'88 325i build - plaid and an ITB 2.9L

[Andy.B]

I really like that E32! Have you considered euro bumpers as an option? If I had and a early e30, these would be my choice. And if you are wait long enough and have some coin, you might even find some MT1 bits for a body kit.

A nice, clean and stock look turns my head but that's my option. Nice save from the crusher.

I just finished a plastic bumper swap on my early model, and I love it. However, if I had it to do over again, I would do euro bumpers. I think they look especially good on black cars. If I were you, I would go that route.

It looks like you got a nice car to start with, minus the maintenance issues you already tackled. Welcome to r3v!

[N2MYE30]

I really like that E32! Have you considered euro bumpers as an option? If I had and a early e30, these would be my choice. And if you are wait long enough and have some coin, you might even find some MT1 bits for a body kit.

A nice, clean and stock look turns my head but that's my option. Nice save from the crusher.

[Dakotademon7]

Welcome to the forum.

[HennaE30]

Hello R3V! I am new to the forums here, and have been reading and lurking for a few months now. I have been driving a 1988 735i since i was 15, as it was a hand me down from the family. i don't have many pictures of it but it has 225k miles and was repainted professionally a few months ago.It is completely stock and in my mind fantastic shape for an e32. i also autcrossed it a few times.



About 4 weeks ago I purchased my first car, a 1988 325i 4 door 5 speed.



I was thrilled, but after hte work i put in it, i realized that if someone who didn't really care about it had gotten a hold of it it would be in the crusher. 171k miles on the car, original timing belt, and a 4 inch section of oil pan gasket just gone at the rear.

This is the picture of the day after I purchased it.I put it up on ramps to inspect it some more and looked at the oil leak i discovered before the purchase. I was relatively disappointed to find it was not coming from a loose oil filter as i hoped, but rather from the oil pan gasket at the rear of the engine. I looked it up and realized what i had ahead of me. it would be fun. so i put the car in the back of the garage the next day and up on jackstands, where it was for 2 and a half weeks.



during said time i did a timing belt replacement, and all the accompanying parts listed on te pelican parts website. I then replaced the driveshaft ( the old one had a horrible CSB, and i figured the u-joint was probably sloppy and caused this), and had the instrument cluster repaired. So now, my e30 is mechanically fairly solid.

Here is a picture of my e30 and a friend of mine's tr6. So i thought it would be fun to introduce myself here toe the forums and join the community!

So now for your input, i have two possible routes i may go with my ongoing project. the first one is to do the plastic bumper swap, 15 inch basket weaves, and is valence and spoiler, along with bilstiens and upgraded brakes. no power upgrades for the moment but maybe in a few year throw in a turbo. The other option is to go with the classic and stock look. modifications would include tweed floor mats and a wooden shiftknob, basketweaves, and other smaller things of that like. I am currently getting the car cosmetically restored ( i have 2 doors and a fender - it was in a small parking lot accident ( door over extended, the hinges and frame are fine, dented the door and fender) and there's an unrelated small dent in the other door: maybe opened hard into a wall or something).

Nice car. Welcome to the forum.

Don't turbo the car, unless you have an infinite amount of time and an infinite bank account. They may be awesome, but they are such a headache. It's so much cheaper and easier to throw an S5x motor into it. I think you should go with #1 and run the basket weaves for awhile, then pick up some ESM 004s or somethin.

P.S. No reason you can't have a wooden shift knob with #1


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[KIRIEIW]

I did some research on driveshafts not long ago since I need a new one too. I'm most likely going to get this one:

http://store.bimmerworld.com/remanufactured-driveshaft-p64.aspx

It's the same one sold by Turner as far as I can tell, but for quite a bit less money, although the core charge is more, but you get that back when you send your DS in. I believe they both sell the ones rebuilt by Beyer, and they're supposed to be very high quality. They also have replaceable U-Joints, so you don't have to spend another $500 the next time they go bad.

Oh wow thank you! I'm definitely going with that one next paycheck.

[rturbo 930]

Nice! Did you get the drive shaft new or rebuilt and where? I'll be needing one soon... Also I would choose option 1, I'm running 15 inch weaves and even though they don't stick out to most, I like them.

