***Editors Note: Pootis has the car we all secretly lust after, and some of us openly. Having ridden in a E30 with LS power, it really takes the fun level up several notches. I have been wanting to feature his car, but without a lip, I wouldnt do it. :o Now that he put a lip on it, I felt it was time to share his car with everyone and give him a spot for the month. Congrats on being R3Vs Car of the Month!
Factory options:
1989 325i Pretty basic options, manual, comfort seats, open diff etc
Color:
Zinnoberrot
Interior color:
Natur
Engine modifications:
Currently: 4.8L LS, 224R Cam, LS6 intake, 19 lbs. injectors, custom engine mounts, Canton front sump oil pan, stock e30 radiator with two 10" puller fans, disgraceful wiring by "specialist" JCarp90
Exhaust:
Custom 2.5" into a single 3"
Transmission:
2002 Camaro T56
Differential:
4.10 LSD
Suspension:
Ground Control Coils 450/650 with bilstein struts, Massive Brakes Street Kit with Wilwood 4 piston calipers (Red calipers add 100HP), Custom Hydroboost, Every Bushing on the car has been replaced
Wheels:
16x7.5/8.5 OZ Vega 3 Piece wheels Filled and Drilled from 5x112 to 4x100, 215/45/16 Federal 595's
Exterior modifications:
I have tried to keep the car as stock looking as possible even opting for the "i" lip over the "is". It is hilarious to see people's reactions when it starts up. Love the fish bowl effect and the chrome so no tint or "shadow lining" will be occurring on this car. Original paint as well.
Interior modifications:
Interior wise I rewrapped a set of sport seats myself using the autoberry kit. I also picked up an mtech 1 steering wheel and sent it off to stitched wheels to have rewrapped. The shift knob is obnoxiously large but my dad turned it for me and it actually make shifting really pleasant. I'm sure we will make another one that is a little smaller and sits a little lower. Other than that I have kept the interior pretty much factory original.
Story behind the car:
I have owned the car for around 8 years. The previous owner used to come into the bank I worked at and I would joke with her that I would love to buy it if she ever consider selling it. Well one day she came into the bank and said she was ready to sell it. I hesitantly asked how much thinking there was no way I would ever be able to afford it. She said she was thinking about selling it for $750.....I told her I would be by that evening to pick it up. Come to find out she was practically the original owner (I think she bought it with 9k miles) and she had all of the receipts for every bit of maintenance. For a while I kept the car stock for the most part. Did springs and suspension and trm wheels. I drove it like that for probably a year. I got bored with that and thus the turbo M20 build began. That build took about 2 years to complete and get running correctly. I have a bit of a HP problem and within 6 months I upped the boost from 8 psi to 15 psi running an HX35. Long story short I pushed boost passed the rings of my 160K mile original motor and that was it for the M20. So weighing my options I had to make a decision to either rebuild the m20, m/s5X swap it or go all out with an LS build. I knew I couldn't go back to the 200hp or so that the m/s5X would put out so LS was the only good option or so I thought. I originally thought I was buying a 5.3 but craigslist strikes again and it was actually a 4.8. I decided to go with it and started replacing gaskets etc purchased a cam intake, had the heads milled all normal engine refresh items. Sourced a used T56 and was well on my way. Seeing how I wanted this to be a "budget build" I couldn't bring myself to purchase the sikky kit (hindsight I really should have). Alex Norman happened to be selling his custom kit so I purchased that. Since I know the brakes will be a question, I did not want to run manual brakes so I did extensive research on an assisted brake option and ended up settling on a custom hydroboost setup which has worked out well. There have been a lot of headaches and it took me almost 3 years to have the car completely running but it is finally done and ton of fun when I do drive it. Now call me crazy but the 4.8 only made 320hp which is not nearly enough for my liking so starting in February or so the 4.8 is coming out and a 6.0 is going in. If everything goes correctly it should make 430hp to the wheels which I think will be enough. Sorry for the long write up but the car has a fun story. Hope you enjoy.
-John
Factory options:
1989 325i Pretty basic options, manual, comfort seats, open diff etc
Color:
Zinnoberrot
Interior color:
Natur
Engine modifications:
Currently: 4.8L LS, 224R Cam, LS6 intake, 19 lbs. injectors, custom engine mounts, Canton front sump oil pan, stock e30 radiator with two 10" puller fans, disgraceful wiring by "specialist" JCarp90
Exhaust:
Custom 2.5" into a single 3"
Transmission:
2002 Camaro T56
Differential:
4.10 LSD
Suspension:
Ground Control Coils 450/650 with bilstein struts, Massive Brakes Street Kit with Wilwood 4 piston calipers (Red calipers add 100HP), Custom Hydroboost, Every Bushing on the car has been replaced
Wheels:
16x7.5/8.5 OZ Vega 3 Piece wheels Filled and Drilled from 5x112 to 4x100, 215/45/16 Federal 595's
Exterior modifications:
I have tried to keep the car as stock looking as possible even opting for the "i" lip over the "is". It is hilarious to see people's reactions when it starts up. Love the fish bowl effect and the chrome so no tint or "shadow lining" will be occurring on this car. Original paint as well.
Interior modifications:
Interior wise I rewrapped a set of sport seats myself using the autoberry kit. I also picked up an mtech 1 steering wheel and sent it off to stitched wheels to have rewrapped. The shift knob is obnoxiously large but my dad turned it for me and it actually make shifting really pleasant. I'm sure we will make another one that is a little smaller and sits a little lower. Other than that I have kept the interior pretty much factory original.
Story behind the car:
I have owned the car for around 8 years. The previous owner used to come into the bank I worked at and I would joke with her that I would love to buy it if she ever consider selling it. Well one day she came into the bank and said she was ready to sell it. I hesitantly asked how much thinking there was no way I would ever be able to afford it. She said she was thinking about selling it for $750.....I told her I would be by that evening to pick it up. Come to find out she was practically the original owner (I think she bought it with 9k miles) and she had all of the receipts for every bit of maintenance. For a while I kept the car stock for the most part. Did springs and suspension and trm wheels. I drove it like that for probably a year. I got bored with that and thus the turbo M20 build began. That build took about 2 years to complete and get running correctly. I have a bit of a HP problem and within 6 months I upped the boost from 8 psi to 15 psi running an HX35. Long story short I pushed boost passed the rings of my 160K mile original motor and that was it for the M20. So weighing my options I had to make a decision to either rebuild the m20, m/s5X swap it or go all out with an LS build. I knew I couldn't go back to the 200hp or so that the m/s5X would put out so LS was the only good option or so I thought. I originally thought I was buying a 5.3 but craigslist strikes again and it was actually a 4.8. I decided to go with it and started replacing gaskets etc purchased a cam intake, had the heads milled all normal engine refresh items. Sourced a used T56 and was well on my way. Seeing how I wanted this to be a "budget build" I couldn't bring myself to purchase the sikky kit (hindsight I really should have). Alex Norman happened to be selling his custom kit so I purchased that. Since I know the brakes will be a question, I did not want to run manual brakes so I did extensive research on an assisted brake option and ended up settling on a custom hydroboost setup which has worked out well. There have been a lot of headaches and it took me almost 3 years to have the car completely running but it is finally done and ton of fun when I do drive it. Now call me crazy but the 4.8 only made 320hp which is not nearly enough for my liking so starting in February or so the 4.8 is coming out and a 6.0 is going in. If everything goes correctly it should make 430hp to the wheels which I think will be enough. Sorry for the long write up but the car has a fun story. Hope you enjoy.
-John
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