My $700 project

[adjmcloon]

Picked up a '90 325i with 149k on it.

The shifter is very sloppy in 2nd and 4th, I am hoping it is linkage and not the tranny. In 2nd and 4th you can move the stick left to right at least 1" if not more. The top gears are a bit tighter but still sloppy.

Check out the pics, pre-rescue. (Serious cleaning, timing belt, distributor, fluids, etc. happening before I get it on the road). It's been sitting about 18 months without being started, and 5 years total. Surprisingly rust free, (original Texas car) from what I could tell.

E30 pics

[Vivek]

Look into your shifter bushings. Garagistic sells delrin ones that should greatly take care of that slop. Moving about half an inch or more at the top of your shifter (depending on the shifter length and specs) is pretty much normal for these cars.

[325i]

$500


New e30 by Nathan Tello, on Flickr

TWINSSS!! ahhaaha

[adjmcloon]

Damn, that looks almost exactly like the one I bought! (after I clean it, lol)

[325i]

Damn, that looks almost exactly like the one I bought! (after I clean it, lol)

yea mine is filthy i havent cleaned it at all. it had been sitting for 3 months

[Cletonius]

yea mine is filthy i havent cleaned it at all. it had been sitting for 3 months

Dude I haven't cleaned my car in a year

[325i]

Dude I haven't cleaned my car in a year

I tend to wash mine every other week (a4) but since i just got the e30 havent gotten around to it.

[Cletonius]

I tend to wash mine every other week (a4) but since i just got the e30 havent gotten around to it.

I used to do that also. Now I just wash it enough to keep the winter nasties off of it. After I get paint I'm sure it will be weekly, buy right now I can't bring myself to get excited about oxidized red.

[adjmcloon]

She's getting better!

Small snag, both the camshaft seal and water pump bolt holes each have one that is cross threaded. So it looks like helicoil or time-sert time? Luckily there's a local tech I can reach out to.



I couldn't stand it, so I also bought this thing last week...what a blast!

[mrbeef612]

how did you do that to the valve cover???

[JinormusJ]

how did you do that to the valve cover???

1. Unbolt Valve cover and intake support bracket
2. Spray valve cover with engine enamel
3. Sand vanity stripes
4. ???????
5. Profit

It's single handedly (besides an engine swap) the most bang for the bucket e30 m20 engine mod that takes years off the engine bay

Did mine in wrinkle black; think it came out nice




Now enough thread jacking; I am a huge proponent of schwarz e30s (primarily because my first one was schwarz and that color just looks so right on e30s). I bought mine for the same exact price (heck, I bought both my e30s for $700 lol). Love back-from-the-dead builds with nasty dirty motors and gross carpets in the interior: seeing before and after pictures is like night and day. It's got major potential, especially being a late model. Looking to see good things in the future :up:

[adjmcloon]

:D

I actually had mine powder coated and cleared, but the rattle can method works too!

I can't wait to get this thing running, it is completely rust free and had been loved previously. There isn't even any oil varnish on the valves! :D

[RoyaLife]

i wish i can find one that cheap! looks better then mine and i paid almost tripple =(

[JinormusJ]

Powder coating holds the best on engine parts, or anything for that matter, but, heh.. This is common knowledge

Glad to see a late model getting some much needed love!