Picked up a 1985 318i

[grippymonkey]

very cool find!

[iamsam]

first thing you should do is convert suspension and brakes to the later style, just swipe trailing arms/hubs and front strut tubes/hubs from a later E30.

Then, you may as well dump $1500 into a good GC coilover setup. Then get some lightweight wheels like Kosei K1s or Tire Rack C1s. Also upgrade to later E30 swaybars (are the 318i swaybars smaller/nonexistent?).

Then you will want more power so start looking for an S50, or even an M50, an M50 will have 100 more hp that you have now.

[Blackout]

Must convert to late body style plastic bumper covers.
Hit the nearest wrecking yard.
Front valance will be easy but rear valance will need to be welded on though...

[MadSci]

will definitely pay a visit to the junkyard

[mikeedler]

I don't like the U.S. bumpers, but being an 85 in that great of shape, I wouldn't touch the body-- leave that stock!
convert the rear brakes to discs- lower it with a decent set of wheels, and maybe a set of matching original BMW sport seats for the interior, done!

[Holland]

thats good to hear man, cant wait to start working on it, got any tips? first things I should do maybe..

Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. Fortunately the M10 isn't an M20, so it needs less attention. All these things everybody is suggesting will come in time. Drive the car and do what you feel should be done. Most of the upgrades are major components, like the brakes, and strut tubes. Contrary to belief, you can still have a nice car without making it a 325. I'm running H&R race, GC camber plates, and Bilstein sport's with the small diameter strut tubes. Rear disc is a very nice upgrade, but don't forget to upgrade the fronts as well since they are solid rotors on your car. LSD again, is a nice upgrade. I'm currently running a 3 clutch 3.73, and it is quite amazing.

To all the people who say "disc brakes, large strut tubes, M50" I ask: Why start with a 318, why not convert a 325, that contains 70 percent of the necessary parts to begin with? I say keep 4 cylinders and make something special.

[MadSci]

Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. Fortunately the M10 isn't an M20, so it needs less attention. All these things everybody is suggesting will come in time. Drive the car and do what you feel should be done. Most of the upgrades are major components, like the brakes, and strut tubes. Contrary to belief, you can still have a nice car without making it a 325. I'm running H&R race, GC camber plates, and Bilstein sport's with the small diameter strut tubes. Rear disc is a very nice upgrade, but don't forget to upgrade the fronts as well since they are solid rotors on your car. LSD again, is a nice upgrade. I'm currently running a 3 clutch 3.73, and it is quite amazing.

To all the people who say "disc brakes, large strut tubes, M50" I ask: Why start with a 318, why not convert a 325, that contains 70 percent of the necessary parts to begin with? I say keep 4 cylinders and make something special.

Thanks for the tips man! right now 4 cylinders is cool with me ha Im just going to enjoy what I have.

[325ix]

Must convert to late body style plastic bumper covers.
Hit the nearest wrecking yard.
Front valance will be easy but rear valance will need to be welded on though...

NO! Don't ever convert to plastics. If you change out the US bumpers, change them for Euro bumpers. I would also say things like Euro headlights and grills would look good.

If you get into the car enough, the M10 makes a great turbo platform. BMW used it in F1.

[Holland]

Euro bumpers are the only way to go IMO.

[e30mybaby]

keep it 4 cyl and swap in m42! thats what im doing! drop it first, there is suspension set ups you can get without swapping your strut tubes!

[Holland]

keep it 4 cyl and swap in m42! thats what im doing! drop it first, there is suspension set ups you can get without swapping your strut tubes!

This is true as I am still running mine, although your choices are limited.

[e30mybaby]

yeah! i plan on swapping mine sometime i just have never gotten around to it.

[Roysneon]

Whatever. I have an 84 318i and it's getting an M50, 5 lug and bumper swap, but mine is in rough shape. I kinda wish I had invested in rebuilding the M10 and turbo-ing it, though.

[MadSci]

Can you guys name some sites I can check out that will have all my e30 needs? thanks

[iamsam]

To all the people who say "disc brakes, large strut tubes, M50" I ask: Why start with a 318, why not convert a 325, that contains 70 percent of the necessary parts to begin with? I say keep 4 cylinders and make something special.

1. Because he does not have a 325, he has a 318.
2. Because the early 318i is an awesome platform, because it is the "simplest" E30 and also the lightest.
3. I agree w/ a below comment on an M42 swap. Do that. That would be bad ass.

Also ditch the power steering, AC (if it has it), and anything else you can spare. Weight is the greatest enemy of a 4 cyl E30.