2002 Steel Grey 6spd coupe Daily/Restoration project

[Tbonem3]

Thanks Ejaz! It's so easy to post progress on Insta stories, but here, I have to remember to post more.

[0-60motorsports]

Been following your progress on Insta and amazing work on restoring it so far. Looking forward to more updates.

[RoyalFlushness]

I love this colour! So OG. Congratulations. This will be a fun Project.

[skristedja]

Awesome! Congrats on joining the steel grey crew! It looks amazing in the bright California sunshine. Can't wait to see how this build progresses. Love to see e46's end up with someone who is going to take great care of them.

[KhanArt]

Came on here looking to see if you made a journal, you did not disappoint. Congrats!

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

[Maxima SE]

Yes, this type of refreshing is my favorite. I've been using different chemicals the last 2 years, but I'm now happy with and plan to use:

Griot's BOSS Fast Correcting cream on 5.5" LC CSS orange pad (medium cutting density) I have MF pads, but don't think I'll need them, maybe the 3" in certain spots where there's some etching and deeper scratches. I also have the medium BOSS "correcting cream" that I will probably use on the panels that don't need much cut like the trunk and doors.

Griot's BOSS Polishing cream on 5.5" LC CSS mint green pad (medium polishing density) I have the firmer white pads, but shouldn't need them.

For finishing, I'm really liking my current 1 - 2 of synthetic plus "ceramic" aka sio2 - I have turtle wax seal & shine, Mother's CMX - I like both. Then I top with pure carnauba (mother's, not cleaner version) the next day.

Everyone loves to tell me to PPF or ceramic coat, but I WANT to work on the paint often. I don't want to spend a bunch, and not touch the car for 2+ years, that's not my jam.

please make sure you post tons of photos of this process haha

[Tbonem3]

mad indeed thanks Liam

[liam821]

Tyler, you mad man you! Congratulations on the new car.

[akshon]

Nice pick up. Love e46 m3 restorations.

[Tbonem3]

Yes, this type of refreshing is my favorite. I've been using different chemicals the last 2 years, but I'm now happy with and plan to use:

Griot's BOSS Fast Correcting cream on 5.5" LC CSS orange pad (medium cutting density) I have MF pads, but don't think I'll need them, maybe the 3" in certain spots where there's some etching and deeper scratches. I also have the medium BOSS "correcting cream" that I will probably use on the panels that don't need much cut like the trunk and doors.

Griot's BOSS Polishing cream on 5.5" LC CSS mint green pad (medium polishing density) I have the firmer white pads, but shouldn't need them.

For finishing, I'm really liking my current 1 - 2 of synthetic plus "ceramic" aka sio2 - I have turtle wax seal & shine, Mother's CMX - I like both. Then I top with pure carnauba (mother's, not cleaner version) the next day.

Everyone loves to tell me to PPF or ceramic coat, but I WANT to work on the paint often. I don't want to spend a bunch, and not touch the car for 2+ years, that's not my jam.

[Maxima SE]

What kind of products are you going to use to attack that paint? the clear coat seems like it is in good shape and not peeling. It should look great after some machine polishing. window moldings, windshield cowl, headlight lenses etc... man talk about fun project !

[Tbonem3]

Subbed. Great pick up. I love these DIY refurbish projects. It is so satisfying bringing life back to a car. SG is also a beautiful and super rare color, IIRC it was only offered in 01-02. This car is gonna be looking like new soon !

Yes, only 01-03 for the M3, though I think 2000 maybe even 1999 for e46 non M 323s. Beautiful color, and even though it's similar to silvergrey, they're different enough. Also, I love metallic paint, especially on this car, just suits it imo. Thanks!

Excited for this! Interested to see your build philosophy for this one as more of a daily car and how it differs from the silver grey.

Ya it'll be interesting. I envisage that it'll be more about saving money, not preventatively replacing things so much, more cleaning/refurbing. No mods for a while besides suspension/chassis, and not big mods at that.

One big difference is tires, I've ordered my favorite "cheap" tire in General Gmax RS 225/255 where as it's always been Michelin for the silvergrey. Oh and oil! Silvergrey still gets Castrol, but I got LiquiMoly waiting for steelgrey lol.

Silvergrey got $60 RE trans bushings, this steelgrey will get $10 E21 trans bushings - just another example.

[Str8f4c3]

Excited for this! Interested to see your build philosophy for this one as more of a daily car and how it differs from the silver grey.

[Maxima SE]

Subbed. Great pick up. I love these DIY refurbish projects. It is so satisfying bringing life back to a car. SG is also a beautiful and super rare color, IIRC it was only offered in 01-02. This car is gonna be looking like new soon !

[Tbonem3]

Thanks man. You know, it's hard to decide. My silvergrey is mk60, has the mods, but I don't think I could put it on the track. Maybe I shouldn't have wasted money on making it nice (zero rock chips, etc), but I didn't expect to own a second one at the time.

The steel grey is mk20, but it's a better candidate as far as condition and my attachment to it.

To be perfectly honest, I don't have the time/money to go to the track as much as I would want to anyway (I used to go the track [motox] every week or twice a week for half my life - I'm an all or nothing type of person), so I'd only do an event here or there, in which case even a bone stock mk20 car will suffice.

If I can get the steelgrey as nice as my silvergrey, then I could see moving some mods to the steelgrey, and turning the silvergrey into a dual duty perhaps.

1st world problems.

-

Thanks Frank