Saved from Purgatory

[Lespaul05]

A few of you probably don't remember this, but almost 7 months ago I posted a thread on here asking whether or not to purchase an 89' 325i that had been doomed to car purgatory, serving an 11 year sentence parked in a driveway in San Rafael, California. It had 147k on the clock.

Well, $2,000 and 7 months later she lives!

Before:





After!







Upgrade List done by PO:
Dinan Chip
Bilstein HD stocks
Eibach Springs
15'' Wheels (Kosei K1)
White Leather M-technic front seats

I've since replaced all vacuum lines, overhauled the cooling system (new hoses, water pump, thermostats, etc...), new timing belt + tensioner, lots of seals and the intake gaskets. I also had the intake manifold hot tanked. It sits on Dunlop DZ102 tires.

I plan on rebuilding the engine with a ETA bottom end and IE reinforced rocker arms on the top end.

[E30 Wagen]

I remember this car, cool to see it saved. Good job!

[blunttech]

Nice save. Its funny ... In that other thread you can tell where people live by their responses. Ca./Az. etc say its not worth it, part it. People in the rust belt would die for a shell like that/. I just shipped a shell from Georgia with no motor, no interior, no bumpers or valance and paid more than you did.

[Lespaul05]

I never understood what the qualms were, the body and frame 100% straight and the engine just needed some life breathed into it. Considering that I'm 18 working part time with school I feel pretty accomplished

[Lespaul05]

Oh in the first pic you can see how the back of the sport seat is falling off in one corner, are there any threads on this?

[rturbo 930]

Nice save. Its funny ... In that other thread you can tell where people live by their responses. Ca./Az. etc say its not worth it, part it. People in the rust belt would die for a shell like that/. I just shipped a shell from Georgia with no motor, no interior, no bumpers or valance and paid more than you did.

I find it amazing the cars that people in California consider "junk". They have no idea how easy they have it.

[Matt341]

nice job man! good to see a perfectly good e30 get saved.

[robrez]

Good save. Interior pics?

[MR 325]

Nice work man! I'm glad to see you bought it and brought it back to life!

If you put some work in to that paint you'd be VERY surprised what kind of shine you can get out of it.

[ANDRÜ]

Nice one!

[e30austin]

That Zinno will clean up very well. Nice find.

[8380 Labs]

Looks super straight, good find and nice work!

[Lespaul05]

These are my best interior pictures, I'll go take some better ones later.







And here are the before pictures, I don't think they work in the original post.

[MR E30 325is]

Hell yeah!

Excellent work. I second investing a little time into polishing the paint. Will make quite the difference.

[adjmcloon]

Yep. Get busy with some dawn, wash it twice, clay bar it, and hit it with a polisher and you'll be amazed.