Meet Betty

[Julien]

Hi all, after a 2ish year Hiatus, I'm back to being an e30 owner! I found her on craigslist being sold a by a recently divorced couple. They had owned the car for 18 years and had purchased it from the wife of the service manager of Beverly Hills BMW. She's a 1987 Lachs on Cardinal 5 speed vert with 116k(ish) miles.


(my friend talking to the recent divorcée)



Pros
All original paint work that I believe will polish up pretty nicely
5 speed car
Crack-free dash
Amazing vintage Cali "Sunset" License plates
Sweet sweet chrome bottle caps and woodgrain trim kit
Almost all records since day 1

Cons
Top has become hard so it cracks every time you open it, will need replacement
Seats are... Trashed
No timing belt records at all.
Needs a center support bearing
A/C doesn't work

Driving Home..

[Julien]

Here are some of the pics when I got her home..










First step was to drive to BMA parts on Saturday and pickup a timing belt/water pump kit for her. On the way home I stopped by a guy who was selling an mtech1 wheel and picked that up as well.

Once I got her home I started the tear down and I gotta say, I've never seen a belt this far worn *gasp*

Timing belt cover


The belt!


The failure prone aux-pulley


Needless to say, I had to wait to find a replacement aux pulley.

Back together with other misc parts such as the camshaft seal




After a little coolant bleeding she purred like a kitten. This is probably the healthiest M20 I've driven in a while.

[Julien]

The other day I get a text from an old buddy of mine who said he's in town and wants to hang out. He comes over as I'm doing the timing belt and we get to chatting over a beer. He reminds me that he's done a few of these e30 tops and that he could help me install one if I could track one down in the next day or two. Lucky for me, LA has a boatload of car suppliers including German Auto Tops, one of the best replacement top manufacturers out there. I decided to pull the trigger on a stayfast top (same as modern BMWs) and new straps.

Next thing you know... Betty is getting a new top!

Old top:


Frame:


New vs old straps (replacing these makes closing the top very easy. No folding or messing with anything, it just pops right into place)


Test fitting the new top:


Gluing the top in place and making adjustments (inc'l beer):


And.. the result (at midnight!)


I still have to do some smaller finishing work on the top but overall it looks amazing! To reward myself I went and got her smogged and titled during my lunch break


She's officially mine now! More updates to come.

[Stvstr]

That looks like a great find and impressively fast progress too. I love the cardinal interior even in sub-optimal condition.

[2mAn]

Very cool! This thing will come together quite nicely!

Once I swap over to plastic bumpers, do you want my 88 bumper shocks so you can get a medium tuck job on those diving boards?

and please please please leave that "wood" trim inside. its pretty awesome to see one in good condition still

[wworm]

Very cool!

and please please please leave that "wood" trim inside. its pretty awesome to see one in good condition still

x2

[Mike36]

Fun Fact: Sun Graphic CA plates were discontinued in 1987.

Sweet car man, super jelly. I know a good PDR guy out in Huntington Beach that can take out the fender dent. He's been in business for about 25 years.

[wworm]

Fun Fact: Sun Graphic CA plates were discontinued in 1987.

that means my cars got original plates too woo!
OG plate gang

[Julien]

Very cool! This thing will come together quite nicely!

Once I swap over to plastic bumpers, do you want my 88 bumper shocks so you can get a medium tuck job on those diving boards?

and please please please leave that "wood" trim inside. its pretty awesome to see one in good condition still

x2

keeping it for sure!

Fun Fact: Sun Graphic CA plates were discontinued in 1987.

Sweet car man, super jelly. I know a good PDR guy out in Huntington Beach that can take out the fender dent. He's been in business for about 25 years.

That's awesome, did not know that. PM'd you about PDR guy

that means my cars got original plates too woo!
OG plate gang

:pimp::pimp:

[F34R]

Welcome back to the drug! Such a shame on the interior but the car looks great and that top took it to a new level. LOVE the wood trim, it's just perfect 80s goodness.

[Julien]

Care package came from Europe!


I took off the black paint with paint stripped to see the shape of the chrome below


Ehhh.. not sure what to do. Repaint them, polish up the chrome, plasti-dip? Suggestions are welcome!


Anyone know how rare these are? I have two of them

[2mAn]

Just rock the bumps as they are... Betty aint no beauty queen

[rzerob]

Subscribed.

[FredK]

Haha, this project is awesome! Lookin forward to seeing some euro bumners installed. I'd just polish the bumpers and call it a day, the patina will look appropriate.

[jeffnhiscars]

Anyone know how rare these are? I have two of them

Last I checked BMW still sold them for about $140