Dirty E30 Project

[Mcrow]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

I originally bought my harlequin as an investment with my girlfriend. Plan was just to drop a "new" motor in, drive it for the summer and turn it around for a good profit. It started out as an investment, but after a summer of driving it, I don't think I will ever sell it. My girlfriend is on the same page, which is nice.

Even though I never plan on selling it, I am keeping it more or less OEM looking (Other than rims, suspension) with the 2L ABA engine. It has rust on it, and a small dent here and there, but I don't plan on fixing it. These give the car character, and show that the car is driven and enjoyed. I feel when a car is immaculate it's not even fun to drive anymore since you get so anal over every little small thing. I am very anal, so i don't even consider getting a fresh paint job. I wouldn't sleep for weeks if I got a door ding.

My harlequin and your BMW are ~20 years old, just drive it and enjoy it. Don't worry about the small things. Do the motor work, turbo it and whatever, then have a blast.

[MrSector9]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

Oh, yeah then fix the rust and drive it....

enjoy it with this



Blow it up and then swap something in it? If it blows up.

[ToXicXxX]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

Ima just leave this here:

http://enthusiastauto.com/qsearch/?f...1D=18&1574_0=1

89 grand for the one! Holy hell!!!!

I originally bought my harlequin as an investment with my girlfriend. Plan was just to drop a "new" motor in, drive it for the summer and turn it around for a good profit. It started out as an investment, but after a summer of driving it, I don't think I will ever sell it. My girlfriend is on the same page, which is nice.

Even though I never plan on selling it, I am keeping it more or less OEM looking (Other than rims, suspension) with the 2L ABA engine. It has rust on it, and a small dent here and there, but I don't plan on fixing it. These give the car character, and show that the car is driven and enjoyed. I feel when a car is immaculate it's not even fun to drive anymore since you get so anal over every little small thing. I am very anal, so i don't even consider getting a fresh paint job. I wouldn't sleep for weeks if I got a door ding.

My harlequin and your BMW are ~20 years old, just drive it and enjoy it. Don't worry about the small things. Do the motor work, turbo it and whatever, then have a blast.

Painting a harlequin would be easy wouldn't it? Since you don't have to worry about blending panels?

We all know that putting money into cars is a waste of money for the most part. You now own a car that has the potential to be an investment. This is the part where you have 2 choices. You can treat it as an investment, where I would advise you to keep the car clean and as stock as possible. You may break even or even make some money in the future. Or you can treat it like a car you want to drive and dump money into. Most likely you will lose money, but you can do whatever you want with it.

I've had NUMEROUS people tell me not to mod/swap my E30 because it will ruin it. I don't care. I purchased the car so I can enjoy it, not as an investment. What I paid for the car I consider lost already. I will make it up in the value of my happiness it provides and plan to drive the **** out of it.

Make the choice deep down of WHY you bought the car, and then decide what you wanna do with it.

Very true. The entire reason I bought it is because I miss having a car to wrench and tinker with, because if I touch my S4 Audi will kill me That and I don't like workings on these newer cars, my 335i had too much stuff I needed to have coded, or need special parts c blah blah. I actually sold off a few toys to fund this, I didn't dip into my own money at all! So I consider it trading a few things I hardly used for something that I will use the heck out of and enjoy every minute of!

Edit: My best buddy has decided, we are doing a M30B34 swap, loads of torque and acceptable power. Long story, but wile it's my car, I'm trying to get him into the world of modding, so i'm letting him choose what we do (I don't think he's left his laptop researching since I told him I bought it).

[JW]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

A big reason on why I kept the drivetrain all oem was to preserve the value of the car. If you fix the rust on the rockers (although it's not bad, I have defs seen wayyy worse) this car will be an investment. It's low mileage, very meticulously maintained and will run forever. The only thing that needs to be fixed is the rockers and that's it. I bet in 10years that car will be worth $20k if it keep getting the care it deserves.

