325ix Touring rehab

[CPTFelch]

So figured it was about time to get a thread going to track my progress on what is becoming a more engrossing project. Overall the body is in great shape, underside is solid but the suspension has seen it's fair share of Swiss mountain roads. Car is a one owner vehicle and came with a stack of service records.

Right now I've the full front end and the back subframe out. Have the majority of the new suspension bits on order. Car was lowered on APEX springs (if anyone wants them shoot me a note).

Engine pulls well and the AWD system is fully functional. Interior is in great shape, headliner needs to be redone at some point as it's pinned up.

Have found a couple other issues that need some sorting, fuel tank needs to be replaced (are they same as regular e30s?)

Picked this up while in Europe and had it shipped over

1991 325ix original Swiss market vehicle
223km approx 138K miles
Cloth Sport interior
slick top
AC
Heated seats
Power windows front
Central locking
Adjustable headlights

https://imgur.com/a/3aLqbWM

https://imgur.com/a/3aLqbWM

https://imgur.com/a/yKBUWht

https://imgur.com/a/9UoRFcX

https://imgur.com/a/PjbjmOx

Look at all that space

https://imgur.com/a/rlznN6y

Doggo approved

https://imgur.com/a/WQ9u6i8

So stay tuned for more updates and we'll see what rabbit hole we get down here.

[CPTFelch]

First update
- Need front strut housings mine are pretty much fucked
- Need a new fuel tank, figure I'm already in here so lets get weird and fix what we need
- Dropping various bits off to be powder coated and cleaned up
- Redoing CV joints all around
- Replacing heat shields
- Doing full brakes calipers, pads, rotors, and lines all around

[kronus]

nice find! looks like a more intact pickup than mine was, lol

good luck finding rear rotors, by the way. they are different. I'm considering swapping to the more available, common kind that doesn't run 300 bucks per OE rotor.

[e30austin]

Looks like a nice addition. Glad your doggo approves. How is your M5 project coming?

[CPTFelch]

nice find! looks like a more intact pickup than mine was, lol

good luck finding rear rotors, by the way. they are different. I'm considering swapping to the more available, common kind that doesn't run 300 bucks per OE rotor.

Of course why wouldn’t they be different... (goes and pulls old ones out to debate reusing)

[CPTFelch]

Looks like a nice addition. Glad your doggo approves. How is your M5 project coming?

M5 should be buttoned up soon. Took two extra heads to find one that was serviceable. Full rebuild though, couple other euro bits found their way onto it.

[D.Martijn]

Great looking Touring!
You should have bought sole spare parts when you had it shipped over ;)

nice find! looks like a more intact pickup than mine was, lol

good luck finding rear rotors, by the way. they are different. I'm considering swapping to the more available, common kind that doesn't run 300 bucks per OE rotor.

Yeah rear rotors are Touring specific. Although BMW decided to reproduce them, thy are pretty expensive. But hey at least they are available again..

[CPTFelch]

Yeah, kicking myself for not acquiring more parts for it over there but hey.

Right now I’m going through and redoing all the bushings and cleaning things up.
I’ve been going back and forth on the suspension, part of me wants it with a little drop just to take up the wheel gap but part of me also wants to just take it back to factory and enjoy it seeing as I’ve got other cars to play with it.

Right now I’ve got brand new Koni struts for it all new top mounts and the works. I’ve got some factory front springs and what I have been told are factory rears, well two sets that I’ve been told are factory green dot and pink/orange?
Also spring pad thickness what would be factory cruising real oem shoes 3 pads ranging from 3.5m to 14mm I believe. Which would be correct for the factory height?

[D.Martijn]

This is the color code my rear springs have, hard to see but two orange dots and a white dot. (I think the white dot is a reinforced spring for a tow hitch?)
[img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4096/35740956605_40af80a821_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4862/31872905007_b34b12f671_b.jpg[/img]

And front, as you can see there is a yellow dot. Although I don't know if these are still the original springs at it sits quite a bit lower in the front
[img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4903/32020603597_8a4c8d49a9_b.jpg[/img]

Car sits like this.
IMG_3733 by Martijn Demeulemeester, on Flickr


My uncle has new springs in the rear (same color code as mine) and his front springs are still original as I checked the part number that is stamped into them. I'll try to find a picture of the ride height and post it later.

Spring pad thickness is 5mm.

[kronus]

interesting, I did not realize there is a different spring for the tow hitch option.

[CPTFelch]

Interesting so it would appear the rears that are currently on there are the two orange dot variety. I’ll have to check the box for the fronts.

Appreciate the update on the pads, curious as to why mine is so low in the rear, though the fronts are the ones I know are aftermarket.

This is the color code my rear springs have, hard to see but two orange dots and a white dot. (I think the white dot is a reinforced spring for a tow hitch?)
[img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4096/35740956605_40af80a821_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4862/31872905007_b34b12f671_b.jpg[/img]

And front, as you can see there is a yellow dot. Although I don't know if these are still the original springs at it sits quite a bit lower in the front
[img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4903/32020603597_8a4c8d49a9_b.jpg[/img]

Car sits like this.
IMG_3733 by Martijn Demeulemeester, on Flickr


My uncle has new springs in the rear (same color code as mine) and his front springs are still original as I checked the part number that is stamped into them. I'll try to find a picture of the ride height and post it later.

Spring pad thickness is 5mm.

[D.Martijn]

If you want/should help you, I can measure the height from the center of the wheel to the arch.

[CPTFelch]

If you want/should help you, I can measure the height from the center of the wheel to the arch.

That’s be great and if you could please the part number on the springs.

[D.Martijn]

Here's a picture of his 325iX Touring.
[img]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7887/46181899865_613ec49825_b.jpg[/img]

I'm not 100% certain about the fronts but I think the part number is 31331129880.
Rear springs are 33539061400

edit: found another picture from when I replace his front struts.
Turns out the part no above is front for the fronts as the color code is also yellow. Part no should be 31331125341
(When googling pictures also show yellow marks)

[img]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7910/46372056434_2e2c960d1c_b.jpg[/img]

However, I'm not sure now why mine sits lower as it also has these yellow marks.. lol

[CPTFelch]

I see his strut housings look about the same as mine did. I appreciate the help with the part identification.