1985 325e White M3 Rep

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  • OttoB
    Noobie
    • Nov 2025
    • 9

    #1

    1985 325e White M3 Rep

    Hello, everyone...

    I have owned a few BMW's over the years, including an '81 Euro 635 CSi Alpina clone (when I was in law school in the mid 1990's, and sold it when graduated after running out of money, to then re-buy it a year later), replaced by a 2.8 Z3 Coupe from 2003-2005, a really nicely modified 850 from 2013-2017, as well as a well-known, white e28 Alpina B9 3.5 Tribute from 2016-2018.

    But, maybe time has gotten to me and/or I am old-fashioned... Why? Because forums for me have always been a valuable and important source of information, support, and camaraderie not otherwise obtained via friends/enthusiasts/or significant others - ya know? But with social media and apparently, there being a Facebook group for any conceivable, imaginable anything - then the way individuals either seek or obtain information has certainly changed over the past decade. I have written in forums about builds involving a few of my cars over the years and still do on Pelican, AlfaBB, and FChat.

    This past summer, I joined the M3 Replica FB group despite me not really sharing anything publicly or privately with my profile - which was meant for a dating app 10 years ago to verify me. I am a private individual and for me - ignorance is bliss where I don't really want to know where anyone is, with whom, what they are eating, or how cool or awesome their life is! But, I did recognize that if I wanted to perhaps squeeze a few bucks to get something not terribly pricey like an M3 rep, that there was no other alternative but to put a Want Ad there. After reaching out to both admins at the group, I left the group as my ad had not been approved for something absurd like 2 weeks+. It was eventually posted and I did get notified about individuals selling cars overseas (I specifically had only inquired about those in the US) and/or builds with no a/c which coincidentally again - I had specifically required that any suitable rep have one working. I went ahead and got another car instead at that junction but... the lure to get back to the BMW fold was never too far away, ya know? Once something gets in your head, it is offly hard - if not impossible - to completely shut down that inner voice which inevitably, gets all of us in trouble ;)

    Fast forward 2 Sundays ago, and I won the BAT listing of the white 1985 Euro 325e with an M3 FG kit on it. I expect to have many questions and issues - and, I will eventually document more information about the car as well as possible upgrades. I certainly do not want to go to FB for that.. The car is meant for me to eventually hand it over to my son in a few years, with sparse use between now and then as I have a few other rides that I am incredibly fortunate to own and - none of them will be 'handed over' to him.... This first post is meant as an intro and more information to be shared down the road. At the moment, the car has not yet been picked up from OR despite BAT Shipping having gotten paid over a week ago!

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  • patrick88m3
    Noobie
    • Nov 2025
    • 6

    #2
    Welcome

    Comment

    • e30m3s54turbo
      No R3VLimiter
      • Jun 2010
      • 3203

      #3
      Good intro…
      Projects Hartge,Alpina & AC Schnitzer Builds.http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=280601
      http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=227993
      http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=289362

      DSC04926 by Raul Salinas, on FlickrDSC03413 by Raul Salinas, on Flickr

      Comment

      • 82eye
        E30 Mastermind
        • Jan 2009
        • 1903

        #4
        looks good for a rep. hope you have fun with it.

        Comment

        • 2mAn
          Señior Mod
          • Aug 2010
          • 20138

          #5
          Welcome OttoB I was watching that auction closely and thought it was going to be a steal, but I still feel its a good deal... at one point I was day dreaming about buying the Rep AND the 2.7L S14 that sold a few minutes later and having a proper replica that could be driven the way these were meant to be driven.

          Excited to see how this shakes out. The 84/85 cars are a bit lighter so Im very curious where this ended up with the Fiberglass kit.

          Lets see some of the other cars!

          Also... I feel this at my core.
          Originally posted by OttoB
          Once something gets in your head, it is offly hard - if not impossible - to completely shut down that inner voice which inevitably, gets all of us in trouble ;)
          Simon
          Current Cars:
          -1966 Lotus Elan
          -1986 German Car
          -2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

          Make R3V Great Again -2020

          Comment

          • patrick88m3
            Noobie
            • Nov 2025
            • 6

            #6
            Originally posted by 2mAn
            Welcome OttoB I was watching that auction closely and thought it was going to be a steal, but I still feel its a good deal... at one point I was day dreaming about buying the Rep AND the 2.7L S14 that sold a few minutes later and having a proper replica that could be driven the way these were meant to be driven.

            Excited to see how this shakes out. The 84/85 cars are a bit lighter so Im very curious where this ended up with the Fiberglass kit.

            Lets see some of the other cars!

            Also... I feel this at my core.
            That 2.7 sold cheap. Looks like S14 prices are coming down. Wish the cost to build one would too.

            Comment

            • OttoB
              Noobie
              • Nov 2025
              • 9

              #7
              Prior cars... loved them all!!!

              The 1981 635CSi is the only car I have sold and, once I got to work 'professionally' after school - bought it back from the same mechanic that got it from me. He installed a Euro 735i engine along with some Stahl headers I had collected - the car actually was super nice and loved every minute of it!

