Project Big Six-y: 1991 BMW 535i/5

[Jake]

Update Time!

Parts came in and I've had some free time to tinker.

Reverse light switch was installed on Monday. It's literally a button that the shifter rod hits when you go into reverse. When the button is pressed in, it completes a circuit that activates the reverse lights. Supposedly it's a common failure point on old E34s. No big deal, it was $12 and if it lasts another 20 years, I'm happy. Easy to install once you can find the damn thing. Easy to miss after being covered in 20 years of road grime -- it's on the top of the transmission on the passenger side.

Fixed that switch and a sidemarker bulb that had blown out, and I passed VA Safety Inspection, woo!

Put the ZHP shift knob on the car. This knob came on the E46 3-series. The ZHP package was effectively the sports package in later model years. It's a nice knob, leather wrapped and nicely weighted. Worlds better than the stock vinyl knob.

Stock knob was all but deteriorated internally. When I removed it (just pull, no set screw or anything, avoid knocking out teeth) the inner plastic just crumbled. So now my interior has bits of black plastic everywhere.



Difference in height of stock knob (of any BMW) compared to the ZHP:



Also had time to put the new hood shocks on. The old ones were so tired and worn out that you could compress them by hand with no effort. While I am saddened by the loss of my BMW Dowel Rod Hood Prop ┬®, it's nice to have the hood "pop" on its own when you pull the lever inside the car. As a bonus, it stays open and will not fall and hit you in the back while you are doing things to the engine.



Andrew and I spent time on Monday afternoon swapping all the bawlin' audio gear from the Miata into this car. My JVC Arsenal head unit has been relocated to Bimmer Duty, as has the Basslink. Wiring wasn't too bad -- battery is underneath the backseat so we didn't have to run power very far. Everything sounds pretty good, although I'm still tweaking a few things relative to the subwoofer. Stock audio system is 8 speakers -- 2 door tweeters, 2 mids on top of the dash, 2 woofers in the front kick panels, and 2 of something on the back deck.

Still need to do the headliner and trunk shocks. An oil change could be good soon.

Coming up next: a post brought to you by the letters B, B and S.