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    Your thoughts on deleting the following items from my car

    I am planning on removing and selling (if they are sell-able in their current condition) certain items from my E30 325e 4-door sedan. The goal of deleting these items are to:
    - help fund a mechanical and light cosmetic restoration of the car to turn it from a weekend/short trip car to a reliable daily. I do not plan to do a total restoration on this car as it will require way too much time and money (visually, my car looks like a beater car). Also, being an auto 325e, I doubt anyone would care to see one in all original condition. My car is also missing little bells and whistles like the spare toolkit and spare tire, which I don't plan on adding back since I'm a miser when it comes to bells and whistles.
    - reduce complexity and number of things to take out while working on the car. Since these are now 30+ year old BMWs, we'll always wrenching on them
    - reduce the weight of the car by a little bit, but not too much. I'd say if I can get it to 2600-2700 lbs, this would make the car a bit more tossable but not make it so light that it would suck to drive in heavy wind.
    - keep the car presentable and a enjoyable daily driveable/weekend car despite being simpler. I want to maintain the basic functionality that keeps the car tolerable as a daily driver: power steering, AC, and heat.

    Here is what I plan on deleting from my car and my reason for doing so

    Check control panel and associated wiring: this is really just a set of idiot lights. I am more focused on the four big gauges (tachometer, speedometer, fuel gauge, and temp gauge) working correctly since those give the most critical information in terms of how the car is running.
    Radio, amplifier, and speakers and associated wiring: radio is working, but the sound is only coming out of a 2 speakers. I figure it's easier/cheaper to get rid of all this stuff than blow time/money trying to fix it. All of the sound equipment in the car is factory. I just use a portable speaker in the car for music. Will replace radio with delete plate.
    6-button OBC: pretty much useless these days as my iPhone pretty much replaces this thing and has much more functionality. Will replace OBC with delete plate.
    Evap canister and associated hoses: adds complexity and is another source of air leaks. They don't do emissions tests on cars as old as the E30 where I live and cops probably won't notice that it's gone
    The "bitch tube": another emissions nanny, from what I read it gunks up the intake manifold with nasty fumes. An engine needs to pollute like a man needs to fart.
    ABS and associated wiring: ABS is not working on my car and I don't want to spend money fixing it. I do not drive a car this old hard at all, especially with being an Eta. I also keep a good distance from the car in front of me.
    The part of the center console that houses the rear ashtray and goes on top of the parking brake: not exactly sure if there's a shorter name for this individual piece, but the way I see it, it just takes up space. I also took an inspiration from the E21 and 2002 interior as they did not have this piece.


    Want your guys opinion on my proposed delete. In the end its my car and I'll do whatever I want with it regardless of what anyone on the internet tells me, but I'd like some opinions just to check myself before I wreck myself. I plan on doing this delete slowly and in steps, starting with the stuff that's easiest to remove first. So feel free to chime in with your thoughts folks
    Last edited by ZeKahr; 10-25-2019, 04:38 PM.
    1986 325e Schwarz (sold)
    1989 325iX Alpineweiß​ (daily)


    Greed is Good

    #2
    As your primary stated goal is to fund the project, with a secondary focus on weight reduction, it would seem that the negligible value and weight of the items in question would render their removal moot.

    Additionally, audio system wiring is not easy to remove in entirety, and the removal of emissions equipment is ill advised in this case. Perhaps the only legitimate item in question would be the ABS pump/sensors/system components, as they are non-functional.

    Comment


      #3
      Pointless honestly. You're not gonna lose that much weight, and it's gonna be more effort than it's worth. I doubt you'll make that much money selling those items either.

      Comment


        #4
        wtf. Agree with above - utterly pointless to delete anything, and removing the ABS is mega dumb. It's a good feature to have and worth fixing. All the other parts probably weigh 20 pounds and are worth like -$7. None of the things you mentioned are even that complex or get in the way of working on anything. The spare tire and tool kit aren't "bells and whistles," they're standard items. Being a broke miser and a car enthusiast never works out. Save up and be patient until you can do things properly and keep your car as complete as you can because that will be better in the long run.
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          #5
          This has to be a troll.

