Unfashionably early(model)...

[PaladinReed]

Well, since mid-April I've been without an e30. Horribly distressed I decided to take my time and find a proper project. I wanted to go early model for a couple of different reasons. Something fairly clean and fairly stock with some potential.

Patience paid off and I picked up this little 1986e on the 27th of May from Turk from Gutenparts.

He was making his way out of the country as many of you know and was generous enough to meet me in Chicago from Milwaukee and we had a smooth transaction with the car being the example it was stated to be. I expected nothing less from the guys at Guten. Thanks again Turk and L!

Took these pics a couple of days ago for a "before" reference.

1986 bmw 325e 2.7L automatic :roll:
205k miles (1 inch stack of service records)
Alpine weiss I
Blue houndstooth comfort interior
Steelies with fresh blizzacks
Euro pop outs

On to pics


Elips ftw




Stanceworks eat your heart out!









And Lastly




Bunches and bunches to be done but I'm excite :D

Plans include:

-address basic maintenance issues: oil pan gasket, oil change, flush brakes, ect.
-5 speed swap!!1!!!!111!one
-crack free dash and cluster
-blue leather sports
-paint work (undisclosed)
-GC coils
-ATE powerslots, steel lines, and Pagid pads
-Z3 SSk
-"i" top end
-"i" manual radiator or aftermarket unit with a electric pusher fan
-chrome kidneys
-euro bumpers or bumperless
-3.73LSD
-"i" or custom exhaust (have yet to decide)
-A/C delete
-M3/318iS wiring harness covers
-software
-wheels n' tars

Hope to have completed 90% of these modifications by mid July.

This is my first 5 speed swap, AND 2.7i so I'll be asking a good number of questions no doubt. Looking forward to this lil' guy and sharing my experiences with you all.

Project forum FTW.

That is all. For now.. Thanks for lookin

-Paladin

[iwantspeed]

nice
hopefully she will turn out as nice as your past e30's

[ck_taft325is]

I've got an early 5 speed swap sitting in my garage...

[PaladinReed]

nice
hopefully she will turn out as nice as your past e30's

Thank you, this will be much more beater-ish/rat rodded. It was a cheap fun e30, it will be modded and driven like a cheap fun e30 :D

I've got an early 5 speed swap sitting in my garage...

Yeah, I'll be taking the g260 out of my wrecked sterling. All I will need to account for is the difference in flywheel correct? Also, it has 20k on the clutch, would you guys still recommend changing the clutch kit?

Thanks,
Paladin

[ck_taft325is]

Yup, SM vs DM on the flywheels IIRC.

20,000 miles on a clutch is really not that many. You would be fine with dropping it in but it's sort of one of those "while I've got this out" moments, you know?

[PaladinReed]

Yup, SM vs DM on the flywheels IIRC.

20,000 miles on a clutch is really not that many. You would be fine with dropping it in but it's sort of one of those "while I've got this out" moments, you know?

word. I should be able to just take out the SM FW on the sterling, resurface (maybe shave) it and it will mate fine on the b27 yeah?

[3ics]

Nice car - I saw it before Turk left NJ. Love the list - good luck.

[PaladinReed]

Small update. Not a riveting build, just a good ole' fashioned piece together.

Debating heavily on just going the 2.5i route and dropping the engine straight from the sterling into this alpine early model. Any thoughts? How much time/headache will this save me?

Also, what all is involved in going with an M42 radiator with the M20? Hoping to have a fairly naked engine bay.

On to shoddy garage pics. Front suspension out. Driveshaft. Exhaust. Entire rear subframe is about 20 minutes out. ECU is out. Started unhooking everything in preparation for the engine removal.

The wrecked sterling lost the radiator, A/C rad and aux fan as well as the fan clutch and blade but didn't seem to adversely harm the rest of the engine. I'm crossing my fingers. Everything is dry on the bottom end save for coolant everywhere.


lol clutch was in 6 pieces.

















So, that's what I've done today.

-Paladin

[N2MYE30]

Well you got that car,huh? I was over a Guten parts while vacationing Ny/NJ just under a month ago and I was checkin it out. Nice guys over there. I like your direction. Keep it up!

[trackjunkie21]

You got this from Levent? I didn't know he had an eta there. Good luck with it. Looks mighty clean.

[moe30]

Pretty clean car, I just picked up an eta project on Sunday.

[PaladinReed]

Yep, this is a GutenParts car. Thanks for the support fellows~

-Paladin

[JeffNJM3]

If you have a good 2.5i engine to me its a no-brainer, use it! If you do, you are going to want to use a engine harness from a 87 325i as well as the cooling system from a 87 or under.

[PaladinReed]

If you have a good 2.5i engine to me its a no-brainer, use it! If you do, you are going to want to use a engine harness from a 87 325i as well as the cooling system from a 87 or under.

Ok, I follow your suggestion and it would appear to be the proper one.

However, the donor 2.5 is from a 1990 325i. Where am I going to run into problems with the swap? Is it not largely plug n play?

Can you explain the necessity of the '87 harness and radiator? As stated before I was looking to use the harness from the 1990 with (173) and retrofitting an M42 for the cooling.

Thanks,
Paladin

[325ix]

Looks like a good start. I love the mudflaps and the blue interior!