My project 84 318i

[Jean]

I would love to do an ls1 but since I am no mechanic it will have to be something that's been tested and done many times like and e36 swap.

[JasonC]

What motor swap are you planing?

[Jean]

Made some progress - part 1

I am going to mark this day as the end of part 1 (7/3/2006 to 3/23/07), a lot of money went into this car to bring it back to life and here is what she looks like now.











- new radiator, tstat, waterpump, hoses, belts
- new plugs, wires, cap, rotor
- new control arms, m3 cabs, bilstein sport inserts, gc 500f/650r, gc camber plates, ie tranny mounts, new stock rotors
- new clutch kit, master and slave cylinders, seals and all new shifter bushings, used good stock flywheel
- replaced dash, seats, steering wheel, various trim items inside and out
- replaced alternator, removed a/c, replaced cluster and fuel level sender
- rt615 195/60 14 tires, oem ellipsoids, euro grills in the mail.



Part 2 is to replace brakes with new 325i brakes front and rear including brake cylinder.
Then swap the steering rack to e36 325i with 3.2? lock to lock ratio.
Convert front and rear bumpers to plastic.
Get 15x8 rota wheels and sticky tires.

Part 3 is lee's bbk and engine swap.

[turbo_negro69]

Lol, it feels like I am not making any progress though since there is still a lot left to do .... trailing arm swap, mc, heater core delete, get a head hot tanked or blasted and rebuild, exhaust, e36 steering rack, front valance/bumper swap, rear bumper swap, headliner. :crazy:

Hey at least you're actually getting stuff done, my car is now a 5 tone slut!:) and it's still too high off the ground.

[Jean]

Lol, it feels like I am not making any progress though since there is still a lot left to do .... trailing arm swap, mc, heater core delete, get a head hot tanked or blasted and rebuild, exhaust, e36 steering rack, front valance/bumper swap, rear bumper swap, headliner. :crazy:

[E30Driv3R]

man that is alot of stuff done in the little time u had the car. keep it up!

I cant wait to see more pics

[rede30]

Nice, that car is really coming along...

for sure, nice work with everything.

[Mtriple]

Nice, that car is really coming along...

[Jean]

Car is at a shop getting alignment and clutch/shifter components installed, found out flywheel needs to be replaced also so hopefully it will be done by friday.



Falken Azenis RT615s are waiting to be installed also at a tire shop.

In the meantime picked up a set of oem hella ellipsoids, euro grills are in the mail.



Also, got an e36 325i steering rack for a swap and finally plastic bumper that will need to be painted first.



Next are new rear wheel bearings and 325i front and rear rotors and new 325i mc.

[Jean]

I haven't put more than maybe 200-300 miles on them total, once I get new wheels/tires (I can't corner at anything higher than 15mph due to 400 treadwear rated tires..) then i'll be able to test the combo and report back.

Just drove the car today for the first time in a couple of months with all new coolant system, no clutch fan and electrical going at 1/2 speed temp gauge doesn't go past 1/2 mark . Not sure why but my tranny now grinds when I put it in reverse from a full stop :(

[BimmerToad]

you have bilstein sports with ground controls? how long have you been running them? have the shocks blown?

Nothing wrong with GCs and Bilsteins ... all depends on how you valve the sports :)

[ColdAccord]

you have bilstein sports with ground controls? how long have you been running them? have the shocks blown?

[Jean]

Well, replaced the alternator and that fixed the problem, no more noise. Went ahead and replaced the intake boot and the breather hose as they showed some cracks and I wanted to see if idle will improve. PO put in a wrong batter in the car but since it was just under 1 year old WalMart replaced it with the right one under warranty woop.

Gave the car it's 1st wash this year, wired electrical fan to run at 1/2 speed at all times . No clutch fan in the car, let the car idle for about 5-10 minutes and the temp gauge is just under 1/2.

[Jean]

Not much for an update. Pulled a set of complete trailing arms from a 325 car that i'll install in mine once I clean them up, install new bushings and get new pads/rotors etc..



Replaced fuel level sender and now my gauge is working as it should. Alternator bearings are bad so I am looking for a replacement. Don't some shops rebuild/rewind alternators, would it make sense to go this route instead

[turbo_negro69]

IMO, not to be taken seriously, but converting a mint earlybody to plastics is a rape, don't do it. Get early euro bumpers.
Ok I did, but i'm restoring it.

no way dude there are plenty of early body e30's here in Cali let alone the entire US.

Well, $800 for a complete set of euro bumpers is too much imho otherwise I would do it.

I totally dig the early body+plastic bumper combo. and as clean as your car is Jean it's going to look SICK.

BTW folks i saw this car in person, it looks even better than the pictures.