sixty5vdub's ZHP

[sixty5vdub]

Well, I figured I would go ahead and create a thread here, since no vehicle I have ever owned remained totally stock for long.

Will update as the mods roll in.




AMP

[danewilson77]

Looking forward to updates.

Samsung Galaxy S5...

[ELCID86]

+1

[derbo]

Come on! At least post up a picture or two and some info on your specs to begin with! :)

[johnrando]

Yup, where you starting from?

[sixty5vdub]

Starting out with a bone stock 2006 330cic.
Its the wife's DD, so nothing too wild will happen. For a while, any way. Plus, I really like the way it handles now. Moar power is always a good thing, though, so ....... Who knows.

Will be upgrading the Nav unit soon, as the OEM one is pretty dated in looks and functionality. Next will probably be some light suspension work. And maybe some intake / exhaust mods as well.

[ELCID86]

That first picture with the optional solid rocket boosters is an awesome mod! :-)

Natty Brown FTW.

[sixty5vdub]

I used to work for a machine shop that made the skins for the external fuel tanks, as well as the nose caps and separation rings for the boosters, among other aerospace parts. The shuttle will always have a place in my heart.

[328ioc]

I used to work for a machine shop that made the skins for the external fuel tanks, as well as the nose caps and separation rings for the boosters, among other aerospace parts. The shuttle will always have a place in my heart.

I have had it shake my house on lift off as well as wake me up at night with a sonic boom while on approx.

It holds a special place in my heart as well, but yours is cooler.


But beautiful ZHP can't wait for the mods.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[johnrando]

I have had it shake my house on lift off as well as wake me up at night with a sonic boom while on approx.

It holds a special place in my heart as well, but yours is cooler.


But beautiful ZHP can't wait for the mods.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Same here. I worked for IBM Federal Systems Division across the street from Johnson Space Center in Houston. We were contracted to Nasa, part of what I did was write code for the Shuttle program. Almost everyone I knew down there was related to the Shuttle and/or space program. My wife's father worked for NASA.

[HockeyGoon]

Starting out with a bone stock 2006 330cic.
Its the wife's DD, so nothing too wild will happen. For a while, any way. Plus, I really like the way it handles now. Moar power is always a good thing, though, so ....... Who knows.

Will be upgrading the Nav unit soon, as the OEM one is pretty dated in looks and functionality. Next will probably be some light suspension work. And maybe some intake / exhaust mods as well.

Check out Avin Avant-2 , mines coming in Monday

[sixty5vdub]

Check out Avin Avant-2 , mines coming in Monday

I have been looking at the Avin unit. Interested to see your review of it.

A few small things done this weekend: ECS Tuning CF Strut Tower Brace, and did the yellow bulb mod to the FTP & fog lights.

[mbeckel]

I have been looking at the Avin unit. Interested to see your review of it.

A few small things done this weekend: ECS Tuning CF Strut Tower Brace, and did the yellow bulb mod to the FTP & fog lights.

Nice work! That's the strut bar I think I am going with

Sent from in the bushes

[sixty5vdub]

Had Oil service, Brake Fluid service, and a little coding done today. First check-up at the local dealership. I happen to know one of the service reps, so I felt comfortable taking the car to the dealer. I am normally more of a DIY kinda guy.

Had the DRL's turned on; # 1 & # 2 seat / mirror memory linked to each individual remote; one - touch = three - blink turn signals turned on; wanted the top up with remote turned on but they didn't seem to know anything about that one.

Techs said the car was in excellent shape, already had new(er) FCAB installed. So I got that goin for me.

[sixty5vdub]

Installed the new AVIN AVANT 2 in the ZHP. Bought it as a birthday present for the wife. She hated the OEM Nav system.

So far, I really like the AVANT 2. Only issue so far is the glare on the screen from the back window. It shows up a lot more than the OEM unit did.

[danewilson77]

Nice!

The friendliest forum on the planet.

[OtterEffect]

Awesome! How do you like that strut bar?

[sixty5vdub]

Awesome! How do you like that strut bar?

Thanks!

