'88 Cirrus M30B35 sedan

[lukeADE335i]

Not much action on the e30 front asides from the odd weekend drive. I'm thinking of getting more involved with our local BMW Drivers Club just to get the car out a bit more often.

Took a road trip in the e92 this week along the River Murray with my family & snapped a pic at Lake Bonney. Still getting over 50mpg on the highway



Saw some pretty spectacular wetlands along the way - this is at Banrock Station (also has a rather nice cellar door for the winery there with walking trails around the wetlands).

[moatilliatta]

I lust for a 120d 3 door for a daily.. Its amazing that the E92 gets up to 50MPG!

I think a cirrus 4 door late car will be my next E30. Thanks for sharing and keeping us updated.

Hows the new exhaust mods sound?

[lukeADE335i]

Thanks Moatilliatta. The exhaust mods have quietened the car a bit (my 18 year old self would probably love it). But I'm going to swap the rear muffler from a super turbo style to a chambered / glass packed muffler to finish quietening it down to middle-age appropriate levels :)

The 1 series would be a great daily. If I was in the market for one, I'd go for a 123d if you can find one.

[moatilliatta]

Have you looked at doing a Helmholtz resonator for unwanted drone, Maybe some extra sound deadening?

Diesel 1er in the US is a pipe dream. Whatever that means.

[lukeADE335i]

Ah - I forgot you didn't get the 1 series hatch in the USA. We had a fairly extensive lineup of them down here. Petrols from a 116i through to a 130i and a couple of diesels - 120d and 123d. The 123d had a twin turbo 2.0L diesel with just over 200hp, so 20hp up on my e92.

I did have a look at a Helmholtz resonator at one stage - not quite sure where a J-Pipe would fit on the e30 though, there's not a lot of room.

[lukeADE335i]

Spent the weekend cleaning up the garage to make room for a new project e30.



The new car will be an '84 318i 2-door. Unfinished project, so currently is a rolling shell with no interior, engine or gearbox, but very little rust, new suspension and brakes. First job will be to get it painted (as it's currently Sahara Beige!). Tossing up whether to drop in the 3.5L driveline from my sedan, keep it period correct with a reconditioned 2.3L M20 that I've got, or maybe go for an M42 in keeping with the light weight theme.

Leaning towards fitting the 2-door with an M-Tech 1 kit and going for the full 333i tribute.

e30 test fit

[Tzantushka]

One E30 is never enough.
Can't wait to see the pics.

With your M30 being so reliable I'd be hesitant to touch it.

[lukeADE335i]

I have to admit I am a bit hesitant to pull my sedan apart seeing as it has been very reliable for the past 9 years and I have no idea what gremlins there might be in the body loom on the project car + I'll have to wire the Motronic into the early chassis.

The wiring doesn't bother me too much - I previously converted my e21 323i from mechanical injection to EFI & did my M30 swap on the e30 too so I'm quite familiar with the L-Jet and Motronic systems.

My 2.3L will plug straight in so it is tempting, and it's a high compression dirty engine - ie. non-cat - so given the chassis is an '84 to pass registration I should just need a visual check. If I run a 3.9 or 4.10 diff it will still be entertaining to drive.

I've also been a bit inspired by Hovering guy's efforts with the N52, so may look at that. I really like the 6 speed manual in my e92, but that would push costs up a lot & the e9x wiring is a tougher proposition.

[lukeADE335i]

Spent today checking out the new project car and making sure the parts for it were all there + what I wanted from the parts hoard around the car. The car is an early 318i that has a rusty battery tray but the rest of the car is solid, and it's in bits so will be slow burn project. The colour is worse than I remembered, it's Bahama Beige (think bronzit only worse) so a colour change will definitely be in order! But gotta love a barn find. Will have to make a choice on the engine at some point, but for now the M30 is staying put in the sedan to tow all the parts home :)



Was a beautiful winter's day for it (and not entirely winterly at a sunny 18C where I was).

[QuiqueUy]

the m30 always making work ! that 318 looks solid af !

[zwill23]

E30 pics with a trailer is always a lovely sight, newest acquisition is looking sweet

[moatilliatta]

E30's saving E30's!

[lukeADE335i]

Lol... thanks everyone. I should put a car trailer on the e30, and tow the coupe with the sedan for a photo. That'd definitely be e30s saving e30s

Unfortunately as that would be over the legal GMV, I'm going to have it flat bedded back to my place at some point in the next few weeks.

[BillyRad17]

Nice, dude. Clean car

[lukeADE335i]

Thanks BillyRad.

Went back out to the farm this weekend & pulled the project car out of the shed where it has been the last 10 years and gave it a clean. Getting delivered to my place on Tuesday so I can make a start on it! Decent basis for a project - now the thick layer of dirt is off it, it's clear that it's a solid car with only minor body repairs needed. I'm half inclined to stick with the Bahama Beige, but my wife hates it so I'll need to decide on a colour. May go with cirrusblau as I've always liked my sedan. The ride height is comical with no driveline in it (there isn't even a fuel tank).



Last time it was on the road was 10 years ago:



& the two e30s together Pretty set on dropping the driveline out of the sedan into the coupe to make a 333i or B6 tribute.