Background
So this isnt my first rodeo, I purchased my first E30 in the Fall of 2014. I made it into a street machine with an M30 swap with Condor bushings everywhere sitting on Ground Control coilovers. Ive daily driven it for the past 2 and half years with the odd issue popping up here and there. Thread found here sadly it was hurt by the Photobucket plague: https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/sho...d.php?t=347952
As many of us know E30s can become an obsession, and that just naturally infects those around you in my case my family, around this time (Spring 2015) my younger brother was due to get his first car and thankfully I manage to steer him in the right direction to getting an 1986 325e coupe.
So naturally we M30 swapped that one as well, the low end torque of the M30 makes it arguably the best engine for enjoyable daily driving. Threw some BC Racing coilovers on it and he has enjoyed daily driving it for the past year and a half without issue.
During all this time our Dad had been a helping hand building these cars and the inspiration to dive head first into any problem encountered. Our combined experience previous to finding the E30 world was limited to the odd repair here and there, brake jobs and oil changes.
While helping with these two E30s he had gotten the itch to find one for himself, over many months of watching craigslist for the right candidate he found this Delphin 1987 325is in the local neighbourhood with a classic Walmart for sale sign in the window.
Its what can be called the dream E30:
303,000KM on the clock (189,000 miles)
5-Speed
3.73 LSD
Delphin metallic in good shape
Window trim not oxidized
Houndstooth Sports Interior
13 Button OBC
Ski pass through
Weaves
Huusco arm rest
It's a 2 owner 325is that had been owned by an elderly lady for the past 17 years, it's been a British Columbia car it's whole life. Started life in the interior of BC and spent a few years in Northern BC, Northern BC has harsh winter and it was driving thru winter (remember this for later), then moved to Vancouver Island in 2001. It has been meticulously maintained throughout its life, whatever the mechanics told the PO it needed she got serviced, the dream service records you want to see when purchasing a car.
So my father purchased the car and it sat for a few months while he was busy with other things, it needed a solid going through to make it a good driver and this all takes time. Well as things change my Dad determined he wasn't up to giving this car a second life, knowing damn well that I was jealous of his find he offer it to me at the price he paid. I simply couldn't say no even if I wasn't looking for a new one.
As I went all out in my previous E30 I built what I thought at the time as the ultimate street car, solid bushings loud and stiff. While I do love the Luxor E30 after 2 and half years it was clear that the ultimate daily driver could be done differently. With this 87is the plan is to more inspired by the OEM+ mentality.
The Plan
Done:
M20 engine refresh (seals, gaskets)
Fresh suspension bushings all around
Rebuild brakes
New Brake Hardlines
Tackle the rust
Fix the interior seat tear
To be done:
Steal the Ground Control coilovers from the Luxor
Engine swap down the road
We are currently about 4 months head on this project so I will do my best to get this caught up
Cheers, Ian
So this isnt my first rodeo, I purchased my first E30 in the Fall of 2014. I made it into a street machine with an M30 swap with Condor bushings everywhere sitting on Ground Control coilovers. Ive daily driven it for the past 2 and half years with the odd issue popping up here and there. Thread found here sadly it was hurt by the Photobucket plague: https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/sho...d.php?t=347952
As many of us know E30s can become an obsession, and that just naturally infects those around you in my case my family, around this time (Spring 2015) my younger brother was due to get his first car and thankfully I manage to steer him in the right direction to getting an 1986 325e coupe.
So naturally we M30 swapped that one as well, the low end torque of the M30 makes it arguably the best engine for enjoyable daily driving. Threw some BC Racing coilovers on it and he has enjoyed daily driving it for the past year and a half without issue.
During all this time our Dad had been a helping hand building these cars and the inspiration to dive head first into any problem encountered. Our combined experience previous to finding the E30 world was limited to the odd repair here and there, brake jobs and oil changes.
While helping with these two E30s he had gotten the itch to find one for himself, over many months of watching craigslist for the right candidate he found this Delphin 1987 325is in the local neighbourhood with a classic Walmart for sale sign in the window.
Its what can be called the dream E30:
303,000KM on the clock (189,000 miles)
5-Speed
3.73 LSD
Delphin metallic in good shape
Window trim not oxidized
Houndstooth Sports Interior
13 Button OBC
Ski pass through
Weaves
Huusco arm rest
It's a 2 owner 325is that had been owned by an elderly lady for the past 17 years, it's been a British Columbia car it's whole life. Started life in the interior of BC and spent a few years in Northern BC, Northern BC has harsh winter and it was driving thru winter (remember this for later), then moved to Vancouver Island in 2001. It has been meticulously maintained throughout its life, whatever the mechanics told the PO it needed she got serviced, the dream service records you want to see when purchasing a car.
So my father purchased the car and it sat for a few months while he was busy with other things, it needed a solid going through to make it a good driver and this all takes time. Well as things change my Dad determined he wasn't up to giving this car a second life, knowing damn well that I was jealous of his find he offer it to me at the price he paid. I simply couldn't say no even if I wasn't looking for a new one.
As I went all out in my previous E30 I built what I thought at the time as the ultimate street car, solid bushings loud and stiff. While I do love the Luxor E30 after 2 and half years it was clear that the ultimate daily driver could be done differently. With this 87is the plan is to more inspired by the OEM+ mentality.
The Plan
Done:
M20 engine refresh (seals, gaskets)
Fresh suspension bushings all around
Rebuild brakes
New Brake Hardlines
Tackle the rust
Fix the interior seat tear
To be done:
Steal the Ground Control coilovers from the Luxor
Engine swap down the road
We are currently about 4 months head on this project so I will do my best to get this caught up
Cheers, Ian
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