Southernboy's SCARAB II journal.

PCSAM · Post by **PCSAM** » Fri 07 Feb, 2014 16:34

looking great mate ........... are you doing a batch of them

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Fri 07 Feb, 2014 16:47

....not at this time Sam..I bought a solid metal one some years ago,which was fitted in my last Z3... The supplier in the USA, doesn't do them any more. Prbably too expensive. I think I paid around $. 75.00 at the time, and it took about 5 weeks to get it as it was "Special" at the time....best gear knob ever though... a bit cold in winter, but a stunning knob it was...

Alan W · Post by **Alan W** » Fri 07 Feb, 2014 20:19

I moved the Hood switch from the rear between the seats position to the front console area - prefer it there...at my age turning more than 100 degrees isn't an option. There was a nice blanking plate in the console, so now it'll occupy that position...and the blanking plate will move to the back....

Barry what a simple but brilliant idea! I have a blanking plate next to the ASC switch... how much is involved to move the switch, is it a centre console removal job or just a case of running some wires?

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Fri 07 Feb, 2014 20:55

The wiring for the roof switch actually comes from the loom under the console at front and then continues with the loom which is on the passenger side under the center console all the way to it's position at the back...So, if you remove the center console actually you don't need to take it ou the car, but just loosen all the screws so you can kinda get it out the way. Then start at the roof switch and disconect it and then it's a matter of feeding it back towards the front bit by bit through the opening of the handbrake window, then the gearshift window, and finally to the front...you just need to lift the carpet between the "windows" with your fingers either side...piece of cake really...

Alan W · Post by **Alan W** » Fri 07 Feb, 2014 21:13

Thanks for that Barry, going to consider this as it can be a pain using that switch behind you

sirius-c · Post by **sirius-c** » Sat 08 Feb, 2014 15:25

I want a stunning knob !

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Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sat 08 Feb, 2014 15:47

...we can't all have stunning knobs...some of us have to settle for OEM...

sirius-c · Post by **sirius-c** » Sat 08 Feb, 2014 16:45

And it's stunning even when cold, you lucky guy

PCSAM · Post by **PCSAM** » Sat 08 Feb, 2014 18:24

Southernboy wrote:...we can't all have stunning knobs...some of us have to settle for OEM...

sirius-c · Post by **sirius-c** » Sat 08 Feb, 2014 18:54

Yup that looks familiar lol

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sat 08 Feb, 2014 19:30

.... that's a tired looking knob...or perhaps it's just in post coital recovery...

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sat 15 Feb, 2014 07:24

The past evenings have been very busy...The transformation of the interior has begun...!
Extended leather to the dash, hockey sticks and doorcards now completed...monday I will take the seats to be done. I'll be having the center panels of the seats done in the red/brown leather... Looks a tad "orange in these pics, but I suspect that is on account of the flash...
Also needs a really good clean-up in there...

Anyone notice my ongoing "test" of the seat bolster protector fitted to the driver seat outer bolster??? It's been there for over a month now, and hasn't moved or curled at the edges....I do believe it will be a winner....

janijoeli · Post by **janijoeli** » Sat 15 Feb, 2014 08:56

Nice knob mate!

How about getting the silver bit on the steering wheel chromed? Or too much bling? It pales in comparison to your new shiny gear knob...

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sat 15 Feb, 2014 09:00

hahaha...not sure I want to change the steering wheel "metal" part...matches the doorcard flashes...But the steering wheel needs a re-covering.. I'd forgotten how big the OEM steering wheels are after the Z4 steering wheel in my last Z3..That's the Knob I made myself...polished ally...

Mint · Post by **Mint** » Sun 16 Feb, 2014 08:49

Looks like you need a seat belt guide repaired also Barry. There's a great chap on the forum that sells just such an item, it is in the style of a letterZ. It's a great bit of kit, you should get some

Koolflyer · Post by **Koolflyer** » Sun 16 Feb, 2014 09:31

Yeah, can't remember his name, but he's the one always taking his cars apart!

Glad your mirror base arrived...cheers Pete.

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sun 16 Feb, 2014 09:59

CheerS Pete...The base is here, only need to go to my mailbox to collect it...and yes, that seatbelt guide is a mess...but not for long! The trimmer still needs to remove the seat leathers to do his bit, so I'll sort the guides out at the same time, and even fit the Z brackets to avoid future breaks..

