Opinions on next steps...🙏

[eight-0-eight]

Hi all,

I have a manual 88 SETA with under 50K original miles that I've owned for years now. I've been trying to decide whether I wanted to engine swap it, etc. but have finally decided that I want to keep the M20 in, especially since it has such low miles and do a ITB setup.

There are a long list of maintenance/upgrade type of items that I want to address throughout the car and I'm wondering if you all had opinions on what order I should do these in and/or what makes sense to do at the same time so I can plan next steps.

The car is currently running great but I think it's overdue for a timing belt change (although it was less than 2k mi ago, it was last done in 2018). I've installed new clutch, driveshaft, and all associated parts around the trans, brakes (pads, rotors, shoes, lines, hardware, calipers, fluids, etc.).
I think the next step should probably be to at least address the timing belt, but I was also thinking of pulling the engine out to give everything a once over and clean it up a bit....but there are so many things associated that I'm starting to get overwhelmed with how to plan this into reasonable chunks as I haven't done this extensive of a restoration before.

Parts I've accumulated from fb deals too good to pass on, etc. that are NOT installed yet :

• Spare front and rear subframes to reinforce
• reinforcment and camber/caster adjustment plates for subframes
• RHD ITB kit
• MS3 pro PNP kit
• Eibach front sway bar

Areas need/want to address:

• Full suspension refresh (thinking of the full ground control suspension set) along with installing the upgraded sway bars
• Rear subframe area (reinforce, new bushings), LSD, anything else back there that may need replacing)
• Front subframe area (reinforce, new bushings/mounts)
• Steering rack (upgrade the rack, and hoses/hardware)
• Under the hood area:
  • Timing belt / water pump, etc.
  • Cooling system (hoses, radiator, etc.)
  • Head work (at very least, update to an i 885 head setup from my current seta 885 head internals but would love to get a bimmerheads super sport head)
  • any block work that should be done at this time (considering low mileage)?
  • ITB setup
  • Megasquirt PNP and Tune
  • Headers (maybe exhaust at the same time too)
  • additional temp/pressure gauges
  • AC system replacement
  • clean up the engine bay (everything is covered in cosmoline)

Because I'm a little bit paranoid about the timing belt going, I was leaning towards doing that but then plans start to snowball when thinking " well you might as well do coolant hoses the same time, and if you are going to go ITB and plan to go through the head you should do that now so you're not having to replace the belt again when you replace the head, and maybe it'd be easier to just pull the whole m20 out to do maintenance, then if you have it out you might as well do the front subframe and steering rack at the same time while it's out..." then I'm looking at a HUGE project that is going to cost me a lot of money all at once and the car being down for a long time (money being the bigger determining factor rather than time being down). I'm going to attempt to do as much of the work on my own as possible. I don't have a timeline for this to be done and this will be a car that I plan to own for a long time but some things definitely need to be prioritized sooner rather than later.

I need help with suggestions on how best to break this down into possible smaller chunks of work that make sense so I'm not having to (or minimizing the things I have to) do things over and over, like replacing timing belts, tuning, etc. and so I'm not wasting money along with trying to avoid my car being down for years 😅

help please!!

[AWDBOB]

I wouldn’t do most of that stuff, especially if money is a determining factor like you noted.

Keep it simple.

Do maintenance stuff, and enjoy, or sell. Tbelt, A/C, etc

Reinforced subframes on a mostly stock street car are pointless IMO.

If you REALLY want to do something I’d do 325i drivetrain upgrades- put a b25 head/ancillaries/S3.73 on it and enjoy it. E36 rack and a catback.

Leave the cosmoline, that’s like +3.6 BAT points

A friend did ITBs on a nice low mile MT2 car and hated them due to cold start and other complications/fiddling.

No good affordable headers on the market currently- pass unless you have a $1200+ budget for headers alone.

If the car has a documented history and is clean: get maintenance current on fancy low mile car, sell, buy different car and do what you want to it

[2mAn]

Keep it simple.

Do the timing belt and if the radiator hoses are due, do those too. Is your radiator leaking? If its not, no need to replace it.

While you're in there the only other thing I would do is address the A/C. You can clean the engine bay while the stuff is out of the way, but I wouldnt stress about the cosmoline.

I would use your spare rear subframe to have the camber adjusters welded in and keep that aside for if/when you do the suspension.

