Category Archives: My E34

E34: Joined the Dark Side. Wide Grille conversion

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As you can clearly see, the E34 is going through an ugly phase. For the better. Which is a pretty shocking fact, since the 10 years i have had the car, it had always been the narrow grill. So about time a new look. Plus the wide grille ages the car pretty well, celebrating its 10th years of service. Plus the recent heart transplant and interior renovation deserves a more mature body.

What’s to be done: The AC Schnitzer badge will go, and the car will be sent for paint soon. Also, the bumpers needs to go. For many years the bumper had been damaged and repaired that it just isn’t practical repairing anymore. A single nudge will send cracks of previously damaged area. As for design, it’s either the same Schnitzer replicas or a custom job. Just not fixed on ideas yet.

Cruise shots of the E34 and the MINI

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Thanks to Abdullah Al-Ahdal | Ahdalphoto.com for taking the time to shoot the 2 cars. Typical monsoon season provided a different perspective and of course, spoilt the shooting session. So there are only 2 shots for now.  Also, I’d like to debut the flat black headlight surrounds by Angeline on the MINI, Done by Herself.

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Though the rain screwed the shoot, it still managed to produce the above. At least I have a shot of the E34 in the wet :) . Another session will be arranged for a full feature. This will probably be the last few shots of the E34 in the current state. Aesthetic changes awaits.

19″ Type II Fitted. Some Quick shots.

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The Type IIs that i recently acquired came with Falken rubbers. So why not use them first? They’re in 245/35/19 and 275/30/19.  I managed to fit the fronts, with the 15mm spacers on. but had to remove the rear 20mm spacers. They will be shaved and reinstalled, once i get the rear fenders rib shaved.  I also have some new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric,  just waiting to go on, in 265/30/19 and 235/35/19. Please enjoy the only 2 pictures :) Continue reading →

Finally got the Type II 19s.

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I’m that much closer to completing the E34 with the addition of these AC Schnitzer 19″ Type IIs. Here they are raw from storage.  Pretty filthy from the pictures and there are also some chips and curb marks, but they are still pretty much virgins in terms of not being painted on, ever. I have intentions of getting them powder coated but have yet to find a shop that does it.

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Putting on: E34 540i Rear Subframe and LSD

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The parts are being bolted as i post this. I have been running the E34 with my old E30 3:73 LSD mounted on the older, smaller E34 rear subframe. How, you ask?, well that’s because i’ve also been using the M20 long-shaft and most other rear drive parts, including the driveshafts, brakes. That is unacceptable but good enough until now. So I recently found a guy who supplied me with the 540i rear axle complete with:

  • 540i Subframe
  • 540i 2:93 LSD
  • 540i 15mm rear anti roll bar
  • 540i Driveshafts
  • 540i Longshaft
  • 540i Ventilated rear brakes

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New Hot bits coil overs for the E34

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Here they are. Speedworks got my Hot Bits made in about 2 weeks. Basically, like before, it requires the factory Front E34 struts to be mated to the Hot Bits coilovers. I’ve gone the damping adjustable route this time, coupled with external oil canister for the rears. It’s unfortunate that the fronts couldn’t accommodate the canisters due to space and E34 Strut design constraints. But I may have it made in the future and have the front canisters piped into the engine bay, if it’s not too far.

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The rear unit with the canister as shown. Compared to my previous Titan coil overs, the Hot bits looks much better built, has better aesthetics and includes the little little details like polyurethene spring shims, anodized spring perches and so on. Much better thought of i’d say and has probably seen lots of technical improvments through the years.

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A trolley for each client. What a rare and pleasent experience. A definite must for all workshops here in Malaysia. As you can see, that’s a new rear suspension top mount. I’ve also had new front top mounts ordered. Hot Bits also makes camber adjustable front top mounts, but that’ll be for another day.

Some pictures of the exhaust unmounted.

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What you’re seeing above is my third attempt at the exhaust for the V12. (tips weren’t welded) A good change from my mangled AC Schnitzer exhaust. (it’s for sale now). The system above started with just 4 pieces of cylindrical silencers. Sounds really great but was just way too loud.

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Then I had the end silencers removed and fitted the rectangular ones you see in the picture at the end. both Vertically fitted for clearance purposes. The rectangular muffler also had a restrictor fitted to further quiet it down.  Sounds More muffled but just doesn’t sound right. Looks real ugly too.

This time, the 3rd time visiting the shop, I got the rectangulars welded to the front, then the little cylindrical silencers, then the X-pipe and then the longer cylindricals. This time, i’m happy. More pictures and sound video to come :)

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Some specs of my custom exhaust:

  1. 2.5″ galvanized Pipes
  2. Stainless Steel Silencers
    • 2 x Rectangular muffler + Restrictor
    • 2 x Long cylindrical muffler
    • 2 x Short cylindrical muffler
  3. X-Pipe
  4. 2 x 4″ Tail pipes

Nothing like this of course.