Rebody 250 California build thread for dummies

[Pond]

Driving the car on and off the trailer will double it's mileage in the last 15 months!
It hasn't moved since October 2023 and then I just reversed it into the garage from the trailer.

I am quite looking forward to seeing what a 3 litre Z3 goes like TBH.

 

[ruan]

Sounds like you are going to have a busy few months, but it is all coming together.

 

[Pond]

I tackled mounting my rear speakers in the rear cover yesterday and this morning.
I bought a cheap pair of 4" Pioneers, as one of my BMW ones was blown anyway.
I needed to fit the speakers from the rear, as I want my upholsterer to cover the fronts and punch holes in the leather. I don't want speaker grilles.
So I cut 4 squares of 5mm ply, two with 100mm holes and two with 96mm holes. I glued one of each together to give me a 10mm thick plate with a 'stepped hole'. I then put PU adhesive around the edge of the smaller hole at the rear and left that to cure.
Then I mounted the speakers onto the set PU adhesive, which effectively rubber mounts them, as PU sets like hard rubber.
The whole lot was then PU glued to the inside of the cover, which also effectively rubber mounts the plates.
I have yet to try them but hopefully vibration and distortion should be significantly reduced than it would have been.

 

[Pond]

Plugged the speakers in and connected up the stereo. All good. A very small amount of vibration but it is a huge lump of thin GRP. I couldn't hear it, just feel it. More than happy with that.

 

[Pond]

After 17 months of sitting in a dark, dingy garage, she sees the light of day for the first time.
She moves under her own steam too!
She 'hunts' a bit on tickover, but I am hoping that is due to stale fuel (God knows how old it is) and/or just lack of use.

 

[Pond]

With my car away being made to look pretty by much more skillful people than me (hopefully), I have been doing a few jobs in it's absence.

First was to tidy my garage; it was a tip!

Second was to fill and sand all the imperfections in the dashboard and interior trim pieces, ready for upholstering.

Then I tackled my centre gauge pod housing. It is aluminium and was supplied to me straight off the milling machine, so was in a terrible state. Rough machining marks covering it's entirety. It was supplied with two pieces of 3D printed black plastic to sit behind the gauges. However, typical of the seller I bought it all from; they were terrible quality, different sizes and didn't fit anyway. So I resigned those to the bin.
I have never polished any metal before, so was a little nervous.
I started sanding the housing with 320 grit paper but it was taking too long, so I changed to 120 grit. This got most of the machining marks off, then went to 180, 320, 600 and finally 1200. It took a long while and was very fiddly.
Then I used my Dremel with little cotton wheels on and some polishing compound sticks or different grades I bought from eBay. This was trial and error, so I did the rear of the housing, which won't be seen, to practice.
I would say it took the best part of 12 hours to get the entire piece to a mirror shine, but well worth it. I then painted the inside rear with self-etching primer and four thin coats of satin black from a rattle can. The masking took a while too, as it needed to have clean lines as these will be seen.
I am extremely pleased with the results. Not sure if I am ready for stainless polishing yet, but aluminium.....sorted.

 

[mittaw]

With my car away being made to look pretty by much more skillful people than me (hopefully), I have been doing a few jobs in it's absence.

First was to tidy my garage; it was a tip!

Second was to fill and sand all the imperfections in the dashboard and interior trim pieces, ready for upholstering.

Then I tackled my centre gauge pod housing. It is aluminium and was supplied to me straight off the milling machine, so was in a terrible state. Rough machining marks covering it's entirety. It was supplied with two pieces of 3D printed black plastic to sit behind the gauges. However, typical of the seller I bought it all from; they were terrible quality, different sizes and didn't fit anyway. So I resigned those to the bin.
I have never polished any metal before, so was a little nervous.
I started sanding the housing with 320 grit paper but it was taking too long, so I changed to 120 grit. This got most of the machining marks off, then went to 180, 320, 600 and finally 1200. It took a long while and was very fiddly.
Then I used my Dremel with little cotton wheels on and some polishing compound sticks or different grades I bought from eBay. This was trial and error, so I did the rear of the housing, which won't be seen, to practice.
I would say it took the best part of 12 hours to get the entire piece to a mirror shine, but well worth it. I then painted the inside rear with self-etching primer and four thin coats of satin black from a rattle can. The masking took a while too, as it needed to have clean lines as these will be seen.
I am extremely pleased with the results. Not sure if I am ready for stainless polishing yet, but aluminium.....sorted.

