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1990 325is restomod project aka "Klaus"

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    1990 325is restomod project aka "Klaus"

    It started with a dream of owning on E30 every since I was a kid. My neighbor had a red 88 M3, and the E30 is probably the car that made me fall in love with BMWs.

    Anyway fast forward to today, my soon to be wife decided since men spend so much money on wedding rings its only far that I get a little engagement gift as well. So she bought me my first project car, a 1990 325is which we named Klaus.

    So the goal for this restoration is full inside and out, new paint, Mtech II body kit, carpets, seats, panels and an S54 6speed swap.

    So the good:

    The car is the color I wanted I have always wanted an Alpine White E30, it has black interior. So far the body is in really good shape, only one small rust spot and underneath looks really clean. The paint needs a bit of work but really its not to bad. It runs and drives, doesn't sound to great, muffler is shot, suspension is clunky but it made it the 166 miles home from where we bought it.

    The bad:
    Left power window doesnt work, odometer is broken, gas gauge doesnt work, dome lights dont work, cluster lights dont work, radio doesnt work (well PO said because he took the amp out, the radio does light), both front seats are torn and in pretty bad shape, the passenger one doesnt tilt forward, or recline. Dash is cracked, center console is cracked a bit. The PO did some interesting wiring jobs, he relocated the hazard and defrost switch, he also painted the engine and calipers blue for some reason.

    Most of this stuff I plan on replacing. Anyway introducing Klaus! More to come, this will probably take me at least a year.


    Edit: Since the new software all my attached photos disappeared (before I used Flickr) so I added a few back on this first thread to see some befores.











    Last edited by Staszek; 08-09-2019, 11:05 AM.
    Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

    #2
    So first thing I did is put some vadars in, they need to be cleaned up a bit but at least I have seats that work for now.


    Next thing I had to fix was a fuel leak, I started the car and the fuel was just streaming out of the bottom of the engine. I am actually surprised that the car made it the almost 200 miles home and this didnt happen sooner.



    I dont have enough garage space to work on this car right now so I am keeping it at my in-laws which was outside. They bought a new house which would give me garage space. So here is the second main thing I had to fix, the battery, while transporting the car from one house to another which was only 5 miles away the battery died two times and I finally could not jump it anymore. Here we go its first tow! Oh and my new plates came in!
    Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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      #3
      Yay! The first of the goodies have started to come in. Thanks Kris from this board for hooking me up on this engine, trans and diff combo. S54 with about 70k on, 6speed and 3.73 diff from an e30 m3.



      Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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        #4
        Working on the interior first get that out of the way. I have decided never to buy a car again from a "car stereo guy". He did some crazy wiring as you will see and cut tons of holes in the interior.

        So here are the speakers he put in, the 15" which I thought was mounted in the trunk, was actually mounted through the trunk on the inside of the car. So I have a nice hole in the trunk.



        I pulled that out and while I was in there I replaced both fuel sending units, I now have a working gas gauge again.

        He also cut some nice holes in my door panels to mount these speakers.




        I ordered these new panels, they should be in shortly.


        While I was in there I replaced the window switch on the console and the window motor. I thought that was the issue with the left window because it worked after that, so I thought. Come to find out it works fine when the door is open, when its closed it stops. The PO put speaker wire in that was so thick I feel like it was pulling on the wires in the door. Once I pulled it out the window worked perfectly again.


        So while I was in there I decided to check the pin on the door thinking maybe thats why the dome lights didnt work. Although I did go to replace both light fixtures and found out the PO cut some wires up there, not sure why. The Pin also had wires missing so I pulled down the entire under dash panel and came upon a horror show. Looks like its going to take some time to get the wiring right. I pulled out the alarm and after I clean up this wiring I will be putting a new one in. But WOW this is a mess.


        Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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          #5
          New center console came in. I will install it after I put the new black carpet in which also was delivered.


          Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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            #6
            As I mentioned earlier my gauge cluster was not in great shape, ODO broke, lights broke plus I wanted to raise my tach with the new engine.

            I sent this one out to Bavarian Restorations, they are on this board as well and they did an awesome job. I had them do a complete refurb on the board, batteries, lights and plastic. I had them add gauge rings, raise the RPM gauge to 8k, paint the needles, add the Alpina stripe, and fix the odo.

            Then I had them put in some stealth gauges, a volt meter and oil temp gauge. I love this option.

            Before


            After



            Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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              #7
              Picked up a few more goodies. I got these wheels in 5 lug due to my conversion coming up, I will be running E46 M3 brakes front and and rear.

              Eventually I will get some BBS, but for now I just needed some wheels in 5 lug big enough to fit over the M3 brakes. I kind of like them.



              Also got these, they will go nice with the Mtech II exterior, which I did buy an entire OEM set new in the box, I will have to get some pics of them up here.

              Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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                #8
                Here he is resting back in the garage for now. Summer is pretty busy for me, once it gets cold I plan on making a ton more progress. You can see the little rust spot on the bottom right.

                Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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                  #9
                  Where are you getting the custom door cards? looks amazing!

                  Turbo M42 Build Thread :Here
                  Ig:ryno_pzk
                  I like the tuna here.
                  Originally posted by lambo
                  Buttchug. The official poster child of r3v.

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                    #10
                    Jesus you aren't fucking around!

                    Let me know what the quality is like on those door cards and console bits, I'm interested in his alcantara versions.

                    SILBER COMBAT UNIT DELTA (M-Technic Marshal)
                    RTFM:http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=56950

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by Dj Buttchug View Post
                      Where are you getting the custom door cards? looks amazing!
                      Guy on ebay, a few members on here have bought from him, he is in Germany it takes like a 4-6 weeks though to get his stuff.

                      Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by Ray Smoodiver View Post
                        Jesus you aren't fucking around!

                        Let me know what the quality is like on those door cards and console bits, I'm interested in his alcantara versions.
                        Thanks! The goal is to make this car factory new except with better performance. I set a decent budget for it.

                        I havent gotten the door cards yet, but the center console quality was very very good. I also got the brake boot and handle from him, just didnt take pics yet.
                        Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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                          #13
                          You bring new meaning to going hard!!!
                          FEEDBACK:
                          http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=316212

                          BMWCCA #398608
                          IG @yagayo38

                          "The Best E30's were built with two camshafts four cylinders and sixteen valves!".

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by Staszek View Post
                            Guy on ebay, a few members on here have bought from him, he is in Germany it takes like a 4-6 weeks though to get his stuff.

                            http://www.ebay.com/itm/251193491222...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


                            Damn. His stuff is beautiful. Cant wait to see that in the car.

                            Turbo M42 Build Thread :Here
                            Ig:ryno_pzk
                            I like the tuna here.
                            Originally posted by lambo
                            Buttchug. The official poster child of r3v.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by getouth View Post
                              You bring new meaning to going hard!!!
                              Thanks picked up some OEM euro grills the other day and some shadow grills.

                              Plan on doing euro smileys with HID conversion but I think I want to get all the body work done first. The goal is if I can get the interior and exterior done by the end of the year I will focus on the engine swap in the spring of next year.
                              Euro Delivery Thread///E30 Project Klaus///COTM August 2021

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