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Thu 20 Feb, 2014 17:39

Some poor Mobile phone pics....interior is changing.... was 100% black in the cockpit...
I had a small piece of leather left over after doing the dash etc...so decided to spice up the steering wheel center area this evening...
BEFORE...

AFTER...

Davejue1 · Post by **Davejue1** » Thu 20 Feb, 2014 17:52

That's looking great Barry, nice trick with the steering wheel. I imagine that'll be unique. For the minute at least!!

Cheers
Dave

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Tue 25 Feb, 2014 09:00

Got my M gills back from the paint shop and fitted last night...Somehow feel they need something in the "empty" M badge area...will look into that...Maybe I'll design a small "Z3" and have it lazer cut etc etc.... Been raining here every afternoon for the past week...so pointless doing a car wash...

Also wired in and fitted my new Garmin satnav...again right at the back of the center console...with the power linked to the ashtray light bulb circuit so that it powers up when the main light switch is clicked to it's position 1. So for future DRL / Angel eyes the whole lot will come on. Auto power off when the light switch is turned off.
The auto trimmer is a PITA...With all the rain, he has had his W/shop full of roofless cars, and not getting much done! But he tells me tomorrow is a good day to have my seats done - weather permitting.
On the plus side, the PO have advised me that my cruise control stalk switch has cleared customs and I should have it by Wed / Thurs, as well as my M interior rearview mirror.
I have 1 (passenger side) M mirror newly painted and fitted, and waiting on a new plastic mirror cover for the driver side...should be here in around 2 - 3 weeks ex USA.
In the short term, I've started looking at doing the boot floor conversion to move the battery to a center position in anticipation of a full dual exhaust system fitting, at which time I'll de-cat the exhausts and fit new oxygen sensors...I'm sure the current ones are about at the end of their usable life.
Been looking at a new roof, and the car does need one... Having done a roof replacement myself before, I'm a little reluctant to do it again...although when / if I go ahead, I'll probably succumb and do it again...4 days of stripping, cleaning Butyl and re-fitting..etc etc...Ughh !!
The Instrument cluster has a remnant of some minute creature's wing behind the plexiglass front, so that needs to be opened and cleaned too.
With the recent post by Blades regarding the use of Flyeyes film to de-tango the headlight indicators, I'm waiting for the results of his experimental heat tests...I may go that route, or I may just go for making a mould and casting clear acryllic lenses myself...In principal it seems fairly straight forward, but that is always the case watching a 2 minute Youtube clip...in reality it could be a messy excercise in futility...but no doubt it'll be fun finding out...

BladeRunner919 · Post by **BladeRunner919** » Tue 25 Feb, 2014 09:35

Southernboy wrote:I may go that route, or I may just go for making a mould and casting clear acryllic lenses myself

That was actually my Plan-B as well!

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Tue 11 Mar, 2014 15:49

After several weeks driving without a door mirror on the right, the replacement plastic M mirror cover arrived from the USA. I was so excited when I called the customs office and they told me it was due at my local PO today ! Can you imagine my dissapointment when I arrived there, handed over the notice with the reference number, only to be told they couldn't find it... After some protestations, I was ushered into the managers office, and she went to doa search...10 minutes later I left...with my parcel !!

This says a lot about the level of public interest and service we have here, that the manager must do the work which the counter attendants can't be bothered to do themselves...but at least I have it.
Dropped it off with the auto paint shop to be re-painted black and I'll be able to collect it on friday... So after almost 6 weeks Scarab will have both his ears back on...

Also, I collected the passenger seat today from the auto trimmer where it has had the center panels changed from black to the brown / red colour I've used on the dash etc...I'll collect the driver seat tomorrow and that will conclude the current changes I wanted. I'll post some pics once I've fitted both seats back as they should be...
Last sunday I fitted a new front splash guard under the car, because there wasn't one fitted when I bought the car...so that should improve the general cooling in the engine bay. I doubt if it's as much a splash guard as a method of containing and directing airflow from the radiator fan over the motor...Anyhow, it's restored to OEM fittings.
I start each weekend with so many good intentions to get a few things checked off the "to do" list, but probably like many of us, I get sidetracked by other responsibilities etc..
Poor Scarab hasn't had a wash in over 6 weeks now, and the current weather which has persisted for the past 15 days - rain, and more rain - hasn't particularly encouraged me to do much about it. Also, with Scarab having only one ear, and the other mounting point covered over with a piece of duct tape, I've shyed away from the possibility of getting water into the door.
Scarab has also had new drive belts, tensioners and a new fuel pump and filter fitted as well as a complete oil, plugs, coolant etc etc service. The E46 M3 mirror install went perfectly well, and it remains a viable option for any other Z3 owners to replace the rectangular mirror for the oval.
Weather permitting, I'll give Scarab a good wash and polish and interior treatment at the local Sonax center on saturday and take some pics of the changes...

