Newbie with a 3200gt you'll love to hate!

Jhc32gt

Junior Member
Messages
35
Yeah, my point is how does it drop below the standard ride height if you've got the original springs on there....
.....but reading back I see you have the standard shocks. Mea culpa

Kind of odd since most (AFAIK) air springs have the damping built in, but whatever floats your boat.

C
 
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TimR

Member
Messages
2,654
It really does..! As a previously crashed "restomod" or whatever, it's prime real estate for a few hotrod updates....That stance ! :f8: RWB, read 'em weep !!
I just got finished sayin I dont like Blu Med but the black really makes it . That rear quarter angle..everything you wish they'd left well alone on the 4200....
Haters hate...its a sickness. Ignore them.
 

midlifecrisis

Member
Messages
16,102
I'm not knocking it, just thought that the compressor (the bit that pumps air into the big shiny thing) and the actuators (the bit that distributes air from the big shiny thing to each corner) could have gone underneath the spare wheel cover leaving the accumulator cylinder (the big shiny thing) on top. Whilst I'm on it, he could have pup the lines closer to the big shiny thing. I'm just concerned for you that if you put something on top on the lines they would wear out or kink and cause issues with your suspension. And you don't want that happening at speed on a corner...
 

Jhc32gt

Junior Member
Messages
35
I think it looks really good slammed. As you say, it might not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s yours and so more power to your elbow.

Welcome :)
It really does..! As a previously crashed "restomod" or whatever, it's prime real estate for a few hotrod updates....That stance ! :f8: RWB, read 'em weep !!
I just got finished sayin I dont like Blu Med but the black really makes it . That rear quarter angle..everything you wish they'd left well alone on the 4200....
Haters hate...its a sickness. Ignore them.

Cheers. :)

To be fair, I haven't really encountered any real dislike for it. A few raised eyebrows but no hate... Yet.
I don't mind though, if we all had the same tastes the world would be a really boring place.
I'm quite thick skinned too, my last big build turned a fairly good E34 touring into this... Now that got some hate!
95564

I'm not knocking it, just thought that the compressor (the bit that pumps air into the big shiny thing) and the actuators (the bit that distributes air from the big shiny thing to each corner) could have gone underneath the spare wheel cover leaving the accumulator cylinder (the big shiny thing) on top. Whilst I'm on it, he could have pup the lines closer to the big shiny thing. I'm just concerned for you that if you put something on top on the lines they would wear out or kink and cause issues with your suspension. And you don't want that happening at speed on a corner...

I'm currently using the back seats as the boot, for exactly the reasons you give!

The only brief the installers had was to put it in, get it working, and make it look presentable. They know its only temporary so just made it look reasonably tidy.

Eventually I want to tuck most of it out of the way but leave the tank visible, and hopefully still be able to use the spare wheel well for it's intended purpose.
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,113
BMW E34 touring best van I ever had with the flat rear floor also worked well as a service barge for my Rally Car.
 

DaveT

Member
Messages
2,830
Hi, newbie here.

I'm Joe, from cornwall UK, I drive a 3200gt.

I bought it cheap, it's had a hard life and with no history, unknown mileage, and a write-off in its past I thought it would be perfect for me to have a play with.

It had some cooling issues which were presumed to be hgf, but turned out to just be a very leaky water pump. So first off it had a full cambelt service to put my mind at ease, and a new pump to fix the problem. It came with the throttle body replaced with the contactless (volvo?) modified unit, and I've since replaced the old pedal potentiometer with a contactless one too.

Thankfully it seems (so far) to not have any other major issues, but the list of little things to fix is a long one! (I'll leave that for the relevant section)

Aside from the boring mechanical stuff, I've also had air-ride fitted to keep it practical for daily use (it's my daily driver) but low for show, and put it on a set of 19"/8.5j & and 20"/11j HRE 597r's which will be getting a refurb soon.

The bodykit is an unknown to me, but seems to be reasonably common on these and 4200's. It was fitted after the car was written off (not by me) and the car was resprayed at the same time. Future plans include a retrim inside and a full respray to tidy up the bodywork.

It's not a car for the purists... But I feel they can rest-easy knowing I'm doing all these terrible things to a car that would probably have ended up as spare parts eventually...

I'll be posting looking for some advice in the near future, hopefully you will be able to help.

Anyway, here it is.

View attachment 95527View attachment 95528View attachment 95529View attachment 95530
Great that someone is keeping one on the road.

Best of luck.
 
Messages
1,687
I'd lean towards the purists point of view. Especially for all things Italian. Why, needs no explanation.
That said, you've not just rescued a car. You've rescued a Maserati. That takes some cojones.
In our time of SUVs and crossovers, there cannot be enough Italians on the roads, to delight the eyes
and the heart. Kudos to you :)

Incidentally. What do we call you? Jhc32gt is a bit too 'Star Wars' ;)
 

midlifecrisis

Member
Messages
16,102
the only 'hate' you'll get from me is that I prefer the E30...;) Which I am presently looking at getting, and really questioning my sanity at the same time. o_O

As for your boot, yes it's tidy and no doubt a top job. I did think to myself 'why did he put the bits in the middle?' To keep access to the CD player and battery of course, which is important!
 

Jhc32gt

Junior Member
Messages
35
I'd lean towards the purists point of view. Especially for all things Italian. Why, needs no explanation.
That said, you've not just rescued a car. You've rescued a Maserati. That takes some cojones.
In our time of SUVs and crossovers, there cannot be enough Italians on the roads, to delight the eyes
and the heart. Kudos to you :)

Incidentally. What do we call you? Jhc32gt is a bit too 'Star Wars' ;)

Hah yeah I definitely took a few brave pills when I bought this one. The 4hr drive home when I picked it up was a nervous one!

I've got all the respect in the world for the purists, restorers, collectors... **** I've even defended the 'rotting on the driveway cos its got sentimental value' types in the past.
I'm a firm believer that its 'your car, your business'.

You can call me Joe. Or Joseph if I've done something wrong... :lol:
the only 'hate' you'll get from me is that I prefer the E30...;) Which I am presently looking at getting, and really questioning my sanity at the same time. o_O

I'm with you on that, much prefer the 30 to the 34. I've had a few, but way back when you could pick them up for a pint and a pack of peanuts... They're a bit too pricey for me these days, and dare I say it, too 'special' for me to have my way with!

This one was my brief moment of fame. "The cheapest car ever to grace the pages of PBMW magazine". 95567
 

Jhc32gt

Junior Member
Messages
35
Found the pictures I was sent by the guy who fixed it up.

He bought it like this from a salvage yard, then spent a year or so fixing it up, building a big file of works done and history.

Then the people he sold it to apparently threw that all in the bin, thrashed it for a few months until it started overheating, then left it in a barn until they sold it to me 8 months later when no history or documents.

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