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              This Z3 represented for decades, the newest 'used' car I had ever owned, at 3 years or so with an extended warranty on it - it was from 1999 and had a cool red leather interior, and it was a head turner for sure!

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              This 850 - I went to town on it... Alpina style hood, CSi bodykit including mirrors, rear diff swap to 3.91, Bilsteins/H&R's, Momo, Alpine, etc. Overheated and I knew I could and should have stopped, but... sold it as a non-running car. I spent more money on that 850 for maintenance, than 2-3 of my other cars at the time, combined (including a 1991 911 Turbo, btw)! But boy, was it great looking!

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              And then this one - 'Manofied' but God, was it poorly built. It never ran more than 3 weeks at a time even though I spent a sh*t ton I didnt' even have, just to chase the dream of owning one. I sold it to a 'buddy' who then sank another $4-$5K to make it run right, he sold it to someone else, who then had RMC Miami sell it (YouTube has a killer video of the car being put on its paces by RMC), and last I heard from the present owner, he had not started it in 1.5-2 years because he too couldn't get it to run right. I - however, did all the changes to it with the Euro lights, GTS Scheel head rests, gauge pod, exposed wheels, badges, M30 B35 Alpina engine valve cover, and 20 odd more things.

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              Last edited by OttoB; 11-11-2025, 05:54 PM.

              Comment

              • OttoB
                Noobie
                • Nov 2025
                • 9

                #8
                2 more pics as I didn't know the limit was 5 per post:

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                • OttoB
                  Noobie
                  • Nov 2025
                  • 9

                  #9
                  Thank you for the warm welcome, good wishes, and thoughts! I have a handful of other cars that have needs and, because I was in school for a long-*ss time, came out of it with debt and worked 60+ hour weeks for years afterwards - I am a checkbook mechanic, ok? Just throwing that out there although I have been able to fend for myself just fine these past few years. Today now marks the 4th active, different build thread for 4 of my cars - of which, this BMW would be the 3rd 'new' car out of a few others that I have all bought since last year. After falling flat on my face with a divorce and some bad business dealings with 'partners' on more than one occasion - I have learned to never take anything for granted. And, learned to be resilient while maintaining faith, hope, and being patient- which is damn impossible to do at times because life has a funny way of changing things up without you wanting them to. So, if something happens to me/my health/my finances again, at least I know I will go out with a B-A-N-G, ya know!?!

                  Comment

                  • 82eye
                    E30 Mastermind
                    • Jan 2009
                    • 1903

                    #10
                    nice cars.
                    sucks how you got run over by the shitty business dealings and ex.

                    the forum is mostly diy focused but everyone has to know their skill level and where and how to spend or use the resources they have. there's loads of guys who just do simple maintenance stuff and get anything more involved handled by professionals.

                    nothing wrong with knowing your limits. 90% of all projects disappear into a wisp of smoke because they didn't.

                    Comment

                    • 2mAn
                      Señior Mod
                      • Aug 2010
                      • 20138

                      #11
                      Dont trip Otto, theres some check writers here too...

                      We are all just fans of E30s, BMWs and cars in general...

                      Sh!t there are people here who own boats and no E30s... we're an odd bunch here.
                      Simon
                      Current Cars:
                      -1966 Lotus Elan
                      -1986 German Car
                      -2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

                      Make R3V Great Again -2020

                      Comment

                      • OttoB
                        Noobie
                        • Nov 2025
                        • 9

                        #12
                        Not tripping in the least... I am an old hand at taking many of my personal cars, and with enough patience, resources, time and perseverance - turning them into quite something else... All me - just not fabricating, welding, sanding, assembling, etc. So - no, I am not a rookie in the least bit and have gotten some other cars done up without complaints for my use and not resale, YouTube, TikTok fame, FB, etc. Below are how some of them turned out, and quite a considerable contrast to how they started. For this e30 - I am not sure yet, but my Amex is taking a beating on the 914, the GTV-6, and the other ones also. So, I will tread lightly for now folks! I do appreciate the immense, awesome welcome from you and will be updating this thread as time allows (and the car arrives?) and, and, and :)



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                        • 2mAn
                          Señior Mod
                          • Aug 2010
                          • 20138

                          #13
                          Oh yes... you're in the right place.

                          LMK when your AMEX is ready and I will 'help' you
                          Simon
                          Current Cars:
                          -1966 Lotus Elan
                          -1986 German Car
                          -2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

                          Make R3V Great Again -2020

                          Comment

                          • 82eye
                            E30 Mastermind
                            • Jan 2009
                            • 1903

                            #14
                            you haven't driven this e30 yet, right?
                            you're definitely not keeping that e car drive line stock for long ... 😂

                            Comment

                            • OttoB
                              Noobie
                              • Nov 2025
                              • 9

                              #15
                              Yeah… been researching on how to make it run more, ahem - robust - and will count on the tried, true, experience and wisdom of you all to help me figure it out! I have questions but, in due time.

                              BAT still hasn’t found someone to transport it 😕

                              Comment

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