Beiträge von Hythe

My one has the headlight washers, but no cruise control, manual steering column adjustment, no heated seats and no rear blind.

I love it - it's very simple - I don't want the rear blind because I want to see out the back (and how often do you carry rear passengers in an E31?), the heated seats are an irrelevance unless you park the car outside in winter (shame on you if so!), I don't ever change the steering position because I don't generally let others drive it (just my wife, sometimes) - the only thing I've ever missed is the cruise control, but even that's not a really big deal (would be if I lived in the US).

Do see if the car has the more tinted rear window, with graduated tint towards the top - that can help reduce rear glare. Far more important to be rolling on the right rims (Alpina, ACS or Hartge only, thanks!) and with uprated brakes...

If you MUST drive a Merc SL (really, just because of a lack of rear blinds???), make sure it's a 48-valve SL600 - the full 400bhp beastie, not its wimpy successor. Better yet, find yourself an SL73 AMG. There's at least one in London.

Or if you fancy a really nice and well-sorted late-model 840Ci Sport, make me an offer! I'm still unsure of whether to keep mine or not...

Well, looking at this rationally for a second... the E63 clearly IS a direct replacement for the E31 - they're almost exactly the same dimensions and weight, similar interior size and mechanical layout, etc.

Their character is a little different, thanks in no small part to the rack & pinion steering in the E63, and other little tweaks that make the standard E63 more "sporty" than a standard E31.

The point is that the E31 was well ahead of its time (first full-series BMW with Z-axle, introduced the self-dropping windows, first car with an electronics bus), whereas in today's market there's nothing really innovative about the E63 (apart from the M6's carbon roof) - it's just an E60 coupe (which remember is what the original 6ers were!)

Subjectively, I think the E31 looks much nicer than the E63, particularly on 18 or 19" wheels. The B12 5.7 is just a rock god!!!

The interior of the E31 is also much better than the E63, IMHO. Proper ergonomics. And bear in mind I also own an E61 and used to have an E60 before that, so I do "get" the new interiors (I just don't connect with them - not sufficiently driver-oriented).

Shame about the brakes.

Right, so now there's a new law in the UK prohibiting carrying children under 4'6" in a car unless in a child seat.

As we all know, if the driver and front-seat passenger are both 5'8" plus, the rear seats aren't much good for anyone other than a small(ish) child.

But can you fit a child seat in the back of an E31, with those sculpted seats?

I'm struggling to find a reason to keep my car, to be honest. Can't drive it if it can't carry kids (and my Alpina's always a tempting alternative, in any case...)

Any thoughts / suggestions?

So how many Techno Violet E31s do we have here in total, then? Mine's a 1999 840Ci Sport. Currently running on 18" Alpina rims, ACS springs, Dinan anti-roll bars and 330mm Alcon front brakes.

More pics here:

http://www.miracledetail.co.uk…ing-car-new.html?carID=33

Anyone know what is the volume of the brake fluid reservoir on the E31? (Mine's a 1999 840Ci, but I presume they're all the same)

Looking to put in some superior fluid (either DOT 5.1 which is in there currently or Castrol SRF), but I need to supply it to the dealer to put in...

Depends on the amount you plan to use it, but I'd certainly consider it - when the wiper linkage broke on my '99 840 last year, it cost £400! Even small things cost a bomb on these cars - it's not actually the engine/gearbox which generates the biggest bills, for once...

The ACS springs on my 840 lowered the car by 10mm, but I'm not sure if the 840CiS and 850CSi have the same ride height to begin with...

Birds installed mine.

An amazing car with an amazing sound!

Tristan, are you still working at Cooper's?

Zitat von stevep840

thanks for clearing that up mark!

i read the artical twice over to see where or if i'd missed something.what do you think they thought they were trying todiscribe??

all the same though very nice, you must be quite chuffed.

by the way what happened re DONNINGTON.

steve p

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Ah yes, Donington - sorry about that - a sudden house move kind of got in the way!

The real errors were (1) I haven't (yet) changed the final drive ratio, but told him I may do in the future and (2) the fantastic sounding carbon head! - he's mistaken carbon-fibre hood (a la Alpina B12) for head - clearly can't read his own notes...

Photos came out quite nicely, overall - you should have seen how shiny he was that day, with £500-worth of Zymol on him!

My baby E31 features in the new (December) edition of Total BMW Magazine. Some nice pics from the last really sunny day of summer.

Before anyone who knows Rommel starts giving me grief (carbon heads, indeed!), there are a number of inaccuracies in the article - Rommel's REAL spec is as follows:

Colour - Techno Violet with Champagne/Purple interior
Engine - standard, unmodified
Transmission - standard, unmodified
Suspension - Schnitzer springs, Dinan A/R bars
Brakes - 330mm Alcon front, standard rear
Wheels - 18" Alpinas

Mark

P.S. Just ordered an E61 - 535d Sport Individual, for March '05 delivery...

As many of you will already know, the Donington Show is on Sunday 24th October. Despite the high probability of crappy weather (anyone remember the massive storm in 2002?) and not the world's greatest venue, who would be interested in a reprise of a Gaydon-style turn-out of E31s?

