BMW 325is E30 Project

[Dan]

Hello Everyone!

I just bought a 1987 BMW 325is.

I won't really have time to get started on this project for about three months, but I figured I'd get started talking about it now with "those who know".

6cyl.
It's got about 200K on it.
Motor runs and it's got some power.
Spins tires in the first two gears.
No rust to speak of.
Broken tail-light.
Most of the electronics work "ok" with a few glitches here and there.
Leaky power-steering pump hoses.
Leaky radiator at a crack near the upper inlet.
Lousy seats with tattered carpet.
One fog-light missing.
Stereo is a tape player that sucks.
AC is broken.

I have a garage and the tools to work on this car, but I don't know where to get started.

The budget for this build is probably in the $3k to 5k over the next year or so.

I want to build a Spec E30 racer.

This is a totally new project, and I'm not very familiar with what it takes to get this car into racing shape. I downloaded the manual for the Spec E30 class but haven't read it yet.

Things I want to do:

Fix what is broken.
Rip out everything that is not needed.
New brakes and rotors.
Racing cage
Racing seat
Suspension upgrades if needed.
Spend money and time on entertaining project.

What should I do first?

[white_2kgt]

What should I do first?

Set it on fire and buy a mustang :lol:

Congrats man, I know you will do some crazy ass shit with that car. Can't wait to see the work!

[Dan]

What should I do first?

Set it on fire and buy a mustang :lol:

Congrats man, I know you will do some crazy ass shit with that car. Can't wait to see the work!

That was quick! This project should be fun. It won't ever outrun your souped up mustang, but it should be pretty fast when I'm finished! I'll post pictures as I do some work and make some progress.

[Andy]

search the thread for some ideas. Chris is building/tracks a E30 as well

[Dan]

I'm busy reading that thread right now on Chris' E30!

[white_2kgt]

What should I do first?

Set it on fire and buy a mustang :lol:

Congrats man, I know you will do some crazy ass shit with that car. Can't wait to see the work!

That was quick! This project should be fun. It won't ever outrun your souped up mustang, but it should be pretty fast when I'm finished! I'll post pictures as I do some work and make some progress.

Well pretty much anything can beat it now, but not for long .

[CaptainHenreh]

Hey, uh, Dan...exactly how bad are your seats?

[Dan]

Hey, uh, Dan...exactly how bad are your seats?

They're not "TERRIBLE" but the leather is faded and there are a few bald-spots. The car has been a daily driver for the past two years by a woman, so they are "acceptable" but not pretty.

Why do you ask?

I'll take detailed pictures tonight and post them.

[HAULN-SS]

Dan:
That was quick!

because chad is a forum troll.

[CaptainHenreh]

Hey, uh, Dan...exactly how bad are your seats?

Why do you ask?

I'll take detailed pictures tonight and post them.

Because my E30 is in desperate need of seats, and you certainly can't go racing in stock E30 seats, now can you? That means you'll be getting rid of them at some future date. A wink's as good as a nudge to a blind bat, eh? EH?

[PDenbigh]

Dan, great to see you on here!

Dan is the instigator and my partner in crime with things like the 50' fireball throwing device, propane powered potato gun, halloween haunted neighborhood, etc. He also has an awesome Jeep with 35s?, full lockers, and will go darn near anywhere.

When he got the car I suggested he hit up this forum. He's new to the E30 scene and I know many of you know lots about them.

Ignore his budget goals... haven't introduced him to the price of a cage yet ;-).

So, if anyone can point Dan in the direction of some good reading, suppliers, etc, please do. From there, it's time to get greasy. Real greasy. Nothing like old, stock cars to get you nice and dirty...

[white_2kgt]

Ignore his budget goals... haven't introduced him to the price of a cage yet ;-).

I'm probably gonig to get a pipe bender and a tube notcher soon... :lol:

[PDenbigh]

It's got about 200K on it.

Sean's 325 still had honing marks on the cyl walls at 250K. A broken lifter was all that'd failed.

