My Situation (long) (with real pictures now)

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  • Werksmini
    E30 Mastermind
    • Oct 2003
    • 1658

    #1

    My Situation (long) (with real pictures now)

    Well here I am. I bought a 1990 325is zinno last summer around june. I though it was a great car and in great condition. Well how wrong was I. I was 16 and didnt know much at all about e30s or buying a used car in general. I was un-patient and jumped on the first car I saw. I didnt have it check out (biggest mistake of my life) and took no notice to the salvage title. I know I know ive been beating my self up since then for that so flame if you want but it was a mistake and I regret it.
    Well the car, it had sustained a front end colision and who ever fixed it was as smart as a chimp. The front end is bad to say the least. It was repainted but a total half assed job, ect ect. When I bought it and up until about a week ago it had a set of borbet type t's on it. Well they rubbed the front right fender well. I though it could be easily fixed. Well no the whole frame is shifted back so there would need to be some serous work done to it. (it started rubbing a week or so after I bought the car ) Well I bought some bottlecaps and some new rubber hoping that I could get it to stop rubbing and sell the car and start over. Well it still rubs. I think the chassis shifts backwars when ever you drive. (see picture) Seems very dangerous to me. Other wise the car is in OK condition.
    A certain rear end accident messed up the rear end, although I dont think it would be that hard to fix. (pic as well)
    So thats where I sit right now. My dad just moved to connecticut, so im kinda lost here. I could part the car and take another half a year out of my life. I could try and get it repaired, that would be expensive. I could try and sell it but it would take forever to fine someone to bite. My parents are nice, they may pay to fix it but I dont want them to do that. It was my fault. Im thinking at the moment to find a new car and pay it off by parting mine.
    Is there anyway to brace the frame so it dosent shift back and rub? Just an idea, then sell it like that.
    Ive just found a 1602 with "low" milage 114xxx 2dr and half way restored.
    5-spd conversion. tii clutch. Korman big brake kit w/ tii brake master cylinder and rear brakes. stainless steel brake lines. triple core brass radiator. electric cooling fan. VDO oil pressure gauge. VDO oil temperature gauge. VDO volt meter. Eibach progressive rate springs. Boge sport shocks and struts. mechanical advance distributor. Bosch blue coil. Hella 550 fog lights [amber]. rear fog light. 320is factory alloy wheels. new Potenza RE-92 tires. Ansa free-flow exhaust. BMW remanufactured 2002 differential. 1971 2002 rear subframe w/ all new bushings. spiral cell battery and more. Interior is black vinyl from 1971 2002- good shape but [of course] dash is cracked. Car needs body work [ outer rocker panels and one fender lip ] and paint. Mileage is indicated but cannot verify. Overall good running and handling car in need of visual attention.
    It would need a new paint job, but for what im looking for I think this would be sweet. Im looking to get into auto-x and track day this summer. And a project car is never a problem. (half the time now my car is in the garage on jacks).
    But what im thinking is to swap the m20 into this thing. Would it be worth it? How much is a s14? Probably to much but worth it to ask. How much is a decent paint job for something like this? Paint isnt a major concern but I want something to look nice.
    Thanks for reading this I really appreciated. Help me sort out my thoughts. Oh and if you need ANY pictures I can get them taken and hosted very quickly.

    The Pictures

    Wheel well.


    Chassis damage


    Rear end damage. Look at the "wave" in the body panel.



    I bombed Korea every night.
  • Werksmini
    E30 Mastermind
    • Oct 2003
    • 1658

    #2
    Bump to the top for picture views.

    I bombed Korea every night.

    Comment

    • nando
      Moderator
      • Nov 2003
      • 34827

      #3
      so the wheel is shifting back when you move the car foward and rubbing the back of the fender? ouch.. is it just during turns?

      it might be possible to put in a set of M3 offset bushings to increase caster, this will move the wheel forward a bit and might stop it from rubbing.
      Build thread

      Bimmerlabs

      Comment

      • Super Eta
        E30 Mastermind
        • Oct 2003
        • 1884

        #4
        Nice Red X's.

