The Ultimate Restoration

[reelizmpro]

Amazing job sir. I'd be scared to put it out on the street after all that work.

[thealbert]

Amazing job sir. I'd be scared to put it out on the street after all that work.

haha thanks! Indeed! I actually find myself driving the car less than before! I'm scared to get it dirty!:D

[thealbert]

Update: Auto haters no more!

The transformation is done!

BEFORE transmission swap.


AFTER transmission swap.




Still need to get that step down switch for the gas pedal removed though and next up, new floor mats!

More on the car's build here: http://www.bmwcarclub.org.ph/forum/s...ead.php?t=5866

[audiquattrot]

Awesome! Swapping mine was the best decision I made...I bet it made u fAll in love w the car all over again

[Raxe]

Great work!

[freeride53]

congrats on your new car enjoy it :up:

[thealbert]

Awesome! Swapping mine was the best decision I made...I bet it made u fAll in love w the car all over again

Indeed! It drives so different now!! :D:D:D I should have done this sooner!

[Killacortes]

Pinoy pride what?!

[delatlanta1281]

Amazing build! As someone who owns an 87IS, I don't want to sound like I am challenging your judgement, but why go with an mtech1 kit instead of leaving the stock front spoiler and just adding the period correct "IS" side skirts? You mention multiple times that you wanted to keep and restore this car back to it's "original" form. That form is a 1987 325IS "federalized" Why not stick to the body options a federalized 87IS came with instead of making it a euro car?
Let me stress again, this build is awesome, and I love what you did. I am just confused at some of the things you decided to keep as original (valve cover, intake manifold) and the things you changed. I understand I will probably get a beatdown from some R3V members, but I am actually more interested in a truly restored 87IS as they are becomeing increasingly rare in their original forms here in the US. You could have bought a 2 door 325I and done the same thing as in actuality, most of the things an IS came with stock are gone now IE, suspension, sway bars, 3.73lsd when coupled with a stick.... In actuality the only thing this car has retained is the motor, steering wheel, OBC, and badging.
Also, I know this isn't period correct to the 87, but you should look into a maplight rear view mirror. A great subtle mod.
Good job!
Rich
PS, change that coolant res. bottle!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[reelizmpro]

cuz he's in the Phillipines and could care less about US spec bumpers? It's really not a "euro" thing per se...it's more like "rest of world" thing. We have to remind ourselves that only our cars got the ugly ass US spec diving board bumpers (sorry).

[thealbert]

Amazing build! As someone who owns an 87IS, I don't want to sound like I am challenging your judgement, but why go with an mtech1 kit instead of leaving the stock front spoiler and just adding the period correct "IS" side skirts? You mention multiple times that you wanted to keep and restore this car back to it's "original" form. That form is a 1987 325IS "federalized" Why not stick to the body options a federalized 87IS came with instead of making it a euro car?
Let me stress again, this build is awesome, and I love what you did. I am just confused at some of the things you decided to keep as original (valve cover, intake manifold) and the things you changed. I understand I will probably get a beatdown from some R3V members, but I am actually more interested in a truly restored 87IS as they are becomeing increasingly rare in their original forms here in the US. You could have bought a 2 door 325I and done the same thing as in actuality, most of the things an IS came with stock are gone now IE, suspension, sway bars, 3.73lsd when coupled with a stick.... In actuality the only thing this car has retained is the motor, steering wheel, OBC, and badging.
Also, I know this isn't period correct to the 87, but you should look into a maplight rear view mirror. A great subtle mod.
Good job!
Rich
PS, change that coolant res. bottle!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's a very good question and I was seriously debating on whether to use the US IS bumpers or not but in the end, I ultimately settled for the Mtech1 bumpers for a number of reasons. (1) My original IS bumpers were way past their prime and needed to be replaced. Which meant I had to look for a new set out there. But (2) I had a very hard time looking for US IS bumpers in the Philippines. They were impossible to find here. (3) I was able to find a complete and in very good shape set of Mtech 1 bumpers at a price I couldn't pass up. And (4) sorry to say, but I just found the IS bumpers real ugly! haha.. They just didn't accent the car's beautiful design properly unlike how the Mtech1s do, in my opinion.

My IS was also a hand me down from my dad so it's got a bit of sentimental value in terms of keeping it in the garage. Also, in the Philippines, it's not that easy to just go out and buy an E30 like it would be in the states as they were imported with limited quantities. Also purchasing one and shipping it in from the states is also a problem since importation laws prohibit the easy importation of second hand cars. I'm very jealous of the selection of cars you guys have in the US and at the same time, I'm also very jealous of the prices you guys can get your cars at. A decent E30 325i in the Philippines would cost around 8,000 to 9,000 USD and a project 325i car (requiring a bit of work) would still be around $5,000 due to high taxes while I know you should be able to easily get a good project car in the USA for just $2,000 to $2,500 dollars. All that factored in, it just made sense to work on the car I already had in my garage.

Furthermore, over the course of the build/restoration, I figured that if I really wanted to stay original to the car, I would have to paint the car beige again and leave the car an automatic, put back the original bottle cap rims, etc. When all these things considered, the car just didn't have the right appeal for my taste and in the interest of keeping the car...well...interesting to myself, I opted to go for a restoration that stayed original to BMW brand as possible using original BMW parts and have a little fun with it. In other words, it may not be original to the IS model but it was still original to BMW. :)

I have also looked into getting a rear-view mirror with a map light but I'm having a very hard time looking for one here in the Philippines. E30s are fairly rare over here so good surplus parts are hard to find. Though I do intend to put that on my list of things to buy the next time I take the trip to the USA or Europe.

[thealbert]

cuz he's in the Phillipines and could care less about US spec bumpers? It's really not a "euro" thing per se...it's more like "rest of world" thing. We have to remind ourselves that only our cars got the ugly ass US spec diving board bumpers (sorry).

Hahaha... well.. yes... having a US model for a Euro car isn't as much of a novelty as compared to having a Euro model Euro car over here. I suppose maybe it's like buying a good ol' American Ford in Michigan only to find out it is a Mexico or China edition? Haha Don't get me wrong though, I love the Mexicans and the Chinese but if I'm buying a Ford in America, I want it to be American all the way! :-P

[audiquattrot]

Also, in the Philippines, it's not that easy to just go out and buy an E30 like it would be in the states as they were imported with limited quantities. Also purchasing one and shipping it in from the states is also a problem since importation laws prohibit the easy importation of second hand cars.

My cousin that just moved back to PI, just restored an Austin Mini there. The importation laws like you mentioned are difficult. He found one in Japan, and the only way to get it into the Philippines was by cutting the roof off and having it pose as a parts car. Needless to say its' fully restored now, but can't legalize it for the streets! So he can only drive it in his village. lol

[audiquattrot]

ThI have also looked into getting a rear-view mirror with a map light but I'm having a very hard time looking for one here in the Philippines. E30s are fairly rare over here so good surplus parts are hard to find. Though I do intend to put that on my list of things to buy the next time I take the trip to the USA or Europe.

if you and Dennis wanna get a list going of what you guys would want....let me know, and I can prob send you guys out a balikbayan box of stuff from here....including that rear map light which i have sitting at home.

[delatlanta1281]

cuz he's in the Phillipines and could care less about US spec bumpers? It's really not a "euro" thing per se...it's more like "rest of world" thing. We have to remind ourselves that only our cars got the ugly ass US spec diving board bumpers (sorry).

I get that, but with the fairing, and tucked they don't look that bad. Plus US spec cars are rare over there. I guess it doesn't work both ways.... I wish I had that US spec fairing.