About 15 years ago I was able to pickup a vary clean 1974 BMW 2002 from an old friend. I grew up around a lot of European car junkies that loved and owned many of them over the years, they have always been the inspiration for me to build my own. This is the story of that build, where it is now and my plans for the future.
Under Reconstruction
I’m in the process of rebuilding this blog, Godaddy screwed me when they moved things to a new server and I lost everything. Sorry for no descriptions for the time being… oh and my old blurry pics. That’s on me. There is a lot of photos I need to find and will continue to update over the next few months. Thanks for visiting -B. Loso 12/17/2020
Index
The First Days
The day I bought it for only $1300. I was able to start it and drive it home after a few hours of work.
One of the first trip I took was out to a buddies house where my 1976 530i had been sitting. I grabbed my 230i seats and a few parts I wanted to swap before having the rusted out 530i taken away. I will always miss that car.
Engine Bay Overhaul
At the time I lived in a condo. I never had the resources to do a real “frameoff” restoration. I did my best to paint what I could in stages in these photos.
Front Subframe and Suspension
One of my tow hooks was destroyed so I decided to weld large barrel nuts in there place while stiffening the subframe. There is 0.125″ x 1.0″ plate boxed in around the side as well as reinforced engine mounts.
Eventually I upgraded to coil overs but my first round of suspension was H&R springs and Bilstein Sports.
Engine Rebuild
Rewiring the Stock Harness
The battery was relocated and a new fuse panel installed. The stock fuse panel only runs the lights at dash and is basically a sub-panel now.
EFI and ignition wiring.
Engine Install
5 Speed Conversion
1st Rear End Rebuild
EFI Conversion
318i intake manifold with a 528i throttle body. I machine the adaptor plate myself at the shop I worked at. IAC was off a Ford and the adaptor I also machined, this didn’t function as well as I’d have likes because of the internal air passages were to small but it got the job done.
Distributor Delete / Cam sensor
Megasquirt Build
After bad advise from a friend I decided to modify a Megasquirt 2 to do full sequential timing. Do your self a favor and by a MS3 if you want to do that. I did it because I love building custom electronics but I never was happy and It is now a proprietary devices that I documented poorly.
Interior
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Turbocharger Install
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The cheap Ebay header came with a massive low spot. I tried decking it down on a sander, then welded around the port in question. A year after this I was drifting the car around showing off and blew out the gasket. It cost me $80 at a shop to have it properly decked off. Some people would say that it’s even better after heat cycling it to do that. Either way 7 years later zero problem.
Prob were i had to weld around the #3 port because it was so out of flatness, .023 of an inch. Thats alot for somthing like that.
The Most impressive thing, in my opinion, I did on this build as cram an intercooler into the front grill. I had to make a few notches. To install or remove you have to take out the radiator, alternator and make a 4 point turn with it.
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Took this time to paint the underside of the hood and blackout the body inside of the grill.
Clutch and Flywheel Upgrades
2nd Rear End Rebuild
I ended up buying 3.42ish ring and pinion gears and having the LSD shimmed to %50. This was critical to be able to build boost in lower gears. Looking for pictures still.
Wheels and Tires
Big Breaks
Pushing the limits
Current State
Future Plans