The show is organised/sponsored by Total BMW mag - I've suggested to their Editor (who's doing a feature on Rommel for the December edition), that if we turn out in force he could put some pics and words on ClubE31.net in the mag - try to get some more new folks on the board here...

Roll-call time - who can be there?

Mark

P.S. I'll include a poll as a crude counting device!

Re: Your help

Zitat von majenk

Hi all,
Thanks for the tips so far.
I have traced a suitable supercharger, unfortunatley its a centrifugal type not a screw type compressor.
I have spoken to AP Racing, they are prepared to come up with a kit for the car but will need it for a day to sort out what can be done and another day to fit the components, including six pot calipers vented and drilled discs hoses etc for front and rear for around £1800.00. So that looks like a goer. I will probably have to change the wheels to clear the calipers though.
The supercharger with a modified ecm chip, and new exhaust system will be a lot more but when i know i will let you know.
When is the next meeting?

Great price for the brakes - but that's parts only, i presume?

Next meet is probably Donington in October, unless anyone's suggesting something sooner?

Mark

All true, of course, but it should be do-able to drop the 4.6/4.8/5.0 in there - after all, there are enough other BMWs with both those engines and the 4.0/4.4 in the model range, so not impossible, but awkward. Alternatively, the Hartge 5.0 conversion sounds quite sweet. Not cheap, though...

The idea I'm not wild about is that most supercharger conversions do nothing to lower the compression ratio, nor do they use an intercooler. Don't really want a "grenade-spec" engine in my 8, thanks!

Zitat von stevep840

mark hi ,
a wounderfull idea mate,why not post for a reply and see how many 8s will be at donnington i will definatly be there,(tickets on the way).
would that alpina engine slot straight into the eight, mine is a 94 4litre!!
cheers mate
steve p

Should fit, but don't quote me on it - externally, it's the same size as an M60/M62, i believe - the 4.6 unit in Lucie looks identical to Rommel's 4.4... course, the cheaper option is to get a mass produced 4.8 BMW unit (as per X5 4.8is) or an S62, but the 4.8 has more torque, which would suit an autobox 840 better, I figure...

I'll post something on Donington in the UK meets section. Would be good to drum up some publicity and try to get some more E31 owners on to the forum!

Mark

The shoot went very well, thanks... we did it over at the National Theatre - got LOADS of attention from Joe Public as we were parked just outside the cafe there. Needless to say, the Techno Violet looked pretty special in bright sunlight, thanks in no small part to Paul's polishing skills!

Rommel will be appearing in a feature in the December edition of Total BMW, out in early November. Apparently, the November edition will feature the 850CSi racer from this year's Kumho series. I also suggested to Matt Robinson, TBMW's editor, who's writing the piece on Rommel, that they do something on a group of us E31 owners if we can get together at the Donington show...

Mark

P.S. lovely to see/hear/have fillings rattled by your beast last night!

Re: Engine tuning and superchargers

Zitat von majenk

Hi,
I have an 1997 840 only done 53k miles. Anyone out there know anything about superchargers, brake upgrades etc.
I have had a good look on the net but not much joy.

I've had the front brakes done on my 840 - very worthwhile upgrade - I got Alcon 330mm disks with 4 piston calipers. Huge difference in confidence and pedal feel, as well as stopping distance!

I've also been looking at engine upgrades for the future. Koenig in Munich (they of 1000bhp twin-turbo Testarossa fame) offer the most power (c. 440bhp) from a supercharger conversion (with an intercooler fitted), but you're looking at c. EUR25k, and it's far from clear that the auto-box (if that's what you have) can handle the 445lb/ft that engine generates - apparently the ZF 5HP24 box can't take more than 400lb/ft.

Birds offers either a supercharger system or a 5.0l NA Hartge conversion (which costs about 50% more, but offers similar power and a bit more torque at the bottom end, plus it probably sounds better!)

Personally, I'd love to lay my hands on an Alpina 4.8 unit, but that's just because I'm an Alpina nut...

Mark

Looks to me like the whole thing is still going to happen, at least as far as the 635 and CS/L crowd are concerned...

http://www.bmwcarclubforum.co.…m_posts.asp?TID=9773&PN=1

Damn - I've just had Rommel detailed and want to keep him tip-top for his magazine shoot next week (Total BMW).

Bugger...

Oh well, I'll defn try to make the next one...

Mark

Really wish I could have been there with Rommel!

Paul (Miracle Valeting) is going to do the Zymol/detailing thing on him next week, ahead of his photo shoot for Total BMW the following week. Will make sure to take some extra pics while he's all nice and shiny...

Mark

*******

Rommel - Techno Violet 840Ci Sport, 18in Alpina wheels, Alcon brakes, Schnitzer springs, Dinan anti-roll bars
Lucie - Madeiraviolett Alpina B8 4.6 Touring no.14

I don't see anything too suspicious, except for a bunch of dropped pixels in the computer (might just be an unfortunate photo). Probably a Ci, with the 5.4l engine...