dc2100k

Mario Bellini is a famous architect who designed a load of funky stuff for Olivetti, Cassina and others in the 1970s/80s, including the Lancia Beta Trevi interior.
Most of his work is now very collectible and worth a lot of £££.
 

Fleet update:
911 - SOLD
BMW 318is - RAGGED SENSELESS
Mercedes Vito - PLAIN AWFUL
New additions:
Caterham Seven - HILARIOUS



FullSizeRender.mov

Big day today, the E30 went for a drive on a public road to a garage for some last little bits and pieces/its test, officer. Most of the rust *repairs are done and she's been tarted up a little bit. Words are boring, pics better:

Unpainted filler is the preferred look.
 

Still need to be lowered c.40mm on the front.
 
 

 
 

And Hello.

Fleet update:
911 - SOLD
BMW 318is - RAGGED SENSELESS
Mercedes Vito - PLAIN AWFUL
New additions:
Caterham Seven - HILARIOUS



FullSizeRender.mov

Fleet update:
911 - SOLD
BMW 318is - RAGGED SENSELESS
Mercedes Vito - PLAIN AWFUL
New additions:
Caterham Seven - HILARIOUS



FullSizeRender.mov

Fleet update:
911 - SOLD
BMW 318is - RAGGED SENSELESS
Mercedes Vito - PLAIN AWFUL
New additions:
Caterham Seven - HILARIOUS



FullSizeRender.mov

Fleet update:
911 - SOLD
BMW 318is - RAGGED SENSELESS
Mercedes Vito - PLAIN AWFUL
New additions:
Caterham Seven - HILARIOUS



FullSizeRender.mov

Fleet update:
911 - SOLD
BMW 318is - RAGGED SENSELESS
Mercedes Vito - PLAIN AWFUL
New additions:
Caterham Seven - HILARIOUS



FullSizeRender.mov

Big day today, the E30 went for a drive on a public road to a garage for some last little bits and pieces/its test, officer. Most of the rust *repairs are done and she's been tarted up a little bit. Words are boring, pics better:

Unpainted filler is the preferred look.
 

Still need to be lowered c.40mm on the front.
 
 

 
 

Alright so I got a bollocking for the last car I posted here so I’ll try a bit harder:

So as it seems I'm now taking on the full blown resto of a decrepit old BMW I figured I had better get a more comprehensive toolkit. In time honoured fashion I scoured ebay and gumtree until I found someone selling a massive job lot of old tools and took a punt. I'm certain that I don't need at least half of the tools included but will probably try to sell anything on ebay that I am not going to need to try and recoup some/all of my outlay. There is a bunch of HGV/Tractor/Plant tools that I definitely wont require, including loads of massive Gedore spanners, 'King Dick' and Britool 3/4" and 1" gear and some canny looking Sykes Pickavant valve cutting gear that I won't be touching.  I'll unpack most of it and decide what to do in the next few days...

So as it seems I'm now taking on the full blown resto of a decrepit old BMW I figured I had better get a more comprehensive toolkit. In time honoured fashion I scoured ebay and gumtree until I found someone selling a massive job lot of old tools and took a punt. I'm certain that I don't need at least half of the tools included but will probably try to sell anything on ebay that I am not going to need to try and recoup some/all of my outlay. There is a bunch of HGV/Tractor/Plant tools that I definitely wont require, including loads of massive Gedore spanners, 'King Dick' and Britool 3/4" and 1" gear and some canny looking Sykes Pickavant valve cutting gear that I won't be touching.  I'll unpack most of it and decide what to do in the next few days...

Big day today, the E30 went for a drive on a public road to a garage for some last little bits and pieces/its test, officer. Most of the rust *repairs are done and she's been tarted up a little bit. Words are boring, pics better:

Unpainted filler is the preferred look.
 

Still need to be lowered c.40mm on the front.
 
 

 
 

Having spent the last 36hrs worrying about sending ££££ to a complete stranger it is a relief to finally be looking at a pile of fizzing metal and unidentified parts. The delivery guys gave me the knowing look of sympathy that you give to someone who is about to spend all their spare cash and time on something rather marginal. On the plus side the first person to pass the gates asked how much I was wanting for it... so I'm guessing there will be no shortage of greater fools when reality really bites. Here's the details:
1990 BMW 318is - Diamond Black.
167k on the clock, off the road since 2009. Looks like someone has started a resto but stopped and it's been left to sit. No engine or box. No seats. Lots of bits all over the place. Plenty of tin worm in awkward spots.
Partial resto required - plan is historic rally car. These were homologated in Group N for 1990 and as luck would have it the FIA have just extended class 4 historic rally cars to include up to end-1990. Therefore it is eligible to go up against the Audi Quattros, Lancia Stratos and 037s, Escorts, Mantas, 131s, etc. Should make for a few fun British and European jaunts next year hopefully.
Looks good from a distance... r,r,right?

Big day today, the E30 went for a drive on a public road to a garage for some last little bits and pieces/its test, officer. Most of the rust *repairs are done and she's been tarted up a little bit. Words are boring, pics better:

Unpainted filler is the preferred look.
 

