Wow, looks like I'm the second to find it. I'll post a few of my own. 2007 Historic Races at Portland International Raceway: Local club "noon-2-noon" cruise : Jesse Nemec Tigard, OR 1981, 323i E21, restoration project - in progress
I'll try to get some of my pics on here since it seems like a pic thread. but until then, lookin good..... mine isn't as pretty..... yet. -tijay -77 320i -78 bronco, hedman headers, 33's
Beautiful car... I'm new to CCA and will post pics of my e21 soon. I just had a custom dual exhuast put on and it's come a long way since last year. e21s forever!! -83 320i (daily driver!) -85 635csi -87 325ic -01 330ci
First BMW, first E21 Bought a safari beige 1980 320i on Friday! Drove it three hours to get it home and it took the drive like a champ. I've been looking for an E30, but nothing caught my eye like this car did. I'll post pics soon. Very little rust - car spent most of its life in California.
Nice - keep it out of the salt & snow if you want to keep it rust free - although mine met it's demise from an accident, when I took it apart after 11 years of daily Ohio driving, I found the front floor and a number of other spots to be within 1 or 2 years of completely rusting through.
The couple who owned this car apparantly never drove it in the road salt when they moved back to Iowa about 7 years ago - and it shows. I have no intention of doing so either. In Kansas City, they have to lay down the salt four, five times a year (last winter was an exception). We'll have to use the SUV when the snow flies, but that's okay. If the rain holds off, I'll get some picks today.
First pics of my new E21 Here's some first pics of my new 320i. Pretty good car to start a project with, I think. You'll see the only rust is around the rear windows and in the trunk area. Bottom and the shock towers look good, though these pics don't show them. Sorry about the late afternoon sun, and I haven't had a chance to clean her up yet.
Looks great, you're lucky to have such nice euro bumpers already on there! Jester, I didn't know you were on this board too!
The E21 is like the forgotten child amongst the 02, E30, E36, E46, E90 lovers of the 3 series family (even though the 02 isn't really a 3). Would an Alpina based E21 and/or a 323i out-perform an E30 325is and if so, what about the E30 M3?
There were several Alpina models - the first had 160 ish horsepower, and the later ones came closer to 218 hp. I'd say it would probably outperform both, depending on weight and driver skill. Remember that the e30 m3 has the S14, which is a 4-cyl.
Yes, I'm well aware of the 4 in the E30 M3 rated at around 195 +- hp. I see more E31's on the road than I see E21's. How do you all feel that you guys don't get the love that the E30's get? My first bimmer that I still own, a E28 gets no attention at all, even though it has an M5 front kit.
Maybe you mis-understood me. I am not saying we drive our cars to get noticed. What I am saying is that when most people think of a 3 series BMW, the last they think of is an E21, just like when someone mentions a 5 series, the last is an E28 and/or and E12...Thats all...
I actually like it that way. It sparks a bit of interest in people when they see one - true enthusiasts know what it is, but if I have to go to the dealer to get a part (which is rare), a lot of salesmen or new customers come up and ask about what it is, etc. A lot of people disrespect the e21 without knowing anything about it, or ever seeing/driving one. The VAST majority of people have never even seen an e21. Yet they assume because it's old and has an I-4 (well, some anyway), it must be the worst 3 series.
I knew someone that had the first year (1977) with the 4-speed and I was impressed. It felt quicker than my E28 528e (2nd slowest E28).. The worst 3 series (if one would call it) would have to be the E36 in terms of overall durability, quality, etc... The E90, however, IMO is getting alot of owners pissed in terms of reliability (oil level sensor failers, high temp, no start, etc...).....The E21 has always been looked down on because it came after the 02 and never lived up to the hype the 02 gained (since the 02 put BMW on the map in America).....Drive your E21 with pride, though every BMW driver should feel that way when he/she takes the wheel. I smile every drive I take in a BMW and shake my head all the way to work and back as I see lots of people driving their brand new Ford's, Toyota's, Honda's, SUV's, etc... I give thumbs up to people in older BMW's all the time and they all think I am nutzzz...
At least they pay attention to you. lol I have to agree with Boosted though; the less people that know about it the more special it seems. I think it's cool to drive around in a car that has become rare but nobody really pays attention to; it makes it all the more cool when an enthusiast sees it and gets excited.
Jester, i have a member of my family that has a 323 and the car is in bad shape. i'm trying to convince him to give it to me to rebuild. do you have info on resourses for parts. especially body and interior. thanks. P.S. very nice car you have
Lots of nice e21s guys!!!! Jon is yours a euro carburetor 2 liter six? It is fun to play spot the model! It appears to be a euro, so on the euros no "i" means no fuel injection, and the four headlights means a small six. The euro 4 pots had just two headlights. A few years ago there was an article in the Roundel about a 323i that was converted by Dieter (I can't remember his full name). It had fenders similar to the E30 M3 and Audi Quattro. It was a pretty bad #)$ car to say the least. I forget the numbers, but I think it had a blown M30 in it. The one detail I remember was the rear diff with an oil pump and radiator. Pretty cool. The pump runs off one of the half shafts. When I was in high school I remember finding a 320is for about $3K, I wanted it so bad. But it was just wasn't meant to be. Mostly b/c my dad said he couldn't have his kid driving around in a BMW. He was paying and was a VW man himself. I would probably still have it I had gotten it!
