92 325ic

[Nate325ic]

Well I'm back in the e30 game for the first time in a decade. Purchased 92 325i Convertible with 122k miles on it. Needs a little bit of rust repair and a suspension overhaul. Not sure what the overall plans are going to be for this car but for now im going to make it safe to drive and enjoy it with the top down when the weather gets better

[Cabriolet]

from my exp with my verts:
make sure to only use rubber bushing, HR vert sport springs and koni sports, strut brace.
check for rust under the battery tray, and behind the rubber under it. i've found rust there on many verts.
I did a battery conversion to trunk on my car and really like it.
best speakers you can do are for the fronts are TS-D1320C. rears use TS-D1302R and a luke box with JL 8"s.

[fight4life28]

Nice Vert,

[Nate325ic]

took a while for an update between ups shipping the suspension to the wrong address and me being on a trip that was supposed to be a week and lasted 3 but I've made some progress. New control arms, tie rods, shocks/struts, sway bar links, and treehouse racing control arm bushings have been installed. Spring and struts/shocks are stock for now while I decide what direction I want to go. There's nothing special about suspension maintenance so the only picture I snapped was my helper who refused to leave me alone while I worked on the vert


Some how the previous owner snapped the E-brake lever in half so that got replaced, plus new rear center console.
Before:




After (still waiting on an E-brake handle) :


Found out one of the E-brake cables are broken while fixing those items so now thats on the list of fixes. The Car was missing the glove box so bought a replacement




I was tired of not being able to see at night with the stock sealed beams so replaced them with depo smoked euro headlights with morimoto h1 bixenon projectors. Thanks to glucklich21 for an awesome product





and installed the painless phantom keyless ignition/entry system. now everything is ran off of a rfid keyfob instead of the key. Only pic I took was of the push button install


Im waiting for a new non airbag steering column thats sitting at my parents house and once I pick that up I'll be installing a z3 steering rack ive had sitting around, new steering shaft, wilwood pedals and an mtech 2 steering wheel

[efficient]

lol was the previous owner hulk trying to drift using the e brake

[Nate325ic]

Car used to have a power top but the previous owner removed most of the power bits and did some jerry rigging to make it work
Exhibit A:


I removed the rest of it and installed the manual locks, new release cables and door latch


and for the first time since the previous owner did it wrong the top now goes and and secures safely

[Nate325ic]

Got a fair amount done to the vert the last 3 days. Installed a z3 steering rack, non airbag steering column, sikky steering shaft and started installing wilwood pedals. I still need to plumb the brake lines but have a work trip so it'll be a job for next weekend.
Old rack beside the new, old rack was completely shot



removed the dash to get at the column and pedals



new pedals mounted up



installed new column and started to put the interior back together'



steering shaft. alot of room freed up in the engine bay now. I'm entertaining the idea of a ls1 swap and these mods will help if I actually do it

[TimeMachinE30]

Dang. Not messing around. Looks great.

[Nate325ic]

Got a little more work done on the vert, started recovering the seats, most of the leather was still good but the rear seat bottom was wrecked




had to repair the driver seat frame
before:


After




I still need to do the passenger seat, work trips get in the way of progress for the car but do fund them. I just got back from a trip to australia

I also worked on the brakes a little more. Made a plate with bulkhead fittings to go where the brake booster used to be

[TimeMachinE30]

Nice.

Where is the seat kit from? Material?

[Nate325ic]

Nice.

Where is the seat kit from? Material?

Its leather from leatherseats.com

[phenryiv1]

This thread makes me happy. I love seeing another convertible getting proper attention.

[pilotskillse30]

nice work