Well, I haven’t driven the 320i yet but I already started to check his current mechanical status as the first day that I bought it I didn’t do it deeply.

The engine was checked and it sounds perfect so I started checking the disks (ok ✅), the pads (front ok ✅, rear need to change ❌), the viscous fan clutch (broken ❌), all liquid levels (almost all very low 🆘), all the pipes (some of them very short and the car heating pipes didn’t warm ❌), and all lights (front right without glass ☑️).

So I started to unmount all the front of the car:

First I totally removed the AC as it’s very heavy and I won’t need it so, out (I didn’t like the idea first time but it was -10kg approx):

Once done I started to check the water pipes as I had an small loss of water. I checked the level and it was totally empty, I filled it and fixed. I also replaced some water pipes as they were dry & cut because of the time.

I proceed then to check why the car heating pipes were not warm when all the rest were. One of my friends recommend me to remove the water thermostat cover and check the thermostat itself. I did it and realized that this thermostat was cut and partially removed so I mounted a new one and also a new cover (I took advantage of doing so to change the accessory service belt). I also cleaned all the front part of the engine:

After that, I remembered that the old owner of the car told me that the differential was welded. I wanted to check it so I started the engine, I tested all the gears and then I realized that the rear wheels were not spinning at the same time ☹️. I thought then that the last owner lied to me but, just 5 sec after I saw that both driveshafts where moving but not the end of the right one, so that driveshaft was broken. I unmounted the rear stabilizer bar and replaced that driveshaft easily:

To “finish” (it never finishes) I had to check the exhaust as the owner before me cut it just after the middle exhaust catalyst. I drove 150km and bought the last part of the exhaust that it was missing and then one friend helped me to weld it out:

I also replaced the exhaust joints and mounted again the whole exhaust back.

I had to say that now it sounds like a shit but well, a home made one will come sooner 😈

The last thing I bought since I have it was a new set of wheels. BMW OEM BBS 7Jx15 ET20 with their new semi-slicks shoes in front:

Here you can see how it runs 🤓:

As you can see then grandpa is getting ready for the DCUP so sooner than later it will go to his first trackday with the…

Thanks to all of you that are always helping & teaching me!!

Next post I’ll show you some new parts that Santa is bringing to the local 🤪

Enjoy =)