e30 Hot Hatch Project

[MrBurgundy]

[estoguy]

Interesting... I want to see how this one turns out!

[Michael Star]

Nice! I like the idea. Will the hatch function?

Actually after looking at it, it will!!! Awesome! Cant wait to see the finished pics

[sniches]

Heres another angle of the hatch mocked up on the stock e30 before she lost her suspension and motor

[parkerbink]

Wow, I'd say that is the best/most interesting/oddest first post ever.

Welcome & in for the transition.

[sniches]

Pics are working now, sorry!

[sniches]

Alright, so I figured I'd document the build of my 1986 325e that I picked up back in January. Quick backstory; I grew up loving VW's and the 80's 2 door hot hatch. GTI's have always been my favorite cars, until I bought a BMW e30 a few years back. Ever since then I fell in love with RWD, and have owned 7 e30's in the last 2 years. Here's some photos of the e30's I've owned:

Turbo m20 drift car



325i vert bought non running and drove for a bit



Lifted 325e project (still own) bought non running and destroyed. making it fun now



my first e30. a four door 325i with red interior. I miss it.



So I decided to combine both of my passions into one real car. a BMW e30 2 door hot hatch. I set out to make my dream car; the perfect e30. So I picked up a shell that ran and drove for $1000 that was relatively clean.





Then I picked up a CLEAN 1980 rabbit. Yes, I know it's a westy and it had a broken rear subframe and was rusted in the rear bad. But it was perfect for the project, so I set out to cut the hatch portion and c pillars.










I then parted out the rest of the rabbit and gave everything on it a new home. Then the e30 was rolled into the shop and the rear end was stripped of everything. The hatch was mocked up and then the rear was cut down to shorten it up and give it the hot hatch look.










Afterwards, an s54 was purchased out of a 2004 m3 with 91k on it, and the car was put on a lift to pull the motor for the swap, the suspension for the 5 lug swap, and the way is being prepped to be shaved.







And that's where she is RIGHT NOW on 4/30/2017


I also picked up some Style 19's from the junkyard for the LOWS, and got those completely refinished. I also scored a BBS steering wheel for the deal of the lifetime, and I'll also be getting a custom zebra wood shift knob.




















Also been slowly acquiring parts for the car. Heres a small list of things I've gotten so far:

Modena Peanut Butter Brown e36m3 vaders
Plastic front bumper with valance and lip
m3 rear bumper
new grills
new orange fog lights
Velocity stacks
chrome equal length headers
black leather door cards
black carpet
















I still need to figure out side skirts. shes getting BC coil overs from a e36m3.

Happy to answer any questions and take any feedback! This car will be Estoril blue with the white wheels, Shaved bay painted blue too and the car will be basically fully restored. Only stuff I really haven't figured out yet is making the rear seats work and fold down to make the hatch functional, and how I'm going to mount rear speakers and a trunk cover too. basically just interior stuff.