BMW E39 M5 touring build #2
Discussion
With the M5 bound for China, it was strip out time for the Touring this weekend....
Load stripped out for the spare wheel well and battery tray to be cut out and replaced with M5 panels.
Everything from the gearbox back has been removed so exhaust, propshaft, brake and fuel lines, heat shields and and the rear axle.
One of the E39's Rust Achilles heels, the rear jacking points on the sills both in very good condition with only slight delamination of the outer and inner sill skins. No doubt there will be some corrosion inside the jacking points but they are both solid.
Rear axle loosely bolted back in for transportation purposes as it heads off to the bodyshop.
Load stripped out for the spare wheel well and battery tray to be cut out and replaced with M5 panels.
Everything from the gearbox back has been removed so exhaust, propshaft, brake and fuel lines, heat shields and and the rear axle.
One of the E39's Rust Achilles heels, the rear jacking points on the sills both in very good condition with only slight delamination of the outer and inner sill skins. No doubt there will be some corrosion inside the jacking points but they are both solid.
Rear axle loosely bolted back in for transportation purposes as it heads off to the bodyshop.
Rear jacking points (an E39 Achilles heel) while pretty solid are clearly on their way especially the offside rear.
A couple of areas of corrosion are where the tailgate aperture rubber seal fits over a metal lip and water can get trapped here so 20 years of not being cleaned and protected has caused this so it needs to be addressed. Thankfully this and the jacking points are the only areas of corrosion.
The flat section of the M5 boot floor unpicked and prepped for installation with a small section of the tourings original boor floor for comparison of various mounting studs.
The M5 boot floor and its U shaped section welded in. As many brand new panels as possible were purchased this time round which included all parts of the U section which surrounds the M5 centre battery tray and supports the rear silencers, the rear panel cross member and the outer exhaust brackets as these were all heavily corroded on the donor M5 shell.
JB99 said:
With regard to the boot area floor modifications to the bodyshell, will this mean an IVA and/ or the issue of a 'Q' plate?
In short, no.The chassis part of the monocoque remains exactly the same. Essentially the only change is the deletion of the spare wheel well (a non structural part) and replaced with a battery tray shaped hole.
JB99 said:
Spare wheel well could be argued to be a 'crash impact area.'
I read recently about a classic mini electric conversion which only had four holes drilled into the boot floor requiring IVA.....tread carefully!
The spare wheel is not a crash impact area, the two chassis rails either side of the boot floor are what would take the impact and deform accordingly and remember, this a panel removed (that was once available to buy new) from another model in the range, not some fabrication done from scratch.I read recently about a classic mini electric conversion which only had four holes drilled into the boot floor requiring IVA.....tread carefully!
Besides, last time I checked cars are not crash tested for rear impacts.
Anyway, moving on.....
Back from the bodyshop.
Battery tray delete
Both rear jacking points
Inside the boot floor.
The complete underside of the car was thoroughly cleaned prior to an corrosion repair or fabrication so once that was complete, the same process as the last build where all repairs were zinc primed, epoxy primed, 3M spray sealed then painted with particular attention to replicating the original factory finish of beige E coat/ underseal with body colour overspray. Finished off with plenty of Tecktyl ML cavity wax in all the box sections, seams and key areas prone to corrosion.
The sill panels were completely painted, the rear quarters along with both bumpers, M5 mirrors and rear bumper diffuser as well before the whole car was paint corrected.
The fit up begins with the M5 battery tray.
Back from the bodyshop.
Battery tray delete
Both rear jacking points
Inside the boot floor.
The complete underside of the car was thoroughly cleaned prior to an corrosion repair or fabrication so once that was complete, the same process as the last build where all repairs were zinc primed, epoxy primed, 3M spray sealed then painted with particular attention to replicating the original factory finish of beige E coat/ underseal with body colour overspray. Finished off with plenty of Tecktyl ML cavity wax in all the box sections, seams and key areas prone to corrosion.
The sill panels were completely painted, the rear quarters along with both bumpers, M5 mirrors and rear bumper diffuser as well before the whole car was paint corrected.
The fit up begins with the M5 battery tray.
Edited by BSSBMW on Saturday 4th March 22:24
Thanks for the comments everyone!
I have lost count of the number of people that have asked to buy it if I ever sell this one, how many of those are serious I don't know but if I do ever come to sell it I think the fair way would be to auction it off.
Davie_GLA said:
Bravo mate. You could do well here and churn these out to order!
I didn't read the last one fully but will now.
