So I’ve not really updated much with my progress on the Soarer. Well here it is. The car currently sits on just it’s new front wheels. The first picture of the wheels on the floor you think… they look great. Until you look closely. All wheels were scuffed, two were bent from pot holes and all wheels had blistering on the paint. FFS. So I set about having them refurbished, originally to keep the polished lips and paint the faces, have them cut. But the booth overheated the lips after coating and discoloured the stainless lips. Plus we couldn’t get a good finish. So I binned it all off and had the wheels fully coated in the brightest silver possible and the faces re-cut.

So now those are on. Then I fitted one of my new slam panels to the car, because I could. Then I stripped my gaiter surround and fully sanded it back to remove any marks/polish it. This has now gone to @Inspireautomotive (Instagram) to have the gaiter remade in matching grey leather to my interior 🙂   Then I checked out my engine and I really hope it’s the PCV valve that’s failed causing blue smoke on overrun. So all the engine is going back together to test this theory now – before it all comes back apart to do cam belt/water pump.

Yesterday I bought one of the final stages of my Manual conversion. BMW e46 M3 box in the first picture. PMC conversion plate and flywheel bought – people will moan at me for not using ABC but at a cool £1200 more I just couldn’t do it.

Tonight I get my rear wheels back, then I can set about putting the ‘blades’ back into them, finish making up new centre caps, and put my engine back together.

Slow progress. But I hope to have it all back in and now hopefully Manual converted by March time. I just need an e46 M3 prop and a BMW 530d e39 clutch (used to have uprated or buy a stage 2/3)

EDIT: oh and the front wheels hit my brakes, so I’m having to work on a conversion kit possibly using ISF 360mm discs. Another job  

Finally… on with the pictures!

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PKD