Hello my name is Patrick and I am addicted to old BMWs...
I am finally getting around to posting a build thread for my Bavarian Money Waster
It is an imported Graphite Metallic 1984 BMW 323i.
This car was built up and put together by Matt (Mr325) before it moved from California to Florida. I got it from Alex (Collins380), where it mostly sat for a couple years, along with the full MT1 kit on a different car.
My intent was originally to buy a rust free car that needed some love and swap an S52 into it and have a little hoon-mobile. I saw this car, saw it had the mechanical side of things sorted, and the MT1 kit was offered so I had to do it.
Details from Matt’s original ad:
~150k miles TMU, 8k miles on rebuilt drivetrain
Euro smilies with crosshairs
Grey checkered cloth interior 0150
Euro gauge cluster
Manual crank sunroof
Manual crank front windows
Non pop-out rear windows
Factory manual steering
R134 A/C conversion
Alpine head unit
Custom usb charge port
OEM euro clock
M20b25
Knife edged crank
S52 connecting rods
Ported and polished head
274 camshaft
HD rocker arms
M50 injectors
Ceramic coated shorty headers
Custom 2.5” exhaust
Castro airbox
SSSquid tune
Getrag 260
Custom body mounted shifter with DSSR
E60 shift lever
3.73 LSD differential
325i strut housings (late model)
325i rear subframe and trailing arms (late model)
H&R race springs
Bilstein sport shocks
REVshift differential and rear bushings
SS brake lines
M3 CABs
New control arms
New wheel bearings
Rebuilt axles
Motorsport hardware studs
I got the car from Florida with a full OEM M Tech 1 kit with 370mm steering wheel and 15in Euroweaves
I got the car in June and started doing some minor things and basic maintenance- anything sitting for a few years will need some help.
Done list:
6/20/20 Condor tall weighted shifter + Garagistic clutch stop
6/27/20 - new external fuel pump and fuel filter
6/28/20 - replaced rear view mirror + passenger seat
7/1/20 - Husco armrest install, temperature gauge troubleshooting and replacement, steering wheel alignment
7/3/20 - Timing belt (gates racing), coolant flush, valve adjustment, new spark plugs,
7/6/20 brake + clutch fluid change + bleed
7/8/20 oil + oil filter change, gauge cluster replacement
7/12/20 - Interior deep clean - carpets, headliner, door cards
7/14/20 - Coco mats put in
7/16/20 - Drivers seat repair - bolster replacement from spare, passenger seat back swap, painted rails, deep clean front seats - left front of seat damaged
7/22/20 - Insure, title, register + first (legal) drive!
8/2/20 - Alternator and v-belt replacement
8/3/20 - Horn replacement
8/7/20 - Gas tank investigation
9/1/2020 - Replaced Gas tank and fuel lines, installed new and converted wiring to late model 318is in tank pump with late model fuel sender. Replaced exhaust hanger
10/4/2020 - Replaced Fuel pressure regulator, fuel filter, and cleaned fuel injectors
10/20/20 - Replaced Ignition coil, rotor, distributor, spark plug wire, coolant temperature sensor (blue), temperature gauge sensor (brown), and valve cover gasket
10/21/20 - Smoke test performed - no leaks, found issue with C191
10/22/20 - Test drive - success!
10/24/20- Install rear seat and spoiler
10/28/20- Test fit ESM wheels - not satisfied
11/12/20 - Headlights and fog light troubleshooting-bad fuse and no connector for fog or city light
11/19/20 - Stored for the winter
11/20/20 - Start ordering like crazy
12/20 - Tear down for paint
12/13/20 - Replaced C191 plug with weatherpack plug, test fired ok
1/28/21 -Drop off for Paint
2/15/20 - Painted
2/20/21- Big parts order and de-tinted windows
3/4/21 - Picked up from paint
3/7/21 - Unloaded from trailer
3/13/21 - ordered headlight pigtails, electrical stuff, paint/polishes, 3m tape, glue, carpet
3/16/21 - Sold ESM wheels
3/27/21 - Remove old dashboard, install new dashboard, remove rear speaker deck, re-carpet speaker deck
3/28/21 - Re-wire head lights and fog lights with new connectors, progress on old headliner removal- new lighting issues
3/29/21 - Picked up new headliner, ordered some wiring protective sleeves, door gasket seals
4/2/21 - Finish removing old headliner, test fit head liner, installed tail lights and trunk vents, finished heat shrink and installed wiring sleeves,
4/3/22 - Troubleshoot why lights stayed on /radio didn’t work and fix that, adjust head liner, sprayed some black trim pieces, installed trunk latch and lock
4/4/21 - Respray rear window trim with high build primer, clean up old tape on spoiler, solution finish on dash, spoiler, test polish window chrome - use meg 205 into blue magic
4/20 - Start on headliner
4/25 - Continue with headliner, paint and mount grills, clean side moldings, install rear windshield seal
I am finally getting around to posting a build thread for my Bavarian Money Waster
It is an imported Graphite Metallic 1984 BMW 323i.
