Parts to keep as spares

[Panici]

Right now I have a parts car, but within the next year I will be moving and won't have the space for it anymore.

I'm in the process of parting it out, but I'm wondering what I should be keeping as spares.
E30's are fairly rare around here, there are NONE in the yards, and parts are expensive with the exchange rate.

What parts are worth it for me to pull off and keep as spares? (Ideally small, expensive to replace parts, but have room for bigger stuff if it's worth keeping.)
I plan on keeping my main E30 for life, and I have some room at my parents place to store the parts.


Here's what I plan on pulling (so far):
-Rear popout windows
-Sealed beam headlights & buckets
-Trunk
-Door and side panels (In case I find other seats and want to change interior from houndstooth)
-Fuel filler hose (may need for other car)
-Switches
-Blower motor
-Bumper surrounds
-Windshield?
-Side windows?
-control units? (which ones?)
-Trim bits
-Front window regulators
-Trunk light
-Interior lights
-ETA sensors for manual trans (to use as plugs on other car)
-Door seals



Here is the car in question, although it is more stripped now then pictured: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=318526

[flyboyx]

trans if its a manual, all the engine accessories, fuses, relays, steering rack if its good, perhaps the engine if good.

anything you can think if that is a consumable but has been replaced recently(exhaust maybe)

[rcsoundn1]

"there are NONE in the yards, and parts are expensive with the exchange rate" With that statment, I would say, keep everything you can, thats not already used up. Yea you may not need all of it, but when you do, the insurance is invaluable

[digitalcox]

A few things that I have extra of:

-blower motor
-a straight set of bumper surrounds (for diving boards)
-spare gauge cluster
-fuses, window switches, afm, etc.

[325ix]

I would keep the windshield if possible.

[AndrewBird]

Don't bother keeping the sealed beams. Those can be bought at any auto parts store. They are terrible anyway.

I'm not much for keeping spares if I don't have to. Big items like windows or body panels that aren't wear items I don't see the point in keeping. They aren't hard to come by parts and they won't just fail randomly or possibly never at all.

Blower motor, gauge cluster and fuses/switches/relays are good ideas. I'd keep the water pump, cap and rotor if in good shape and any other part that looks like it was replaced recently.

[Panici]

trans if its a manual, all the engine accessories, fuses, relays, steering rack if its good, perhaps the engine if good.

anything you can think if that is a consumable but has been replaced recently

-Trans is already in the other car (auto to 5-speed swap).
-Most consumables are toast as the car has over 320k KM on it.
-If I do a rack swap to the good car, it's getting something faster, so no need to keep this one.
-Fuses and relays added to list.

"there are NONE in the yards, and parts are expensive with the exchange rate" With that statment, I would say, keep everything you can, thats not already used up. Yea you may not need all of it, but when you do, the insurance is invaluable

-I wish I could keep everything, i'd rather keep the whole car if I could. But since I won't have space, I have to pick and choose, hence this thread!

-blower motor
-a straight set of bumper surrounds (for diving boards)
-spare gauge cluster
-fuses, window switches, afm, etc.

-Added some of that to list.
-Is the 325e and 325i AFM the same?

I would keep the windshield if possible.

-Really?
How much do windshields run?

Don't bother keeping the sealed beams. Those can be bought at any auto parts store. They are terrible anyway.

I'm not much for keeping spares if I don't have to. Big items like windows or body panels that aren't wear items I don't see the point in keeping. They aren't hard to come by parts and they won't just fail randomly or possibly never at all.

Blower motor, gauge cluster and fuses/switches/relays are good ideas. I'd keep the water pump, cap and rotor if in good shape and any other part that looks like it was replaced recently.

-Sealed beams are available, but are $50 each around here. I figure I should hold onto them until I have a chance to convert my main car to projectors.
-I've already replaced the waterpump on my main car, and I wouldn't put in an unknown pump anyways.
-Cap and rotor are toast IIRC.

[slammin.e28]

In general, glass. It's hard to keep, but worth it should something happen.

Various electrical bits....meh....control units sure, but relays and shit....nah, they're cheap and available.

Trim bits, sure. Shit get's dinged up/lost/stolen.

Switches, window, signal, cruise, wiper, etc..yeah.

Blank plates from the dash, ya.

CC unit, control panel....yes.

I mean, really.....anything can be kept, but you have to draw the line. Parting cars sucks. I've tossed so much e30 shit out it's not funny. Some stuff just has no value.

[djjerme]

Big items like windows or body panels that aren't wear items I don't see the point in keeping.

Unless you race - then you always keep a spare set of fenders/doors and maybe a rear quarter patch panel around..

Course, you can still buy all those new.

[Panici]

Various electrical bits....meh....control units sure

Trim bits, sure. Shit get's dinged up/lost/stolen.

Can you elaborate on which control units and trim pieces would be worth keeping?

Unless you race - then you always keep a spare set of fenders/doors and maybe a rear quarter patch panel around..

Course, you can still buy all those new.

No racing for me (although I hope to get to a trackday or two), car is a restomod.

[Kershaw]

E30s

[RoyalW/BlauCheese]

^^ +1

[AndrewBird]

-Sealed beams are available, but are $50 each around here. I figure I should hold onto them until I have a chance to convert my main car to projectors.
-I've already replaced the waterpump on my main car, and I wouldn't put in an unknown pump anyways.
-Cap and rotor are toast IIRC.

$50!?!? They are $11 each here.

Water pump would just be a temporary back-up in case yours went. Sometimes it takes a week to get parts and a used pump would get you by.

[Fsnow]

Yeah I'm pretty sure I've paid 10 or 20 for the sealed beams locally from Napa or canadian tire. I know we get ripped off on most things in Canada but I've never paid anywhere near 50 . Throw the old ones away

[325ix]

In general, glass. It's hard to keep, but worth it should something happen.

Various electrical bits....meh....control units sure, but relays and shit....nah, they're cheap and available.

Trim bits, sure. Shit get's dinged up/lost/stolen.

Switches, window, signal, cruise, wiper, etc..yeah.

Blank plates from the dash, ya.

CC unit, control panel....yes.

I mean, really.....anything can be kept, but you have to draw the line. Parting cars sucks. I've tossed so much e30 shit out it's not funny. Some stuff just has no value.

I said windshield because I was under the impression most replacements are of lower quality than factory BMW and Pitts easier. Is this true?

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