Still need to be lowered c.40mm on the front.
 
 

 
 

Big day today, the E30 went for a drive on a public road to a garage for some last little bits and pieces/its test, officer. Most of the rust *repairs are done and she's been tarted up a little bit. Words are boring, pics better:

Unpainted filler is the preferred look.
 

Still need to be lowered c.40mm on the front.
 
 

 
 

Big day today, the E30 went for a drive on a public road to a garage for some last little bits and pieces/its test, officer. Most of the rust *repairs are done and she's been tarted up a little bit. Words are boring, pics better:

Unpainted filler is the preferred look.
 

Still need to be lowered c.40mm on the front.
 
 

 
 

As with many of you the recent COVID crisis and subsequent lockdown has caused me to reflect on my priorities, and a degree of fleet rationalisation has now become inevitable. Therefore the tried and tested method for achieving this has been implemented, and I've bought another car.
1. Bought sight unseen off facebook marketplace - CHECK
2. Category C write off - CHECK
3. Last MOT in 2009 - CHECK
4. 170K miles on the odometer - CHECK
5. No engine or gearbox - CHECK
6. No seats and all the external trim in the interior - CHECK
7. Signs of corrosion on the underside - CHECK
8. Not told the wife - CHECK
What could go wrong?
 
No collecshun unfortunately but delivrly impending...

Big day today, the E30 went for a drive on a public road to a garage for some last little bits and pieces/its test, officer. Most of the rust *repairs are done and she's been tarted up a little bit. Words are boring, pics better:

Unpainted filler is the preferred look.
 

Still need to be lowered c.40mm on the front.
 
 

 
 

Here we are nearly a year later and what a wasted year it’s been. The red bimmer has been out a few times for a blast but all events last year were cancelled after the Mull Classic in March so no proper action. Now that we are hopefully heading out of total lockdown in the next month or so I have taken to preparing the old girl for the 2021 season. Need to get a ticket so the most pressing issue is to wire up the front lights - tricky as it had sealed beams H4 and fogs to comply with the road rally regs but I'd like to go back to the standard setup. Otherwise I think it'll go through no problems (apart from the tester even getting into it).
Plan for this year is mostly tarmac based so I've put some 7.5" rims and Rainsports on her and some fast-road springs. Also the cut up front valance and cracked bumper was doing my head in so I found a cheap Hellrot bumper/replica MTech 2 skirt and am mid-way through sorting out all the fabrications required to attach it to the car. Easier than prepping, painting and fitting an original valance I suppose 🤪
Finally the car has had the PAS removed so is pretty hard to steer at low speeds and was fitted with a pretty rough 300mm wheel. Imagine my joy when FB marketplace helpfully pointed my nose in the direction of a lovely 2-spoke MOMO dished wheel for sale locally. Channeling my inner Delta S4 & Integrale now...
 

As with many of you the recent COVID crisis and subsequent lockdown has caused me to reflect on my priorities, and a degree of fleet rationalisation has now become inevitable. Therefore the tried and tested method for achieving this has been implemented, and I've bought another car.
1. Bought sight unseen off facebook marketplace - CHECK
2. Category C write off - CHECK
3. Last MOT in 2009 - CHECK
4. 170K miles on the odometer - CHECK
5. No engine or gearbox - CHECK
6. No seats and all the external trim in the interior - CHECK
7. Signs of corrosion on the underside - CHECK
8. Not told the wife - CHECK
What could go wrong?
 
No collecshun unfortunately but delivrly impending...

Big day today, the E30 went for a drive on a public road to a garage for some last little bits and pieces/its test, officer. Most of the rust *repairs are done and she's been tarted up a little bit. Words are boring, pics better:

Unpainted filler is the preferred look.
 

Still need to be lowered c.40mm on the front.
 
 

 
 

Here we are nearly a year later and what a wasted year it’s been. The red bimmer has been out a few times for a blast but all events last year were cancelled after the Mull Classic in March so no proper action. Now that we are hopefully heading out of total lockdown in the next month or so I have taken to preparing the old girl for the 2021 season. Need to get a ticket so the most pressing issue is to wire up the front lights - tricky as it had sealed beams H4 and fogs to comply with the road rally regs but I'd like to go back to the standard setup. Otherwise I think it'll go through no problems (apart from the tester even getting into it).
Plan for this year is mostly tarmac based so I've put some 7.5" rims and Rainsports on her and some fast-road springs. Also the cut up front valance and cracked bumper was doing my head in so I found a cheap Hellrot bumper/replica MTech 2 skirt and am mid-way through sorting out all the fabrications required to attach it to the car. Easier than prepping, painting and fitting an original valance I suppose 🤪
Finally the car has had the PAS removed so is pretty hard to steer at low speeds and was fitted with a pretty rough 300mm wheel. Imagine my joy when FB marketplace helpfully pointed my nose in the direction of a lovely 2-spoke MOMO dished wheel for sale locally. Channeling my inner Delta S4 & Integrale now...