BMW S65 MT in a 1933 Ford Roadster

[In33anity]

Originally Posted by Swiftym3

You can imagine my inability to process how you are even able to do all of this and not lose it, as it just took me almost an entire week to install retroquik projectors in my stock 330i.

Mind blowing. Thanks for the update.

Thanks Swifty! I had to Google retroquik projectors!!!! Looks like a really cool addition!

Thanks TL866 and PERFM3, really appreciate it!!!

***

So knowing I'll have two weekends away from the garage with the kids home for the holiday, I made a huge push and got over 40 hours in the last three days. I've had a list of things that I've been staring at for a long-time, but knew there would be issues in tackling for one reason or another (or just couldn't quite visualize what I wanted), so kept getting pushed to the bottom of the pile as I tackled the low hanging fruit. I decided to dedicate this weekend to shrinking this part of my list. Day 1 was lines and first up was getting in a clutch line. The M3 has a fairly unique fitting on the slave. I ended up mating the 1/4 stainless to a stub of they're 3/16th with the BMW fitting attached. with some unique bends to get there, I now have a hydraulic clutch line. I then moved on to mounting the reservoirs and bending the hard lines to get into the recessed box built for the master cylinders on the firewall side of the pedal box. Having mounted the power steering motor on the firewall and the regulator with the fuel lines coming and going, this was a major PIA, but ultimately accomplished. Forgot to take pics, but will post next time I'm out.

Day 2 was spent closing out more of the dash wiring for auxiliaries like the power steering, defroster (required in NY!!!), wipers, shaved door solenoids, etc. One of the biggest issues I've been having with the dash is I just have not had as clear a view of finished product aesthetically on the outside that has suited my taste. That changed this week when I decided to try my hand at sectioning a '49 Ford dash. I've really wanted an integrated steel dash that I can remove and access all I have going on behind it. Found a cheap one and should be here for right after thanksgiving. With a firm design now in my mind, I was able to lay it out behind and mostly finish up this part of the wiring. Saturday night I went to install the door frames, but the stand-offs had the powder coat flaking off. Not sure if in the prep or the finish, but either way they went back for a redo.

Yesterday I got the fuel cell final mounted (although will switch out the cork seat after the body work) and related rear sheet metal in. Particularly pleased with the access panel for the fuel pump and primary filter--a valley cover for a vintage hemi, powdercoated to match with the ribs polished. Plan on keeping this all exposed as-is in the trunk. I have a pro-stock cowl induction scoop I'm going to shrink down and re-glass to size to go over the oil-cooler to dump air out the bottom in the back and leaning toward making the back floor panel out of glass, but will leave that for December.





I have the emulator in from Car Systems in the Ukraine, so hope to get the BMW NBT wired up on the dining room table over the holiday. That's where I am as of this am!

[Swiftym3]

These update posts always make my day. I'm going to make it a point that when this project is finished to show up at whatever show you decide to unveil this for the first time. You deserve at the very least a serious handshake.

[douglee25]

Nice work!

[In33anity]

After not being out at the car the last couple of weeks and knowing the holiday break was fast approaching was going to make a big push this weekend to get the floors and dash finished so I could get off to paint after next weekend. I was literally that close to being done.

Picked up steel and aluminum Thursday night. Tacked a broken bracket on the compressor yesterday so could use the plasma cutter. Few minutes later, saw a bit of smoke, went to grab the extinguisher that's always close by, before I could grab it, I saw an eruption beginning, jumped out of the garage as fast I could and within a second it looked like this. All the aluminum parts like the grille, radiator, plenum, supercharger completely vaporized and disappeared. The alloy block and heads have parts that literally melted away with remaining holes. The rims melted. My daily driver Cayenne, 50 feet away--the taillights and rear bumper melted.