Welcome!

I did some research on driveshafts not long ago since I need a new one too. I'm most likely going to get this one:

http://store.bimmerworld.com/remanufactured-driveshaft-p64.aspx

It's the same one sold by Turner as far as I can tell, but for quite a bit less money, although the core charge is more, but you get that back when you send your DS in. I believe they both sell the ones rebuilt by Beyer, and they're supposed to be very high quality. They also have replaceable U-Joints, so you don't have to spend another $500 the next time they go bad.

[KIRIEIW]

New to the forums, saving mine from the crusher

I got the driveshaft from driveshaft specialist in Texas. It was technically rebuilt. Mine was $370 ish.
http://www.driveshaftspecialist.com/...0html/BMW.html.
my dad got one for the e32 there and we've had it for a year or so with no problems so far. My main reason to go with option 2 is its cheaper, and would help the resale value as well as semi ironically make it more unique among e30s. But I'm not quite to that point yet and am keeping options open.

Sweet looks like I'll go with that company. Personally I wouldn't worry about the resale value, to an extent. Infact putting new shocks and springs should help resale because if your shocks are original, there blown. Also the springs have 25 years of life on them. If you get new wheels, just keep your bottle caps and put them on if/ when you decide to sell the car.

Sounds like your like me, just go with a "OEM+" look. It's pretty cheap to do, and most the things you replace to get the look needed to be replaced regardless.

[sert57]

I got the driveshaft from driveshaft specialist in Texas. It was technically rebuilt. Mine was $370 ish.
http://www.driveshaftspecialist.com/...0html/BMW.html.
my dad got one for the e32 there and we've had it for a year or so with no problems so far. My main reason to go with option 2 is its cheaper, and would help the resale value as well as semi ironically make it more unique among e30s. But I'm not quite to that point yet and am keeping options open.

[KIRIEIW]

Nice! Did you get the drive shaft new or rebuilt and where? I'll be needing one soon... Also I would choose option 1, I'm running 15 inch weaves and even though they don't stick out to most, I like them.

Welcome!

[sert57]

Hello R3V! I am new to the forums here, and have been reading and lurking for a few months now. I have been driving a 1988 735i since i was 15, as it was a hand me down from the family. i don't have many pictures of it but it has 225k miles and was repainted professionally a few months ago.It is completely stock and in my mind fantastic shape for an e32. i also autcrossed it a few times.

About 4 weeks ago I purchased my first car, a 1988 325i 4 door 5 speed.

I was thrilled, but after the work i put in it, i realized that if someone who didn't really care about it had gotten a hold of it it would be in the crusher. 171k miles on the car, original timing belt, and a 4 inch section of oil pan gasket just gone at the rear.
This is the picture of the day after I purchased it.I put it up on ramps to inspect it some more and looked at the oil leak i discovered before the purchase. I was relatively disappointed to find it was not coming from a loose oil filter as i hoped, but rather from the oil pan gasket at the rear of the engine. I looked it up and realized what i had ahead of me. it would be fun. so i put the car in the back of the garage the next day and up on jackstands, where it was for 2 and a half weeks.

during said time i did a timing belt replacement, and all the accompanying parts listed on te pelican parts website. I then replaced the driveshaft ( the old one had a horrible CSB, and i figured the u-joint was probably sloppy and caused this), and had the instrument cluster repaired. So now, my e30 is mechanically fairly solid.
Here is a picture of my e30 and a friend of mine's tr6. So i thought it would be fun to introduce myself here toe the forums and join the community!
So now for your input, i have two possible routes i may go with my ongoing project. the first one is to do the plastic bumper swap, 15 inch basket weaves, and is valence and spoiler, along with bilstiens and upgraded brakes. no power upgrades for the moment but maybe in a few year throw in a turbo. The other option is to go with the classic and stock look. modifications would include tweed floor mats and a wooden shiftknob, basketweaves, and other smaller things of that like. I am currently getting the car cosmetically restored ( i have 2 doors and a fender - it was in a small parking lot accident ( door over extended, the hinges and frame are fine, dented the door and fender) and there's an unrelated small dent in the other door: maybe opened hard into a wall or something).