#ZedShed Project Sasha - 2007 BMW 3.0si Sport Carbon Black

[Connor]

Yep, more horses and a manual box will do that for you.

Tony.

If I know I'm doing a longer journey I always drive economically, most of the time (driving as such) I get over 40mpg in my 3.0 manual Z4...

Definitely can't complain last time I drove down to Northampton from Sheffield probably about 180 miles of M1 there and back and a little bit of a roads in between I managed 43 mpg! That's what happens when you get paid 45p a mile!!

 

[t-tony]

I've not bothered yet to see what mine does mate. I will try to remember to trip it when I neck the tank on Tuesday.

Tony.

 

[GazHyde]

 

[GazHyde]

Well hello! The coating on these looks superb, will be matching the calipers with black hammerite for the stealth look.

Takes a while to remove the coating off the pad contact area but then everything should stay looking minty fresh.

 

[Low Rider]

Although drilled it doesn't look that the holes go through I'm I right.
They do look good

 

[GazHyde]

Dimpled, not drilled.

 

[Low Rider]

I thought so that would make them stronger

 

[t-tony]

Brembo used to dimple drill their general use discs, idea being that when you couldn't see the dimples they were ready to be changed. A good idea I thought.

Tony.

 

[GazHyde]

In to the 'shed goes Sasha for new brakes fitting session. The 3.0Si has big brakes fitted as standard, so no need to look for upgrades other than fitting better parts. The OEM discs are fine, but the pads are pretty pathetic for a fast car. I've posted pics above of the MTEC grooved and dimpled discs and EBC Yellow Stuff pads, but here are a few bonus fitting pics

Costs were about £180 for the discs and £140 for the EBC Yellow Stuff pads.

We wen't out for a country lane brake bedding in session, and after about 40 miles they have started to bite nicely on braking. They are currently just a bit better than OEM, but will be working them a bit harder over the next couple of days to make sure they are spot on. Stank really bad for the first 10 miles while the protective surface was scrubbed off by the pads.

Big discs and calipers.

Everything stripped off the hub.

Starting to look a bit more swanky!

A little hint of yellow!

A first coat of hammerite. Yes, these will be staying black.

Looking fine behind the shabby 108's I have...

..and the same at the back...

 

[GazHyde]

Nice easy fix today. The ride has been becoming more harsh of late with an increase in tram lining. It's been getting progressively worse, so Lee and I swapped cars and he agreed that something wasn't quite right. The obvious thing to look at was the rear wishbone bushes (usually called "lollipops"), which at £55 for a pair off the shelf at GSF was worth a punt.

We ended up with a Sunday session in the 'shed sorting Windies dodgy brake lines, so we got these fitted as well. They pulled off the wishbone relatively easily, and the new ones push on pretty easily once coated liberally in grease. Once the first one was off it was easy to see that there was plenty of play in them, and confirmed the diagnosis. The drive home was a pleasure, no skipping on rough surfaces or crashing over manholes. OK, the ride is still poor by modern standards but the shocks have done 83k and I have Satan's runflats still.

As you can see Z4 wishbone bushes are considerably more sturdy than the Z3 ones!

We did encounter one small issue, where the previous owner has either tried to jack the car or put in on an axle stand in an area where you shouldn't. The is the metal undertray which sits under the gearbox. Had to prise the metal outwards to get on to the bolt head...

How it should look!

 

[Low Rider]

In to the 'shed goes Sasha for new brakes fitting session. The 3.0Si has big brakes fitted as standard, so no need to look for upgrades other than fitting better parts. The OEM discs are fine, but the pads are pretty pathetic for a fast car. I've posted pics above of the MTEC grooved and dimpled discs and EBC Yellow Stuff pads, but here are a few bonus fitting pics

Costs were about £180 for the discs and £140 for the EBC Yellow Stuff pads.

We wen't out for a country lane brake bedding in session, and after about 40 miles they have started to bite nicely on braking. They are currently just a bit better than OEM, but will be working them a bit harder over the next couple of days to make sure they are spot on. Stank really bad for the first 10 miles while the protective surface was scrubbed off by the pads.

Big discs and calipers.
View attachment 40829

Everything stripped off the hub.
View attachment 40828

Starting to look a bit more swanky!
View attachment 40831

A little hint of yellow!
View attachment 40833

A first coat of hammerite. Yes, these will be staying black.
View attachment 40834

View attachment 40835

Looking fine behind the shabby 108's I have...
View attachment 40837

..and the same at the back...
View attachment 40838

Those disc's look mighty fine

 

[t-tony]

A common problem on BMW's mate, as you rightly point out just through careless jacking. Sadly, most likely at tyre fitting centres.

Tony.

 

[Grumps]

Really good look Gaz. I like the black and yellow effect.

 

[GazHyde]

A small thing that's made a big difference. Thanks to @Rally for his recent thread on this, and also Lee for putting up with me making a mess in the 'shed. Lee sorted his out on Friday, and this gave me the final push to sort my steering wheel spokes out!

I tried removing them some time back to attempt similar, but was worried when they didn't pull out as easily as I thought! Just needed a bit more force and a little faith something wouldn't snap.

An improvement already over the crappy covers...

After a decent sand down, and masking the buttons they wen't in to the #ZedShed spraying booth

After many light dustings of Halfords Satin Black spray, they looked 1000% better in place. Not 100% mint, but if they looked mint they would look out of place against the faded leather.

Before & after close up!

 

[Rally]

A million times better and not that hard to do but makes such a big difference.

 

[Low Rider]

A small thing that's made a big difference. Thanks to @Rally for his recent thread on this, and also Lee for putting up with me making a mess in the 'shed. Lee sorted his out on Friday, and this gave me the final push to sort my steering wheel spokes out!

View attachment 42548

View attachment 42547

View attachment 42549

I tried removing them some time back to attempt similar, but was worried when they didn't pull out as easily as I thought! Just needed a bit more force and a little faith something wouldn't snap.

An improvement already over the crappy covers...
View attachment 42550

After a decent sand down, and masking the buttons they wen't in to the #ZedShed spraying booth
View attachment 42551

View attachment 42552

After many light dustings of Halfords Satin Black spray, they looked 1000% better in place. Not 100% mint, but if they looked mint they would look out of place against the faded leather.

View attachment 42553

View attachment 42554

View attachment 42555

View attachment 42556
Before & after close up!
View attachment 42558

Clearly a well worth job done Gaz

 

[t-tony]

Huge improvement Gaz and well worth the effort

Tony.

 

[Althulas]

Such a simple thing a few quid and a bit of patience makes such a marked improvment best get Barry's nipple cream treatment out on the steering wheel next.

 

[Lee]

Such a simple thing a few quid and a bit of patience makes such a marked improvment best get Barry's nipple cream treatment out on the steering wheel next.

Long as barry dont mind

 

[GazHyde]

Almost forgot to update the progress thread!

3SDM 0.05. 8.5x18 ET35 225/40/18 & 9.5x18 ET40 255/35/18. Falken ZE914 all round.

New wheel discussion thread here - https://zroadster.org/threads/new-wheels-tomorrow-excited.14739/