About four months ago, my dear wife gave me a book of hobbies. She gave me a kiss and a hug and told me, “You need a hobby. You are driving me crazy!” What a gal! Of course, I read the book that night as I had nothing to do. I read about a lot of really cool hobbies that grabbed my attention.
There was one topic in particular regarding car customization. That seemed interesting because I really like cars, but know nothing about them. So, I put the idea on the back burner for the time being. A month passed by and my Honda Accord broke down. Luckily, I was in a parking lot at the time. I had to wait a few hours before I could get a way home. While I waited, I went in to the Barnes and Noble to peruse the magazine section. I found a magazine with an article about building small cars in a home garage. There was this really cool looking BMW that I had never seen before and it seemed to be the favorite of the article. The car was a 1973 BMW 2002. It was a great looking car and the article discussed all of the easily obtainable upgrades. Later that night, I looked the car up on the net and was surprised at the large support base for this model. I said to myself, “I can learn about a car by building it.”
I know it’s a pretty ambitious project, but I like a challenge. My plan is to buy an unmolested ’02 in about a year. I want to keep the original engine if possible, but will be converting it to EFI. Yes, I am even going to use Megasquirt. Not only do I have to build a car, but I will have to learn all about fuel injection and soldering circuit board. I am a glutton for punishment. I am also going to upgrade to a 5 speed transmission and big brake conversion. I am also interested in A/C since I want this to be a frequent driver and I live in Texas.
Since that faithful day at B&N, I have cleared the garage. I have organized my tools and purchased some storage and shelving through craigslist.org. I have already acquired some of the upgrade parts to begin the refurbishing process. The parts I have collected are:
1. 1980 BMW 5 Series Master cylinder. (Just in case.)
2. Volvo 240DL front brake calipers.
3. Ford Escort EDIS and coil pack. (I was unable to get to the VR sensor.)
4. BMW 3 Series trunk battery cable and distribution block.
5. 4 Crown Victoria fuel injectors. (To be sent out for cleaning and bench testing.)
As I become one of the many “internet mechanics”, I will post what I learn here as a resource for others. My list of needed parts grows more every day, but this gives me time to learn and get things ready as I save for my new dream car. I am including a few car pictures that have inspired me.
