What would you do

[BigWaveDave]

Alright, In the next 3-4 years, I am going to try and move back to germany. I will be shipping my car with me, but I am curious what to do until then. I plan on building (or buying) a 1989 325is. In the end, I want to swap the S50B30, but I am going to do that in Europe. Until then, it will continue to bbe driven for fun and the occasional DD when I am building my GTI. Would you just leave the original motor? Swap in an M50 2.5L? My plan is to build a car for the Nürburgring. I have driven it before, and want a dedicated behicle for tracks over there, and one that OWNs the Autobahn.


Any advice? And here is my pic from one of my trips around the Ring




Let me know what you guys think

[browntown]

Dang dude, I'd consider waiting a just buying the e30 in germany. GET A TOURING! The availability of parts and hop-up goodies will be very good there and you save the expense of one of the trips on the water

[Wishno87]

where can you get the nubergring sticker? i've been looking for one of those for a long time

[BigWaveDave]

Well, the only place I know of to get the Nürburgring decal is the Nürburgring, and don't be a poser and get one just to get one, Drive it once, put it on...

Alright, Well, I like your idea of the Touring, even though I know nothing about it, I am going to build it with suspension (Bilstein, H&R), brakes (Something OEM with Powerslot rotors and Hawk pads) , Transmission (want 1-4 geared pretty low, and 5th geared for Highway crusing getrag 260?, Recaro Sport Seat, Half Probably, etc before I get there...Just because prices are cheaper here. trust me, I just left Last December and knew this would be my plan...I was mail ordering parts for My Mk2 GTI all the time just to save money...Its not the euro parts tree over there.

So, any other advice? I am going to build the brunt of the car here. The heart will come from Deustchland. Mmmmm ITBs.

[Wishno87]

oh so the decal is an indication that you've ran the ring. thats a pretty cool concept, i like it

[BigWaveDave]

Yup....just like a badge of honor

[BigWaveDave]

Anyone got any other advice?

[BigWaveDave]

Little info needed...

[Jean]

Do you think S50B30 is going to be enough to OWN teh autobahn ? Really ?

[Bill-B]

Do you think S50B30 is going to be enough to OWN teh autobahn ? Really ?

A supercharged S54 ought to do the trick

[euroshark]

Even a supercharged S54 isn't going to own the autobahn... Not in an E30 at least.

[JasonC]

Drop a twin turbo LSx in it. I'm sure there is not many BMW's over there with american V8's in them.

[BigWaveDave]

You guys have obviously never been to Germany... In my Golf2 VR6 swap over there, I was giving a whole mess of cars a run, HAHAHAHA. Do you think everyone over there drives souped up BMWs and Porshes and Audis? Yeah, they are out there, but the baddest cars I have ever seen were on the Ring. And I am not looking for a engine there....I know what I want to do there....
My question is, should I just roll with the stock m42 until I get there, An M50 swap before hand, or something else. Now mind you, this will be in the works for 2-5 years, depending on when I can go over again...

[LINUS]

If the situation is as it sounds, I think I'd get a 325is (whay you said you wanted), but just drive it as is here - wait till you get to Germany, then buy a motor for it.

What's the story on rust involving true European cars? Do they salt the roads? Is it worth getting your clean shell here on the contingency there basically aren't any over there, or at least affordable ones?

[BigWaveDave]

There are affordable shells over there, it just comes down to storage and locations to work on the vehicle. In Germany, the Garages on houses are small and you can barely fit a vehicle in, although, when I do go back over, the house will have a longer garage. I want to drive the car more over there, than work on it. It is easier to find parts here than over there...Especially when you know what you want, and the Germans always always ask "Why?" when you go and purchase parts. In the states, you want a part, you pay, no questions asked...When i was working on my Golf2 it was underneath an awning in the cold and lack of light...It sucked...

I like the idea of keeping the stock m42 and then swapping it out later, but would the M50 be similar to the S50B30 enough that I could just yank the motor and put the S50B30 in its place? I am looking for ease up upgrading down the road...Do the pain in the Ass stuff here where it is easier to cope, then ease the motor in...I don't mind spending time here working on it, but there, its going to be Hitting the track and running the twisties, daily driven, not a project car per se...