Can l be added to the list of prospective new owner?
Thanks but they are to labour intensive to be a profitable business proposition.I didn't read the last one fully but will now.
Can l be added to the list of prospective new owner?
I have lost count of the number of people that have asked to buy it if I ever sell this one, how many of those are serious I don't know but if I do ever come to sell it I think the fair way would be to auction it off.
This weekends progress.....
New brake and fuel lines starting to go in along with the fuel tank with the M5 pump swapped in.
The copy front bumper with its poor fit and alignment would not do so the genuine one from the donor M5 was painted sterling grey ready to be swapped over,
The M5's twin air intakes to feed the S62's dual air filter housing were fitted after the M54 single intake was removed.
The M5's mirrors were also painted at the same time so these were built up and fitted up.
Front bumper built up with new mouldings and the bonnet grills swapped out for a new set specific to the V8 models.
New brake and fuel lines starting to go in along with the fuel tank with the M5 pump swapped in.
The copy front bumper with its poor fit and alignment would not do so the genuine one from the donor M5 was painted sterling grey ready to be swapped over,
The M5's twin air intakes to feed the S62's dual air filter housing were fitted after the M54 single intake was removed.
The M5's mirrors were also painted at the same time so these were built up and fitted up.
Front bumper built up with new mouldings and the bonnet grills swapped out for a new set specific to the V8 models.
Sf_Manta said:
Absolutely glorious work there.
Any plans for some choice upgrades to refine the package overall? or just a refreshed OEM setup?
Thanks!Any plans for some choice upgrades to refine the package overall? or just a refreshed OEM setup?
Pretty much the same recipe as last time so Bilstein shocks, EIbach front springs and a thicker rear anti roll bar. Eibach bars are NLA so unless a used one turns up (or a pair) I will prob end up forking out for a Dinan one.
Fermit said:
Without re-reading the entire thread, on the first build, did you log the number of hours of time you put in to it? (even if approx)
IF you turned it in to a business you could state an after doner car cost (or estimate, to allow for unforeseen stuff) and maybe (if sticking to BM's) use a moniker that sounds like M5? Maybe something like EMM 5, as there will be a limit to what BM can protect name wise. Upon thinking of something maybe work backwords to make it represent something personal. In the above cited, say your name is Edward, it could for example become Edwards Monstrous M-cars 5
That aside, watching with interest, and read the MK1 thread in one lump yesterday.
I've not logged the hours spent on either builds or any of the restorations I've done as its my hobby and I've not done them to make money on.IF you turned it in to a business you could state an after doner car cost (or estimate, to allow for unforeseen stuff) and maybe (if sticking to BM's) use a moniker that sounds like M5? Maybe something like EMM 5, as there will be a limit to what BM can protect name wise. Upon thinking of something maybe work backwords to make it represent something personal. In the above cited, say your name is Edward, it could for example become Edwards Monstrous M-cars 5
That aside, watching with interest, and read the MK1 thread in one lump yesterday.
Edited by Fermit on Monday 6th March 14:07
bmthnick1981 said:
Great build, look forward to following.
chimera40v8 said:
Another amazing build thread, quality of the work is incredible and its great to see you doing it all over again.
Like was said in the other thread, its baffling they never made an E39 M5 Touring and your examples just go to show what a great car it could have been.
Thanks!Like was said in the other thread, its baffling they never made an E39 M5 Touring and your examples just go to show what a great car it could have been.
Indeed it is a shame they never built these and the E46 M3 touring past the prototype stages.
InYaMooey said:
1998 540i 6 Pre Vanos
Currently sitting waiting on me deciding if I do the timing chain guides or pay a man
Do you fancy a timing chain job ? Or slip an S62 in
Fantastic thread again
Two reasons why an S62 would not be a good idea for your car, first one is it would be a shame to mess with a now rare E39 and secondly as its a pre 9/98 built E39 it would be a lot more difficult to convert it as 9/98 there were major electrical revisions across the E39 platform which would mean pretty much a whole body loom swap to get it all to work correctly and run the M5's DSC.
Not impossible, just a lot more work.
The minimum basic requirement is a post 9/98 petrol touring with DSC not ASC and ideally a post 4/99 as it will have the diamond key and later SRS system allowing fitment of the round air bag steering wheel.
bolidemichael said:
Could/have you built an E46 Touring?
Yes over 5 years ago.https://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/threads/e46-m3-tour...
Didn't get go as far as the wide arches as sold it to help with the business. Tried to buy it back a year or two ago but the current owner wont let it go.
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