That said, I am feeling incredibly lucky that I was a fraction of a second from being totally consumed and gone today!!! I am insured. I've made incredible friends and had amazing support of co-builders and really special vendors (I'll put up a separate post later about their amazing contributions without the morbid pics). And:

I'm going to scratch build a better badder ass hot rod as soon as I have a shop again to get going in taking into account all the mistakes made and the lessons learned along the way (In the meantime going to go find some classes on TIG welding and panel shaping so I'm ready!!!)

Thanks you all for your help on this part of the journey.

[BetterLate]

That's horrible. I'm at a loss for words. I'm glad you were not hurt in this horrible accident. I admire your tenacity and your resilience. Good luck going forward.

[BMRLVR]

Originally Posted by In33anity

After not being out at the car the last couple of weeks and knowing the holiday break was fast approaching was going to make a big push this weekend to get the floors and dash finished so I could get off to paint after next weekend. I was literally that close to being done.

Picked up steel and aluminum Thursday night. Tacked a broken bracket on the compressor yesterday so could use the plasma cutter. Few minutes later, saw a bit of smoke, went to grab the extinguisher that's always close by, before I could grab it, I saw an eruption beginning, jumped out of the garage as fast I could and within a second it looked like this. All the aluminum parts like the grille, radiator, plenum, supercharger completely vaporized and disappeared. The alloy block and heads have parts that literally melted away with remaining holes. The rims melted. My daily driver Cayenne, 50 feet away--the taillights and rear bumper melted.

That said, I am feeling incredibly lucky that I was a fraction of a second from being totally consumed and gone today!!! I am insured. I've made incredible friends and had amazing support of co-builders and really special vendors (I'll put up a separate post later about their amazing contributions without the morbid pics). And:

I'm going to scratch build a better badder ass hot rod as soon as I have a shop again to get going in taking into account all the mistakes made and the lessons learned along the way (In the meantime going to go find some classes on TIG welding and panel shaping so I'm ready!!!)

Thanks you all for your help on this part of the journey.

So sad, I was really looking forward to the finished product.

I am extremely glad you made it out OK and I hope insurance covers your financial loss.

[0-60Motorsports]

Very glad your ok bud.

[MiamiE93Vert]

Glad you are ok, but so sad for the loss of all your hard work. I hope you keep chasing your white rabbit down the hole.

[bradleyland]

Wow! Talk about having a sense of perspective. Glad you are OK!

[nick3753]

Glad you are safe. But

[8600RPM]

You had time to snap a pic? I would a been freaking out

[1MOREMOD]

You have got to be fucking shitting me! That is the worst news ever.

[Canuckles]

First, and foremost is health and thank goodness you still have yours. But I will also echo my condolences on the project and say you still deserve that handshake. Good luck moving forward.

[Antonio1988]

Holy s***... idk but I feel so sad right now. I'm very happy for you well being, but I also feel sad as I was one of the early ones to catch onto this thread. I'm having a drink tonight in honor of what was and what will be.

I know you'll be back. 'Till then,

Happy Holidays

[Beemdog]

OMG what a beautiful piece of work to be burned like that, condolences on your destroyed hotrod!

Best of luck on your future builds; as long as you are enjoying the process as much as the end result, you will overcome any setback.

[marksae]

Wow, that's crazy! The main thing is that you're okay! The car can be replaced. You can't!

[VictorH]

So sorry to hear this after so many hundreds to thousands of hours invested. Be thankful that you weren't hurt, but makes you really appreciate the speed at which such an apocalyptic event can happen. Hope this all works out with your insurers and others. Best wishes.

[Groundpilot]

Wow
Almost 43000 viewers visited this thread to see the progression of this incredible project in anticipation to see this thing do what it was built for, not to see it go up in flames like that.
Glad you are ok.

[Beedub]

un....be......liev.....able.....


so sorry to see this :-(

[serranot]

Terrible. Nothing to say.

[In33anity]

Guys,
Your words mean a great deal. Thank you all so much. Still in shock, but feeling really lucky to be alive. Began the process of organizing receipts and thinking about the next build. But your words help a great deal!!!--Ira

[ashtaron14]

I'm so sorry for your loss... Glad you are okay.

Why oh why I'm so sad