The story of how my sister's E30 became a race car.
1987 BMW 325, 145k-ish, (non-working odometer for who knows how long), needs work, clean body, cleanish interior.. needs TLC..
I am going to make a long story short. Sister bought a good mpg daily for $2500 in 2010. She drove it for 4 years, just oil changes done, then radiator blows. The E30 sits for 6+ Months. She moves and needs its gone, I take it, decide to try to fix it and sell it... Pic is from 2010 when bought:
![](http://i.imgur.com/YMWssfwl.jpg)
Acquired E30 in 2014.
![](http://i.imgur.com/KxixILal.jpg)
Replace important parts:
Stripped/Cracked Oil Pan
![](http://i.imgur.com/j7gEzk3l.jpg)
Timing belt, WP, Radiator, Hoses, etc.
![](http://i.imgur.com/JjkNAg2l.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/1KEzNVKl.jpg)
Get a 25 year old car, running tip-top.
Lower respectively, and replace all tie rods:
![](http://i.imgur.com/q6OKUrCl.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/ucDOOSkl.jpg)
Tuck diving board bumpers:
![](http://i.imgur.com/kpsZtDjl.jpg)
Make a very nice Daily Driver, FOR SALE:
![](http://i.imgur.com/E7WvHyvl.jpg)
I drive it daily for a while, good on gas, cheap to maintain, etc...
Start to like it more and more... no longer for sale...lower it a tad bit more...ya know because race car...
![](http://i.imgur.com/SGfT90Fl.jpg)
pick up cheap race wheels and tires...because race car...no turning back now...
![](http://i.imgur.com/2thLe74l.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/vow535nl.jpg)
BEWARE Bassett wheels are not a good choice of wheel for an E30.
stiffer suspension and loud exhaust.. because race car..
![](http://i.imgur.com/pRxdedil.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/3RMIlrWl.jpg)
new lip for brake ducts..
![](http://i.imgur.com/vKwvQjal.jpg)
Build custom 3" brake ducts..because..you know..
![](http://i.imgur.com/2B1sDgul.jpg?1)
![](http://i.imgur.com/QLOyikwl.jpg)
Electric Fan conversion:
![](http://i.imgur.com/sjsGKmll.jpg)
Bucket seats with 4-point Teamtech harnesses, because, you guessed it.
![](http://i.imgur.com/3vNp6GOl.jpg)
Track Day #1 - Thunderhill Raceway
I'd say she looks damn ready!
![](http://i.imgur.com/SVQSNMJl.jpg)
Loaded up!
![](http://i.imgur.com/L0maI8Bl.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/Adrbqahl.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/29Gn1Evl.jpg)
I knew something would go wrong..
![](http://i.imgur.com/qpyCQpDl.jpg)
Heater core busted of all things, and was pissing coolant inside of the car.. what do you? call it a day? no. you bypass that shit and you get back on the track! you know why? Because Race Car.
![](http://i.imgur.com/9HjGP8Zl.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/Ncoral3l.jpg)
Sucessful Track Day, the car survived, things added to race car list:
- brakes/fluids that can handle the track temps
- more power
Flea-bay Headers:
![](http://i.imgur.com/0DWZEmPl.jpg)
Actual Race Brakes, Hawk Blue 9012 for the front, HP+ for the rear, and High Carbon Centric Blanks all around:
Instagram Picture Link - Race Brakes
New Hubs and 90mm Stud Conversion
Instagram Picture Link - Race Studs
Track Day #2 - Laguna Seca Raceway
![](http://i.imgur.com/DFO4Qvql.jpg)
I had an off at Turn 9..
![](http://i.imgur.com/g61NZqel.jpg)
Overall good track shakedown..
new brakes did very well, tires did well also, still lacking power..
or maybe its weight holding me back..
New objectives before next track day:
- Lose weight
Track Day #3 - Buttonwillow Raceway
(sorry all instagram pics, apparently I don't have any saved on my computer)
after the first couple sessions, had one off, track was slippery after repave.. Green miata is my track buddy..
and a very sexy picture at Buttonwillow:
![](http://i.imgur.com/7xSj175h.jpg)
End of Season 2014.. Time to get to work!