I put the strut bar on pretty soon after buying the car, so I didn't have much to compare it with. But I think that it corners like it is on rails. Just point the nose, and it goes.
Of course, I am used to driving a lifted Jeep that was set up for climbing rocks, so it corners like it is on Slinkys .......

[sixty5vdub]

Installed some LED reverse and license plate lights. The back-up camera for the AVIN AVANT II has built in LEDs, so I had to swap out the other license plate light bulb to a LED. I went ahead and bought some reverse light LEDs as well, so that all of the bulbs on the back of the ZHP are LED.
Bought the bulbs from Khoalty.

Pix show the stock reverse bulb on the pass side, and the LED bulb on the driver's side.
http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx191/sixty5vdub/2006%20BMW%20330cic%20ZHP/Reverse5_zpsde181c76.jpg (http://s755.photobucket.com/user/sixty5vdub/media/2006%20BMW%20330cic%20ZHP/Reverse5_zpsde181c76.jpg.html)
http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx191/sixty5vdub/2006%20BMW%20330cic%20ZHP/Reverse3_zps9b5db14d.jpg (http://s755.photobucket.com/user/sixty5vdub/media/2006%20BMW%20330cic%20ZHP/Reverse3_zps9b5db14d.jpg.html)
http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx191/sixty5vdub/2006%20BMW%20330cic%20ZHP/Reverse7_zpsa0ea15c0.jpg (http://s755.photobucket.com/user/sixty5vdub/media/2006%20BMW%20330cic%20ZHP/Reverse7_zpsa0ea15c0.jpg.html)
http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx191/sixty5vdub/2006%20BMW%20330cic%20ZHP/Reverse6_zpse64f1d28.jpg (http://s755.photobucket.com/user/sixty5vdub/media/2006%20BMW%20330cic%20ZHP/Reverse6_zpse64f1d28.jpg.html)
http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx191/sixty5vdub/2006%20BMW%20330cic%20ZHP/Reverse4_zps7b1d5aae.jpg (http://s755.photobucket.com/user/sixty5vdub/media/2006%20BMW%20330cic%20ZHP/Reverse4_zps7b1d5aae.jpg.html)

[ELCID86]

Nice white and bright light.


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[WOLFN8TR]

Are those CHROME 135's like Johnrandos?

[sixty5vdub]

Are those CHROME 135's like Johnrandos?

Why, yes. Yes they are. :thumbsup

[johnrando]

Very nice!

[sixty5vdub]

Thanks for the kind words, fellas. I know that I haven't tackled anything major with the ZHP yet, but I enjoy tweaking things here and there to make a vehicle more "mine".

I also noticed on the reverse light housing, there is a spot that looks like it could have been made to hold another bulb to illuminate the red area surrounding the reverse light, but is blocked off. Possibly for Euro models? Thinking about adding a small LED or two, to light with the brake lights.

Here is the bulb area, to the left of the reverse bulb in the first pic and below the reverse bulb in the second :

[328ioc]

Thanks for the kind words, fellas. I know that I haven't tackled anything major with the ZHP yet, but I enjoy tweaking things here and there to make a vehicle more "mine".

I also noticed on the reverse light housing, there is a spot that looks like it could have been made to hold another bulb to illuminate the red area surrounding the reverse light, but is blocked off. Possibly for Euro models? Thinking about adding a small LED or two, to light with the brake lights.

Here is the bulb area, to the left of the reverse bulb in the first pic and below the reverse bulb in the second :

That spot is for rear fog light.

Interesting that yours is blocked off.

Also you got the reverse lights from kohalty correct?

I like your pics. I think I will pick up a set.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[sixty5vdub]

That spot is for rear fog light.

Interesting that yours is blocked off.

Also you got the reverse lights from kohalty correct?

I like your pics. I think I will pick up a set.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Rear fog lights, eh? That is interesting ...........
I did get the bulbs from Khoalty. Ordered at 1:30 p.m., shipping confirmation less than an hour later, and bulbs at my door within 48 hours. Can't really beat that!

