After being out of the e30 game for almost two years, I decided to look for a suitable new replacement. I really was looking for something special and decided to use AutoScout24 and search the European market for a touring. At any given time there are 35-55 tourings for sale on this site, many of them priced high, many priced low. It's difficult to develop initial communication with the sellers and, after contacting dozens of ads, it seems like there is a return ratio of a little better than 1/10 that reach a response. If you do this, my advice is to offer multiple ways for the seller to reach you. Open a WhatsApp account (popular messaging app in Europe and world), email, Facebook.com/username contact option, 1+phone number etc. If anyone has any questions about the process or need specific info I'm happy to answer.
Anyhow after a couple months of semi obsessive searching I came across the car I would buy. A 1991 diamond schwarz metallic 318i manual with black leather interior for 3,000€ (~$3,500). It sat on a clean set of euroweaves and came with a nice running m40 motor. This didn't matter though because the motor and wheels would be pulled within the first month to begin my project.
This was an attractive price range but of course it is a European car and it's hard to get away from their ugly issue... rust. Right now I am full into rust repair and will all photos on that and processes soon.
these are some of the parts I have on the shelf which I intend to put into this car:
- 1999 resealed S52 (m50 manifold)/ ZF trans and z4 shifter / ECU / modified wiring harness.
- 1999 Z3M Coupe full suspension, GC coilovers and camber plates / adjustable camber toe rear subframe with 3:46 LSD
- after market headers / custom 3" full exhaust
- m5 lightweight flywheel / clutch / pressure plate
- all e36 to e30 swap parts
- red needle rebuilt gauge cluster, 7100 rpm with oil temp / 60l fuel gauge sensor to match touring fuel tank / 6cyl coding plug
- 330ci steering rack
- e90 booster, front/rear adjustable brake bias
- plus a lot more, and some stuff I will still need to get as the project moves on
- full rust repair / motor bay paint etc
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Here is my car.
A good buddy came down from Seattle and we did a bit of a paint detail, which really boosted the moral after seeing the extent of some of these rust areas. More on that soon.
Overall paint is in good shape as most of the rust issues are underneath and so there are just a couple exposed rust spots which will need some kind of panel patch and paint blending.
motor out.
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Before we get into the fun stuff fitting parts and connecting things together there is going to be a series of rust documentation and I'll try and show the process to expose that and fix the different areas. I've messed around a little but haven't done sheet metal welding before and it's been a bit intimidating, but I'm pretty stoked to have found a local guy on craigslist that's come over a couple times and has been very helpful. He's actually owned an e30 in the past also which is pretty cool, but then - who hasn't? Anyways, without him this project would have been a lot more challenging. We're basically working through repairs together, I kind of cut out from the parts car, measure and cut out from the touring/ prepare the surface and then he finalizes. There are also two people I've been following on YouTube which really have helped me come to terms with this rust repair portion of the project: Restore It and Practical Enthusiast.
Here are a few of the parts that were mentioned above-
Z3m on the left, check out the disk brake difference compared to stock e30. Plus the front coilovers.
This is the s52, has cams (to be determined) - will be doing a re seal and can then identify what's what. ZF trans.
1991 318is retired autox car, this is what that held all the suspension swap parts and will also be used to source body panels and replacement metal for the rust repair.
Pulled this soaked, nasty rust stained carpet and have a color dye/refresh video if ya want to see that ~
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How did that happen?? link to the video here:
https://flic.kr/p/2kwTtCW
photos of rust repair coming.
To be continued.
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