'88 Cirrus M30B35 sedan

[lukeADE335i]

Hi all

with the recent thread in the general forum on the lack of M30B35 swaps lately, I thought I'd post up a Members Rides thread on my car. My car started out as a clean two owner '88 320i automatic, but now runs an M30B35 manual. I completed the swap in May last year, which took me around 6 weeks from ripping out the M20 & auto trans. The engine and gearbox were in the bay within about 2 hours of getting the M20 out, but tidying everything up took a bit longer than expected. I've owned the car for close to 5 years now. If you're interested in some build shots of the engine swap, I found an old post from another forum from back in 2012 in 2019, so reposted it here for longevity.

Some pics from today (2013)... if you can't tell from the wattles & gum trees in the background, I'm in Australia.





Edit: Updated pic from (2014)...



And the obligatory engine shots (I've replaced the under-bonnet sound deadening since the first photo!)




Anyway - going for the total sleeper style (OEM+ I guess given the ride height!)

I had an iS lip on it, but after knocking it off on many driveways, I'm going back to the stock lip.

Stats:

Engine / driveline

M30B35
Miller MAF kit with 98RON chip
e30.de mounts
M10 Getrag 240
Australian Clutch Service HD organic clutch and uprated pressure plate
320i manual tailshaft
3.25 LSD diff
2.5 inch sport exhaust with hi-flow cat

Suspension / Wheels
Eibach Pro Kit springs / Bilstein Sport
Noltec Adjustable Strut tops & offset CABs
RG Alpina reps - 16 x 7 - 205/50 R16s (Yokohama A.Drive R1 tyres)

Interior
Indigo - with Recaro LXBs.
M-Tech 2 steering wheel & gear knob

[Link]

I like this, real simple and clean. Maybe a more OEM looking wheel would help finish her.

[SSE30]

Sweet.

Great engine for an E30.

[navytapaul]

This is exactly why I want a sedan

[lukeADE335i]

I like this, real simple and clean. Maybe a more OEM looking wheel would help finish her.

Yeah - I'm not real keen on the wheels either, but they were free with new tyres, so I'm just running them until I wear the tyres out. I have the original 14 inch weaves still.

The upshot of the 5 spokes is they are incredibly easy to clean vs. a set of style 5s :)

To give a subtle hint of what's under the bonnet, I think a set of 16 inch Alpinas or Hartges might be the go in the future.

Here's the car around 18 months ago when I'd just completed the swap & done the suspension.

[ScHpAnKy]

I actually think the Type H's look good on e30s, although the fitment is poor in this instance

[DIIRTY-30]

Better than cracking pans driving on dirt roads...

Function > Form in this case

[lukeADE335i]

Too true - just looked at some web pics of e30s slammed on Type H rims and I don't mind them actually. I just can't run that low & have anything under the car live where I need to drive.

The cat is the lowest part of my car. The sump on the m30 is actually not too bad - they don't hang down as low as the M42 and M50.

[ELVA164]

This is probably what my car dreams about being. Very nice!

[lukeADE335i]

Thanks everyone for the kind words!

[Chico335i]

Nice car, looks much better with the style 5, congratulations it looks great!

[marshallnoise]

So clean!

[lukeADE335i]

Nice car, looks much better with the style 5, congratulations it looks great!

Thanks - next time I need tyres, the style 5s will be going back on :)

[shaferbm]

I think the 5 spokes look great on there. Just toss a lowly i lip on there, fix the fogs and it will be perfection. oem+ is the way!

[Nick_S]

I don't mind the wheels. Nice and clean little sleeper. The M30 looks right at home in there.