This was my Christmas present to myself this year. 1986 325e. Picked her up on Christmas Eve of '13. Picked her up for $1700, which I thought was a good deal and still doesn't disappoint me too much until I see all these people talk about picking theirs up for sub 1k with minor issues. The previous owner was a BMW tech though, so everything was in good running order. After a couple weeks the alternator went out on me, but that was an easy fix. Later, I had been planning on chipping it and I popped the DME open just to double check that I'd be ordering the right chip and what do you know? Dinan. ;D :p Other than a couple oil leaks its tip top. Just so you know what to expect, my plans are a 327i Turbo. The 327 part will come a lot sooner than the turbo though.
Here's a couple pictures of how she sat when I bought her:
Two first things I did to the car besides basic maintenance and replacing a couple sensors: 2.25" straight pipe (you can hate on the tip all you want, I saw the tip there and figured I could cut it off if I didn't like it), and I refinished a woodgrain shift knob I found in the junkyard that was chipping and the black shift pattern was faded, as eventually I plan on going with a woodgrain theme inside. Also, ignore the dented bumper. There's two creases on the rear of the car that I'm assuming were a part of the same accident, you'll probably see them later in more pictures. The muffler was also falling off. I have a rear plastic bumper waiting to be fitted, just need another shock and the center trim.
Up next were blacked out kidney grills, and tinted head lights. I had picked some ellipsoids up about a week after I got the car, which I forgot to mention. The highs are laminex, and the lows were Rustoleum tint spray which absolutely killed my light output. I later traded the Rustoleum for some DIY Smoked Hella's.
Around the middle of January I tucked both the front and rear bumper, sadly I don't have any before and after pictures as they were all on my old SD card which corrupted.
I received some wheels as a birthday present at the end of January, Avid1 BBS reps. My grandpa had some tires laying around the shop he works at that a customer ordered and never paid for, so he sold them to me for a hundred bucks which is why they're huge. Again, hate all you want, I just graduated high school and am working with the small income I receive every month. I might as well throw in there that I am in the National Guard and get shipped to Army Basic Training on July 1st. When I return home around December/January there will be many updates to come
.
I needed a roof rack to carry my boards up to the mountain and sadly because of my income I couldn't afford a roof rack. I had the materials to make one, so I figured what the heck? And to be honest, I'm proud of how it turned out regardless of what anyone else thinks. I made/welded/drilled/routed every piece of this. I've used it multiples times without failure. I had a saw steel fairing that I thought looked cool for a little bit, but I decided against it. I have a picture of that, that I'll post later so I don't go out of order on other things but you'll get why I took it off.
Unfortunately, when trying to remove my lenses to perform the DIY Smoked Hella's I cracked a lens. Somehow I stumbled upon Deutchsman's Instagram where he had told a guy he had a few spare sets for sale, and he shipped me out a set, phenomenally packaged if I might add. Light output is so much better, equipped with 6000k HIDs.
Sadly, it was months before I washed and waxed my car, but I was amazed at how big of a difference it made.
This is how she sits now, minus the steel fairing, as I've been gathering parts for my 327i swap.
I do believe I've acquired most of the necessary parts for the swap though. I picked up an 885 head from Farwest92, and had my dad bring up some parts from Fallon, Nevada. For some reason I thought to check on Craigslist there and some guy ended up selling me all the sensors and more for $150. :D
I've got an order of gaskets, spark plug wires, and more coming in from Pelican that should be here Saturday, so I'll be taking the head in soon to get skimmed and checked and then we're off to the races. Currently getting all the parts ready, cleaning, painting, etc. Figured it'd be easier to do it before I get started.
More updates to come in the next few weeks as I hustle to get some things done before I ship off!
Here's a couple pictures of how she sat when I bought her:
Two first things I did to the car besides basic maintenance and replacing a couple sensors: 2.25" straight pipe (you can hate on the tip all you want, I saw the tip there and figured I could cut it off if I didn't like it), and I refinished a woodgrain shift knob I found in the junkyard that was chipping and the black shift pattern was faded, as eventually I plan on going with a woodgrain theme inside. Also, ignore the dented bumper. There's two creases on the rear of the car that I'm assuming were a part of the same accident, you'll probably see them later in more pictures. The muffler was also falling off. I have a rear plastic bumper waiting to be fitted, just need another shock and the center trim.
Up next were blacked out kidney grills, and tinted head lights. I had picked some ellipsoids up about a week after I got the car, which I forgot to mention. The highs are laminex, and the lows were Rustoleum tint spray which absolutely killed my light output. I later traded the Rustoleum for some DIY Smoked Hella's.
Around the middle of January I tucked both the front and rear bumper, sadly I don't have any before and after pictures as they were all on my old SD card which corrupted.
I received some wheels as a birthday present at the end of January, Avid1 BBS reps. My grandpa had some tires laying around the shop he works at that a customer ordered and never paid for, so he sold them to me for a hundred bucks which is why they're huge. Again, hate all you want, I just graduated high school and am working with the small income I receive every month. I might as well throw in there that I am in the National Guard and get shipped to Army Basic Training on July 1st. When I return home around December/January there will be many updates to come
.I needed a roof rack to carry my boards up to the mountain and sadly because of my income I couldn't afford a roof rack. I had the materials to make one, so I figured what the heck? And to be honest, I'm proud of how it turned out regardless of what anyone else thinks. I made/welded/drilled/routed every piece of this. I've used it multiples times without failure. I had a saw steel fairing that I thought looked cool for a little bit, but I decided against it. I have a picture of that, that I'll post later so I don't go out of order on other things but you'll get why I took it off.
Unfortunately, when trying to remove my lenses to perform the DIY Smoked Hella's I cracked a lens. Somehow I stumbled upon Deutchsman's Instagram where he had told a guy he had a few spare sets for sale, and he shipped me out a set, phenomenally packaged if I might add. Light output is so much better, equipped with 6000k HIDs.
Sadly, it was months before I washed and waxed my car, but I was amazed at how big of a difference it made.
This is how she sits now, minus the steel fairing, as I've been gathering parts for my 327i swap.
I do believe I've acquired most of the necessary parts for the swap though. I picked up an 885 head from Farwest92, and had my dad bring up some parts from Fallon, Nevada. For some reason I thought to check on Craigslist there and some guy ended up selling me all the sensors and more for $150. :D
I've got an order of gaskets, spark plug wires, and more coming in from Pelican that should be here Saturday, so I'll be taking the head in soon to get skimmed and checked and then we're off to the races. Currently getting all the parts ready, cleaning, painting, etc. Figured it'd be easier to do it before I get started.
More updates to come in the next few weeks as I hustle to get some things done before I ship off!
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