An '83 hennarot 320is.
I picked it up today for $1450.







The Good;
5 speed
Recovered recaros
S3.91
Original paint
Handles fairly well (better than my stock '91 318i)
Original 320is wheels, not bent or rashed horribly
Fun to drive
The Bad;
Original paint
Rock chips in the windshield
Clunk in the rear end when shifting and going over bumps
Significantly more NVH then an E30
Manual steering
Drivers seat needs to be welded
Diff is leaking
M10B18 running Jetronic
Engine uses oil
Shifter slop
Doesn't like going into reverse
Drivers door doesn't lock
Some rust
Ugly US bumpers
Cracked Dash
Random dents and scratches
Shitty all season tires
Exhaust glugs while off throttle at the right rpm
Did I mention its slow?
And because I am a broke ass, I'm selling my E30 to my brother so he has a clean shell to move his S52 and suspension into.
Here's my nice rust free, but lightly scratched/dented 318i

Whenever he gets back from holidays I will be E30-less. I'll probably miss it but whatever, I think he deserves the car (gave me my first 325e, after doing a t-belt/waterpump etc job for free)
All in all I am happy with the purchase. It has some rust issues, but I honestly don't give a fuck. I've come to the conclusion that I'll never own a truly rust free E21 unless I buy a car from the southern US, find a car that was never driven, or have a shell dipped and restored.
They're just built to rust unfortunately....even a car from the Southern US would be rusty by now.
Some story;
Last summer I bought an '83 318i (Imported from Japan) with the hopes of fixing some rust issues, and repainting etc etc.
BUT, after stripping the car down and finding rust in all the wrong places coupled with a desire to move out of my parents house I lost interest in the car, and had been contemplating selling off all my junk and buying an E36 318ti.
I had seen this car driving around town a few times, and always admired it. I've only seen two E21s where I live, ever.
Last week I was doing the regular classifieds searching looking for cheap cars and I saw it up for sale. Called him and bought the car.
Maybe some day when I have the money I'll pay someone else to strip and dip a car, and have a bunch of body work done to it. Until then I'll just live with it, and fix what I can while avoiding any major bodywork.
Good things come to those who wait. This anecdote is so fucking true to me it isn't funny.
Anyways, I put 2 days of temp. insurance on it, changed out the ghetto blacked out tail lights, and put 100km on it today.

Manual steering was interesting to get used to.
It's slow. But its fun to drive, and will be funner when I am done with it. Think 323 with an m20b25. More on that later...Right now I am off to drink Manhattans and play FFXI,
Cheers,
Eecen
I picked it up today for $1450.
The Good;
5 speed
Recovered recaros
S3.91
Original paint
Handles fairly well (better than my stock '91 318i)
Original 320is wheels, not bent or rashed horribly
Fun to drive
The Bad;
Original paint
Rock chips in the windshield
Clunk in the rear end when shifting and going over bumps
Significantly more NVH then an E30
Manual steering
Drivers seat needs to be welded
Diff is leaking
M10B18 running Jetronic
Engine uses oil
Shifter slop
Doesn't like going into reverse
Drivers door doesn't lock
Some rust
Ugly US bumpers
Cracked Dash
Random dents and scratches
Shitty all season tires
Exhaust glugs while off throttle at the right rpm
Did I mention its slow?
And because I am a broke ass, I'm selling my E30 to my brother so he has a clean shell to move his S52 and suspension into.
Here's my nice rust free, but lightly scratched/dented 318i
Whenever he gets back from holidays I will be E30-less. I'll probably miss it but whatever, I think he deserves the car (gave me my first 325e, after doing a t-belt/waterpump etc job for free)
All in all I am happy with the purchase. It has some rust issues, but I honestly don't give a fuck. I've come to the conclusion that I'll never own a truly rust free E21 unless I buy a car from the southern US, find a car that was never driven, or have a shell dipped and restored.
They're just built to rust unfortunately....even a car from the Southern US would be rusty by now.
Some story;
Last summer I bought an '83 318i (Imported from Japan) with the hopes of fixing some rust issues, and repainting etc etc.
BUT, after stripping the car down and finding rust in all the wrong places coupled with a desire to move out of my parents house I lost interest in the car, and had been contemplating selling off all my junk and buying an E36 318ti.
I had seen this car driving around town a few times, and always admired it. I've only seen two E21s where I live, ever.
Last week I was doing the regular classifieds searching looking for cheap cars and I saw it up for sale. Called him and bought the car.
Maybe some day when I have the money I'll pay someone else to strip and dip a car, and have a bunch of body work done to it. Until then I'll just live with it, and fix what I can while avoiding any major bodywork.
Good things come to those who wait. This anecdote is so fucking true to me it isn't funny.
Anyways, I put 2 days of temp. insurance on it, changed out the ghetto blacked out tail lights, and put 100km on it today.
Manual steering was interesting to get used to.
It's slow. But its fun to drive, and will be funner when I am done with it. Think 323 with an m20b25. More on that later...Right now I am off to drink Manhattans and play FFXI,
Cheers,
Eecen
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