***Editors Note: With all the mint (and inevitably, for sale) cars so far this year it only makes sense for me to swing the pendulum the other way and give you some nice, clean long term owner cars that have been driven, bumped and bruised... and me being an early model lover, I give you something I think is quite special. Sexy pics of an early model with euro bumpers, Zenders and rust highlights the beauty and the bruises. Simply put, I love this thing. Congrats to Reichert, you’re the May Car of the Month!!***
Factory options: 1987 325e 5 speed with a sunroof
Color: Lachssilber metallic
Interior color: Blue houndstooth with comfort seats
Engine modifications: Currently a stock M20B25
Exhaust: Bav Auto long tube headers into a single 2.5" custom exhaust with Vibrant resonator and Vibrant muffler
Transmission: Can't quite remember but I think the stock transmission with the E cover so the longer euro throw out bearing was required. Z3 shift lever.
Differential: Stock E diff (and an extreme amount of rust). Poor ratio for use with the B25 engine.
Suspension: H&R race springs with Bilstein sport shocks. Larger front sway bar from IE. Offset M3 CAB. Z3 steering rack.
Wheels: 16x7.5 AC Schnitzer on 225/45 Dunlop Direzza ZII
Exterior modifications: Euro chrome bumpers with Zender replica front valance. Super sweet PlastiDip mod to black out the side door trim. Faded Maryland flag roundel.
Interior modifications: Renown 330mm steering wheel. Condor weighted shift knob. Pioneer headunit and rear speakers.
Story behind the car: I originally picked this car up from an enthusiast outside of Philly in December of 2013 to replace my worse off 86 e30. At that time it was dreadfully stock. The rust was manageable and the clear coat was already slightly faded. As the battery box was already rusted through, the PO added in the metal bar/cage that hold the battery in still to this day. Once I got the car home, I couldn't wait and quickly put on some sportier wheel and the H&R race springs to lower it. I finished college soon after and began making more money to really get the car how I wanted.
After about a year of saving and part buying I had a 2.9 L stroked and bored M20 ready to go in. This was the highlight of the car's life. Sitting at around 200 hp, it was quick and enjoyable. But also full of problems. I constantly fought a stutter problem around 4.5k rpm and it never really ran great for too long. After about a year and 20,000 miles, there seemed to be a knock that put an end to this engine. Looking back, I think it could have been a tune issue but luckily I have saved all the engine parts for a hopeful rebuild one day.
At this point, I decided it was a good idea to go back to school for a PhD. So off to Montana I went, leaving the e30 with a bum engine at my parents house in Maryland. A couple years later, I was settled enough to have a friend swap in the current m20b25 for me. Had my parents pick it up from Guten Parts and my friend swapped it in Maryland. I flew home and untested, drove the car 2,200 miles back to Montana without much issue.
Since then, it has been sparingly driven. Mostly only on nice weather weekends in the summer but still always enjoyable. I finish my PhD in a few months from now, and then it's on to the next stage of the car's life. Not sure where it will go next, but getting a performance m20 back in is high on the priority list.
Factory options: 1987 325e 5 speed with a sunroof
Color: Lachssilber metallic
Interior color: Blue houndstooth with comfort seats
Engine modifications: Currently a stock M20B25
Exhaust: Bav Auto long tube headers into a single 2.5" custom exhaust with Vibrant resonator and Vibrant muffler
Transmission: Can't quite remember but I think the stock transmission with the E cover so the longer euro throw out bearing was required. Z3 shift lever.
Differential: Stock E diff (and an extreme amount of rust). Poor ratio for use with the B25 engine.
Suspension: H&R race springs with Bilstein sport shocks. Larger front sway bar from IE. Offset M3 CAB. Z3 steering rack.
Wheels: 16x7.5 AC Schnitzer on 225/45 Dunlop Direzza ZII
Exterior modifications: Euro chrome bumpers with Zender replica front valance. Super sweet PlastiDip mod to black out the side door trim. Faded Maryland flag roundel.
Interior modifications: Renown 330mm steering wheel. Condor weighted shift knob. Pioneer headunit and rear speakers.
Story behind the car: I originally picked this car up from an enthusiast outside of Philly in December of 2013 to replace my worse off 86 e30. At that time it was dreadfully stock. The rust was manageable and the clear coat was already slightly faded. As the battery box was already rusted through, the PO added in the metal bar/cage that hold the battery in still to this day. Once I got the car home, I couldn't wait and quickly put on some sportier wheel and the H&R race springs to lower it. I finished college soon after and began making more money to really get the car how I wanted.
After about a year of saving and part buying I had a 2.9 L stroked and bored M20 ready to go in. This was the highlight of the car's life. Sitting at around 200 hp, it was quick and enjoyable. But also full of problems. I constantly fought a stutter problem around 4.5k rpm and it never really ran great for too long. After about a year and 20,000 miles, there seemed to be a knock that put an end to this engine. Looking back, I think it could have been a tune issue but luckily I have saved all the engine parts for a hopeful rebuild one day.
At this point, I decided it was a good idea to go back to school for a PhD. So off to Montana I went, leaving the e30 with a bum engine at my parents house in Maryland. A couple years later, I was settled enough to have a friend swap in the current m20b25 for me. Had my parents pick it up from Guten Parts and my friend swapped it in Maryland. I flew home and untested, drove the car 2,200 miles back to Montana without much issue.
Since then, it has been sparingly driven. Mostly only on nice weather weekends in the summer but still always enjoyable. I finish my PhD in a few months from now, and then it's on to the next stage of the car's life. Not sure where it will go next, but getting a performance m20 back in is high on the priority list.
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