Replace and E30 with an R53? bad idea?

[Victell]

Strategic sound deadening is very beneficial and not super heavy.

This sounds like something you have experience with. Not to threadjack but can you share where on the car you'd put what? (closed-cell foam, MLV, melamine foam, etc)

[SOneThreeCoupe]

I've now used it a couple times on some of my custom client builds.

CLD goes everywhere. 25% coverage or less, depending on panel strength and size. It insulates heat as well, so it can be used in larger coverage percentages for that reason.

Closed-cell foam is the "gasket" between MLV and the sheet metal. It decouples but doesn't serve much purpose other than being the gasket. It can be used to stop rattles in panels.

The MLV is your limp mass. It's used on the rear bulkhead, the rear parcel tray, on the doors, behind the quarter upholstery, on the floors, and on the firewall. You don't really want it to touch parts of the car (top or bottom), which is why it's applied over the closed-cell foam. It works very well in the trunk.

Melamine foam helps cut reflection. It works in the pressings of the door, in the C pillars, lining the roof, lining the trunk lid, filling voids in trim panels, etc. The thicker you can get it, the better it works.

At some point in time, I'll be doing the trunk of my E36 with a before/after decibel meter test.

[AudioNToxication]

I own both, R53s are great cars but the parts are more money and they have their own pitfalls, some of them are not cheap to fix, like the crank damper failing is 300 for just the part.
They are fun with a header/cam/tune/supercharger pulley but to get there and have a reasonably sorted suspension and motor is not really cheap.

[herbie]

Thanks for the responses. I’m keeping the e30.

My brother had a MCS JCW a few years ago and we went for a short drive in my e30 yesterday. He said the e30 is so much more fun, and much quicker. He said his opinion is that his MCS is nothing compared to the gutted e30 in terms of smiles per gallon. I’ll just keep enjoying the car for what it really is.