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sat 15 Mar, 2014 13:09

As promised...some pics of the changes to Scarab II 's interior...
Those observant types will notice the driver seat bolster...the "removable" bolster patch has now been under test for the past few months, and is still holding up very well..I actually had it off a few times and most recently last week when the seats were getting re-trimmed with the new center panel leathers...and some "extra" padding in the seat and backrest where I asked the trimmer to include a few more individual panels.
Door cards and dash extended leather have been in place for a few weeks already. I haven't made any final decision with regard to the panels in the center console, so having a piece of the stick on 3M "carbon fiber" stuff, I've applied that...prefer it to the plastic "matt chrome" of the OEM look...
I'd like to have all the black leather treated to "re-new" it's look...far too shiny after 12years... Also, looking for a set of clear side repeater covers...Anyone???...

Daz3 · Post by **Daz3** » Sun 16 Mar, 2014 08:15

Been waiting to see these seats in they look great go extremely well with the black zed! I do like that steering wheel too

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sun 16 Mar, 2014 10:51

Thanks guys. I'm quite pleased with the combination of colours too.. Still undecided what to do with the "matt chrome" flashes in the doorcards and at the bottom of the steering wheel...but I'll get there...

janijoeli · Post by **janijoeli** » Sun 16 Mar, 2014 11:13

Get'em chromed!

IMHO they look a bit out-of-place in an interior with plenty of chrome accents, and your shiny knob.

Carbon effect on the bottom of the steering wheel might look nice as well, to match your centre console...

How about some ACS pedals?

Anyway, great looking interior!

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sun 16 Mar, 2014 11:30

....mmmmm...chrome ??? might be a bit "bling"...If it wasn't such a PITA to remove them, I may have considered CF...I've just been through stripping the doorcards for the leather trim changes...not an easy task to re-assemble...there's plastic studs at the back which were originally melted to act as a securing system for that part...and removing them means cutting away the melted plastic, which leaves a plastic stud which no longer penetrates the door card sufficiently to repeat the OEM melt fixing idea....

I'll need to be very motivated to undo all that again !!... Maybe in the winter...nice indoor type job...

janijoeli · Post by **janijoeli** » Sun 16 Mar, 2014 12:26

I used hot glue to re-attach the insert and hockey stick, easy and cheap. If it doesn't hold over time (I am only worried about the hottest of sunny summer days), I'll redo the job with epoxy.

Some people have melted and re-shaped the original plastic studs to detach them with a soldering iron. This way they can be re-used, but sounds like an awful lot of work (and smelly molten plastic fumes!) to me. Maybe warming and thus softening the studs with a hot air gun, and then just re-shaping them with pliers etc would have been an option. I reckon this would be a better way to do it, if one really wants to retain the original studs.

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sun 16 Mar, 2014 13:31

I like the hot glue idea more...sounds more do-able than fiddling about with melting plastic etc etc...

g8jka · Post by **g8jka** » Sun 16 Mar, 2014 20:08

I reattached mine with a glue gun also. I filled the holes in with the glue gun and kept them clamped together whilst it dried. With a glue gun it sets pretty quick as well.

('_')Z3 · Post by **('_')Z3** » Sun 16 Mar, 2014 20:15

Glue guns are good for a multitude of tasks, my only problem is sometimes when a lot of glue is required it tends to dry before you've been able to apply it over all the area you want

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Fri 11 Apr, 2014 18:15

....... after some weeks spent getting the new armrests sorted, I now have a little time for Scarab II. I've been looking for an M roadster console for some while without success, but did manage to find one off an LHD ex USA... Obviously it will not fit an RHD car, but with some imagination, and a little effort, I managed to make a "hybrid" Took a couple of hours and some after welding sanding - I really hate sanding - but the outcome is quite satisfactory up to this point. My next effort will be to reduce the size of the gearshift hole in the console by 12mm all round and have a chrome trim made to fit. Obviously the gaitor and it's plastic frame will need some alteration, but thats a 10 minute job....

bertiejaffa · Post by **bertiejaffa** » Fri 11 Apr, 2014 18:23

looks good Barry - I will be wrapping my M console when I start on it too.

