[old grey steve]

Today's update

Fitted the BMW Performance back box today all I'd say is along with the downpipes she sound a little bit fruity bangs & pops on the over run sounds epic after 3500rpm.

So upside: Sound feel a bit livelier(though I can't confirm this), no boom noticeable cut cleanly it fitted like a glove

And the downside: In the morning I don't think the neighbours will be too impressed

[Josh1a1h]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

Today's update

Fitted the BMW Performance back box today all I'd say is along with the downpipes she sound a little bit fruity bangs & pops on the over run sounds epic after 3500rpm.

So upside: Sound feel a bit livelier(though I can't confirm this), no boom noticeable cut cleanly it fitted like a glove

And the downside: In the morning I don't think the neighbours will be too impressed

HAHA That sounds awesome mate!!!

How is the drone on the motorway at like 70mph?

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Josh1a1h

HAHA That sounds awesome mate!!!

How is the drone on the motorway at like 70mph?

70mph never been that fast TBH I've only driven it home done a good 60mph lift the throttle of and it bangs pops on the over run like the TVR's I used to drive, but I'll find out in a day or so I guess, my only concern is driving home up my road at 20 odd MPH(honest that's what I do) its a tiny bit vocal but I'll get used to it. I dare say the acid test will be on a journey of sorts and then all will be revealed but so far so good.

[Josh1a1h]

I look forward to hearing it!

Steve can you PM me your number please

[Greg330]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

Have you thought about going for a front spoiler like this? SSDD do a version. Still kick myself I didn't hold out and get one myself....

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Greg330

Have you thought about going for a front spoiler like this? SSDD do a version. Still kick myself I didn't hold out and get one myself....

To answer your question Greg I've looked at all sorts of options the current SE setup I have lends itself well to a bottom lip I personally feel or want the front to flow and like my previous cars I don't really warm to having items attached to already existing body panels where you clearly see overlaps and know it's been added on I like things smoothed out to flow and look like they've been on there from day one. The setup in the picture is different I think to the eye it looks a tiny bit heavy on the eye as there's just one continuous flow from left to right and to me it doesn't quite sit right in my mind hence a no.

Therefore I looked at the popular aero setup and having it smoothed out as Sam's done with his stunning 335d and it'll work but I wanted a wee bit more aggression on the front end and the SE even when adapted doesn't quite hit the spot. I looked at the 1M setup like Josh's car looks awesome but and still am 50/50 on it but I know as I've seen it in the flesh that it ticks the aggression box perfectly, but for me as I've now got hold of a Sport bumper(with front PDC holes)and will add some splitters to the ends as I done with my old 330d and it'll look like this wonderful creation




If you look at Sumil's master class on wheels you can see that attention to detail is off the scale everything flows it looks factory no one off the street would ever know what works gone into that front bumper which I love and it's something my previous car I spent ages getting right so everything flowed and I want to do again.

What or I may be looking at which'll be different is a bit of subtle darker grey paint fading in certain area's(this is something I'm still experimenting with in my mind for the front bumper where the creases are on the air intake/centre intake parts are as the innards curve inwards and where the M3 rep side skirts swop down at the bottom as the tip of the outer edge bends downwards if you follow me, I'm kinda thinking that a blended slightly darker grey if applied subtly and it really has to be subtle if done right may be a real one off)it's all in the planning stage though I'm in no rush but it'll have to be right in my mind otherwise it'll never make it on to the car.

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Josh1a1h

I look forward to hearing it!

well I still can't get used to the cold start up. Jesusssssss it's loud proper loud going down my street Josh the sound bounces off all the cars bangs pops even slowing down from say 30mphAnd when you're driving in Ds and do the same it's a wee bit more vocal.

Oddly enough on the motorway at 70+ it's really quiet really happy on this one I've never done a video in my life and posted it but I'll try to get a clip of the start up.

[Josh1a1h]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

well I still can't get used to the cold start up. Jesusssssss it's loud proper loud going down my street Josh the sound bounces off all the cars bangs pops even slowing down from say 30mphAnd when you're driving in Ds and do the same it's a wee bit more vocal.

