The Phoenix: My Build Journal Excerpts

[Casa de Mesa]

Ha! Nice touch with the Phoenix yellow subframe!

[Epoustouflant]

I have finally caught up!

NEW BUILD JOURNAL ENTRY
"What is done is done. What is past is past."
—

Click Link to the full entry.
---
In this entry, I go down the rabbit hole. The underbody gets dismounted and we get disappointed by BMW once more.

We revise our plans, strip the underbody, put money where it matters and discuss durable coatings.

Lastly, in an inspired decision, I wink at the E46 M3’s past:

I paid hommage.

See below for the preview.

Up next, time to finish the paint process on all remaining parts, and take a detour on engine work:

We bulletproof the S54 and we upgrade the cams.

We'll be back to chat on permanently bulletproofing the rear chassis of the E46 afterwards as we start seeing the home stretch

[...] or will we ever?

Cheers,
Matt
@m3_epoustouflant

[Epoustouflant]

Close to fully caught up to current status. Delayed parts delivery is giving me some time.

NEW BUILD JOURNAL ENTRY
Casting light with color.
Link to the full entry.
---

In this entry, we've dusted away the shell from the never-ending sanding process, and we get to painting most of it.

But first, let's cast light with color: as naturally aspirated M cars age and decay, some of you will eventually cross the intersections I do in this restoration.

Yet, from years of experience in this industry, these are two observations that have proven true:

1. Most people don't understand automotive paint
2. Most body shops make money from this information asymmetry

Whether you do it like I did doesn't matter - I want you to know what it is you'll be paying for once you get to this complex crossroad in your E46 M3 ownership journey.

I give you more insights into the paint process, how a paint shop makes or loses money - and where you should focus the budget. I hope you find value in this one.

See below for the preview.

Up next: we get to the underbody, switch up the original plans and pay hommage to PY.

Enjoy the read,
Matt

[Epoustouflant]

I missed some good color change discussions! Work and life have kept me away from the forum recently.

San Marino is going to look amazing. I considered that when doing my color change but wanted a nonmetallic blue.

Can't wait to see this thing done, Matt! It was this time last year mine was getting sprayed, oh the memories...

Thanks dude! These are truly experiences to enjoy - your work was an inspiration.

[Casa de Mesa]

I missed some good color change discussions! Work and life have kept me away from the forum recently.

San Marino is going to look amazing. I considered that when doing my color change but wanted a nonmetallic blue.

Can't wait to see this thing done, Matt! It was this time last year mine was getting sprayed, oh the memories...

[Gt4]

Looking up, looking blue.
Link.

In this entry, it's time to prime and sand, sand, sand, and [...] sand.

“You don’t want to polish a turd."
- Drey

She gives us a 101 class on sanding. It's where things start looking up, and start looking good.

See below for preview!

Up next, the sanded down shell is back in the boot along with its parts. San Marino gets sprayed.

Cheers,
Matt

Are you doing color match roof even if it’s a CF roof?

I have been looking to get a CF roof for my LSB but want to paint it LSB cause love slicktop color match look haha. I just want CF slicktop for weight reduction but don’t want the CF look!

Was considering cheaper CF roof for that reason but just want it to have the right shape with perfect gaps, don’t care about the weaves

[Epoustouflant]

Bam, another one!

Looking up, looking blue.
Link.

In this entry, it's time to prime and sand, sand, sand, and [...] sand.

“You don’t want to polish a turd."
- Drey

She gives us a 101 class on sanding. It's where things start looking up, and start looking good.

See below for preview!

Up next, the sanded down shell is back in the boot along with its parts. San Marino gets sprayed.

Cheers,
Matt

[Epoustouflant]

Picking up the pace, here's another one! This one hurt to write, urgh.

Love Tapped.

In this entry, I uncover an uncomfortable truth: these E46s are old and have history you might not be aware of.

No matter its clean title, The Phoenix got love tapped.

Scratches.
Dings.
Busted brackets and its fix.

The PO didn’t even bother filling them up during the previous low rent respray.

See below for the damage.

Up next: we’re back to regular programming and talking primers, sanding techniques and coating the shell & its body panels.

P.S.: I still have a few spots for ready-to-spray primered CSL Carbon Diffuser for May deliveries.

Cheers,
Matt

[maw1124]

Damn, that definitely wasn’t it.

Definitely not for everybody. But that’s part of its appeal. I do things a lot of people wouldn’t do, by design.

Part of the problem is Coupes cover up the Imola😂😂

maw

[Epoustouflant]

Damn, that definitely wasn’t it.

[liam821]

I was on the hunt for PY over Imola when I was shopping. Had I found it I’d be rocking it today. The red tail lights on the car make red seats a no brainer IMO. Not for every car but certainly this one, the way the red rear lights wrap around the rear corner of the car.

maw

Idk if I could rock the McDonald’s theme. Kiwi or LSB would be neat tho.

So my PY was PY over Imola when I got it. It wasn't originally like that, whoever owned it before me swapped it, but either way, yeah... the McDonald's theme was not my favorite. I swapped the interior for a black set.

I don't really have many pictures of it...but





bro'spec

[Epoustouflant]

Playing catch up as the car is progressing fast. Here's a new entry!

Striptease.

In this entry, it's time to strip.

It isn't as sexy as it sounds: harsh chemicals, a lot of scrubbing, some sanding, a lot of patience and we might be in for surprises when everything's off.

The end game is worth it: it's a body reset.

Up next: it's Showtime, Jonathanwill spray her first coats. We will talk primers, and a myriad of sanding techniques to get a perfectly flat panel to truly begin laying down its new colours.

[Epoustouflant]

I published 2x new entries to the Build Journal! These were fun to write.

“So how deep do you want to go?”

In this entry, the engine gets dropped, and the engine bay gets stripped and sprayed.

[…] but first, we have to talk about what OEM paint means in this context.

I then answer @jo_exclusiv ’s question.

Link to read the extended entry.









"Sun's out, glasses out!"

In this entry, I document the mythical carbon roof conversion to the Karbonius CSL carbon roof.

It's easy as 1, 2, 3 - urgh, no.

Weld it, glue it, bolt it? We settle the roof bow debate.

Up next: we sand the roof and strip the Phoenix down to its shell.

Link to read the extended entry.

[Thoglan]

Where are you getting these numbers, the website linked above only provides numbers for colors for me, and isn’t able to narrow it down to interior combinations, regardless if you select them.

Yeah that website does not work for interior combos as well, only tells you the colour production numbers. The numbers I got are from SickFinga on the Maxbimmer forum. He is able to pull production numbers.

[Maxima SE]

Where are you getting these numbers, the website linked above only provides numbers for colors for me, and isn’t able to narrow it down to interior combinations, regardless if you select them.

It has been like that for me as well for several years now.