[328ioc]

Rear fog lights, eh? That is interesting ...........
I did get the bulbs from Khoalty. Ordered at 1:30 p.m., shipping confirmation less than an hour later, and bulbs at my door within 48 hours. Can't really beat that!
Yep rear fogs but in the pic below you can see that my passenger side lights up as well (rear fog on left, normal running light on right) so maybe verts are different. I am not sure.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/08/18/31af7a5ba390c7d28a1eb7834a18d5d2.jpg

But thanks. I'll order a set of those lights.

[derbo]

Yep rear fogs but in the pic below you can see that my passenger side lights up as well (rear fog on left, normal running light on right) so maybe verts are different. I am not sure.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/08/18/31af7a5ba390c7d28a1eb7834a18d5d2.jpg

But thanks. I'll order a set of those lights.

If I recall, coupe and vert will need to run wiring to the rear for the rear fog.

[sixty5vdub]

If I recall, coupe and vert will need to run wiring to the rear for the rear fog.

I would agree with this. There are only 2 wires running to the light assembly, and they are the + & - for the reverse light.
But, from the looks of things inside the assembly, they use a common ground. The middle "tab" coming out of the connector runs to both sockets. Then the left and right outermost "tabs" run to the reverse and fog/tail light sockets, respectively.

[sixty5vdub]

So, one of the ZHP's tires developed a slow leak. I break out the trusty air compressor, and as I am airing up I hear the sound of air escaping as I got near 35 PSI.
Off comes the rim/tire, and I find this:
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The chalk I used to pinpoint the sound of the air leak, as it was on the back side. So, off to the local Wheel Fix It shop. 3 days and $150 (including repair, mount and balance) I get a straightened and cleaned rim. They had 5 or 6 chalk marks on the tire, showing the multiple places where the rim needed attention.
Well, I couldn't just put one clean rim on the car, so the other three had to come off and be cleaned as well. 9 years of brake dust and road grime is a PITA to remove. And chrome doesn't like brake dust, so the insides of the rims are somewhat pitted. But, after about 3 hours, at least they are relatively clean now.
Here is a before and after pic (or I guess technically it is after and before?)
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As a side note, I don't think the spare has ever seen the light of day since being installed in the trunk. It still has the bar-code label on it.
18849

[Vas]

Was the wheel just bent or was there cracks?

[sixty5vdub]

Was the wheel just bent or was there cracks?

Wheel had the one large bend, with around 4 - 5 smaller ones that they trued up as well. No cracks. After the repair, they only had to add a very small weight to balance, maybe .5 ounce, on one spot of the wheel. Which was probably due to the tire being out-of-round.
And since the major bend was on the backside, I didn't have to have them work on the chrome. Which would have driven the cost up, of course.

I debated on just going with a new aftermarket set of wheels, but just haven't decided on a set that I would like as much as the 135's.

[sixty5vdub]

Newest addition to the ZHP: BMW Performance Intake. Thanks to Jconlin16 for a seamless transaction.
Install was very straight-forward, maybe 30 minutes including a beer stop or three.
Noticed a slightly louder intake "growl", but nothing too drastic. Performance seems a little better, but the OEM filter was nearing it's replacement time so that may have been a factor.
Overall, I like the look and slight performance increase.

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[johnrando]

very nice

[sixty5vdub]

Haven't updated this thread in a while.
Only things that have been done to the car recently are:
A new pair of Continental ExtemeContact DWS 06's in the rear. Stock size. I will be replacing the front tires in another couple of months as well. I have noticed some tracking from the rear end at highway speeds. I am chalking that up to the different tire compounds / tread patterns. Will see if it stops when I replace the front tires.
Installed Optima Yellow Top battery after the stocker gave up the ghost. Used a battery mount from Blue Torch Fab, a well known off-road parts fabricator. Fit great into the stock trunk battery location.
Found on ebay and bought OEM Wind Deflector from a guy in Cali. Thing looks brand new, save a few 1/8" scratches on one of the tubes. Came with original carry bag as well. Very happy with this purchase. Waiting for the temps to warm up a bit before testing it out on the car.

