California Dreamin': E30 Vert Build Inspired by Katy Perry

[LorenzeTorres]

UPDATED: 12/5/17

What's up everybody! This will be my build thread to what is to be MY perfect daily driver, canyon carver, and California Coast cruiser.

I finally got my hands on one my dream cars. A little history, I fell in love with the E30 when my friend in high school circa 2008 drove an E30 M3 around. Fast forward to 2009, I saw this car on SpeedHunters and knew that "THIS" was the one.


Though it appears to be a 2002 Vert (didn't know BMW made those), Katy Perry reminded me that there's nothing more California than driving Pacific Coast Highway with a convertible BMW with your babe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98WtmW-lfeE

AND THIS SOLIDIFIED IT FOR ME. My favorite band Miami Horror filmed a video with the same concept of Katy's but in an actual E30 vert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF8dt1hpZ9M

These pics were taken one week after picking up the car. It started its life as an auto late model 325i.
What was done:

Exteriors:
Cheap stage 1 respray
Manual top conversion
Mtech 2 front and rear valence
Unknown side skirts
Shaved moldings
Shaved antenna hole
Deep Smileys

Interior:
Aftermarket headunit
Upgraded speakers
Mtech2 wheel
Swapped to uncracked dash

Suspension:
Billy HD's
H&R sport springs
Refreshed control arms and bushings

[LorenzeTorres]

FAST FORWARD TO TODAY 11/15/2017
Quite a bit has been done, and a lot more will be going.

Maintenance:
NGK ZGR5A5077 Spark plugs
Came pre-gapped to .32
what a world of a difference! Car has a little more pep
Tranny fluid change
Shifts a lot smoother
Replaced intake filter
Topped power steering fluid and turning the wheel doesn't feel like it's fighting me
Topped off coolant and car runs a little cooler (it used to get up to the middle sitting in traffic)
Wheels:
Sold the 16x9 XXR/ CCW Reps (kinda liked the look)
Added Gotti's that are 16x8/ 16x8.5 with some weird wood finish on the faces and gold spikes
Running 25mm adapters in front (4x100 to 5x112)
Running 18mm adapters in rear (will run wider spacers in near future)
Fun fact: These were owned by Bruce Canepa as they have his name etched inside the barrels.

Interior:
Had to do a 90's throwback and run the Gucci shift boot that I ran in all my other cars.

Suspension:
Added a Racing Dynamics strut bar
Had to raise the car by the subframe
Drill bigger holes (the plates were mangled) needed to be hammered out too
Pushed everything in

IMG_3406 by lorenze torres, on Flickr

IMG_3409 by lorenze torres, on Flickr

IMG_3410 by lorenze torres, on Flickr

IMG_3411 by lorenze torres, on Flickr

[CorvallisBMW]

Very cool, always nice to see another mtech 'vert running around. Invest in a x-brace for the front end, it really helps with chassis flex.

[KIRIEIW]

Very cool, always nice to see another mtech 'vert running around. Invest in a x-brace for the front end, it really helps with chassis flex.

Don't be fooled, those are plastic bumpers with the black trim painted white :D

Congrats on the pick up OP and sharing your rather interesting taste in music, I unfortunately had to play some music closer to my taste after clicking on that link however. Just messing with you, well maybe not.

[LorenzeTorres]

Don't be fooled, those are plastic bumpers with the black trim painted white :D

Congrats on the pick up OP and sharing your rather interesting taste in music, I unfortunately had to play some music closer to my taste after clicking on that link however. Just messing with you, well maybe not.

LOL! No offense taken, to each his own. I just find that it's so interesting that both songs have an uppity summer California vibe, and both videos feature a BMW vert of some sort. As of late the car has been blasting some Herbie Hancock, and the occasional Stan Getz if you're a jazz fan.

I thought I mentioned that it was kit. But yes, this isn't an actual Mtech, it's a fiberglass rep kit. I love how the factory came out with so many variations of these cars and you can Frankenstein them together. Additionally, I find it to be better this way so I can thrash on it and not care as I intend on participating in some rallies and possible drift events. I'd prefer to run the real Tech bumper since it's poly and can withstand a beating, but for now this will do.

How's your build coming along and congrats on selling the green vert!

[LorenzeTorres]

Very cool, always nice to see another mtech 'vert running around. Invest in a x-brace for the front end, it really helps with chassis flex.

Will keep this in mind.

