Universally Accepted E30 Modifications

[ELVA164]

Alllllll of the zipties

Only Genuine BMW metric zipties.

Anything that the old bmw specialists made, like dinan strut braces, alpina engine, zender and hartge stuff

While I personally agree, there are probably a decent number of people who consider bodykits and stuff to take away from the car's originality.

[graveshaker]

E36 steering rack
Bilstein struts
H&R springs
rear shock mounts
Smileys
M-Tech anything
ZHP shift knob
Limited Slip Diff
BBS RS/RA/weaves
Period Recaro seats
IS Lips, spoilers etc

That is about all that I can think of that is more or less accepted among the E30 purists.

These are all great modifications. However, I was never a fan of the M-Tech stuff.

[mr2peak]

Only Genuine BMW metric zipties.

While I personally agree, there are probably a decent number of people who consider bodykits and stuff to take away from the car's originality.

That's what I was getting it, things that don't detract from the car's originality. While the old tuner stuff can definitely add to a car it does change what it is when you install a full kit.

I'd also like to add Chassis reinforcement plates, and strut tower bars to the list. I think they are only a benifit with no downsides. Even your grandma can drive a car with reinforced sway mount points and a strut tower bar without it affecting her experience.

[DER E30]

Welding/reinforcement of the engine mount plates on the subframe.
Smily retrofit with mini H1.6 projectors, a HUGE difference from euro projectors.
http://squared-motorwerks.myshopify.com/

[Cabriolet]

E36 steering rack
Bilstein struts (disagree, koni's are better)
H&R springs
rear shock mounts (disagree, when installed correctly there is 0 issue)
Smileys
M-Tech anything
ZHP shift knob
Limited Slip Diff
BBS RS/RA/weaves
Period Recaro seats (disagree, stock sport seats or gtfo)
IS Lips, spoilers etc

Eric's Best high quality E30 Mods

IE long tube headers
Schrick 272 or 284/272 cam
Stromung / IE cat back
Best cat????
UUC short shift
Massive BBK > UUC big brake kit
Mark D chip
Koni Yellows
H&R race or GC coilovers
3.73 LSD
370mm M-tech II steering wheel
Hella Smoked Smileys +55W hids
BBS RS 16x8, Borbet B’s 16x7.5
M3 seats
German Audio Specialties, Luke 10” box
Mason engineering strut bar
M30 AFM
ARP studs
THR CABs or GC mono-ball CABs
AKG poly mounts
MHW smoked Tail lights or custom All red tail lights?
MHW front smoked turn signal lenses
Euro trim
IS skirts
m-tech I trunk spoiler
George Graves interior light mod dimmer thingy
IS maplight mirror
e46 center console with armrest (or use e36, e46 armrest with e30 console)
Deadpedal (Massive? or Mtech2?)
Z3 power-steering rack
OEM moonroof
complete large toolkit with panel
Vorshlag camber plate
best sway bars UUC/Turner/IE/ac schnitzer
RaceSkids - skid plate

[mr2peak]

Lots of those are great mods, but things like Vorshlag camber plates are a bit much on a street car, they are solid mount and belong on a more focused car. Non-stock sway bars also change the fundemental driving characteristics of an E30. AKG mounts, depending on the material chosen, are not always superior to new stock BMW bushings. Smoked lights are also personal preference type of thing. Does an M30 AFM really improve an otherwise stock motor?

Skid plate and under-bracing on a vert are great things I'd say.

[ELVA164]

There's a lot on that list that would definitely not be universally accepted. I mean, a stock E36 rack is a much better item for daily driving, especially on the highway. And smoked taillights are definitely not universally accepted. I'm also pretty sure not everyone (or most people) needs a BBK of any sort. Lots of good stuff there, though.

[mr2peak]

This is the list so far, let me know if anything should be excluded. I've excluded everything that has been objected to by anyone so far in the thread.

Upgraded rear strut mounts
Lighting lumen upgrade that maintains stock appearance
LSD that maintains the as-delivered ratio
Any Euro part
Bilstein HD's
Slightly faster steering racks
Period correct +1 or +2 wheels
Cupholders
Sport seats in place of comfort seats
Period correct Recaro's or equivalent
Maplight Mirror
Premium Sound System
Clutch Stop
UUC DSSR or equivalent
Heated Seats
Period Tuner parts (as long as they don't significantly alter the character or the car)
Strut Brace (preferably period correct)
Reinforcements for Chassis Longevity: Subframe, engine mount, sway bar, strut towers, underbody brace.


I'm split on the engine modifications side of things. While a mild cam upgrade is nice as is the 415 injector upgrade, I don't want to include anything on this list that would exclude you from or bump you up a class in a Classic/Historic car race/rally. I'm not sure if these are acceptable?

[econti]

Change it to just any faster steering rack, not necessarily E36

[ELVA164]

I'm split on the engine modifications side of things. While a mild cam upgrade is nice as is the 415 injector upgrade, I don't want to include anything on this list that would exclude you from or bump you up a class in a Classic/Historic car race/rally. I'm not sure if these are acceptable?

The main benefit of the 415 injectors is efficiency, really. I can't say how it would affect historic racing but I can tell you the motors in the cars we work on have much larger modifications than a bit of jetting adjustment on the carbs ;)

Change it to just any faster steering rack, not necessarily E36

Some of them are really too fast to be comfortable for some people in daily service, at least from what I've read.

[Hooffenstein HD]

LS Juan and manuel trans.

[mr2peak]

Some of them are really too fast to be comfortable for some people in daily service, at least from what I've read.

The Z3 1.9L rack is the quickest, and that's why a rack swap might not be acceptable for all drivers. I found it twitchy but fun, both from my experience driving Deutschman's E30 and my past MR2 with a Quaife 2.7 rack.

Engine mods really have me stumped. I'd love to have an E30 with a 3.1L stroker, but there are sooo many variables it becomes impossible to make a call. I think engine mods should be left out of this, 415 injectors included.

[Hooffenstein HD]

Some of them are really too fast to be comfortable for some people in daily service, at least from what I've read.

I don't buy that theory at all. Hairdressers drive MX5/Miatas and the Z3 1.9 and they have very short ratio racks.

[roguetoaster]

Going all Max Reisböck on your sedan.

[mr2peak]

I don't buy that theory at all. Hairdressers drive MX5/Miatas and the Z3 1.9 and they have very short ratio racks.

Yes, but those are decidedly sports cars, and the people buying them expect that, unlike the expectations for a sedan. The M3 was built with a slower rack for a reason.

Going all Max Reisböck on your sedan.

Ha. Maybe I should chop out the trunk on my vert and make a 6 seater?