[ToXicXxX]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

A big reason on why I kept the drivetrain all oem was to preserve the value of the car. If you fix the rust on the rockers (although it's not bad, I have defs seen wayyy worse) this car will be an investment. It's low mileage, very meticulously maintained and will run forever. The only thing that needs to be fixed is the rockers and that's it. I bet in 10years that car will be worth $20k if it keep getting the care it deserves.

This is very true, I've been discussing that with my mothers boyfriend (avid BMW fan). It's very tempting to swap it, but at the same time it's such a clean car that it's hard to mod.

I could always spruce up under the hood with a good clean and wrinkle coat on the intake manifold (JW included a wrinkle coated valve cover as well). Could also throw a set of tube headers on to pretty it up.

I think a lot more consideration has to be done before I touch anything on it.

I am definitely throwing back on the Burberry style shifter and E-Brake boots, because I love Burberry Nova pattern. Alcentera is cool too, but I think it's more for ///M and modern cars (for instance my E92 had a alcentera wheel).

I am hoping screamin calls me back monday to let me know if they will cut/weld in new rockers. It does also look like the driver side front fender needs a respray, but no big deal. Might as well do a full Mtech body kit if paint is coming that close to the bumpers. Could also either spot in the hood with touchup (how I wish 3M was a thing 26 years ago), or have it resprayed if they can work me a deal with the other work.

[dwvw]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

I have an 87 325E. I plan to drive it into the ground. They are fun cars to work on and drive. I would love to have an E30 M3, but I would be afraid to drive it anywhere. And I would want an EVOIII so unless I win the lottery $100K and up for a 25 year old car is not going to happen.

Fix the stuff that bugs you and go from there. My car has tons of clear coat peeling but that's not my priority. Fun to drive trump looks for me on this car.

[JW]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

Sorry to correct you. But the valve cover I included is powder coated black, not wrinkle coated, and to install it you will need a new valve cover and camshaft grommets (don't forget those little guys. They're $0.25 each and will stop leaks, you only need 4 of them). The burbury I included cost me $30, the alacantera cost me $160!!!! It's sooooo nice!! Especially with the m-stitching.

[bobkatkat]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

There are some good deals out there for e30s. Just seem to be way higher prices in the west.

Buy this...

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/BMW/3+Ser...o/19_8026512_/

and buy this for the complete engine, drive-train and other parts swap...

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/BMW/3+Ser...0713080315386/

Sell the convertible...for say 10k and voila you have a M Technik with a full S52 for 15k.

[ToXicXxX]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

There are some good deals out there for e30s. Just seem to be way higher prices in the west.

Buy this...

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/BMW/3+Ser...o/19_8026512_/

and buy this for the complete engine, drive-train and other parts swap...

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/BMW/3+Ser...0713080315386/

Sell the convertible...for say 10k and voila you have a M Technik with a full S52 for 15k.

Holy hell the miles on some of those things!!!! I don't want to cobble together some sort of monster for 15 grand.

[CGY_GTI]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

Mine has over 400,000 km on the body. For a car 26 year old car with that many miles, it's in really good condition, so I really couldn't care less about the miles. It only has two tiny little spots of surface rust that are really hidden. I got it for a really good price too, I just had to go to Kelowna to get it.

[JW]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

My first e30 had 397,000kms on the clock (original engine/drivetrain too) when I sold it and the guy who bought it is still driving it around. Just goes to show that with a little care they will run forever

[dwvw]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

I just hit 180K on my'87. Hoping to see 500K one day.

[100%VAGitarian]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

going the big block route, hey. i've been in a couple BB e30's. lots of fun. it's a really strong engine. my e28 has 315xxx kms on it and still has plenty of jam.

[ToXicXxX]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

Finally found a shop who will work with me and do it soon! They are reprinting the entire front end (repair stone chips and rusted fender), all the rust, and some clear coat peeling for a very very reasonable price.

Artisan is awesome, had a good hour long talk with the guy just about cars, he's very very excited to work on the E30. He should have it done by end of August.

[doubleclutch]

Re: Dirty E30 Project

Just gonna throw this out there.
LS swap. Motor is beast in factory trim, swap kits are available and cheap. And v8's are awesome