318ti build codename "Safety Cone"

[Curi0sity]

I'm currently fixing up a 1995 318ti 5 spd and thought it would be fun to document the process.

By fixing up, I mean get to a reliably running state and not look like a dumpster fire.

The car will be plastidipped orange, therefore it's name "Safety Cone". It will be used primarily as a daily driver and to beat the snot out of on the track (hopefully) so reliability is key. I have other vehicles and projects so this 318ti is going to be a 'best bang for buck' setup. I'll probably keep the wee little M42, at least for a while.

Background:
My friend purchased this car many years ago (I think around 2009) and drove it for many years. The passenger door/fender got crumpled. Then a series of maintenance issues left the car inoperable and my friend decided he wanted a new car and this 318ti sat for a little while.

At this point my friend offered that if I fixed the car I could buy it for cheap. I got the car running and I couldn't use it at the time so my brother took ownership of the car and drove it for a year at which point the cooling system experienced many failures. The car sat in his driveway for a year inoperable underneath trees accumulating barnacles and generally being reclaimed by nature. He decided he didn't want the car anymore so I took ownership of the car and towed "Safety Cone" back to my place via flat bed.

Safety Cone in the garage slightly de-barnacled and all leaves/wildlife removed




Interior


Started fixing the cooling system. The car already has a new radiator and water pump. Currently working on replacing all the hoses and the plastic flange which was broken


Man, that lower intake manifold is a mighty pain to remove considering the wiring harness goes through it. But I did remove it and cleaned all kinds of disgusting crap out of it.

Bought a door and fender for the car




After these are replaced I will plastidip the car "safety cone orange"


I currently have about $185 worth of hoses, pipes, tubes, and gaskets on order to replace all the crusty nastyness in the engine bay. Hopefully all of this will be here by the weekend so I can get this beasty running.

I'll post more pictures as "Safety Cone" shapes up.