My new project E30

[JeffNJM3]

Alright, everything is in except the radio, i just ordered all the parts for the timing belt/water pump, etc and then I can drive it. I have some M3 springs and new shocks/struts/etc to put on next. Once I do the tbelt I will give it a good cleaning and wash/wax.

So what do you all think so far??

[JeffNJM3]

Well i put insurance on the car today to get my ass in gear to get it roadworthy, the dash is all done except for the radio. I have to decide between a stock radio and and old cd player i have, im leaning toward the stock radio. I dont plan putting the top up much so i dont think anyone will steal the stocker.

Anyhow, Im going down to DMV tomorrow to get the plates. Tonite I started the timing belt/water pump/etc, hope to finish that tomorrow and take her for her maiden voyage!

[JeffNJM3]

Ok i got it back together and she runs really good, shifts well too! Suspension could have a few less rattles, but I've got plans for that! So here are some pics, first time this car has been on the road in over 4 years. Now, the temp is climbing up at idle, so I guess I need a fan clutch, this is probably the fix right?

I took some pics before and after a wash, what a difference!, I started waxing it too, the paint is really in pretty good shape, gotta love these old black BMW's they always seem to wax up pretty nicely. Interior still looks like crap, keep posted I have some ideas

Give me your thoughts on the fan clutch and the car overall, thanks!

Before wash:


After wash:


Before wash:


After wash:



Current interior state:

[N2MYE30]

I like cabrio projects! :) Looks good...again.

[DrewZ]

Ok i got it back together and she runs really good, shifts well too! Suspension could have a few less rattles, but I've got plans for that! So here are some pics, first time this car has been on the road in over 4 years. Now, the temp is climbing up at idle, so I guess I need a fan clutch, this is probably the fix right?

I took some pics before and after a wash, what a difference!, I started waxing it too, the paint is really in pretty good shape, gotta love these old black BMW's they always seem to wax up pretty nicely. Interior still looks like crap, keep posted I have some ideas

Give me your thoughts on the fan clutch and the car overall, thanks!

It's stoopid. Sell it to me for nothin -- after you reupholster it.

[JeffNJM3]

Who knows drew, maybe I will. I wish I had my old interior back! Right I'm putting some (gasp!) non-sport seats in it and I am going to try to make a sedan rear seat work AND look good. I dont really care about the sport seats too much, as this is just my cruiser and the standard seats I am getting are in great shape!

[DrewZ]

Who knows drew, maybe I will. I wish I had my old interior back! Right I'm putting some (gasp!) non-sport seats in it and I am going to try to make a sedan rear seat work AND look good. I dont really care about the sport seats too much, as this is just my cruiser and the standard seats I am getting are in great shape!

I wish I had your old interior back, too, but it's been awful damn hot this summer to have a black-interior 'vert.

I may be picking up a tan cloth 'vert interior tomorrow. Of course, I can only use the front seats in my coupe . . .

[bmwtyler]

looking good jeff!! we have autotragic vert twins!

[neil22]

How's the sedan rear seat swap going? Very curious. Subscribed!

[trackjunkie21]

Man I love cabrio's, I would kill for one, even if it's automatic.

[JeffNJM3]

Tyler whats up bruddah!!! You always did have good taste in e30s :)

Sedan rear seat swap isnt looking to good, probably a winter project, it needs to look go, sooooooo....... lol

This cabrio is great, i love to just cruise around in it, and for some reason I love that it is an auto!

Not too much progress, it passed inspection (yeah!) and ive just been driving it. The odo broke so Ive been messing with that. I swapped in a odo gear out of another cluster I had but it was tracking double mileage, then it broke again. So i said f' it for a couple weeks. Now i just bought a used cluster, with mileage within 1000 miles of what i have on the car. I also painted the cowl grills and wiper arms and put on new wipers, I know huge update! Hopefully some more soon as this is going to be my DD for the winter.

[JeffNJM3]

A few updates, new shocks and shock mounts in the rear, didn't even cure one rattle lol, gotta get the fronts done once i get the new control arms. Im putting in M3 front springs to level this thing out a lil. Finally got a radio installed after driving a few months without any radio it was a welcome addition. Only 3 speakers work though, but its better than none! I wanted to use a OEM radio, but it turned out to be much easier to just put in an a/m headunit, color match to the dash lighting is pretty on, so im happy. I changed the alt and found the alt bracket broken, i got another one, just need to put it it. I love doing the job twice lol. Last but not least, i changed the exhaust, i was getting complaints from my wife about it being too loud, rusty stock swiss-cheesed exhaust. I replaced it with one of those $180 stainless exhausts off ebay. Took a little fiddling to get it mounted up, but worth every penny, i was pleased with it. Only problem was I had to get under the car to put it on and I found tons of other stuff i need to fix now, lol. Any comments are welcome!

[JeffNJM3]

Ok got some new seats for a great price, so sorry guys, i'm not going to try to make a sedan rear seat work anymore, what do u think? this seat is nice someone replaced the top 1/2 of the material on the seat back with vinyl, looks great! This car is really starting to look pretty nice, i'm starting to consider some american iron under the hood, a swap I have wanted to try for a long time.......

[vlad]

looks good Jeff :up:

are you coming to our e30 M3 meet on Sun? Info on s14.net ==> gatherings

[oekundar]

Nice work Jeff!!!...do the swap...do I smell an LS1 swap?