1987 BMW 325, 145k-ish, (non-working odometer for who knows how long), needs work, clean body, cleanish interior.. needs TLC..
I am going to make a long story short. Sister bought a good mpg daily for $2500 in 2010. She drove it for 4 years, just oil changes done, then radiator blows. The E30 sits for 6+ Months. She moves and needs its gone, I take it, decide to try to fix it and sell it... Pic is from 2010 when bought:
![](http://i.imgur.com/YMWssfwl.jpg)
Acquired E30 in 2014.
![](http://i.imgur.com/KxixILal.jpg)
Replace important parts:
Stripped/Cracked Oil Pan
![](http://i.imgur.com/j7gEzk3l.jpg)
Timing belt, WP, Radiator, Hoses, etc.
![](http://i.imgur.com/JjkNAg2l.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/1KEzNVKl.jpg)
Get a 25 year old car, running tip-top.
Lower respectively, and replace all tie rods:
![](http://i.imgur.com/q6OKUrCl.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/ucDOOSkl.jpg)
Tuck diving board bumpers:
![](http://i.imgur.com/kpsZtDjl.jpg)
Make a very nice Daily Driver, FOR SALE:
![](http://i.imgur.com/E7WvHyvl.jpg)
I drive it daily for a while, good on gas, cheap to maintain, etc...
Start to like it more and more... no longer for sale...lower it a tad bit more...ya know because race car...
![](http://i.imgur.com/SGfT90Fl.jpg)
pick up cheap race wheels and tires...because race car...no turning back now...
![](http://i.imgur.com/2thLe74l.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/vow535nl.jpg)
BEWARE Bassett wheels are not a good choice of wheel for an E30.
stiffer suspension and loud exhaust.. because race car..
![](http://i.imgur.com/pRxdedil.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/3RMIlrWl.jpg)
new lip for brake ducts..
![](http://i.imgur.com/vKwvQjal.jpg)
Build custom 3" brake ducts..because..you know..
![](http://i.imgur.com/2B1sDgul.jpg?1)
![](http://i.imgur.com/QLOyikwl.jpg)
Electric Fan conversion:
![](http://i.imgur.com/sjsGKmll.jpg)
Bucket seats with 4-point Teamtech harnesses, because, you guessed it.
![](http://i.imgur.com/3vNp6GOl.jpg)
Track Day #1 - Thunderhill Raceway
I'd say she looks damn ready!
![](http://i.imgur.com/SVQSNMJl.jpg)
Loaded up!
![](http://i.imgur.com/L0maI8Bl.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/Adrbqahl.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/29Gn1Evl.jpg)
I knew something would go wrong..
![](http://i.imgur.com/qpyCQpDl.jpg)
Heater core busted of all things, and was pissing coolant inside of the car.. what do you? call it a day? no. you bypass that shit and you get back on the track! you know why? Because Race Car.
![](http://i.imgur.com/9HjGP8Zl.jpg)
![](http://i.imgur.com/Ncoral3l.jpg)
Sucessful Track Day, the car survived, things added to race car list:
- brakes/fluids that can handle the track temps
- more power
Flea-bay Headers:
![](http://i.imgur.com/0DWZEmPl.jpg)
Actual Race Brakes, Hawk Blue 9012 for the front, HP+ for the rear, and High Carbon Centric Blanks all around:
Instagram Picture Link - Race Brakes
New Hubs and 90mm Stud Conversion
Instagram Picture Link - Race Studs
Track Day #2 - Laguna Seca Raceway
![](http://i.imgur.com/DFO4Qvql.jpg)
I had an off at Turn 9..
![](http://i.imgur.com/g61NZqel.jpg)
Overall good track shakedown..
new brakes did very well, tires did well also, still lacking power..
or maybe its weight holding me back..
New objectives before next track day:
- Lose weight
Track Day #3 - Buttonwillow Raceway
(sorry all instagram pics, apparently I don't have any saved on my computer)
after the first couple sessions, had one off, track was slippery after repave.. Green miata is my track buddy..
and a very sexy picture at Buttonwillow:
![](http://i.imgur.com/7xSj175h.jpg)
End of Season 2014.. Time to get to work!
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