...but not the club. Hello all. Just wanted to say hi and introduce my Fun Car. There are a ton of great posts on here and I can't wait to go through them all to learn as much as possible. Background on my first Bimmer: Bought the car three years ago for a mere $800 (still think I paid too much), but I have spent the better part of the last two and a half years re-doing and upgrading the car. There is something about the E30. Anyway, hope you enjoy some pics, before and after:
Willkommen! That is a beautiful car! I would like to know about your work on her: mods and updates etc. And both sets of wheels look awesome! What kind are they? Etc. etc.
Schattenjager, thank you for the compliments. The car is a 1986 325es. I have done the following: Complete suspension change; rear subframe bushings, new control arms, new tie rods, new springs and struts(ground control w/ Bilstein Sports), Supersprint exhaust, complete paint job in factory Delphin Grey, Euro Smiley Headlights, Euro Grills, Hartge Front Spoiler and Euro Bumpers. I swapped the vinyl sport interior for a leather set and swapped out the dash. The first set of wheels were 17" EuroStop USA wheels and the new ones are 16" JLMotorsport mesh. Phew, there are a number of other things, but I can't remember all of them. I do have a 325 Is long block sitting at my mechanic waiting to be installed, but neither of us have had the time to get started on it. We are going to wait until the winter and no driving
WOW - that IS a lot of work. I'm sure the little 325 loves you for it! I am curious as to why you went from 17" to 16" wheels - was this just the way the deal paned out or did you desire a slightly smaller rim? Do you have any exotic plans for the new power plant? I have kicked around a lot of engine ideas - from doing a 3.1 stroker kit to just a chip. Realistically, I am thinking that i will pick up an "i" head and do some port work, super strong valves, stock-ish cam, honed intake and maybe an Ireland Engineering MAS upgrade - leaving the bottom end alone for the time being. When the bottom end happens - I will keep it stock equipment, but lighten and balance the assembly. I am curious to know what your plans are. Thanks again for the info on you car - it is keeping me inspired!
Well, my wife bought me the 17s, which is what I originally wanted. Then...I started getting more of a stock/Euro feel and opted for the 16s. I felt bad, because the 17s were an unbelievable gift, but I have always wantedthis project to be just right. Oddly enough, I have been tossing around the idea of downsizing to a 15??? Haven't decided on that yet. This is a topic that I hope to really learn more about between all of the forums I belong to. I was a VW guy and was pretty dialed in with the 1.8T motor, but I got bored and bit at the same time, if you know what I mean. So, my mechanic used to work for BavAuto, years ago when they still did garage work. They actually started in my town!!! Now they are 15 min away, but he is still right down the road. So, my intent is to sit down with him and go through his suggestions based on my intent for the car. I bought the motor from Bavarian Auto recycling, steam cleaned and it looks brand new and has a 2year warranty. He and I have already had some ideas, but we will see what happens. I will make sure to document the process
Drat, he got to it first. I was gonna ask you for them. lol Please let me know how your experience turns out with that motor transplant from Bavarian Auto Recycling. I saw some of their engines listed on eBay and I was really interested in buying an M50 from them and swapping my M20 for it but am hesitant buying a used engine as opposed to rebuilding what I have.
az, I'll let you know. At first glance, it looks real good all over. They tend to have a reputation for decent used stuff and to back it with a 2 yr warranty, there must be a level of confidence on their end. It should be fun to build up before I put in the car