          OP wants to remove the charcoal canister and its hoses because it's a potential source of vacuum leaks but also wants to remove the crankcase ventilation hose and therefore introduce a massive vacuum leak, not to mention ruin your piston seals.. if the idea was to seal up the holes left by the removal of the CCV system

          I figure it's easier/cheaper to get rid of all this stuff than blow time/money trying to fix it.
          says it all


          it's a Kenny Powers quote on wheels

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by E30 Wagen
            wtf. Agree with above - utterly pointless to delete anything, and removing the ABS is mega dumb. It's a good feature to have and worth fixing. All the other parts probably weigh 20 pounds and are worth like -$7. None of the things you mentioned are even that complex or get in the way of working on anything. The spare tire and tool kit aren't "bells and whistles," they're standard items. Being a broke miser and a car enthusiast never works out. Save up and be patient until you can do things properly and keep your car as complete as you can because that will be better in the long run.
            The early E30s didn't have ABS and people still drive them just fine. Yes it's a nice feature to have, but it isn't as critical as seatbelts or as simple/reliable as seatbelts either. I'm not trying to be a broke miser, I'm just trying to figure out ways to apply the 80/20 rule (in terms of time/money expended to how nice the car is to drive and look at) to fixing up my E30 while keeping the car enjoyable for myself as well as keeping it in reasonably good mechanical cosmetic condition. I am taking this restoration slowly and focusing on getting the critical systems (engine, drivetrain, suspension) in good working order before I move on to the cosmetics. I plan on spending about 6 months to 1 year sorting out the mechanical/electronic items before I do anything cosmetic.

            In term of the spare tire and tool kit, I have Triple AAA to help me out if I get a flat. And the chance of getting a flat from my driving experience is low; there are a lot of other things on these cars to worry about before a spare tire. As for the tool kit, I keep a toolbox in my car with a much more comprehensive tool set that what was included in the toolkit.

            Originally posted by Das Delfin View Post
            This has to be a troll.

            OP wants to remove the charcoal canister and its hoses because it's a potential source of vacuum leaks but also wants to remove the crankcase ventilation hose and therefore introduce a massive vacuum leak, not to mention ruin your piston seals.. if the idea was to seal up the holes left by the removal of the CCV system

            says it all
            I'm not trolling, I am serious. I'm a younger guy who's still mostly new to E30s and my 325e is my first one so I won't be as well informed as an older member on this forum who has owned... say 5-7 of these cars. I'm sure there is a way to delete the CCV system and not ruin my engine. I mean older engines from the early 60s and early didn't come with CCV/PCV systems (just vented to the atmosphere) and they were just fine. I've seen other E30 owners delete the carbon canister.
            1986 325e Schwarz (sold)
            1989 325iX Alpineweiß​ (daily)


            Greed is Good

            Comment


              #7
              It sounds like you don't have much money, and instead of saving and doing things properly, you're trying to find corners to cut. This is never a good method of doing things, and will likely make you hate your younger self when you realize how silly it was to remove these things a few years into the future. Just save your money, and do things as you're able to afford them, and most importantly, do them correctly. If your goal is to use the car as a DD, I would simply keep it bone stock.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by ZeKahr View Post
                In term of the spare tire and tool kit, I have Triple AAA to help me out if I get a flat. And the chance of getting a flat from my driving experience is low; there are a lot of other things on these cars to worry about before a spare tire. As for the tool kit, I keep a toolbox in my car with a much more comprehensive tool set that what was included in the toolkit.
                So, AAA can't help but tow you unless you have a spare, and towing for a flat tire is a hassle, as you only get flats when you absolutely need to be somewhere.

                Also, if you keep a tool kit in the car doesn't that add all of the weight you'd otherwise remove?

                Comment


                  #9
                  It's your car so do what you want. There's more important things to do than worry about what to delete if you want a reliable daily. Try to make more money so you can fix the broke stuff. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by roguetoaster View Post

                    So, AAA can't help but tow you unless you have a spare, and towing for a flat tire is a hassle, as you only get flats when you absolutely need to be somewhere.

                    Also, if you keep a tool kit in the car doesn't that add all of the weight you'd otherwise remove?
                    Didn't realize that about AAA. And you got me on the toolkit; I didn't realize I contradicted myself there.
                    1986 325e Schwarz (sold)
                    1989 325iX Alpineweiß​ (daily)


                    Greed is Good

                    Comment


                      #11
                      You’re talking about taking very little weight out of the car. On top of that, the hassle factor of deleting the crankcase vent system properly (you can’t just plug all the holes because you’ll kill the engine by pressurizing the crankcase) is way higher than just spending the $3 for new o-rings.

                      The evap system is valuable if you ever park inside. You may not give a shit about emissions, but maybe you give a shit about filling a garage with gas fumes?

                      As for the stereo? Whatever.

                      Actively removing ABS is a real negative. You have to spend a lot of time and some money re-making all of the brake hard lines. What a pain in the ass for zero reward.

