What is the difference in body and which would be best?

[sheehan879]

I am currently serching for a project, something for a few hundred quid to keep me busy over the winter.

I have always like the 2 door e30s and have been looking at a few. The only difference I can see through the models is the bumpers. Am i right in thinking the shell is the same.

Which would be the best engine to look for in terms of cost and performance, the 318 is seems to be more than the 320i for example, would I notice much of a difference.

Many thanks,

[harry_p]

the shells changed a bit when they swapped from the early chrome bumper, small rear light type to the facelift plastic bumper and larger rear lights.

i think the valances, rear arches and rear light pannels are the only differences, but theyre not just bolt on parts so changing from one to the other is pretty involved!

the 'best' to get would be whatever you can find with little or no rust. as both types rust, newer ones are likely to be less rusty than older ones, which means facelift plastic bumper ones.

in general tourings rust less, and were being made for a few years after production of the saloons ended, so you're more likely to find a tidy touring.

personally i prefer the retro looks of the early chrome bumper cars, just a shame the vast majority have been scrapped or are dodging the scrapyard by the skin of their teeth. if i could find a tidy rust free one for sensible money i'd snap it up.

[Fushion_Julz]

The very early cars (circa 1982/3) had a slightly different shell....all were 2 saloons

After that the shell was much the same, although there was a facelift in 87 (except M3 and Cabrios)...bumpers and taillights are the immediate outward signs. Tourings were only available in facelift from 87 on and M3s never were facelifted and cabrios only got the facelift right at the end around 1991.
The engines, though, changed a bit at that update:

Prior to mid 87 the engine line up was: 1.8 M10 4cyl on either carb or injection, M20 6 cyl in 2.0, 2.3 and, later, 2.5 to replace the 2.3...all injection was L-Jet

Post 87 the 1.8 engines were changed to M40 and all were injected and there was a 1.6 version added also with injection. There was a 1.8 M42 16v in the 318is only and this is only a 2dr saloon. The injection system become Motronic and the M20 models had a few under-bonnet changes, too.
Also with the facelift you could get a 324TD (which was BMWs' first oil-burner), but no touring or cabrio versions, and a 325ix with 4wd and that had a different shell with wider arches.

The M3 engine was, essentially, unchanged (S14), but it comes in various versions...200bhp on 46mm TBs (195bhp with cat) on earlier cars including the Evo I...Evo II had 215bhp (all cat) on 48mm TBs and this engine was also fitted to later regular production cars... Evo Sport had a 2.5 litre version. The M3 cabs could also be had with the 215bhp motor with no cat (220bhp).

So basically you can get:
1982-87
316 (carb 1.8 M10)
318i (inj 1.8 M10)
320i (inj M20)
323i (inj M20) and this was replaced around 1985 by the 325i
all in 2dr, 4dr or baur convertible only.
M3 (inj 2.3) introduced mid 1986 and 2dr only

1987 on you can get:
316i (inj M40)
318i (inj M40)
318is (inj M42)
320i (inj M20)
325i (inj M20)
All above available in 2dr, 4dr, Baur, full cabrio & Touring
325ix (inj M20, 4wd) in 2dr, 4dr only (may have been a touring, too)
324TD 2dr and 4dr only (may have been a Baur cab as this was an option on all regular cars)
M3 (inj 2.3 or 2.5) in 2dr and full cabrio only

[sheehan879]

Well that answers my question fully,

Thank you very much

[StriderDriver]

that needs to go straight onto the wiki pages

good job for explaining simply (comnparitively)

[Baurtje]

The very early cars (circa 1982/3) had a slightly different shell.... 2 and 4-door, Baur TC

After that the shell was much the same, although there was a facelift in 87 (except M3 and Cabrios)...bumpers and taillights are the immediate outward signs. Tourings were only available in facelift from 87 on and M3s never were facelifted and cabrios only got the facelift right at the end around 1990.
The engines, though, changed a bit at that update:

Prior to mid 87 the engine line up was: 1.8 M10 4cyl on either carb or injection, M20 6 cyl in 2.0, 2.3 and, later, 2.5 to replace the 2.3...all injection was L-Jet

Post 87 the 1.8 engines were changed to M40 and all were injected and there was a 1.6 version added also with injection. There was a 1.8 M42 16v in the 318is only and this is only a 2dr saloon. The injection system become Motronic and the M20 models had a few under-bonnet changes, too.
Also with the facelift you could get a 324TD (which was BMWs' first oil-burner), but no touring or cabrio versions, and a 325ix with 4wd and that had a different shell with wider arches.

