E30 Touring in Oz

[Klasse]

Hi everyone,

I've been wandering around this forum for a while and have finally joined after seeing a few of my friends build threads. I've been a big fan of E30s for a few years now ever since a beaten up, worn out example was towed through the doors of our workshop. Since then I've had 2 alpine white 318iS's:



^ This is my current daily driver, which I bought to replace this one:



Anyway, I was perfectly happy with my iS and was on a parts grabbing mission one day when I stumbled across the subject of this thread in the seller's garage. At first I only saw the front of the car and initially passed it off as another 318i, until I saw its rear. Although at first I wasn't interested in buying, eventually I just had to have it and so I towed this home:



Basically what it is, is a 1990 318i Touring. Not such a big deal in Europe where they are plentiful, but very rare in Australia where they were not sold. This is one of an estimated 13 Touring in the country and to my knowledge is the only 318i in Oz.

The plan for this vehice is to be restored back to a roadworthy condition along with an engine swap, after which it will serve as a daily driver/workhorse. After that, well let's just say things will get a little more extreme 8)

So on that note, let's dive into the resto!

[Klasse]

So after months of sitting around (whilst I finished an E30 for a good friend of mine), the Touring was on the slab and up on stands.


(Please excuse the dirt, it was parked in a dirt floor open shed and its been raining)

As I am saving for the mechanical stuff, I decided to rip into the bodywork. Off came the valance, bumper, guards and bonnet, revealing a few bits and pieces that I had never seen before, for example:



^Can anyone tell me what the hell that is?

The front lifting pads are rusted out and so today I cut out the cancer:



Then cut a replacement panel out of one of my parts cars:



Now I just have to weld it in....

[kameleon]

Looking forward to watching this Shaun, hopefully you will get bored and i can take it off your hands!

[MkII]

Wow! Good find. It appears to be in really good condition. I assume it's a personal import from the UK?

[Klasse]

Haha Kameleon. you'll have to join the queue!

MkII, yes it is a personal import from the UK. It was imported by a previous owner and the cool thing is that it had a bunch of its old tax discs in the glovebox.

[Europeaben]

Can't wait to see this out and about ;) Is definitely in good hands

[Klasse]

Happy New Year everybody!

Hi Ben, yeah it will be a while yet as it all costs money (Technician wages :/ ) but it will be an extroverted car when finished. Oh, by the way, I just had a read through your build thread. Very impressed with what you have achieved with your 325i. I really liked the MS pics :).

[Jozi]

That crashed iS is looking a bit sorry for itself, what happened it?

Looks like a pretty clean touring! How long ago did it leave the Uk? Good luck with your project!

[CorvallisBMW]

Sub'd!

[kdevitt]

Looks very tidy, does it have aircon?

[Klasse]

Woah - replies!

Jozi - Yeah that wasn't my best day... Um basically, wet corner, too fast, tail flicked out and came round. Tried to correct, no good. The backside went into the embankment (seen in the background) then the front came back around with enough momentum that the car rode up on the embankment. When it came back down, it got caught in a small ditch and rolled over onto its roof then came back to rest on its driver's side. I crawled out the windscreen after checking that everything was turned off. I was very shaken but literally did not have a scratch on me. I am very lucky.

I think it left the UK in 2004.

kdevitt - No it doesn't and it has the tiniest little radiator I have ever seen in an E30. I do have all the parts to install A/C which I will be doing.

[Klasse]

Oh I still have the crashed iS - it is a tail of woe and heartbreak, that little car and because of that I can't bear to part with it. I will be cutting the bent up front half off it and turning the relatively straight rear half into a matching trailer for my current iS :)

[Ray Smoodiver]

What is it with you aussies and rolling E30's? :D

ninja edit: sorry Shakey Jake!

[Klasse]

Ok - Updates. Not a lot to report today. We had a couple of days with temps in excess of 40 degrees so I wasn't real keen on manning the angle grinder. Today it was a bit cooler though so I cut out some more rust:



I am in the process of saving for a mig welder (the arc welder we have is a bit aggressive), so no welding as of yet. Instead I am working my way around the car locating any rust patches.

Another one, rear passenger wheel well:



I'm a little worried about this, which is in the same wheel well:



I think I'll need to buy a new inner guard to repair that

[Klasse]

On the subject of welders, I'm very interested in hearing your thoughts on gasless vs gas mig welders. I have had one guy tell me that gasless are a waste and that I'd be better of with an arc, whilst I've personally witnessed my brother weld new metal into his ute (although it is a 1975 XB Falcon so the steel might be a bit thicker haha).