View attachment 332605View attachment 332607View attachment 332609

That looks fabulous. Nice job

 

[GZed]

With my car away being made to look pretty by much more skillful people than me (hopefully), I have been doing a few jobs in it's absence.

First was to tidy my garage; it was a tip!

Second was to fill and sand all the imperfections in the dashboard and interior trim pieces, ready for upholstering.

Then I tackled my centre gauge pod housing. It is aluminium and was supplied to me straight off the milling machine, so was in a terrible state. Rough machining marks covering it's entirety. It was supplied with two pieces of 3D printed black plastic to sit behind the gauges. However, typical of the seller I bought it all from; they were terrible quality, different sizes and didn't fit anyway. So I resigned those to the bin.
I have never polished any metal before, so was a little nervous.
I started sanding the housing with 320 grit paper but it was taking too long, so I changed to 120 grit. This got most of the machining marks off, then went to 180, 320, 600 and finally 1200. It took a long while and was very fiddly.
Then I used my Dremel with little cotton wheels on and some polishing compound sticks or different grades I bought from eBay. This was trial and error, so I did the rear of the housing, which won't be seen, to practice.
I would say it took the best part of 12 hours to get the entire piece to a mirror shine, but well worth it. I then painted the inside rear with self-etching primer and four thin coats of satin black from a rattle can. The masking took a while too, as it needed to have clean lines as these will be seen.
I am extremely pleased with the results. Not sure if I am ready for stainless polishing yet, but aluminium.....sorted.

View attachment 332605View attachment 332607View attachment 332609

Fair play to you. And it’s those bits that YOU actually see as you’re driving along

 

[Althulas]

Impressive results.

 

[Pond]

I have spent the last few days trying to work out if I can do all my dash wiring without re-using the old cluster PCB. I want to avoid using it, as it has to go somewhere behind the dash without being damaged, or shorting on anything.
I have spoken to @Pingu and @Jezza, both recommend re-using the old PCB for various warning lamp outputs (and a couple of other things that don't bother me, like the intelligent wipers and mileage display).
I went through various wiring diagrams to identify all the wiring to all the lamps I need from the multi-connectors X16, X17 and X271 which plug into the original cluster.
However, I don't think it will work without the old PCB, as the feeds to all the bulbs I need are distributed via the pcb. So I think if I wire my bulbs directly from the cables in the connectors, they won't do anything, as they seem to just provide a 'signal' to the PCB.

If anyone has any advice on this I am all ears.

When I get my car back I am going to 'trial' wire a couple of bulbs and see if the theory is correct.

 

[Jezza]

I have spent the last few days trying to work out if I can do all my dash wiring without re-using the old cluster PCB. I want to avoid using it, as it has to go somewhere behind the dash without being damaged, or shorting on anything.
I have spoken to @Pingu and @Jezza, both recommend re-using the old PCB for various warning lamp outputs (and a couple of other things that don't bother me, like the intelligent wipers and mileage display).
I went through various wiring diagrams to identify all the wiring to all the lamps I need from the multi-connectors X16, X17 and X271 which plug into the original cluster.
However, I don't think it will work without the old PCB, as the feeds to all the bulbs I need are distributed via the pcb. So I think if I wire my bulbs directly from the cables in the connectors, they won't do anything, as they seem to just provide a 'signal' to the PCB.

If anyone has any advice on this I am all ears.

When I get my car back I am going to 'trial' wire a couple of bulbs and see if the theory is correct.

My own experience is guided by the way that DNA did it. On my first build I stripped the PCB part out of the cluster and connected into the various wires to drive the ETB instruments. I then insulated the PCB and found a place above the crash bar behind the speedo/tacho location that it would fit comfortably.
On my current (second) 250 build I have done exactly the same but improved things by also connecting in a few more useful dash warning lights that I did not have the first time around. This time I also have Traction, ABS, EML, Engine light, Brake pad wear, brake fluid level, Airbag lights all available to me, although I have chosen only to have 3 additional lights on the dash. I found the easiest way to do that was to solder to the pins on the back of the bulb holders rather than trying to figure out which wire in the X16, X17 and X271 connectors was responsible for which light.
After our conversation you got me thinking about it, and I did start to wonder if the PCB was required or could be deleted, but as my dash is all installed I decided to leave it as it is.