Motor runs and it's got some power.

Think how much MORE power it'll have when you get rid of all that pesky interior!

Spins tires in the first two gears.

Nice :-)

No rust to speak of.

Perfect for racecar!

Broken tail-light.
Most of the electronics work "ok" with a few glitches here and there.
Leaky power-steering pump hoses.
Leaky radiator at a crack near the upper inlet.
Lousy seats with tattered carpet.
One fog-light missing.
Stereo is a tape player that sucks.

...so, it's an older E30. Gotcha...

AC is broken.

Racecars don't have A/C anyhow ;-).

What should I do first?

Strip it down to a shell and seam weld it (is that legal in Spec E30?).
Then, take the bare chassis to the cage builders on my flatbed trailer.
While that's being done refresh the engine and drivetrain
Next, get the suspension.
Pick the car up from the cage builders and take it to the paint shop.
After all that, put it all back together.

At least, that's the way I should have done the XR... Had I had the knowledge I have now... It's along the lines of what Chad's doing too.

[PDenbigh]

BTW, this is Dan: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mmsports.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=113383#113383">http://www.mmsports.org/forum/viewtopic ... 383#113383</a><!-- m -->

[Dan]

Thanks for the intro Peter!

Wow, that Jeep looks great going up that hill!

All that the Jeep needs is that rear yoke to be replaced on the rear diff. I've got the socket and the Ujoint straps already. Now all I need is the time.

[Dan]

Strip it down to a shell and seam weld it (is that legal in Spec E30?).
Then, take the bare chassis to the cage builders on my flatbed trailer.
While that's being done refresh the engine and drivetrain
Next, get the suspension.
Pick the car up from the cage builders and take it to the paint shop.
After all that, put it all back together.

At least, that's the way I should have done the XR... Had I had the knowledge I have now... It's along the lines of what Chad's doing too.

That's the kind of input I need. Starting out with a goal, and doing the project the right way the first time is cheaper than doing it little project by little project, and re-doing most of the projects six times.

Thanks for the offer for the trip to the cage-builder. Maybe Chad can build a cage with his new tubing bender and notcher.

[Dan]

Ok,

Here are pictures I took this morning of the BMW.

This is just a start.

[white_2kgt]

wow, that actually looks pretty solid, interior looks like ass, but that's all got to go anyway, that will be a fun little project. Now get it up on a lift and powerwash the underside, I know someone who's VERY good at it, lol.

[BLINGMW]

Because my E30 is in desperate need of seats, and you certainly can't go racing in stock E30 seats, now can you? That means you'll be getting rid of them at some future date. A wink's as good as a nudge to a blind bat, eh? EH?

While we're pre-vulturizing parts, I call the steering wheel! You DEFINITELY need a cool, detachable hub racing wheel :lol:

FWIW, I'm pretty sure seam welding is illegal. Personally I wouldn't go too crazy, but that's your call. Much of the interior and random plastics in the engine bay have to stay, so read the rules carefully before tossing stuff. I would do maintenance, brakes, suspension, put a bolt-in cage, seats and harnesses in it and go have some fun. If you did race (and you have a long way to go without any track experience), Cobetto is going to kill you anyway, so IMHO the car doesn't need to be max prepped. Many of the mid-pack SpecE30 cars are similarly half-assed prepped. Going for the strip, full custom cage and paint seems like a bit much unless you already have a ton of experience.

BTW, metal bumpers kick ass. 8) (and they're actually a touch lighter from what I understand)

[CaptainHenreh]

Because my E30 is in desperate need of seats, and you certainly can't go racing in stock E30 seats, now can you? That means you'll be getting rid of them at some future date. A wink's as good as a nudge to a blind bat, eh? EH?

While we're pre-vulturizing parts, I call the steering wheel! You DEFINITELY need a cool, detachable hub racing wheel :lol:

If you really want a 3 spoke, I think I have an extra.