Here's the newest Daily Driver

[ck_taft325is]

Updated: Pictures on the second page of the whole car.


Here's finally one of the daily driver... a bit more work to do, but it's getting there! Driving it's a dream. I enjoy the little M42 for daily floggings. Plenty of get'up and great in the turns.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Cute. I want one.

[graphikg]

Super clean. Any of the rest of the car?

[ck_taft325is]

Super clean. Any of the rest of the car?

Thanks, man. I'll get some more of the rest of the car once I finishing sorting out the previous owners mono trim paint job. Also dealing with a spacer issue on a set of Rota GT3's I'm running until summer. Will also get some interior shots.

What I've already done with the car...
-MarkD 93 Octane Chip
-"Medusa" hoses under the intake are rerouted
-Thermostat replacement
-ICV replacement
-Timing Case Profile Gasket
-Timing guides
-Timing chain
-New Alternator
-New PS Pump
-Lower oil pan while checking the upper oil pan bolts
-Control arms
-Solid M3 offset CABs
-Tie-rod assemblies
-Steering rack replacement
-H&R Race Springs
-Billie Sports
-Stock exhaust replacement
-Euro "Smiley" Ellipsoids
-55w DDM 6000k HID lows
-3.73 LSD
-Poly Diff. mount
-Z3 1.9 SSK w/Lighted "M" 5 Speed pattern leather shift knob


It's a great little daily driver for sure. Plans are to get some GC Camber plates up front to close the gap a tiny bit on the front wheels, flush the diff., deal with the troubled rust areas and finish up a good thorough clean on the interior. Have to replace a few bulbs here and there, but over all I'm happy with it. Never thought I'd enjoy the M42 as much as I do.

[E30Pedia]

Clean as hell! :up:

[JT325is]

Clean car. Keep it up!

[Hyelifecl]

Clean. Looks great.

[JJe30]

The front end looks clean.

[nickpdx]

Nice! Looks really clean already. :)

[ck_taft325is]

Nice! Looks really clean already. :)

Thanks! The weathers permitting so I'll finish up re-spraying the trim. Had some bleed through on the side rub strips, so a bit of cleaning off is in order.

The paint is fairly fresh all around. Was re-sprayed about 6 months ago, give or take. It was the perfect daily driver paint job. About 8/10's done right, but there's a few blemishes they didn't work out pre-paint. Stupid on their part, but I'm kind of glad because while it means it's not pristine, it means it's not pristine ;)

[Simon S]

Very nice. Some days – it’s like this site should be called 318isUnlimited.com..

Great job with the list of things you’ve done – how are you liking the 3.73?

[ck_taft325is]

Very nice. Some days – it’s like this site should be called 318isUnlimited.com..

Great job with the list of things you’ve done – how are you liking the 3.73?

Love it. IMO it's perfect for DD duties. Great gear's for the power curve, which as most 318is owners know is almost mandatory to properly flog the M42 and on the freeway I'm not over 4,000 rpm. I still pull an average 30mpg. I don't drive like a track star, but I'm definitely "enthusiastic" ;)

I figure wear and maintenance before the asthetics. Although, I wont lie, I'd love to get some matching wheels and tires under her. I've had a pain in the ass time trying to get 3 different sets of rims to work as well as the little bottle caps I'm sporting on the front. When I bought it, it had Sportmaxx 002's on it, which where nice and all, but I wasn't really into the 195's on 8 inch wide wheels with my wife driving it now and again. Traded those for some Rota GT3's that came with 1/2 inch spacers and longer lugs, but of course, one of the GT3's has a different center bore, so to get the spacer to work, the PO planed the damn thing flat (no lip for the center bore) and it made the car pull and shake while driving with it... how hard do you think it'll be to find a half inch spacer with that exact center bore? ;)

[robrez]

Nice maintenence/mod list. How big a difference was the 3.73? Did it feel sluggish at first? I've wondered if swapping in a 3.91 LSD would make it even better on gas, without much loss in performance.

[ck_taft325is]

A 3.91 LSD would be closer ratio's in gas and performance to a 4.10 LSD ;)

Now a 2.93 (?) that I have in my '84 325e in the garage (project) would definately be sluggish, but give stellar gas mileage I imagine. There's a 3.23 LSD I believe also. Don't take my word for it though, I've probably got the numbers all mixed up in my head. I'm on single parent duty while my wife's out for a much needed relax so, check those numbers before you quote ;)

I did notice a difference in the 3.73. Like I said, it's a huge difference in the turns and what gear you have to be in. I live on the top of a huuuuge hill (Nearly 750 ft. elevation change from the Valley to my house) with a steep grade. I can make it all the way to the top in 4th, where as my neighbor ('95 Honda Accord V6 V-Tec) says he has too down shift into 2nd gear...

[SDE30]

really clean. looks fresh