 

[Pond]

My own experience is guided by the way that DNA did it. On my first build I stripped the PCB part out of the cluster and connected into the various wires to drive the ETB instruments. I then insulated the PCB and found a place above the crash bar behind the speedo/tacho location that it would fit comfortably.
On my current (second) 250 build I have done exactly the same but improved things by also connecting in a few more useful dash warning lights that I did not have the first time around. This time I also have Traction, ABS, EML, Engine light, Brake pad wear, brake fluid level, Airbag lights all available to me, although I have chosen only to have 3 additional lights on the dash. I found the easiest way to do that was to solder to the pins on the back of the bulb holders rather than trying to figure out which wire in the X16, X17 and X271 connectors was responsible for which light.
After our conversation you got me thinking about it, and I did start to wonder if the PCB was required or could be deleted, but as my dash is all installed I decided to leave it as it is.

As I said above, I have identified all the wires to all the lights I need on the connectors. However, looking at the wiring diagrams there are various 'feeds' to the PCB via various fuses.
So my thinking is that the PCB 'powers' all the bulbs, just the individual wires send a signal for the PCB to 'power' the bulbs. Like a complicated relay, if you like.

The ETB speedo is a good example of how I think it works. That has just one live and earth into it and the warning bulbs are powered internally, with the re-routed wires from the cluster just providing a signal. I think!

I only need bulb supplies for the front and rear fog switches, DSC 'off' or 'fault', and an ABS warning. I may add an extra bulb for 'check engine'.

The SRS/ airbags check light will be taken from elsewhere, as we know.

The alternator, low oil pressure and brake fluid warnings are built into the ETB speedo so they are covered.

As I said, it is all theory so far and can't check it until my car comes back.

 

[Pingu]

I've just looked at the 2000 wiring diagram, which has DSC, and I think that you NEED to keep the PCB connected, as there are too many wires that connect to other modules to be able to safely remove it.

Some of the bulbs would be easy to make do what you want, but there may be unintended consequences.

Even the simple handbrake warning light has a connection that goes to the DSC module.

https://www.porterbility.co.uk/Files/PDF/e36z3_00_AG.pdf

 

[Duncodin]

I'd have thought @Jezza's method above of soldering wires to the back of the bulb holders would be the way to go.

 

[Pond]

I'd have thought @Jezza's method above of soldering wires to the back of the bulb holders would be the way to go.

I have no doubt it will work; as basically all you are doing is extending the pcb wiring to the bulbs in a different location.

I just don't like the idea of 'shoving' a very complex pcb (which is live) somewhere behind the dash. There is an awful lot of new wiring behind there as it is, plus plenty of new hardware.

 

[Jezza]

I have no doubt it will work; as basically all you are doing is extending the pcb wiring to the bulbs in a different location.

I just don't like the idea of 'shoving' a very complex pcb (which is live) somewhere behind the dash. There is an awful lot of new wiring behind there as it is, plus plenty of new hardware.

There is just enough space and if you wrap the PCB in some insulating material it will be protected from any possible shorting.

 

[Pond]

I've just looked at the 2000 wiring diagram, which has DSC, and I think that you NEED to keep the PCB connected, as there are too many wires that connect to other modules to be able to safely remove it.

Some of the bulbs would be easy to make do what you want, but there may be unintended consequences.

Even the simple handbrake warning light has a connection that goes to the DSC module.

https://www.porterbility.co.uk/Files/PDF/e36z3_00_AG.pdf

I will admit that I was struggling to find the DSC bulb wiring on any diagram I have (I have a few). One diagram completely ignores it!

 

[Jezza]

There is just enough space and if you wrap the PCB in some insulating material it will be protected from any possible shorting.

I put the PCB here.

 

[Pond]

I put the PCB here. View attachment 333683

I will be wrapping my entire crash bar in insulating tape/ foam anyway....just in case!

I don't like taking chances with electrics. Comes from 40 years dealing with it in my day job.

 

[Pingu]

I just put it in a plastic bag with a window to read the odometer and the servicing module lights. It would be a good idea to chuck in some of those dampness-absorbing sachets .

Soldering to the back of the bulb connectors should work. Just try to make sure that you use similar wattage bulbs, or you can do what I did for some of mine, and use a 5v LED with a 470 ohm in-series resistor.