        Comment

        • Werksmini
          E30 Mastermind
          • Oct 2003
          • 1658

          #5
          Originally posted by nando
          so the wheel is shifting back when you move the car foward and rubbing the back of the fender? ouch.. is it just during turns?

          it might be possible to put in a set of M3 offset bushings to increase caster, this will move the wheel forward a bit and might stop it from rubbing.
          Its all the time above like 15 mph or so.
          Well I dont think that that would work considering going from a 16" wheel to a 14" didnt help.

          I bombed Korea every night.

          Comment

          • nando
            Moderator
            • Nov 2003
            • 34827

            #6
            you don't get it.. the M3 bushings physically move the strut/center of the wheel forward. changing wheel sizes shouldn't make a bit of difference if your tire sizes are correct.
            Build thread

            Bimmerlabs

            Comment

            • Werksmini
              E30 Mastermind
              • Oct 2003
              • 1658

              #7
              Hmm, well how I see it the smaller tires and wheel would move the wheel further away from the fender well. The frame just moves further back, almost like the tire is resting on the well. Correct if im wrong.

              I bombed Korea every night.

              Comment

              • nando
                Moderator
                • Nov 2003
                • 34827

                #8
                I didn't say anything about smaller tires and wheels!!! I'm talking about M3 offset control arm bushings here... :P
                Build thread

                Bimmerlabs

                Comment

                • Werksmini
                  E30 Mastermind
                  • Oct 2003
                  • 1658

                  #9
                  You wanna hit me up on AIM? I need some better 'splaining.

                  I bombed Korea every night.

                  Comment

                  • Digitalwave
                    is a poseur
                    • Oct 2003
                    • 6280

                    #10
                    Do both side's rub? It could be some terribly bent strut housings.

                    RISING EDGE

                    Let's drive fast and have fun.

                    Comment

                    • nando
                      Moderator
                      • Nov 2003
                      • 34827

                      #11
                      yeah that could be too.. or control arms. I was just assuming that his frame was bent.
                      Build thread

                      Bimmerlabs

                      Comment

                      • Werksmini
                        E30 Mastermind
                        • Oct 2003
                        • 1658

                        #12
                        I know that the frame is bent, you can see a stress ripple in one of those pictures (if they work) There is plenty of space when the car isnt moving but it shifts back when you drive :?
                        note: there was a front end accident and salvage title.

                        I bombed Korea every night.

                        Comment

                        • nando
                          Moderator
                          • Nov 2003
                          • 34827

                          #13
                          okay.. let me get this straight. your strut is moving back when you drive the car? you have another problem then. something is either broken, loose, or completely worn out. there is no way your strut tower should move!! even if the frame is bent, the strut should stay in one posistion.
                          Build thread

                          Bimmerlabs

                          Comment

                          • M3 Ryan
                            Site Sponsor
                            • Oct 2003
                            • 2298

                            #14
                            I had a bent frame like that in a corrado... I worked at a body shop at the time, and we hooked the car up to a tree and used a come-along to pull it out. made the rear quarter panel come right back out again and fixed it pretty well. we had to do some bodywork after that, but it came out nice.
                            for a few hundred dollars I am sure you could have a bodyshop hook up the front and pull the frame out a bit... if you want to fix it cheaply try that, if not it will cost a lot to get it perfect again and will probably not be worth it.
                            '88 M3.2 S54 Lachssilber/Black
                            '07 335i Alpine/Black Sedan
                            '12 X5 3.5i Alpine/Black
                            iS Splitters For Sale, PM ME!
                            sigpic

                            Comment

                            • Werksmini
                              E30 Mastermind
                              • Oct 2003
                              • 1658

                              #15
                              Theres also a ton of negative camber (bottom out) so could this all just be a worn out part waiting to finally just go? Im scared to drive now.

                              I bombed Korea every night.

                              Comment

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