Unfortunately, all the fun mods will have to back seat as I scramble to re-do my seals for my top as my vert is leaking. Should be an easy fix.

[KIRIEIW]

LOL! No offense taken, to each his own. I just find that it's so interesting that both songs have an uppity summer California vibe, and both videos feature a BMW vert of some sort. As of late the car has been blasting some Herbie Hancock, and the occasional Stan Getz if you're a jazz fan.



I thought I mentioned that it was kit. But yes, this isn't an actual Mtech, it's a fiberglass rep kit. I love how the factory came out with so many variations of these cars and you can Frankenstein them together. Additionally, I find it to be better this way so I can thrash on it and not care as I intend on participating in some rallies and possible drift events. I'd prefer to run the real Tech bumper since it's poly and can withstand a beating, but for now this will do.



How's your build coming along and congrats on selling the green vert!

Glad to see you have a sense of humor you'll need it around here :D. Yup finally sold my green convertible, the new owner seems to be overall happy. It had a really solid engine/ trans so he should be able to enjoy it for a long time to come, and of course get a chance to address the cosmetics I never bothered dealing with. Best of luck with the build and don't forget to change the timing belt, I don't see that listed above!




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[LorenzeTorres]

Glad to see you have a sense of humor you'll need it around here :D. Yup finally sold my green convertible, the new owner seems to be overall happy. It had a really solid engine/ trans so he should be able to enjoy it for a long time to come, and of course get a chance to address the cosmetics I never bothered dealing with. Best of luck with the build and don't forget to change the timing belt, I don't see that listed above!




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It's really clean car. I was trying to convince my friend to buy it.

And timing belt is the next major thing too, the previous owner changed it in 2013, but I'm gonna play it safe and swap it out. Palo Alto Bimmer quoted me around $680 for parts and labor. Do you have any recs on places to get my car serviced?

[2mAn]

The timing belt job is one that really connects you with the car. I recommend setting aside a weekend, reading all the DIYs and tackling it yourself

[KIRIEIW]

California Dreamin': E30 Vert Build Inspired by Katy Perry

Exactly what 2mAn said, you really get comfortable tackling bigger jobs once you do a timing belt change. Considering I work at a shop I don't really have any recommendations, maybe we could set something up if you wanted to drop off the car one weekend at my place. Regardless make sure you replace the water pump and camshaft seal "while your in there"! $680 isn't too bad though if they're replacing the water pump, hoses, thermostat, ect but highly doubt that's all included lol.


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[zwill23]

Timing belt job really isn't difficult, like others have said, just do your research and take your time. You'll save yourself a pretty penny, and you can use that cash saved for some fresh tools if you don't have any already :up:

[Haystack]

"Had to raise the car by the subframe
Drill bigger holes (the plates were mangled) needed to be hammered out too
Pushed everything in"

what do you mean by this? Good looking car by the way.

[LorenzeTorres]

"Had to raise the car by the subframe
Drill bigger holes (the plates were mangled) needed to be hammered out too
Pushed everything in"

what do you mean by this? Good looking car by the way.

I bought a used strut tower bar and the mounting plates for the strut towers were pretty bent out of shape. So in efforts to install the bar, I had to drill larger holes for the three bolts, and adding a little chassis flex helped lining the bar to the plates.

Hopefully this clarified things?

And thanks a lot! It's a work in progress. I'm fixing all the little issues that were overlooked by the previous owner.

[LorenzeTorres]

Exactly what 2mAn said, you really get comfortable tackling bigger jobs once you do a timing belt change. Considering I work at a shop I don't really have any recommendations, maybe we could set something up if you wanted to drop off the car one weekend at my place. Regardless make sure you replace the water pump and camshaft seal "while your in there"! $680 isn't too bad though if they're replacing the water pump, hoses, thermostat, ect but highly doubt that's all included lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The timing belt job is one that really connects you with the car. I recommend setting aside a weekend, reading all the DIYs and tackling it yourself

Timing belt job really isn't difficult, like others have said, just do your research and take your time. You'll save yourself a pretty penny, and you can use that cash saved for some fresh tools if you don't have any already :up:

Absolutely! I shall attempt this. Only thing that sucks is I don't have a garage or all the tools to do the job at my house. I live in apartment complex where I can't even get my car up the driveway. I'm assuming this could be a one day thing with the guidance of someone who knows what they're doing.

[2mAn]

If it's your first time try to get a local to help you and bribe them with money booze drugs hookers etc haha