Things are a changin'

[mikeedler]

Well, this year in middle of everything that is going on (building my mancave), I decided it would be a good year to finally register the M3. The M tech II car has an expired registration and would be a ton of work to get back on the road (5 lug swap and such) The last time the M3 was registered and "legally" on the road was in 1994. Since then I have only driven the car on temp- or dealer tags a few times a year, sometimes not at all for a few years.

So to get it back on the road it has to pass the lovely TÜV over here, so a few things need to be changed.

to get the car to pass, I need to:
Install a "legal" suspension
Install original wheels, since BBS RS were never officially allowed on the E30 M3 (only the 850 and the E34 M5)
Install original mirrors (no legalization paperwork for original DTM mirrors)
Install original taillights (or add reflectors to the rear of the car)
Install a muffler that doesn't wake up the entire town when the car is started
and finally hope I can bribe/beg him on all the small things that aren't original (evo II/III parts)

on to the pics



holy fender gap!!!!!!







and a quick snap of my daily turd e39. (actually the older I get, the more I don't hate it)

[Farbin Kaiber]

And I find myself wanting to ask if those are solar panels on the roof of the garage.



Damn, car looks great, even "stocker" out.

[mikeedler]

sure is. Just got the 19.2kWp up there yesterday! just tryin to do my part to save da world! Covered the entire 1500sq. ft. roof.

[weew379]

sure is. Just got the 19.2kWp up there yesterday! just tryin to do my part to save da world! Covered the entire 1500sq. ft. roof.

[ButtJuice]

Nice car, nice house, but Germany is a stickler on your m3!

[PaladinReed]

That space is incredible. Are the outfitting details a secret? I want to know how what the layout is going to be.

[deutschman]

Oh man I miss Germany! What part do you live in? I was born in Marburg and lived in Butzbach for a while.

[mikeedler]

there really aren't many details. I only have so much money to invest in the whole project, and also need to store 4 cars. There will be a few lifts so I can "stack" the cars, and try to use as much space as a shop as possible. I will be turning some of the carport on the right side into a storage garage for parts. Money spends really FAST over here, so hopefully I don't run out before it comes to the interior- and I still need to do the driveway

I live in Bamberg kinda south, about 35 miles North of Nurnberg.

[Bimmerista]

After the changes to make the car legal, the mods you had before could "coincidentally" find their way back to the car, right?

[word is bond]

I'm not old, and that e39 looks great. Also love the e46 wagon...
Definitely in for more hennarot, and more of the garage.

[ButtJuice]

After the changes to make the car legal, the mods you had before could "coincidentally" find their way back to the car, right?

Haha, they better.

[MR 325]

It's amazing how great it still looks in "stock" form. Love your car Mike!

[MattAvino]

Why such a strict inspection?

[wazzu70]

Why such a strict inspection?

Because Germans are anal about everything. That, and they dont want a ton of heaps on the road like the US!

You aren't allowed to drive cars that are "patched upenough to drive" after a collision either from what I have read.

Mike, the car looks fantastic as always and I dig the shop with the solar power. Are you German, are you there for military or did you emigrate? Just curious :)

[mikeedler]

Because Germans are anal about everything. That, and they dont want a ton of heaps on the road like the US!

You aren't allowed to drive cars that are "patched upenough to drive" after a collision either from what I have read.

Mike, the car looks fantastic as always and I dig the shop with the solar power. Are you German, are you there for military or did you emigrate? Just curious :)

all true.

I'm American, came over here single in the Army in 1994, met my German wife, was in the Army until 2000. Then worked for Lockheed Martin for the military until 2005, got tired of that and went to school for BMW and work at a dealership over here.

and yes, all the parts will go back on the car once it is TÜVed, not legal, but whatever.