My E30 project.

[EWAustin]

OK, as some of you know, I've got an '87 BMW 325is, It was old (still is), semi-rusty, but above all CHEAP!



So, being an autobody student I thought HEY, now's a chance to fix up the Bimmer.

Step one, cut away rust:




Step two, form patches and weld them in:







Step three, Smooth over patches:


More pics can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewaustin/sets/72157594503771710/

I'll try to update with more pics approximately daily.

[MikeE30325i]

Good Job!

[FlyE30Guy]

Lookin good!

[rede30]

It looks like your skills can bring a lot of good info on this forum, keep this thread going hard and strong please.

[EWAustin]

Update!

I've begun patching the license plate lights, which was a pain. I couldn't find any e30s in local scrap yards to take the edge of the trunk from so I had to bend the sheet metal, and cut just the right size and shape hole with a plasma cutter and my tin-snips.



The left side is welded in now and the mudding is started, but I forgot to take a 'now' picture.

[EWAustin]

Next up was the rocker panel. It started out looking like this:

I ground away some of the rust and all of the undercoating until it looked like this:

Cut square edges so it looked like this:

Made a patch that looked like this:

Welded and ground until it looked like this:

And now it looks like this waiting for mud:


The annoying part of welding on the rocker panel is that the INSIDE of the rocker panel kept catching on fire. I had to open the door and blow through a small hold in the door sill to put it out...

[EWAustin]

As of now, the car as a whole looks like this:

[Simon S]

good times.

.

[EWAustin]

New fenders,


Shaved Antenna:

[trent]

good work mang

[WillisE30]

Auto body is more like artwork than a job. Very nice.

[Jand3rson]

Auto body is more like artwork than a job. Very nice.

I agree totally, which is why I think I've discovered I'm actually pretty good at it. I've always been very artistic, and it seems to use a lot of the same skills.

[rThor432]

That's awesome! Good job taking care of the rust before it became a big issue. I should be doing this same work on my '87 'is' this weekend. My rocker and plate lights both have to be fixed like yours, and my rear valance is torn, so that too.

Cool deal, way to use the class to your advantage.

[Jean]

Great job man! And thank you for sharing pics!

[rede30]

so what is your ultimate goal with this whip?