Other than that, it sounds like you need to just drive the car more than anything else. 2k miles in 7 years!...

Get out and drive it. The car will reveal what it wants you to replace

[rturbo 930]

Well, first things first, how are you going to use the car? Is it going to be mostly just cruising and driving around, or do you have lots of twisty roads around you?

If you want to keep it simple, 'i' head/intake swap, H&R sport springs and good shocks, all new bushings, and a faster steering rack. That's basically what I have (325is, H&R sports + Koni yellows, Z3 rack) and it makes for a fun and simple street car without being too harsh. I previously had much more involved plans for the car, but I find that how I actually use the car, versus how I thought I would use the car, the simpler set up is sufficient. I'd also lean toward stock rubber suspension bushings vs poly unless there's a need for an upgrade.

Timing belt isn't that hard to change, so I would just get that done and not worry about what else needs to be done at the same time. Do radiator hoses if you need them, since they need to come off anyway, otherwise, don't worry about it.

[MrBurgundy]

Well, first things first, how are you going to use the car?

Million dollar question

[eight-0-eight]

Thank you all, great thoughts!

Yeah I've always had other weekend/project cars that I had in addition to this car. I knew that I'd keep this one so I always had it on the back burner but now that I've gotten rid of the others and have decided to focus on this, trying to make up my mind on plans was difficult.

I want this car to be primarily reliable yet also a bit more fun (OEM+ ...ish) so I can go out for a ride with my kid if I wanted to without having to worry too much that it's going to leave us on the side of the road somewhere. I also wanted it to be somewhat unique and that's when I thought about doing an ITB setup (for the look, sound, and performance) since I decided to keep the M20 in it...

Great points by all though and have already made me re-think what parts and order I'd have a better ROI (driveability/enjoyability wise, not in terms of the value of the car) I don't mind putting some money in to this car at times when I'm ready to but don't think I could convince my wife that dropping $8K+ in goodies for the car all at one time is a wise investment🤫 lol. So maybe I don't need the fancy full coilover setup, fully built head at the moment, etc.

[MrBurgundy]

Nice wheels, a good exhaust, 885 head, H&R Race, B8s and a quick rack....

enjoy.

E30s don't need much to put a smile on your face every time you get in it.

[e30davie]

I hypothesize you've already spent more money on mods , than i have spent in total on my e30. possibly even including buying it!

The most important thing about an old car is that it is in tip top shape such that at any moment it can be driven and enjoyed.

An E30 with good shocks, new bushes, some wheels and a bit of sound is a delightful thing.

[digger]

Do critical maintenance items then renew suspension bushes with Leomforder or other quality rubber, nice H&R sport kit with suitable shocks (or similar basic upgrade) etc, refurbed purple tag rack, mild sway bar upgrade (need some reinforcement for sway bar mounts in particular the rear) that will make it drive a lot nicer

then see how you feel after doing all that.....

[82eye]

don't think I could convince my wife that dropping $8K+ in goodies for the car all at one time is a wise investment🤫 lol. So maybe I don't need the fancy full coilover setup, fully built head at the moment, etc.

you're gonna find yourself spending the $8k to catch up on deferred maintenance. new bushings and rubber everywhere, an exhaust, decent springs and shocks, some nice wheels, it doesn't take much to get a lot out of an e30.

do that first before considering chasing power. if you wanna chase power you'll need to start by doubling that budget, then add another $8k on top.

[lukeADE335i]

I wouldn’t do most of that stuff, especially if money is a determining factor like you noted.

Keep it simple.

Do maintenance stuff, and enjoy, or sell. Tbelt, A/C, etc

Reinforced subframes on a mostly stock street car are pointless IMO.

If you REALLY want to do something I’d do 325i drivetrain upgrades- put a b25 head/ancillaries/S3.73 on it and enjoy it. E36 rack and a catback.

Just to second AWDBOB here (and most others) - I'd keep it stockish. Lowering springs are worth it (H&R sport or Eibach).

On the reinforced subframe - my car has never cracked the front subframe with the extra weight and torque of an M30 twisting on it for 13 years. I think the biggest factor with cracked subframes are engine mounts - very stiff poly or solid mounts transfer too much vibration to the subframe causing cracks. I just run the solid rubber e30 engine mounts, and e21 rubber transmission mounts.