I've yet to introduce myself here on R3v but I am a member of bf.c and e30tech. Over the winter I purchased a 1991 318is to drive while my M3 is stored waiting for sunny days (e36, sorry). Here are a few shots from the day that I bought the car
This being my first e30 I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, other than a smaller slower version of my e36. I really have no complaints about the car at all and it outshines the M in a couple aspects. The most noticeable of which is the size of the trunk opening. My golf clubs fit in with ease, not so with the M3. The absence of leather rubbing on plastic and other mystery squeaks is also quite pleasant.
When I picked it up I really wasn't nuts about the wheels--since I'm not a fan of black wheels--but they came with new tires so I couldn't complain. They're growing on me, especially without the center caps. Second thing that bothered me was the suspension. God it looks high. Here are few shots for reference.
After doing a little reasearch and looking at various set ups I decided to check exactly what shocks were on the car. I had remembered seeing yellow, but I wanted to check part numbers, namely because my buddy left this on my windshield.
With my $700 budget in mind I confirmed that the car already had Bilstein Sports. So I went ahead and ordered some coilovers from Ground Control. I they sorted out the rates for me and I ended up with 6" 440 lb/in springs in the front and 5.5" 475lb/in in the rear. Spent the last two night pulling everything apart and reaassembling to get the desired result. I forgot to take any pics of the install but here they are completed.
Last, I stumbled over my new shadow grill in the garage today so I took the 4.5 seconds to install them and Now it sits like this.
Pics aren't great but you get the idea. And yeah, it's dirty.
CLIFFS:
Guy buys car.
Guy lowers on coilovers.
Guy gets black grills.
This being my first e30 I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, other than a smaller slower version of my e36. I really have no complaints about the car at all and it outshines the M in a couple aspects. The most noticeable of which is the size of the trunk opening. My golf clubs fit in with ease, not so with the M3. The absence of leather rubbing on plastic and other mystery squeaks is also quite pleasant.
When I picked it up I really wasn't nuts about the wheels--since I'm not a fan of black wheels--but they came with new tires so I couldn't complain. They're growing on me, especially without the center caps. Second thing that bothered me was the suspension. God it looks high. Here are few shots for reference.
After doing a little reasearch and looking at various set ups I decided to check exactly what shocks were on the car. I had remembered seeing yellow, but I wanted to check part numbers, namely because my buddy left this on my windshield.
With my $700 budget in mind I confirmed that the car already had Bilstein Sports. So I went ahead and ordered some coilovers from Ground Control. I they sorted out the rates for me and I ended up with 6" 440 lb/in springs in the front and 5.5" 475lb/in in the rear. Spent the last two night pulling everything apart and reaassembling to get the desired result. I forgot to take any pics of the install but here they are completed.
Last, I stumbled over my new shadow grill in the garage today so I took the 4.5 seconds to install them and Now it sits like this.
Pics aren't great but you get the idea. And yeah, it's dirty.
CLIFFS:
Guy buys car.
Guy lowers on coilovers.
Guy gets black grills.
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