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Cheap CL E30 Find! Alpine/Black CLEAN! Near complete tear down with S50!

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    Cheap CL E30 Find! Alpine/Black CLEAN! Near complete tear down with S50!

    So yeah. Bought another E30. ’89 325is alpine on black. This one was slightly more than the red one I have (a $250 CL find! http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=143091) but also has much more potential and is a "clean" slate with much nicer parts, straighter body, no rust, etc.

    Story goes that the seller bought if from a buddy of his who had it since forever. A rocker arm broke but instead of just replacing it (or the head) he tore the whole thing down as it had 300k+ “looking for anything else that was wrong” (it ran perfect until the rocker broke...). Seller builds engines for a living and did a mic (?) on the crank and said it had barely any wear on it, same with the cylinder bores which look good. Rod bearings also show proper wear as well. I'm pretty sure the head was fixed with a new rocker as well! Signs of assembly grease (white) is shown and there is one rocker differently colored than the others that looks good.

    It's been sitting for 1.5 years and even still looks great! Couple dings but nothing major and probably less than $200 to take care of them. Body is straight with no odd panel gaps and the front valance is perfectly straight (albeit missing the front lip). From what I can tell there is NO RUST at all and the interior aside from the carpet looks spotless! Leather sport seats work, dash has NO cracks in it, everything is present and accounted for, etc. It even has 14” weaves!

    Planning to replace the WHOLE driveline with the one from the red car (I mean engine, subframe, suspension, etc. front and rear) and then figure out what to do with the red one. I’ll end up taking the “better” pieces from the red one to put in the white (headlights, tails, euro grills, lip, etc.). I’m REALLY thinking about parting out the red one, selling what I can and building a 2.7l Turbo to drop in. Would be a REALLY fun project and everything is already in pieces.

    Anyway it will be a while before it is all finished and the swap is done but I’m sure it will be worth it! Stay tuned!

    *It looks a bit dirty because A) I haven't even touched any of it to clean and B) the flash grossly exaggerates any spec of dust. Will look great when I'm done!




















    Last edited by PutterMcGavin; 06-13-2013, 12:07 PM.

    #2
    That thing is mint! Nice score.
    91 318is M50 swapped
    05 Honda Pilot

    24V swap thread
    http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=302524

    Comment


      #3
      yea nice grab!
      88 M3 Lachsliber glass top, 90 IS project,

      Comment


        #4
        Wow that's clean, looks like an awesome project!
        88 325is - S52 powered

        Originally posted by King Arthur
        We'll not risk another frontal assault, that rabbit's dynamite!

        Comment


          #5
          What a great foundation for a project. Unless the red car has issues why not rebuilt that torn down engine and have 2 cars
          Seat Shocks....I have passed the baton to John Christy from Ninestitch. Email John or Garrett at ninestitch1@gmail.com

          https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/sho...86#post4944786
          Alice the Time Capsule
          http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=360504
          87 Zinno Cabrio barn find 98k and still smells like a barn. Build thread http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...20#post3455220

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Nick_S View Post
            That thing is mint! Nice score.
            Thanks! It is in great shape! Will be even nicer when I can actually clean it.

            Originally posted by steve68 View Post
            yea nice grab!
            Appreciate it!

            Originally posted by matthugie View Post
            Wow that's clean, looks like an awesome project!
            Hopefully it will be! Was originally going to part it but after seeing it I can't do that!

            Originally posted by jeffnhiscars View Post
            What a great foundation for a project. Unless the red car has issues why not rebuilt that torn down engine and have 2 cars
            I thought about that.

            My red car is pretty good and mechanically excellent but has some "issues." Small rust spot in the passenger footwell (common...) rust on the rear apron and battery area (again common)...another spot of rust on the rear bumper hear the left mount, paint is very hazy (although it can be brought back with a buff), front valance is dented, dash is cracked in a couple small spaces and there are some dents that have creases and it will unfortunately NEVER be as good as the white one.

            The white one is such a great base and will make a very nice DD with parts from the red one. The red one is also thoroughly sorted: EVERY bushing has recently been replaced, new brakes, bilsteins with H&Rs, H&R sways, HID and projectors to swap, euro grills, etc. I might turn the red one into a dedicated track car or rebuild the motor and sell it. Good car but the white one just have much more potential.

            Comment


              #7
              I was the next guy scheduled to look at this car... Lucky you man

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by matt40567 View Post
                I was the next guy scheduled to look at this car... Lucky you man
                Thanks I was lucky. Called the guy the night it was posted and left Charleston at like 6 the next morning to get there ASAP. Guy said he had like 4 calls that morning before 8 when I got there. Saw it and was sold quickly. At least it went to a fellow R3V'er ;)

                Comment


                  #9
                  Some progress recently...

                  Pulled the auto tranny, exhaust, ancillary parts, front end and am working to get it REALLY clean. A quick before and after. This is ONLY with a little soap and water. Getting a pressure washer really soon to really clean her up!

                  Before (Passenger side)



                  After (Passenger side)

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                    #10
                    Sub'd
                    Project 325is


                    Transaction Feedback

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Mic ? it is short for micrometer, a measuring tool. what we call them in the industry
                      "I wanna see da boat movie"
                      "I got a tree on my house"

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Small updates. Been working hard at getting things cleaned and organized.

                        Found a M20 and 5speed cheap so going to do that for now before going FI or S5X. We will see!

                        Wish it was more progress but had to buy a ring, a house and the weather has been crap ;)











                        Last edited by PutterMcGavin; 03-23-2013, 10:51 AM.

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                          #13
                          Those seats are unbelievably clean!
                          Project 325is


                          Transaction Feedback

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by benyen soljax View Post
                            Those seats are unbelievably clean!
                            Thanks! They alone were worth the price of the car. Haven't even buffed the leather or conditioned it yet either.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Couple updates. Been a little slow but just been working to really clean her up.

                              The BEST news though is I've decided to drop a S50 in her! Going to be a fun car...

                              Z3 rack, Lemforder CA's, poly CAB's, Lemforder inner and outer tie rods, spacer kit


                              Re-purposed rear parcel shelf with cleaned up speakers. Looks GREAT


                              Rubberized coating in the wheel wells





                              Direct from Germany some Euro Smileys! Less than half the price of the going ones on here. Only thing I need to replace is a black bracket thing for the adjuster. Everything else in GREAT shape!

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