                      Deleting part of the console? Whatever. It looks stupid, but a lot of people like cars that look stupid.

                      Net-net, it’s going to *cost* you money to do your deletes, and the parts that you pull are worth basically nothing. I’m not really clear on why you think that it’s worth burning days of labor to do nothing other than make your car worse?
                      2006 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison
                      2002 BMW M3 Alpinweiß/Black
                      1999 323i GTS2 Alpinweiß
                      1995 M3 Dakargelb/Black
                      - S50B32/S6S420G/3.91
                      1990 325is Brilliantrot/Tan
                      1989 M3 Alpinweiß/Black

                      Hers: 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo Black/Black
                      Hers: 1988 325iX Coupe Diamantschwartz/Black 5spd

                      sigpic

                      Comment


                        #12
                        You're better off spending all of that time replacing seals, bushings, o-rings and gaskets to properly enjoy the car driving. Your time is also valuable and you should definitely factor that in as your budget.
                        sigpic

                        Comment


                          #13
                          best thought out plan ever
                          89 E30 325is Lachs Silber - currently M20B31, M20B33 in the works, stroked to the hilt...

                          new build thread http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=317505

                          Comment


                            #14
                            start by washing it. maybe take a shower yourself. then rethink your plan. build an e30 don't destroy one. sent from hell using tapatalk
                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                            '90 325i sedan daily driven
                            '85 325e coupe also a daily

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by nrubenstein View Post
                              You’re talking about taking very little weight out of the car. On top of that, the hassle factor of deleting the crankcase vent system properly (you can’t just plug all the holes because you’ll kill the engine by pressurizing the crankcase) is way higher than just spending the $3 for new o-rings.

                              The evap system is valuable if you ever park inside. You may not give a shit about emissions, but maybe you give a shit about filling a garage with gas fumes?

                              As for the stereo? Whatever.

                              Actively removing ABS is a real negative. You have to spend a lot of time and some money re-making all of the brake hard lines. What a pain in the ass for zero reward.

                              Deleting part of the console? Whatever. It looks stupid, but a lot of people like cars that look stupid.

                              Net-net, it’s going to *cost* you money to do your deletes, and the parts that you pull are worth basically nothing. I’m not really clear on why you think that it’s worth burning days of labor to do nothing other than make your car worse?
                              I don't have a garage; the car is parked in a driveway.

                              I was only thinking about deleting and selling off the rear section of the console. It literally takes 5 minutes to remove. I'm talking about this piece:

                              Click image for larger version

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                              The E21 and 2002 didn't have this piece and I don't see anyone else in that community complaining about the way it looks. And it doesn't look anywhere near as stupid as an interior that's been painted weird colors like bright red, purple, etc or has aftermarket seats, steering wheel etc. Here is an example of the E21 interior. The circled part is the look I was going for.
                              Click image for larger version

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                              Didn't know that ABS removal was that involved. I'll just leave it then. Honestly, after driving my E30 in today's traffic, I'm contemplating on actually fixing the ABS.

                              Originally posted by jasonbk
                              You're better off spending all of that time replacing seals, bushings, o-rings and gaskets to properly enjoy the car driving. Your time is also valuable and you should definitely factor that in as your budget.
                              Yes, that's my first priority. I literally just spent $1500 on a suspension rebuild kit, new wheel bearings, Bilstein B4 OE shocks, OE Sport springs (went with OE Sport springs and B4 shocks to maintain comfortable ride while making the handling more taut), OEM engine and transmission rubber mounts (I saw a guys transmission fall out of his car on the E30 reddit group because his trans mounts were shot, so I don't want to take that risk). Going to also overhaul the cooling system. This delete stuff was to come after or during if the delete was simple enough.


                              Originally posted by digger
                              best thought out plan ever
                              Based on how the other guys have been responding to my post, I'm not sure if this was intended seriously or sarcastically, but thank you!

                              Originally posted by cheffy30
                              start by washing it. maybe take a shower yourself. then rethink your plan. build an e30 don't destroy one. sent from hell using tapatalk
                              I'm trying to build my car and keep it nice and presentable while simplifying it. I'm nowhere near as bad as those drift/race/modder guys that actually tear up nice E30s and paint them stupid colors, put stupid looking wheels on them, swap non-period correct engines into them, etc. At the same time, I'm not a total purist who wants everything to be where it is because "it must be all original". I'm trying to find a good middle ground between these two extremes, leaning more towards the purist side. The rest of your comment is just ad hominem...
                              1986 325e Schwarz (sold)
                              1989 325iX Alpineweiß​ (daily)


                              Greed is Good

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