My '87 Alpinweiß 325is Build Thread (Daily Driver)

[jprastrullo]

Hey all! Decided to start a build thread for the purposes of keeping track of everything I've done to the car / am going to do. I bought it as an auto with the plans to do a 5sp swap

This is my second E30 as my first one was wrecked, but my life was spared. I hydroplaned across 4 lanes on the highway and spun across to hit a tree less than 2 feet from the driver's side door. Luckily the only injury I sustained was a broken femur...



2 years went by, and I contemplated what car to buy next... I was just looking for a daily driver beater within my budget and almost considered an e36 sedan... Low and behold, I'm glad I waited till I found what I thought was a clean E30 (from pics online), and drove an hour away to check it out. Given it's condition, and my eagerness to buy a car, I didn't want to come home empty handed.

Picked her up about 5 months ago from an independent dealer who won it at an auction... Don't know how many previous owners, nor the original mileage (ODO was broken). I really wanted the car, traveled far, and didn't want to come home empty handed. Little did I know, I was in for more than I bargained for.

This was the condition of the car when I first got it.




Sad front valance sag... in the process of sourcing new brackets, but debating if I should repair mine or create my own.




Windshield rubber seals are hard and look weird like this. Hoping to replace with clear rubber ones... Or I might paint over them


Dafuq is this stuff growing on the window rubber stripping? Similar weirdness happening on the sunroof gasket


The car had been sitting for a few years before it was running again so decided to see what was living underneath the trunk spoiler (left side is clean, other isn't)


Also decided to tuck the rear bumper (until I can get euro bumpers)


Plentiful first order of parts in the mail!


On the way home, the car was overheating so first things I tackled were -- New fan clutch (old was going bad), timing belt, water pump, spark plugs, etc. -- sorry bad pic but old vs. new


Changing the air filter/removing the air box, I tore my intake boot so that needed replacing...



Timing belt/water pump was by far the worst thing I've ever done, haha. I'll never do it again... We'll see how I feel in 4 years, or 60k miles later


Scored some ellipsoids, with 1 cracked lens from a buddy. Currently taken apart for DIY smoking


I then decided to splurge on a Miller PSIK BNIB in a deal I couldn't refuse


Installed 19lb'rs


Got the chip in!


Here is where it sits after it is mounted. I'll have to create some sort of splash guard before the rainy season


Here's a link to a video of the induction noise!


Picked up some JOMs (temporary until I get GC's).


Waiting to install my skid plate (not pictured), and roll my fenders before I install the JOMs.

Here is how she sits today


Aspirations:
5sp swap
Euro bumpers
Full suspension refresh
Newer steering rack
newer/restored interior
borbet type a or bbs RS

More updates to come!

[Eufonik]

Hello Sir! Definitely subscribed! We'll link soon for the rest of the parts. I'll be in Nevada for the weekend.


Sent from my Phone using Tapatalk

[jprastrullo]

Got new Sport Seats + Rear Bench!

Little update here:

When I got the car, the sport seats + rear bench were in horrid condition. Vinyl was peeling back left and right on the passenger seat, the driver's seat had so much wear that it felt like I was sitting on concrete, and when I sat in my rear seat to see what it was like, I ripped probably 26 stitches in the threading.

Here is what they looked like





Here is what I replaced them with!




More pics to come later!

Next on the to-do list: install new IS valance w/ new brackets (Thanks Eufonik!), install skid plate, roll fenders, install coilovers.

[sam_]

seats look great !!!

what diy did you use for installing the ellipsoids?

[2mAn]

I'm a firm believer that doing the Water Pump/ Timing Belt job on an E30 is not only the first thing to do, but also seperates the men from the boys. Was it a PITA to do? Yes, but having successfully done it are you skilled enough to do about 99% of the work that these cars need? YES!

btw You dont need to roll the fenders while you're on stock wheels. Lower that waffling car!

congrats and welcome. Maybe I'll run into you in SJ. My parents live in Almaden

[jprastrullo]

seats look great !!!

what diy did you use for installing the ellipsoids?

Thanks man! I'm using this thread even though the pics are broken =(
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=94540

although they are not installed yet. Still sourcing a high beam lens.

I'm a firm believer that doing the Water Pump/ Timing Belt job on an E30 is not only the first thing to do, but also seperates the men from the boys. Was it a PITA to do? Yes, but having successfully done it are you skilled enough to do about 99% of the work that these cars need? YES!

btw You dont need to roll the fenders while you're on stock wheels. Lower that waffling car!

congrats and welcome. Maybe I'll run into you in SJ. My parents live in Almaden

Thanks man... Yeah we'll see in 4-5 years time, I'll most likely be willing to do it again.

My buddy is selling me a better conditiong aw1 front valance with working brackets, so that and skid plate will preceed dropping.

and thanks homie! Yeah the BMW community is small, especially e30. We're bound to run into each other at some point. Take care!

[88SuperETABD]

Keep it up JP. Get those Joms on lol.

[jprastrullo]

Cosmetics + Suspension

Here's a bit of an update that will cover some cosmetic upgrades/things I've done, as well as the JOMs I finally installed (with the help of some r3v members).

Ordered some lighting goodies from r3v member dinanm3atl -- here are festoon LEDs for trunk, license plate, as well as dome (interior) lights.


I splurged and bought 7506 LED reverse light upgrade bulbs... which are crazy, stupid bright. The housing is blue, which you can kind of see through the taillight... I might end up painting them black.


I also got an 6000k HID kit which will be used when I install those ellipsoids... I'm leaning away from them and thinking about going straight to smileys... We'll see, haha. I'm just lazy to DIY put them together.


Here's the lights in the rear... Contemplating getting a second trunk light... the reverse lights are SO bright!


I thought it would be a smart idea to try to DIY smoke my turn signals in the meanwhile until I could afford some better quality lenses... I think they came out okay... these are only temporary!



I then proceeded to sand my IS spoiler to prep it to get it painted black. Hit it with a 400 grit evenly and laid a coat of sandable primer (black)... Sadly I haven't had the time to finish up sanding to lay the final coat(s) of paint.



I then proceeded to install my coilovers... the fronts were the biggest PITA, plus one corner had 2 VERY stuck bolts on the caliper... The first night, I (with the help of 88SuperEtaBD) was only able to complete one corner.... Here is the pic of said corner.. haha


With the help of Cabriolet, we were able to remove the second strut housing using the breaker bar I bought (best investment ever!)... Very helpful!


I was able to complete the fronts and was eager to drive the car... so I was driving in EXTREME rake for a day... no pics of said rake.. but this was the first night I had the fronts done.



After everything was complete, even on a rainy day, I couldn't stop looking at the car! It looked awesome... Here's a shot from 5am after I took my roommate to the airport


The bank to enter my garage is so steep, as well as a rail that lines the ground where the gate slides... Remember the sagging valance? Those two didn't like each other very well... I ended up having to turn to my plastic friends -- zip ties.


After all was said and done.. it took me 8-9 hours to button everything up over a few days (because I would start after work and the sun came down quickly).. I eventually ended up buying an LED shop light so I could work at night...

Here is the finished product:






Super scary to drive without a skid plate... and wheels are hitting fender liner... Next up is skid plate install -- happening this weekend.

Thanks for looking!