[BMWCurves]

Cool, that custom fabrication looks great. Do you have a link to the Yellow Top battery?

[johnrando]

Good stuff. And you will love the wind deflector, it's a must have.

[sixty5vdub]

Installed new brakes on the ZHP. I went with a full set of drilled and slotted rotors with the PosiQuiet pads and new brake wear sensors from Ray @ brakeyourself.
Although I am quite happy with the end result, the transaction was a big PITA. Missed ship date, incorrect parts shipped (twice), and nearly 6.5 week total lead time for brakes is kinda ridiculous, IMO.

After waiting 3 weeks for the first set of parts to reach my door, I received one rear rotor that was drilled through while the other rear rotor was "dimpled". Ray explained to me that "the E46 330 design can't be drilled all the way through because they are vented. The pattern my supplier uses would lower the strength of the rotor". I found this odd, since no where on his site did it mention this, and I hadn't seen any mention of it here. He assured me that everyone here had received "dimpled" rear rotors, not drilled through.
Ray had another rear rotor shipped to me (I actually received 2 new rear rotors in this second shipment), but once again I received one drilled through rotor and one "dimpled". Luckily, or by some strange coincidence, the rear rotors I had made a complete set. So I now had one full set of rear rotors drilled through, and one full set of rear rotors "dimpled".

Anyhow ............... ZHP now has a new set of brakes. On to the pics:
Set of Rear Rotors, one drilled through and the other dimpled. I have a matching pair of each now.:24113
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New Rotors and pads installed:24115
Front pads, new and old:24116

[rguti153]

Umm mm that don't make shit sense

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[johnrando]

OK, that is confusing and I don't fully understand why that is, but I'm glad you are set.

[sixty5vdub]

Sorry if my post is confusing.
I order full brake set from Ray @ brakeyourself.com, Order cross drilled and slotted rotors for all four corners.
Received brakes, all 4 rotors were slotted, 3 rotors were drilled completely through the rotor face (as cross drilled rotors normally are), rear driver's side rotor was not drilled through aka "dimpled" (See pic in previous post of side by side comparison of rear rotors. Rotor on left is not drilled through, rotor on right is drilled through). Ray stated all e46 330 rear rotors he sells are not drilled through per his supplier.
Contacted Ray, he sent second shipment of rear rotor (actually he sent two new rear rotors). New rotors were: Rear driver's side drilled through, rear pass. side was not drilled through.
After a total of 6.5 weeks of dealing with this, I ended up with: 2 front rotors, both drilled through. 2 rear rotors, both drilled through (even though according to Ray and his supplier these don't exist), 2 rear rotors both not drilled through.

[danewilson77]

OK, that is confusing and I don't fully understand why that is, but I'm glad you are set.
+1

Sent from an S6 Edge

[danewilson77]

Sorry if my post is confusing.
I order full brake set from Ray @ brakeyourself.com, Order cross drilled and slotted rotors for all four corners.
Received brakes, all 4 rotors were slotted, 3 rotors were drilled completely through the rotor face (as cross drilled rotors normally are), rear driver's side rotor was not drilled through aka "dimpled" (See pic in previous post of side by side comparison of rear rotors. Rotor on left is not drilled through, rotor on right is drilled through). Ray stated all e46 330 rear rotors he sells are not drilled through per his supplier.
Contacted Ray, he sent second shipment of rear rotor (actually he sent two new rear rotors). New rotors were: Rear driver's side drilled through, rear pass. side was not drilled through.
After a total of 6.5 weeks of dealing with this, I ended up with: 2 front rotors, both drilled through. 2 rear rotors, both drilled through (even though according to Ray and his supplier these don't exist), 2 rear rotors both not drilled through.
They understood.

Sent from an S6 Edge

[sixty5vdub]

They understood.

Sent from an S6 Edge

10-4. I wasn't sure if I was conveying the situation clearly.

[danewilson77]

All good in the hood.

Sent from an S6 Edge

[ryankokesh]

All good in the hood.

Sent from an S6 Edge

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