Oddly enough on the motorway at 70+ it's really quiet really happy on this one I've never done a video in my life and posted it but I'll try to get a clip of the start up.

You got me all excited! I need my DPs on asap!

Im looking forward to seeing your front end change in the next month! Get some carbon splitters definitely!!! But not just corner ones. Everyone is doing that nowadays...

Arkym is awesome...it is getting a little popular but it always looks the NUTS!

And

Also you can go for a conventional straight style splitter

Arkym


Splitter

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Josh1a1h

You got me all excited! I need my DPs on asap!

Im looking forward to seeing your front end change in the next month! Get some carbon splitters definitely!!! But not just corner ones. Everyone is doing that nowadays...

Arkym is awesome...it is getting a little popular but it always looks the NUTS!

And

Also you can go for a conventional straight style splitter

Arkym


Splitter

Umm you've got a point bottom picture looks interesting looks like it's got corner splitters and that thin bottom lip. Would want to examine it a bit more but an interesting alternative.

Oh and I think it'll take me a bit more than a month to make my mind upas I'm not the quickest to make my mind up in afraid.

One other thing on my mind apart from the front, M3 side skirts is the boot lid I've got an Aero2 high kick spoiler and I feel a bit of smoothing in the air re this just to be different

Back on the front Arkym stuffs difficult to see in the flesh isn't it......unless you know better

[Boz335i]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

well I still can't get used to the cold start up. Jesusssssss it's loud proper loud going down my street Josh the sound bounces off all the cars bangs pops even slowing down from say 30mphAnd when you're driving in Ds and do the same it's a wee bit more vocal.

Stop it, you're making me miss my old car.

You'll notice it turns quite a few heads, people trying to look at the badge for the model.

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Boz335i

Stop it, you're making me miss my old car.

You'll notice it turns quite a few heads, people trying to look at the badge for the model.

I honestly didn't think it would sound so fruity it's really shall we say entertaining. I think it's a bit more vocal than normal due to the cat less down pipes but yep people do seem to spin around and look.

I hope I've done this right but here's a sound clip for you to reminisce (it's a crap iPad vid by the way)

[old grey steve]

Well onwards & upwards side skirts and splitter ordered today, made a journey over to AutoEnhance (MStyle to you and me) may of found the ideal wheels too

On the exhaust front had it at over 6000 rpm today to say it sounded epic would be an understatement if you remember that Top Gear clip of the Eagle Speedster then that's the kind of noise you get when the taps are opened.......having covered 240 odd miles since it's been fitted I can say without doubt that if you like vocal exotic sounding exhausts this is the business......... but as I've discovered there's an issue big issue.

The wife she hates it therefore if I can't win her around I'll have to remove it stick the standard one on and put it up for sale

[whateva411]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

Well onwards & upwards side skirts and splitter ordered today, made a journey over to AutoEnhance (MStyle to you and me) may of found the ideal wheels too

On the exhaust front had it at over 6000 rpm today to say it sounded epic would be an understatement if you remember that Top Gear clip of the Eagle Speedster then that's the kind of noise you get when the taps are opened.......having covered 240 odd miles since it's been fitted I can say without doubt that if you like vocal exotic sounding exhausts this is the business......... but as I've discovered there's an issue big issue.

The wife she hates it therefore if I can't win her around I'll have to remove it stick the standard one on and put it up for sale

Unlucky Steve!

[rhysh1990]

I have another option - sell the wife!

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by rhysh1990

I have another option - sell the wife!

nah she's almost part of the family couldn't do it

But on the subject looks like Ill be taking it off as it ain't worth the grief.

Still onwards & upwards. Put the standard item on and fit my 4" Cyba's



or do I sell these and do something different maybe the chrome black Cyba's which are slightly smaller but may fit in slightly better with my overall theme

[JP.Williams]

You could always (sadly) butch the exhaust slightly and fit the flap from your standard exhaust into the performance exhaust. Quiet for when the misses wants it and in the mornings.

Loud when you need it.

Win win.

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by JP.Williams

You could always (sadly) butch the exhaust slightly and fit the flap from your standard exhaust into the performance exhaust. Quiet for when the misses wants it and in the mornings.

