Restoration: e34 M5 (metallic dolphin)

[Gizmo]

Don't put ceiling boards in, the trusses make awesome storage space for large car parts like bumpers and such. All of the big stuff in my garage is stored on the rafters now, so much more floor space is opened up now.:idea:

 

[rick540]

Don't put ceiling boards in, the trusses make awesome storage space for large car parts like bumpers and such. All of the big stuff in my garage is stored on the rafters now, so much more floor space is opened up now.:idea:

+1

 

[Adi]

Nic_S have dealt Murphy a blow, as i have made a cover so erand dogs and children don't fall in........normally pit would be closed off

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Have thought about that, but would like a ceiling with nice big lights from Radiant........which are ordered already. have got enough storage at the front of the house where I have a room underneath the patio that is around 7x2m but has a height restriction of 1.6m. One can walk in there, but with difficulty, so ideal for storage..........Rick540's bonnet is standing there!

 

[rick540]

Nic_S have dealt Murphy a blow, as i have made a cover so erand dogs and children don't fall in........normally pit would be closed off

---

Have thought about that, but would like a ceiling with nice big lights from Radiant........which are ordered already. have got enough storage at the front of the house where I have a room underneath the patio that is around 7x2m but has a height restriction of 1.6m. One can walk in there, but with difficulty, so ideal for storage..........Rick540's bonnet is standing there!

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Look after that bonnet till I can get it here :rollsmile:

I also suggest some lighting on the lower walls it's fantastic when one is working on brakes, suspension and stuff

 

[Adi]

thats a good idea..........can build in just over plug points......

 

[Wes]

Looking nice Adi :thumbs:

I agree with Gizmo and Rick540 though on the storage part, considering the current storage room has that height restriction..

 

[maximus]

lol, missed this, only saw it now....

garage is coming out nicely!...im jealous :rollsmile::thumbs: raise:

 

[Adi]

ok, making some progress, all teh shelves are in, got dold carpets, my pit has carpets and so do teh shelves......this weekend the steering of teh white M5 came out, and the wheels are off so is teh side skirtings.......might be lucky and have Bilstein front shocks

 

[Leon]

How is the M5 coming along?

 

[Adi]

Ok, after a too long break will start posting updates. The break was due to me building a garage and workshop, which is 99% done, as well as a swimming pool. That's done too. So now the M5 can get one attention.

One of the other things I did was to take the donor car apart, will post some pictures of that too. Not for the faint hearted.

 

[Adi]

So for the last week have been cleaning, restoring and rebuilding the front seats. The seats were cleaned with sunlight liquid and then rubbed down with raw linseed oil. All cables were fixed, and motors checked.

Seats are now ready for installation once the rest of he car is finished.

Some interesting detail on the seat:

 

[rick540]

The seats were cleaned with sunlight liquid and then rubbed down with raw linseed oil.

I keep reading about people using kitchen products on leather. Adi, it looks great but I am not sure sunlight and linseed is the right thing at all.

Guys please dont use sunlight or any soap that is designed to strip oil and is not PH balanced. It really was not made for cleaning leather.

Adi I suggest you get some leather creme and drench it with that. Take the linseed oil (Which is for wood) and remove it all with benzine or something.

What makes the leather look good almost never makes it last. If you look at leather under a microscope it is nothing more than collagen fibers with various solid fats and liquid oils. Remove the correct oils and fats and the fibers start breaking each other. Its kind of like putting the right oil in an engine to protect.

If you use the wrong cleaning stuff you will make the oils/fats acid or alkaline which will degrade the leather from the inside out.

"The pH of the leather when chrome tanned would typically finish somewhere between 3.8-4.2. acidic" Linseed oil has a ph of 6.2 - 7.3 (probably ok) and dishwashing liquid 8+

Another quote below http://leatherrestoration.com.au/leather_care.html

'For example if you have a leather lounge that has a pH of 5 and choose to clean it with spray and wipe (which has a pH of 8), the spray and wipe is 1000 times more alkaline than your leather. If you use an oven cleaner (pH 12+), the actual imbalance is 10,000,000! Combining an acid with an alkaline will produce salt. Salt actually DRAWS moisture, accelerating the drying out of your leather. Cleaning your leather with a pH balanced cleaner will aid in bringing your leather pH back into balance, so it’s never too late to use a good cleaner that is pH balanced!"

 

[Adi]

Oh wow did't now that..........thank you. Will get some cream.

 

[Adi]

Ok, went Makro and got the Meguiars leather stuff

 

[rick540]

Ok, went Makro and got the Meguiars leather stuff

:thumbs: Good man, now the leather will last :rollsmile:

 

[maximus]

That seat is one year older than me :mmm:

 

[Adi]

All treated, everything cleaned, driver seat almost ready to be assembled again

 

[Adi]

Ok, this weekend it was cluster time. Steering wheel removed, all covers off that are broken, then taking the cluster out. Restoring to OEM needs to refit the original dial backgrounds. The cluster comes apart easily, and carefully taking he needles off, then replacing the dial backgrounds with an original OEM one. Cluster was cleaned all globes tested and the put back together again, with a test in the car, all lights work.

Cluster before:

Dials almost off:

And back to OEM, with all lights tested:

 

[maximus]

:thumbs:

 

[bmw325i]

great work bud :thumbs: