New guy, and new to me E30 day...

[Elysian]

I found an 86 325e for sale locally, guy wanted $500 for it. It has 43k on the clock and a 5 speed. The 1st and 2nd gear are dead, but the engine still runs. It's been sitting since the guy bought it in 2008, he never even transferred the title. It needs new seats and a detailing on the inside, but there's a plan to facilitate everything it needs.







The passenger fender is the only body damage, body is completely straight otherwise. 43k original miles.

So the plan... I'm really tired of dealing with BMW, and I have the Pathfinder running again, which means, it's project car time. I picked this up so I could shoehorn my 330's engine and trans into it. I'll also use the seats from the 330, so that's covered. I'm going to put the M54B30 into this little car. Gonna be nuts.

I plan on lowering it quite a bit. I'm also going to be doing a 5 lug swap, for the much larger brakes, and I will be using the 5 spoke rims currently on my 330 when I do that(X5 17x7.5's). My mechanic is going to take my 330ci's rolling chassis and turn it into a solid axled drag car, so he doesn't need anything but the shell and the suspension. In exchange, he's going to do any fab work I need done, which will include a custom oil pickup, and a 3" exhaust. I'm going to be running headers as well, so I will be roughly at 245hp at the crank, which is 10lbs per horsepower. I'd say that's pretty damned good. Eventually I'll get the paint redone, but that's not a priority, as there's not a spot of rust on the car, so it's still well protected.


The guy JUST listed it this afternoon too, the first day I actually started looking, pretty awesome.

[Slangbox]

:( all of that work, for that shell?? I'm sure you could find a better-condition rolling shell for cheap, and you should be able to sell that low-mile engine for at least a couple hundies. Maybe a better plan? Either way, good luck to you.

[Elysian]

:( all of that work, for that shell?? I'm sure you could find a better-condition rolling shell for cheap, and you should be able to sell that low-mile engine for at least a couple hundies. Maybe a better plan? Either way, good luck to you.

I plan on selling the engine, making it a much sweeter deal. I don't feel the least bit bad about my purchase, it's my Frankenstein.

It's also got a clear title, something that I had yet to come across while looking for a rolling shell.

[JasonC]

Yeah, it does seem kind of high. But atleast it didn't go to the crusher or something and someone saved it. Good luck with it. Wonder what he's doing with all of the Oldsmobile's?

[Julien]

that looks like a total piece of shit. I doubt it has anywhere near 43k miles.

[Elysian]

that looks like a total piece of shit. I doubt it has anywhere near 43k miles.

Thanks for your concern, but I didn't come here for your approval, so chill.

[idanity]

it sat for 2 years (that you know of)
if the odometer is correct, they should have changed the oil every time they drove it.

i would be concerned about every mechanical part.

imo a well driven million mile mercedes is worth more than a rotting 40k mile bmw.

[Julien]

Thanks for your concern, but I didn't come here for your approval, so chill.

Just a little fyi before you sink $texas into it.

[Elysian]

it sat for 2 years (that you know of)
if the odometer is correct, they should have changed the oil every time they drove it.

i would be concerned about every mechanical part.

imo a well driven million mile mercedes is worth more than a rotting 40k mile bmw.

I'm well aware of what can go wrong with cars sitting like this one did. Tires rot, rubber parts rot, I'm not worried about it, as I've gone down this path before, with my 84 rx7, and most recently my 1990 nissan pathfinder, the rx7 sat for 10 years with no engine in it, and the pathfinder has been sitting for 2 years. All the work I would put into a running e30 would still cover thesee things, its money I was going to spend anyways. At least there is no rust on this car, ill take that any day.

Just a little fyi before you sink $texas into it.

Noted, and still don't care.

[Farbin Kaiber]

There is a good thread from the AU/NZ region that would benefit you to read through.

http://r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=163048

Good luck, and enjoy the search feature, there is a ton of e30 knowledge around here.

[Elysian]

There is a good thread from the AU/NZ region that would benefit you to read through.

http://r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=163048

Good luck, and enjoy the search feature, there is a ton of e30 knowledge around here.

That's awesome. Ill read more tomorrow at work, but seriously great thread.

[TimKninja]

Weird that 1st and 2nd are dead, with only 43k on the clock.

Good luck, I enjoy seeing E30's saved like this. My E30 was going to be junked had I not bought it.

[Elysian]

Weird that 1st and 2nd are dead, with only 43k on the clock.

Good luck, I enjoy seeing E30's saved like this. My E30 was going to be junked had I not bought it.

I concur, I'm wondering if its not clutch related, or possibly shifter related. Ill be checking it out for certain. That's also how I look at it, that's what I did with my 84 rx7, it would have been junked, but it was way too nice(it was actually mint besides no engine), so I just had to buy it.

Like I mentioned earlier, I don't feel bad about my purchase in the slightest, I'm actually incredibly excited for my new project.

[Jean]

I doubt it has anywhere near 43k miles.

[Elysian]

I doubt it has anywhere near 43k miles.

Noted, and still don't care.

You want to shit on a thread, take it elsewhere, you're not going to get to me.