The R32 Chronicles

thanks. Yeah im not done chopping the exhaust up yet. I might do it then if i can be arsed.

 

So i sealed the wheels up in the front room. The Mrs was thrilled.


Then i took them to my mates work so i could used the poshest tyre machine ive ever used. (Its a bmw main dealership) to fit up my tyres.

Ive gone for a 225/40/18 on a 10” wheel.

Then seeing as they are fronts, and im not paying. We chucked them on the balancer.


and just to show what a 225/40 looks like on a 10.


A pretty reasonable amount of stretch.
At this point i was itching to get them on the car and 1, see if my maths was correct and 2. See how they look. However i had adult shit to do and a list of jobs around the house i needed to get done. So i did them. Then i got permission from the boss to head to the unit for a bit.


So pleased with how they look.

threw them on the car. And immediately realised it was going to require significantly more camber than the car currently had. No bother. I adjusted the camber arms. And whilst i was there, to get a true picture. I lowered the coilovers too. Be rude not too. Right.


fuck yeah. They look sick. I need to make the car work somewhere near this ride height. But I’ll figure that out later down the line. Here is a photo just to give you an idea of the amount of camber needed.


But the fitment is mint. So pleased. so whilst i was at it. I figured id drop the rear too. And get a quick idea of what the overall look was like.




Overall i think its going to look fucking sick. So pleased. Now just to get it fired up and looking vaugely presentable. Boost pipes next.

 

Its got potential.

 

So I’ve not touched the car for a minute. Been so busy with other shit at the house and Christmas. So unfortunately this wont be running before Christmas but 2020 i may finally see this piece of shit running.

Had a few DM’s on here and instagram asking about the car or saying how much they enjoy the build thread. Just want to take a moment to say thank you to anyone who can be arsed to read my ramblings. Im trying to make it vaugely entertaining. However if you ever want to ask some more or just talk a good skid. Im happy to chat to people on dms

 

I’ve not forgotten about this. Great things are happening.

 

So Christmas came and i had a lovely time doing fuck all. Came into 2020 with an new motivation to get this car doing car.



i ordered a generic intercooler pipe kit so i could use the bends and chop it up to make what i needed.


I realised i needed this but in ali.


So onto the saw to make some pie cuts. Tacked together a tight rad 90. And this was the result.


Then I tried it back in the car. And figured out the other half of the boost pipe. I was adamant that i was having the bare minimum 4 joiners. So i had to make these pipes in 1 piece.


Took it to work and tacked it up and this was the result.


Tried it on the car and it fitted so fully welded it. Also vapour blasted it too to give it a nice even finish.


So then onto the drivers side. Had a mate from work who is also a fabricator come and give me a hand on this fucker as the space i have is beyond tight. Always nice to have someone to bounce ideas off.


This was the result. Took it to work and welded it up. Also i needed a bung for the intake air temp sensor for the link. So i made one. Started with some bar.


Then drilled and taped it. And welded it on the pipe. This was the resulting boost pipe.


The boost pipes still require bead rolls on the end but overall they are done.



That gives you an idea on space. Still need to get some proper jubilee clips for it.

Also my boy came to check my fitment was up to standards.


he approved.

The guy who came down to help mock the drivers side boost pipe. Is into photography so took some cool shots.







Thats where we are now up too. Hopefully this thing will run in the early bit of this year. Its so close to being a car. Also. If i do say so myself. It looks fucking cool.

 

All i have to say is......

 

So last weekend we got the car running. As you’ve seen above. It was one of the most stressful 12 hour periods I’ve had on this car for a while.

Ed came down and wired up the fuel pumps. We then tried to build oil pressure and realised that i had none. The engine had sat for nearly 3 years so the pump had dried out. So we eventually came up with a solution. We took the oil cooler line off that went into the centre of the oil filter. We then filled it with oil and cranked the engine backwards with a ratchet to fill the oil pump. We then reconnected the oil line. Cranked it for 10 seconds or so and had oil pressure. Drama over.

Then put coolant in the car, then the only line for the turbo i had made by an external company, that leaked all the coolant straight on the floor. So that was good. I therefore couldn’t run the car long when it did start because no water.

So tried to start the car and boom. Massive backfire through the inlet. I had the ecu hooked up to the laptop and ran some tests. Had a massive trigger issue. So we then spent literally hours on then phone to my mapper trying to get the settings figured out for the trigger settings. Gave up at midnight.

i got up early and sourced a timing light and got back onto the car. Thanks to a timing light and some sleep we figured out what was needed. Input some new settings and boom she fired up on the first crank.

good feeling but I didn’t enjoy it as much as i should of because i was so stressed out trying to figure these issues. But on reflection i am thrilled to see it run.

i need to now sort the turbo line and get the car to hold water. Run it up to temp and see whats what, i need to final fit the wiring for the loom, final fit the ecu fuse box and a few other bits and pieces. Sort out powersteering. And some suspension stuff and in theory its ready for the road. So a huge step forward.

 

Honestly, i think its been the most stressful part of the build so far.

 

im going to get it on the road in the next few months. I want to Get a few miles under its belt before it hits the dyno. Especially being a fresh build i want to work all the bugs out before its sat on a dyno taking my buddies time up.

 

ive owned it way too long, its cost way too much, its been way too stressful and its not given me much in return, however its starting to become a real car. Hopefully it treats me well from here on.

 

My tuner has sent me a base map. And once it runs properly, my tuner will log in remotely via team viewer and put more of a driveable tune on it. The joys of link