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Fri 11 Apr, 2014 18:32

Cheers mate....The stuff I used - 3M - is not the easiest to use as it's considerably thicker than some other similar materials. Having said that, it was the only option which wasn't very black and which sort of fits in with the brushed ally I have on the door cards. The thicker 3M stuff needs some work to get it to bend and stay bent. I ended up using contact glue on some of the bits which worked very well to hold the little edges down...Now I'll be looking for a couple of heated seat switches...don't like the "blanks".... they suggest something less than complete...

bertiejaffa · Post by **bertiejaffa** » Fri 11 Apr, 2014 19:02

Yep I agree... plus fast forward on 5 years when someone offers you a silly offer for this one again it will confuse the **** out of them ha ha

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sat 12 Apr, 2014 16:47

Replaced the center console this morning...I managed to find some decent connectors from another aut wiring loom so that connecting and disconnecting all the new guages is as simple as disconnecting a window switch...simply press and pull to unplug. So, 3 plugs for unplugging everything....

Davejue1 · Post by **Davejue1** » Sat 12 Apr, 2014 16:55

That's looking mint Barry, what sort of figure (£) has the leather trim come in at if you don't mind me asking??

Cheers
Dave

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sat 12 Apr, 2014 17:01

The leatherwork including the seats was around £.200.00. Although I must add, the trimmer did the cutting and stitching, and I did all the fitting including stripping and assembly. It's not something I would recommend unless you have strong hands, lots of patience, and don't mind getting high on contact glue and contact glue solvent...

Davejue1 · Post by **Davejue1** » Sat 12 Apr, 2014 17:23

That's a good price for a re-trim mate. Don't think we could get it done over here for that. When I was but a mere lad, many years ago!!! I was big into the Mk1 and Mk2 golf GTI scene and it was popular then to get your seats and door cards leather trimmed. If I recall it was £500-600 then, we're talking 20 years ago!!!!

Captain · Post by **Captain** » Sat 12 Apr, 2014 18:48

Looking good Barry

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sat 12 Apr, 2014 19:44

Thanks for the compliments guys...

David · Post by **David** » Sat 12 Apr, 2014 19:57

Please put me out of my misery... Something doesn't quite look right with that centre console you've manufactured (other than the cig lighter being on the wrong side). What is it?

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Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sat 12 Apr, 2014 20:59

It's perfectly right...other than the cig lighter being on the opposite side....what has disturbed your eye is the lack of the chrome trim around the gearshift... and possibly a little distortion due to the angle of the camera....

David · Post by **David** » Sat 12 Apr, 2014 21:36

Southernboy wrote:

"New car, same cushion" I see...

For the price you sold you last Z for, I would've thought you'd have thrown it in!

Re: centre console: must be my eyes too then! Looks great with that wrap and the trimmed boomerangs.

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bertiejaffa · Post by **bertiejaffa** » Sun 13 Apr, 2014 02:02

Davejue1 wrote:That's a good price for a re-trim mate. Don't think we could get it done over here for that.

I agree. - I was lucky, I got Barry's trimmer to make me some leather (for the dash) up at the same time - as Barry says, the real work (and ultimately the cost saving) is in the stripping of the original dash and the pain staking gluing of the new one! Thankfully Barry is a patient teacher and with his help (especially the use of large knives on the air bag lid!!!!) I'm hoping to post pics of mine shortly which shamelessly is inspired by the African master

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sun 13 Apr, 2014 05:31

That's a very special cushion ! It's just perfect so as not to greatly increase height, but preserves the seat leather from my bony butt...

Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing your upholstery efforts too... not an easy task !

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sun 13 Apr, 2014 10:40

.... after spending most of yesterday morning doing the connections and re-fitting my center console, I had a rush of sh*t to the head this morning and decided to do my first personal cleaning of Scarab II.... 4 hours later I realise why it's so much more sensible to take it to a professional valet. The only satisfactory aspect to the entire process was the knowledge that I did a thorough clay bar of the body. For those who have done this, you will know it gives a superb result for little effort.... well compared to washing and polishing.... I have one of those rotary polishers that look something like a version of an angle grinder...weighs far too much and is a bi*^ch to control...
Now that the job is done I am very dissapointed to have been made aware of the inumerable stone chips on the front spoiler, and a few on the bonnet...

