85 323i grey market euro - M tech 1 build.

[reelizmpro]

What did you decide for wheels?

My Nogaro 17x8 style 5's with adapters are going on when I do the suspension. They already have tires since I used them on my vert and M3 previously.

I also picked these up...

[Mr. Wolfe]

Looking good. You would think the rep would give you extra plastic so you can at least cut a straight line yourself. In pictures, with the caulking, it looks good!

Mr. Wolfe

[reelizmpro]

It's getting there. On Wednesday the "T" bolts come in for the rear and I can finally install it. Next is paint correction and suspension/wheels. I have coil overs for the car as well as Bav Auto sport springs with Bilstein sports. Part of me wants to try out the Bav auto springs for a moderate drop and soft ride so the car isn't too far removed from stock which is what I am aiming for.

[Old city bimmer]

Looking good [emoji106]


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[Mixedbyjairo]

Awesome build man... your build is selling out the M tech 1 kit for CEP lol ... where did you get the T bolts from. Everywhere I look doesn't sell them anymore...oh and thanks for the install instructions

[reelizmpro]

I got most of the hardware from Europe but I also just ordered the additional T bolts from my local dealer @ 1.35 each. They said they had a few stateside in NJ.

[Mr. Wolfe]

I got most of the hardware from Europe but I also just ordered the additional T bolts from my local dealer @ 1.35 each. They said they had a few stateside in NJ.

More parts going to the west coast... :hitler: lol

Mr. Wolfe

[Mixedbyjairo]

I got most of the hardware from Europe but I also just ordered the additional T bolts from my local dealer @ 1.35 each. They said they had a few stateside in NJ.

Could you pm me the info, I live in jersey! Thank for answering and helping

[reelizmpro]

PN for the rear T bolts is 51-12-1-932-230. You'll need 15 of them (I recommend getting all 15) for the rear along with the nuts or get them (M6) from your local hardware store.

Fastener M TECHNIC X 09/1987 51121932230 $1.69
Hex nut with plate M6 X 09/1987 07147134319 $1.05

You need 6 for the front but they're wider and also more expensive. I only used 4 for the side trims. The front T bolts can be sub'd with hex bolt/washer.

Clamping bolt M TECHNIC 6 09/1987 51111919151 $4.43

[DJMCGARM3]

Very nice work! Your job was more difficult than mine since you had to contend with non-OEM panels. We actually met last month at SIGFest in NJ. I had the diamond schwartz 90 M3 with the silver/grey interior. I wish I had known you were doing this build when we spoke, I could have shared some war stories. My MTech-1 is my DD, the M3 being too much of a garage queen of late.

[reelizmpro]

Hey...I just realized that was ur M3. Very nice and tasteful. The 323 fell into my lap so to speak and I always wanted to do an m tech 1. Drilling a few holes was the hardest part but I started with a euro car so i had everything to make it work except for the m tech hardware. Besides it rounds out my collection.

When u installed the side skirts did u drill holes in the sills? Any alignment issues with the oem kit? Your build answered a lot of my questions

[MR 325]

Nice progress Barry! I love how this car is coming together.

[reelizmpro]

Thanks Matt, it's getting there. The dealership told me the T clamps/bolts would be here by Wednesday...well now they are saying maybe monday. I had waited all week for these parts and decided to move on to the suspension in the mean time.

The old control arms have seen better days but were still good. The CA bushings on the other hand were toast.



I always replace standard bushings with M3 solid offset bushings and new Lemforder control arms thanks to Blunt. Everything is so much easier with a press and creativity. This thing has paid for itself many times over.


Pressing the bushings in and out is straightforward but how do I get the bushing on the control arm? The brute force method wasn't working. Hammer and socket wasn't working either...hmmm. I do have a press, if only... Yes, that'll work!


I picked up a set of front struts complete with calipers, Bav Auto springs and Bilsteins for a great price locally. Since the front springs and shocks were already installed, I just swapped the struts. I'm not looking to go LOW with this one and just wanted a moderate drop for now. Having extra struts/calipers means I can rebuild the old calipers and mod the old ones for coil overs if I want to go that route in the future. The front end is finished and looks pretty good even unsettled. Saving the rear for tomorrow. There are too many good football games today.

[kronus]

adapters?

[Skarpa]

Looks pretty sweet.