This car was built up and put together by Matt (Mr325) before it moved from California to Florida. I got it from Alex (Collins380), where it mostly sat for a couple years, along with the full MT1 kit on a different car.
My intent was originally to buy a rust free car that needed some love and swap an S52 into it and have a little hoon-mobile. I saw this car, saw it had the mechanical side of things sorted, and the MT1 kit was offered so I had to do it.
Details from Matt’s original ad:
~150k miles TMU, 8k miles on rebuilt drivetrain
Euro smilies with crosshairs
Grey checkered cloth interior 0150
Euro gauge cluster
Manual crank sunroof
Manual crank front windows
Non pop-out rear windows
Factory manual steering
R134 A/C conversion
Alpine head unit
Custom usb charge port
OEM euro clock
M20b25
Knife edged crank
S52 connecting rods
Ported and polished head
274 camshaft
HD rocker arms
M50 injectors
Ceramic coated shorty headers
Custom 2.5” exhaust
Castro airbox
SSSquid tune
Getrag 260
Custom body mounted shifter with DSSR
E60 shift lever
3.73 LSD differential
325i strut housings (late model)
325i rear subframe and trailing arms (late model)
H&R race springs
Bilstein sport shocks
REVshift differential and rear bushings
SS brake lines
M3 CABs
New control arms
New wheel bearings
Rebuilt axles
Motorsport hardware studs
I got the car from Florida with a full OEM M Tech 1 kit with 370mm steering wheel and 15in Euroweaves
I got the car in June and started doing some minor things and basic maintenance- anything sitting for a few years will need some help.
Done list:
6/20/20 Condor tall weighted shifter + Garagistic clutch stop
6/27/20 - new external fuel pump and fuel filter
6/28/20 - replaced rear view mirror + passenger seat
7/1/20 - Husco armrest install, temperature gauge troubleshooting and replacement, steering wheel alignment
7/3/20 - Timing belt (gates racing), coolant flush, valve adjustment, new spark plugs,
7/6/20 brake + clutch fluid change + bleed
7/8/20 oil + oil filter change, gauge cluster replacement
7/12/20 - Interior deep clean - carpets, headliner, door cards
7/14/20 - Coco mats put in
7/16/20 - Drivers seat repair - bolster replacement from spare, passenger seat back swap, painted rails, deep clean front seats - left front of seat damaged
7/22/20 - Insure, title, register + first (legal) drive!
8/2/20 - Alternator and v-belt replacement
8/3/20 - Horn replacement
8/7/20 - Gas tank investigation
9/1/2020 - Replaced Gas tank and fuel lines, installed new and converted wiring to late model 318is in tank pump with late model fuel sender. Replaced exhaust hanger
10/4/2020 - Replaced Fuel pressure regulator, fuel filter, and cleaned fuel injectors
10/20/20 - Replaced Ignition coil, rotor, distributor, spark plug wire, coolant temperature sensor (blue), temperature gauge sensor (brown), and valve cover gasket
10/21/20 - Smoke test performed - no leaks, found issue with C191
10/22/20 - Test drive - success!
10/24/20- Install rear seat and spoiler
10/28/20- Test fit ESM wheels - not satisfied
11/12/20 - Headlights and fog light troubleshooting-bad fuse and no connector for fog or city light
11/19/20 - Stored for the winter
11/20/20 - Start ordering like crazy
12/20 - Tear down for paint
12/13/20 - Replaced C191 plug with weatherpack plug, test fired ok
1/28/21 -Drop off for Paint
2/15/20 - Painted
2/20/21- Big parts order and de-tinted windows
3/4/21 - Picked up from paint
3/7/21 - Unloaded from trailer
3/13/21 - ordered headlight pigtails, electrical stuff, paint/polishes, 3m tape, glue, carpet
3/16/21 - Sold ESM wheels
3/27/21 - Remove old dashboard, install new dashboard, remove rear speaker deck, re-carpet speaker deck
3/28/21 - Re-wire head lights and fog lights with new connectors, progress on old headliner removal- new lighting issues
3/29/21 - Picked up new headliner, ordered some wiring protective sleeves, door gasket seals
4/2/21 - Finish removing old headliner, test fit head liner, installed tail lights and trunk vents, finished heat shrink and installed wiring sleeves,
4/3/22 - Troubleshoot why lights stayed on /radio didn’t work and fix that, adjust head liner, sprayed some black trim pieces, installed trunk latch and lock
4/4/21 - Respray rear window trim with high build primer, clean up old tape on spoiler, solution finish on dash, spoiler, test polish window chrome - use meg 205 into blue magic
4/20 - Start on headliner
4/25 - Continue with headliner, paint and mount grills, clean side moldings, install rear windshield seal
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