push up without a fair amount of pain and now as long as I warm up accordingly, I can do any upper body exercise besides dips.

The plan always was to paint the trans similar to the auto trans I had previously:

Man, I miss having a shiny side cover..

With the trans out there was no excuse not to:




Like the first, the color is a bit odd to catch on camera. It doesn't flop and it's very close to anodized purple.

[yourgrandma]

Get it going, put a few miles on it and tear it down for the AWD swap!!

[95naSTA]

Lol. I'm sure I could but that would make this 3500lb n/a pushrod engine car slower. And this car will definitely stay n/a.

Edit- Got a HF transmisssion jack sunday so I can get the trans back up into the bay easier. I was using a floor jack, 2x4 and profanity previously. With it painted, I would prefer it to go smoother. The goal is at least to at least get it mated to the engine this weekend. I've got a lot going on from barely being home the past 4-5 months.

[zuper8]

Got a HF transmisssion jack sunday so I can get the trans back up into the bay easier. I was using a floor jack, 2x4 and profanity previously.

hahaha!! must have been fun to have some time to work on the car finally. trans looks lovely!

[95naSTA]

Slowly but surely.

[95naSTA]

Today went better than I thought and it's back on the road!









The car is pretty dirty in the last couple pics.. I was in a bit of a rush to get the test ride in before the thunderstorms hit.
I still have some minor electrical stuff to sort out but the drive went well otherwise.

[zuper8]

drooooooooooool

[WhiteArrow3800]

[1oldman]

Just PLEASE, Do Not Get Nominated for COTM the same time as Matt's car. I'll probably commit mental suicide trying to decide which car to select. - BC