Loud when you need it.

Win win.

Good point but I'd rather not go down that route TBH. So she'll come off and the standard one will go back on.

And then it's on the classifieds along with the Cyba's

[Greg330]

Look forward to seeing where you go with the bumper...

I love the smoothed look , I actually had an Escort many years ago and smoothed an RS kit to it but bloody thing started cracking within a year. Materials probably come on a lot now. Oh and a pro do the job might help!

I love the sound of that performance exhaust but I could imagine getting the same grief from my wife!!

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Greg330

Look forward to seeing where you go with the bumper...

I love the smoothed look , I actually had an Escort many years ago and smoothed an RS kit to it but bloody thing started cracking within a year. Materials probably come on a lot now. Oh and a pro do the job might help!

I love the sound of that performance exhaust but I could imagine getting the same grief from my wife!!

The bumpers quite straightforward Greg it'll look like it rolled out the factory like it. No one will be the wiser except those who know. But I'll kinda answer you question with a blast from my past

The thing with getting it right is all in the prep as fear as I'm concerned. My previous E46 for example. Didn't spend too much on Clubsport splitters and a replica CSL spoiler. The spoiler was a pure risk nothing more nothing less it started with something like this a what you might call a poor fitting spoiler that at first glance looked hideous in terms of shape when held on the boot lid and contour down on to the back I the boot where the roundel is located, notice the huge gap between the add on spoiler and the back of the boot lid that's how mine was.



and after a lot of shaving and re shaping it looked like this primer and paint





When primers added and everything's smoothed off




And when painted







and when the boots lifted you'd never know it wasn't factory





Gaps on the boot both sides perfect



Same prep and method goes for the Club sport front splitters. Cut shave and smoothed in to the M Sport front bumper






When painted





Considering this is how most Clubsport splitters are presented if painted



you can see why I went for the look I love



It looks factory to touch and feel it you wouldn't know any better. And this directions the route I'll take again. My body shop understands me bad knows what I want

[Greg330]

Very interesting thanks for sharing Steve

[old grey steve]

Finally received my M3 spec side skirts and MSport bumper paintable front corner spiltters which'll be dispatched next week.

Audio's finally been given a make over with the Dension 500 finally going in along with some JL, Focal stuff, I'm not 100% up on audio but the sound difference was well worth it, though this is more AWBimmers dept but may re visit this later on once I'm happy elsewhere.

Wheels wheel wheels, really struggling in this gad an idea bolt to find that my plans had been scuppered, as Josh knows, so back to the drawing board, looked at Forgestar CF5's a tad pricy, looked at alternatives but still very undecided seen ADV1's posted here and there they don't look too bad and great VFM too, but I don't know a terrific amount about them but on this one area I'm almost at sea. CSL 's and alike have been overdone to an extent that though they look very smart there just too common, there's shed loads of E36/46's with them around where I live.

But on wheels any pics advise very very welcome

[old grey steve]

Cyba's sold to achu, get em on man and put the pictures up...thumbs up to you for making your car better & stronger than it was before

Anyway back to the car.....M3 side skirts arrived and front M Sport corner splitters and now dispatched for prep and paint.. may do a little trick re paint blending here and there but undecided at this stage. Quality wise the side skirts seem bloody good, proof will be the end result painted/fitted to the car but from a first impression they're very good.

With a replica M3 high kick spoiler(purchased)I still may go the blended route meaning to keep my car on the road I'll buy another boot lid and let the body shop work with it, or I'll buy a better quality high kick M3 spoiler and do the usual mounted look...on this still undecided. But body shop wise I'm in safe hands www.finishlineukltd.co.uk/

But wheels oh god where to go. Still undecided its so bloody difficult, there's a bit of me looking at these, there's something different about them







But are they OTT? I may however if I go for these keep em entirely textured black, if the paint texture can be replicated (I'm sure it can)then a darker grey of some description could make an appearance to balance things out to make em look a little bit different..... but on the wheels .... still undecided? I've found actually just choosing a new set of wheels has been by far the most difficult thing I've encountered on this project.