Converting my s52 e30 into an outdoor activity machine

[miles318]

My Car (Lola) Currently
My dad and I swapped in an OBD1 s52 with the stock 98 M3 trans into my '91 318is about 4 years ago and have worked out most of the drivetrain kinks, aside from some cooling issues. She's also lowered on bilstein shocks/struts and H&R springs.

What I Would Like to Do
Modify my e30 for rock climbing/mountain biking/skiing adventures and a road trip I have planned for this summer. It is currently very fun to drive but hopeless on unpaved roads/less than ideal for long road trips. I hope I can make my car more versatile by doing some modifications to the suspension, drivetrain, lights, etc. I want to find a better compromise between drivability and performance. Hooking up my A/C and putting on snow tires and roof rack have already made a big difference. This is all in an effort to keep my beloved e30 rather than downgrading to an old subaru or something else without any performance/charm.

I am also interested in what mods/fabrication/maintenance I would need to do to tow a trailer/camper made out of the rear section of an e30.


Questions

• what changes would provide the best bang for my buck in my mission to make my car more drivable/versatile/offroad?
• what springs would provide the highest ride height while still being stiff enough to have some fun with here and there?
• what would be a good alternative to my deafening magnaflow muffler with single 2.5" piping?
• I plan on buying a skid plate for my oil pan, would it be worthwhile to fabricate additional skid plates for the transmission, diff, etc? are they prone to being damaged?
• would it be worthwhile to frame/subframe reinforcements?
• what are the towing capabilities of an e30 and what can be done to improve them?
• how difficult and expensive would it be to install a decent trailer hitch?

What I plan on doing already

• skid plate
• increase my ride height (different springs)
• e36 radiator (my m42 radiator cannot keep the motor cool)
• installing a mechanical/larger fan (my small electric fan is also not cutting it) I have heard that a certain volvo fan is a commonly used option)
• stiffening the frame with shock tower braces and an X-brace
• installing cruise control
• brake system maintenance (or upgrade for towing, if necessary)

Any answers/info you have regarding these questions would be much appreciated!

[Roysneon]

Doing this is going to kill off a lot of what you like about the car. An old XJ or Subaru would work better, be in its element and you could keep your car fun, the way you built it.

My .02.

[mulletman]

Buy an older Toyota pickup. Drive it forever. Keep the E30 nice.

[brianf408]

Buy an older Toyota pickup. Drive it forever. Keep the E30 nice.

For the money you'd spend converting your e30, you could definitely get an older truck or SUV that will do everything you want and then some. My e30 sits in the garage and is pretty much pavement-only, and I have a Land Rover that I picked up cheap to do everything else - that thing will go ANYWHERE, even totally stock. Plus the advantage of having a second vehicle for when you're working on the e30, a tow rig of your own, parts hauler, etc. And who knows, maybe you'll get bitten by the off-roading bug with a 4x4.

If you really want to keep the e30 and make it do what you want, here are my insights:

• OEM springs and adjustable shocks
• Engine skid plate is a MUST, even for driving on the road IMO - a diff guard may be useful, but I don't think you'll have enough driving ground clearance to even get near anything that would risk touching the diff
• If you are trying to drive on a lot of rutted rocky trails, I'd look at fabricating something similar to truck rock sliders that go along the rocker plate to protect the sides of the body and frame
• Lighting is invaluable, a couple good off-road lights mounted on the bumper or mounted on your roof rack, as well as another at the rear for reversing
• Recovery points - get at least one STRONG recovery point on the front and the rear that you could be pulled out with if you get stuck, and carry a tow strap and clevis shackles with you
• Maintain/upgrade cooling system and brakes, especially if towing
• Along with the previous point, I don't know what you have for gauges but you may want to consider aftermarket coolant temp and oil pressure indication
• Limited slip rear end - rebuild your clutches in the rear end, or look at swapping a Torsen from a Z3 - with a 2wd vehicle, the rear-end can really make a big advantage off road
• Heavy duty tie rods, if available. Would most likely be a custom job

Even at OEM height, it still won't have much ground clearance but will at least get you on some dirt roads. I couldn't find towing capacity for an e30, but the e36 318ti is rated around 1300 lbs with a tongue weight of about 165 lbs. You'll definitely be limited towing with a unibody car. You would need a pretty stout hitch welded to the frame, as well as some stiff springs or airbags in the rear if you want to tow more. Even then, our unibody is nowhere near as strong as a small truck or SUV.