Good sense would have been to be ignorant and save myself the consideration of having the front end repaired and painted. Also noted a small ding in both doors.... nice ! So those are on the to-do list.... Ignorance is bliss....knowing is definitely an expense...

I haven't got to the inside yet...that can wait until after a cuppa...and a wait for the poratble vacuum cleaner to charge up....
I do have a little tub of E45 which has been used as a paperweight on my office desk for a couple of months...I bought it before I redid the leatherwork... I'm looking forward to having my hands in that stuff and gently massaging it into the leather... should help my chemically scorched hands after the earlier efforts with washing etc etc...

Davejue1 · Post by **Davejue1** » Sun 13 Apr, 2014 10:51

Oh dear Barry lol! I love valeting the Zed. As my friend said the other day, there's that much wax on the paint the rain will scream and run in the other direction! I get a sense of achievement when he's had a good wash and polish. Long as "the good lady" keeps bringing the cuppa's out it's not so bad!

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Sun 13 Apr, 2014 10:55

If you ever come out this way, I'll be glad to make sure the cuppas keep coming...you'll be very welcome to indulge your passion for valeting...

Southernboy · Post by **Southernboy** » Thu 22 May, 2014 06:10

Been a while since I posted any further updates here. I've added a couple of small changes to Scarab II. Firstly I managed to aquire an M center console with the full leather trim in matching black. The analog clock was a bit of an issue being erratic in both time keeping and even working constantly. I managed to sort it out and it now functions as it should and keeps perfect time too ! I haven't yet fitted an oil temperature sender so the relative gauge isn't functional yet.
When I aquired the console, it came with the OEM harness to connect everything up. It has a 6 pin female socket connector which would have connected directly to the M car main wiring loom. Since Scarab II doesn't have that, I set about making the reciprocal 6 pin male connector. I managed to find 6 small copper tubes in the electric fencing / security section of a local Hardware outlet. These tubes were perfect fits for the pins on the OEM harness. I soldered wires to one end and then stuck the tubes over the pins in the OEM connector, mixed up a ball of 2 part epoxy putty and covered the tubes and a section of the 6 wires which I had gathered together and cable-tied. I used a small spatula and shaped the putty into a fairly neat block and left it overnight to harden. Next day I used a file to further clean up and shape the hardened putty. Lastly I connected the 6 soldered leads to their respective power and earth sources before finally installing the console. Easiest console install I've ever done... put it into position, connect the various swithches, and then the single 6 pin connector to power up the gauges, lights and ciggy lighter...
and lastly the Becker headunit.
I have also fitted my seatlift mod to both seats, and one of my center armrests as well as doorcard armrests to complete the driving comfort requirements of an old fart. I also have my Z seatbelt guide brackets fitted to prevent breakage which as we all know is sudden and unexpected when it happens.
I removed my home made gearknob, and spent a couple of hours removing more ally and making it rounder across the top, re-polished it and it's more in tune with what I envisaged originally.
I've fitted the Z8 bonnet top chrome water jets after having them re-furbished. The automatic flap in the one exhaust tailpipe has been de-activated and has improved the sound of the purr emanating back there...

I stopped off at my local auto paint shop yesterday to get pricing on sorting the front spoiler, bonnet and the doors. The spoiler and bonnet both have the "OEM" pint chips and both doors have a single little ding from parking morons.... Quoted £300.... which is fairly reasonable I thought. I may just spend a further £. 250 and have the rest of the car done too... the rear 1/4 panels have the same "OEM" sand blast chips which are currently covered by magnetic stone guards, and I noticed a small area around the aerial where the clearcoat has lifted.
Also on the cards is a new roof as the current original has a couple of small areas where it is beginning to fray.
As some of you may have read in a separate post, I did a gearbox oil change - from the top. This method is simple and effective and makes filling a mess-less breeze. It's right up my street... sitting comfortably in the driver seat pouring oil down a spout vs lying under a car struggling to get the stuff in without room to tilt a bottle etc etc...

Scarab II is running better now than when I first brought her up from Cape Town, and I think the ECU has adjusted for the altitude change.
Davidz3 will be bringing a couple od small items I want and posting to me when he returns in September... Simota intake and billet ally oil filter cap to which the oil temp sender can be fitted.
Unfortunately the angel eye mods have still not arrived after being posted on the 24th April, but I'll give it another week before concluding that they aren't going to materialize and re-looking at sourcing alternatives.