***Editors Note: This should come as no surprise. If you know Jordan and his builds you know this is a brand new car. No part of this car was left untouched and restored to As-New condition. Probably better than new in many spots actually. This was a no-brainer and was just a matter of waiting until it was ready. Well, its ready. You're Welcome! ***
Factory options:
Limited Slip Diff
Fog Lights
Color:
Alpine white III
Interior color:
Anthracite Cloth
Engine modifications:
2.1l (2096cc)
M47 88mm crankshaft
M42 rods
JE 10.5:1 Pistons
Ported & polished head with competition valve job
MarkD tuning
Exhaust:
Factory
Transmission:
Factory getrag 240, with m20b25 flywheel & clutch
Differential:
Factory
Suspension:
H&R Sports, Bilstein sports
Wheels:
Factory, upfitted to 15” BBS Style 5’s (euroweaves)
Exterior modifications:
Factory, upfitted to European spec lighting & trim
Interior modifications:
Factory, upfitted to premium sound
Story behind the car:
I purchased this car immediately following Hurricane Harvey, where reports place the best guess at 500 thousand to 1 million vehicles were flooded and destroyed. This vehicle shared the same fate, itself covered with about 7 feet of water for a day at the worst of it. Then owners of it were in the process of replacing the mess under the intake when they were forced to evacuate due to rising water, leaving the car behind.
I initially purchased the vehicle with the intent of using it as the basis for a friends project, who once seeing what a mess it was, declined proceeding. No worries, I’ll just keep it for myself.
Aside from the sheer filth stuck to the car from the flood waters it was a clean and straight shell, with the only rust being in the sunroof jam, and a spot below one of the tail lamps from a poor repair in the past. Within 48 hours of the water receding the vehicle was gutted and pressure washed inside and out before any lingering smell had a chance to take hold.
As the interior was a complete loss, and the electrical items would be questionable at best I picked up a donor parts car, a near identical 1991 318iS to harvest the wiring, electrical items and interior upholstery (frames / foam) from. Parting out and selling the portions of that vehicle I did not need myself more than paid for those components.
The sunroof jam rust was something that had got to a point beyond saving though, and while the parts car was clean in this regard I elected to replace the entire roof skin with a slicktop skin rather than retain the sunroof.
This is sort of where the build tipped from a “lets just recondition this car and make it decent” to a long line of slippery slopped while I am in there, and if that is nice this has to be too mentality that lead me to restoring a vehicle that is for all intents… as new. It would take just a brisk 2 years and 8 months of my life before I ever drove the car. If I could not buy it new, I would refurbish each component with the utmost care to approximate new quality. Even original W.Germany castings for the starter, PS pump and alternator were painstakingly rebuilt to preserve originality. Even all of the original hardware was reused, stripped and replated in yellow zinc to maintain the originality of the manufacture markings. If I knew what this would become at the onset of the build I’m not sure I would still do it, buuuut here we are, and here it is….
There are nearly 1100 photos in the vehicles extensively comprehensive build thread, what you see below is just a few with the vehicle out and about being enjoyed in its second lease on life. The end result is nothing short of a rare treat to drive, as close as how BMW intended it to be as I could allow, really with the sole exception being the modest lowering springs and Bilstein sport dampers.
Aside from the sheer joy it is to drive the vehicle what I enjoy most is the reactions it elicits in other BMW enthusiasts. I’ve had quite a few random passing meets while driving in the short time it’s been on the road and the reactions to the car are always fun. In the community we see these cars every day so we’re a bit jaded I think, but in the real world you just don’t see these cars out on the streets, and if you do? It’s usually a beat example in my experience. Enthusiast BMW owners go nuts for a clean E30, and it puts a big smile on my face to see drivers eyes glued to the car instead of paying attention to where they are driving!
The restoration in its entirety:
https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/for...318is-restomod
Couldnt resist including this pic...
Underside so clean you could eat off it!
Compared to the prior look, quite a change.
Amazing transformation when you see what he started with
Factory options:
Limited Slip Diff
Fog Lights
Color:
Alpine white III
Interior color:
Anthracite Cloth
Engine modifications:
2.1l (2096cc)
M47 88mm crankshaft
M42 rods
JE 10.5:1 Pistons
Ported & polished head with competition valve job
MarkD tuning
Exhaust:
Factory
Transmission:
Factory getrag 240, with m20b25 flywheel & clutch
Differential:
Factory
Suspension:
H&R Sports, Bilstein sports
Wheels:
Factory, upfitted to 15” BBS Style 5’s (euroweaves)
Exterior modifications:
Factory, upfitted to European spec lighting & trim
Interior modifications:
Factory, upfitted to premium sound
Story behind the car:
I purchased this car immediately following Hurricane Harvey, where reports place the best guess at 500 thousand to 1 million vehicles were flooded and destroyed. This vehicle shared the same fate, itself covered with about 7 feet of water for a day at the worst of it. Then owners of it were in the process of replacing the mess under the intake when they were forced to evacuate due to rising water, leaving the car behind.
I initially purchased the vehicle with the intent of using it as the basis for a friends project, who once seeing what a mess it was, declined proceeding. No worries, I’ll just keep it for myself.
Aside from the sheer filth stuck to the car from the flood waters it was a clean and straight shell, with the only rust being in the sunroof jam, and a spot below one of the tail lamps from a poor repair in the past. Within 48 hours of the water receding the vehicle was gutted and pressure washed inside and out before any lingering smell had a chance to take hold.
As the interior was a complete loss, and the electrical items would be questionable at best I picked up a donor parts car, a near identical 1991 318iS to harvest the wiring, electrical items and interior upholstery (frames / foam) from. Parting out and selling the portions of that vehicle I did not need myself more than paid for those components.
The sunroof jam rust was something that had got to a point beyond saving though, and while the parts car was clean in this regard I elected to replace the entire roof skin with a slicktop skin rather than retain the sunroof.
This is sort of where the build tipped from a “lets just recondition this car and make it decent” to a long line of slippery slopped while I am in there, and if that is nice this has to be too mentality that lead me to restoring a vehicle that is for all intents… as new. It would take just a brisk 2 years and 8 months of my life before I ever drove the car. If I could not buy it new, I would refurbish each component with the utmost care to approximate new quality. Even original W.Germany castings for the starter, PS pump and alternator were painstakingly rebuilt to preserve originality. Even all of the original hardware was reused, stripped and replated in yellow zinc to maintain the originality of the manufacture markings. If I knew what this would become at the onset of the build I’m not sure I would still do it, buuuut here we are, and here it is….
There are nearly 1100 photos in the vehicles extensively comprehensive build thread, what you see below is just a few with the vehicle out and about being enjoyed in its second lease on life. The end result is nothing short of a rare treat to drive, as close as how BMW intended it to be as I could allow, really with the sole exception being the modest lowering springs and Bilstein sport dampers.
Aside from the sheer joy it is to drive the vehicle what I enjoy most is the reactions it elicits in other BMW enthusiasts. I’ve had quite a few random passing meets while driving in the short time it’s been on the road and the reactions to the car are always fun. In the community we see these cars every day so we’re a bit jaded I think, but in the real world you just don’t see these cars out on the streets, and if you do? It’s usually a beat example in my experience. Enthusiast BMW owners go nuts for a clean E30, and it puts a big smile on my face to see drivers eyes glued to the car instead of paying attention to where they are driving!
The restoration in its entirety:
https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/for...318is-restomod
Couldnt resist including this pic...
Underside so clean you could eat off it!
Compared to the prior look, quite a change.
Amazing transformation when you see what he started with
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