Is my car salvageable as a DIY restore?

[crisby325i]

Hello, Long time member/lurker...

So introductions first...I tend to ramble so try to pay attention.

I've had my 88 E30 vert for over 12 years now. It was my first car at 15 years old. Learned to drive stick on it. It's very sentimental. Well, I graduated high school..got a girlfriend..didn't have money to repair it. Bought a newer GTI that was more reliable and my GF liked better. I attempted to sell it a while ago and couldn't so she sat. For a LONG time. 9-10 years to be exact.

Flash forward to now, I'm finally settled with a good job, a family, and a house with a garage (which this car has NEVER had since I've had her). I now have the money to start a restore on her, but I'm not 100% sure about it because I've found a lot of things that need work. It needs a full bare metal strip plus rust removal. I let a friend try to work on it while I was away for work and he attempted a garbage respray and painted over the pinstripes. There are multiple large rust spots. One has taken the entire spot in the trunk where a battery would've sat in a coupe/sedan. The other bad area is in the floor panels. It seems the top leaked, as well as the rear trunk seals and moisture sat for years. I have money to do a restore, but I don't have the money for a shop to do the work. I want to build it. Own it. And eventually have it completed.

I've started digging deeper into the floor pans and rust areas and not sure I'd be able to take on this task. I've been going back and forth about selling it and finding a rust free vert that isn't heavily modded with nice interior or a really nice already modded E30 coupe. Is rust holes in trunk and floor pans and end all to trying to restore? Or should I be hopeful that I can do this project myself? I have some mechanical experience as I service 5-20 hp motors and air compressors (no welding experience yet). Sorry for the rambling. Tried to clean it up a little.

[JasonC]

Moved to the correct section. The DIY section if for writeups on how to fix or improve something, it's not for questions.

[parkerbink]

I get the sentimental factor but unless you have experience bodywork/rust repair is hard.

There are a slew of cheap convertibles on Phoenix CL right now. I have no personal knowledge of their condition but you might want to take a look. I got my unmolested, rust free '92 for 1400, (I have put 1.5x that into it since March) but not a cent into the body because it is 100% solid (needs paint that it may never get)

Good luck.

[ELVA164]

Yeah, you don't want to tackle that project. That car is going to need so much more time and money than you think, no matter how much you're thinking.

[parkerbink]

There are three here from 1k to 2950 (the 2950 '93 was 3300 last week)

https://offerup.com/search/?q=e30

[rturbo 930]

Maybe it's because I started out with Datsuns, and replacing the floors is expected, but what I see there is an easy fix. Yeah, you need to learn to weld, and it probably won't be that pretty, but it's the floor, so who cares.

Post better pics of the rust so we can get a better idea of what it needs.

BTW, the answer to your question in the thread title is a simple yes, but you need to be willing to learn and put in the effort.

[ELVA164]

Don't forget, this particular car will need not only the floors, but most likely rockers, gas tank removal and cleaning, all new fuel hoses, new brake hoses, rebuilt calipers, all new bushings, probably new gaskets....

[rturbo 930]

If it needs rockers, I'd probably say get rid of it. Not that it can't be done, just a matter of how much effort you want to put in. The rest I don't really see as a big deal. You can expect to do half those things on most E30s if they're a bit neglected.

If he really wants to keep the car, he'll make the effort.

[e30davie]

The rust looks easy to fix. get a cheap gasless mig welder and some spare panels to practise, have a crack at it, it doesnt have to be that neat as you'll never see it.

A car sitting for 10yrs out in the weather...... cars don't like sitting dormant. As mentioned everything that could deteriorate will probably have deteriorated.

Having said that, it wont cost you anything to start investigating and seeing whats wrong with it. Get it running using as little money as possible, then start a list of all the things wrong with it and see if its something you want to tackle.

The other thing is, all these cars are 30yrs old. so you might end up with a new chassis that needs just as much work as your current one.

[ELVA164]

If he really wants to keep the car, he'll make the effort.

That's really what it'll come down to, yeah.

[MR E30 325is]

I agree with Parkerbink as well.

Wayyyyy too many very clean southwest E30 convertibles here in AZ to attempt repairing this car.

It may be sentimental to you, but you let it sit for 9-10 years. Save yourself loads of time, and loads of money and come pick up/ship a rust free convertible from AZ.