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Raleigh, NC 2001 330ci Introduction/Update--Look and ask if you have questions...

3K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  ccaudio1 
#1 · (Edited)
I bought this 2001 330ci in July, 2008 to be my Project Car, and eventually my Show/Demonstration Car for my small automotive electronics & tinting business--Shade Sound and Security, which is mobile for now, since I can't justify opening a shop in the present economy. Unless you know me personally already, you have no doubt, never heard of my business since I do not advertise, or even have a website--I have been reluctant to expand since I cannot seem to find highly skilled help that cares as much as I do, so this more personalized, small scale suits my clients and I best for now.

Anyway, I am in the process of completely repairing/overhauling/modifying this car with the end result to be extremely clean, stealth and functional. I have not made a habit of documenting the process of installing the products below since so many have already covered most installations very thoroughly. However, I have done a few things differently and would be glad to explain or advise anyone interested in knowing more details. I personally have installed everything listed below, so ask away if you have any questions about how anything was done, or even what it would cost for me to take care of it for you if you are in the Raleigh, NC area.


What I have done so far:

- Llumar ATR-40 40% Charcoal Window Film: Sides, Rear (including black dot matrix and third brake light area) and the entire Front Windshield have been tinted for a perfectly consistent appearance and superior heat/glare rejection without impeding outward vision.

- Viper 5701 Two-Way Paging Alarm/Keyless Entry with Remote Start, Remote Trunk Pop, Remote Windows/Sunroof Open and Remote Windows/Sunroof Close: A total of three sirens are installed--One factory BMW siren under the hood in the factory siren location, along with a standard DEI 6-Tone siren, and a Mini-Piezo "Pain-Generating" siren under the driver side dash. The Two-Way tranceiver is mounted on the windshield, just below the rear-view mirror mount, which makes it out of sight while driving, and only visible upon close inspection. The cord has been ran through the factory rubber grommet for a competely factory appearance, and the factory LED on the underside of the mirror is connected to the Viper alarm so no holes are drilled anywhere. Pictures of this will be posted later once the interior and exterior are finished.

- Pioneer AVIC-F90BT Double-DIN Touchscreen DVD/Navigation system with Direct iPod connection and XM Satellite Radio: This installation involved modification of the factory air duct system behind the stereo using the Janus-Design E46 Air Duct kit, along with a Double-Din stereo trim ring and the BMW HVAC Relocation Kit, which provides correct mounting for the Heat/AC controls where the sunglasses compartment previously resided. The iPod is mounted with Velcro to a small pedestal within the center console compartment for a semi-fixed, floating appearance. The Pioneer XM Module is mounted in the left rear body cavity just outside of the trunk compartment area. The Pioneer GPS antenna and XM antennas are both mounted under the cardboard/fabric portion of the rear deck, so they are completely concealed, yet functional.

- PAC SWI-PS Factory Steering Wheel Interface Module: Control via factory steering wheel buttons of the Pioneer AVIC-F90BT has been made possible. This device utilizes all of the audio buttons on the steering wheel for remote Volume UP & DOWN, Track/Station UP & DOWN, Source Change and Mute.

- JL Audio 6-Channel amplifier: Mounted under the rear deck in the trunk compartment, this will power JL C5 6.5" Component speaker set in the front door stock mid-bass and tweeter locations, a JL XR 6.5" Component speaker set in the rear stock mid-bass and tweeter locations, which is already installed, and a JL W3 12" Subwoofer, which will be installed in the trunk within a custom-fabricated sealed enclosure. Audio system will be finished immediately after the upcoming body work.

- Dynamat XTreme Noise Deadening Material: Installed within the entire trunk, on both top and bottom of the rear deck, and the entire rear of the cabin. After the body work, the entire roof of the cabin and front doors will receive 35-40 square feet of Dynamat.

- Escort SRX Radar/Laser Protection System: Installed beside the DSC button on the lower center console. This required modification of the DSC button housing and a cable extension to be made that allowed the circuit board to rest inside of the center console area, rather than directly behind the DSC/Heated Seat button panel. Since the factory stereo system was completely removed, the Harman/Kardon button was also removed and the area from the left-most part of this button's place to 4" to the right was modified for the Escort SRX display to be flush-mounted. The radar sensor is mounted just behind the left "kidney" grille, the front laser sensors/shifters are mounted in the lower bumper grilles on either side--roughly halfway between the front radar sensor and the edges of the car, per Escort specifications, and the rear laser sensor/shifter is mounted on the upper part of the license plate, which has been moved up roughly 3/8" inch to provide a flush mounting just below the license plate illumination body flare for a clean look--no cables are visible anywhere. The only trade-off is the absence of the ability to press the trunk pop button just above the rear tag, but I have the use of the cabin button in the driver kick panel and my Viper remote. The Remote Mute/Volume button for the Escort SRX is mounted on the underside of the steering column in the adjustment lever recess, and the "Hidden Display" LED is flush-mounted in the gauge cluster, just above the speedometer in the place of a factory screw location so that no factory gauge instruments were modified or broken.

- Body-Color Matched Interior Trim Panels: I sanded, prepped and painted the previously silver interior trim panels with SEM Euro Blue Gray Metallic, to match almost perfectly to the exterior body color.
















What will be done next:

- Body and Paint: Complete repair and repainting of the extrerior body, in the stock Steel Gray Metallic color.

- Black Top Half of Interior: Installation of refinished headliner and remaining interior trim components. The headliner and all fabric-covered panels above door panel level that were previously light gray have been re-wrapped in black suede headliner material. All previously light gray plastic panels have been refinished in black using proper preparation techniques, plastic adhesion promoter and SEM Honda Black, which matches the rest of the black interior components very well.

- New Trim: Replacement of all flawed or damaged exterior trim components.

- New Rims: Replacement of currently installed (from the previous owner) ADR 19" wheels with new 19" wheels.

- New Lights: Installation of all new lenses from front to back, with exception of headlights which were replaced by the previous owner, and LED tail light conversion.
 
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#6 ·
Thanks for the feedback, and to Brandond11, I would strongly recommend professional installation by a custom shop (not a "Big Box" store) unless of course, you are at least somewhat of an experienced installer yourself, and don't mind taking the time to do things right. I have been in the installation business on a professional level for ten years now, and will honestly say that in my first few years of installing, I would not have felt comfortable taking this project on. There is a great deal of care that needs to be taken in order to correctly install complex, multi-component systems like this as opposed to just a simple DIN-sized CD player in an easier car to work on (like an older Ford, Honda, etc.). Each step of the process must be closely scrutinized to avoid annoying issues like fit and finish, noise and long-term durability. Most of all, projects like this will require lots of planning for installation sequence and details so you don't have to remove and reinstall equipment over and over again to fix problems. It really helps to have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder like I do as well. The occasional social awkwardness and the time wasted while fixing fringes on rugs, making beds, straightening towels, etc. is a small price to pay for all that installation aptitude! I will add more pictures as this car progresses, and when it is done, I will be sure to come out to some gatherings. For the time being, however, the current condition of the body and wheels are an emabarrassment to my reputation...
 
#10 ·
looking good. question.. does the custom dashkit have that gap between the kit and the factory trim? or is that just the glare from the light shining of the factory trim panel?
 
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