The M3 engine was, essentially, unchanged (S14), but it comes in various versions...200bhp on 46mm TBs (195bhp with cat) on earlier cars including the Evo I...Evo II had 215bhp (all cat) on 48mm TBs and this engine was also fitted to later regular production cars... Evo Sport had a 2.5 litre version. The M3 cabs could also be had with the 215bhp motor with no cat (220bhp).

So basically you can get:
1982-87
316 (carb 1.8 M10)
318i (inj 1.8 M10)
320i (inj M20)
323i (inj M20) and this was replaced around 1985 by the 325i
325e (inj M20)
325iX (inj M20)
324D
1986: 325i Cabriolet

all in 2dr, 4dr or Baur convertible only.
M3 (inj 2.3) introduced mid 1986 and 2dr only

1987 on you can get:
316i (inj M40)
318i (inj M40)
318is (inj M42)
320i (inj M20)
320iS (S14, Italy and Spain)
325i (inj M20)
All no, not all above: 316i and 318iS/320iS not, 318i after 1989 above available in 2dr, 4dr, Baur, full cabrio & Touring
325ix (inj M20, 4wd) in 2dr, 4dr, Baur & Touring
324TD 4dr only
M3 (inj 2.3 or 2.5) in 2dr and full cabrio onlysingle Baur TC-prototype

Gr Jeroen

[NK]

from 1989 upwards the tail light are slightly wider than previous models,
for example Evo II only come with wide tail lights, Bumpers previous models are chrome-metal bumper and 89' up is got plastic ones.

I personally would go for a 1990' to 1991'

[Alex]

1982-87
316 (carb 1.8 M10)

you could still get the 316 carb in 88

[Fushion_Julz]

Fair play Jeroen...you obviously know a bit about non UK spec motors...

I've never seen an early shell in anything other than 2dr but hey, if they were available in europe, then you know best...

324D was never available in UK or, to the best of my knowledge, in RHD at all...likewise 325e

320is was Italy and Portugal (not Spain),

316i was definitely available as 2 and 4dr and (presumably) Baur TC and Touring...
but you're right 318is models were 2dr only, but the 320is is 2dr and 4dr saloons... perhaps the Baur option was available, too, but who knows if any were ever made?

[djk]

Seen a 318is baur on here, I think there were only a few made though. 325e was RHD in Australia, there's a RHD 325e baur on the bay at the moment, can't be arsed to search it out again now though.

Saw a plastic bumper carb 316 on the bay a little while ago too, rare as rocking horse sh1t I imagine.

[Alex]

Saw a plastic bumper carb 316 on the bay a little while ago too, rare as rocking horse sh1t I imagine.

they were made for around 12-18 month they were avalible in 1988/9 then the 1.6i m40 turd was launched

[Baurtje]

Fair play Jeroen...you obviously know a bit about non UK spec motors...

I've never seen an early shell in anything other than 2dr but hey, if they were available in europe, then you know best...

324D was never available in UK or, to the best of my knowledge, in RHD at all...likewise 325e

320is was Italy and Portugal (not Spain),

316i was definitely available as 2 and 4dr and (presumably) Baur TC and Touring...
but you're right 318is models were 2dr only, but the 320is is 2dr and 4dr saloons... perhaps the Baur option was available, too, but who knows if any were ever made?

Early shell: I think you mean the cars build till 9/'85? Because then the front changed (a little).

Oh, okay. But you could get them over here.

Indeed: Portugal, my fault

There are 98 318iS Baur TC build. No 320iS. As 316i 1810 Baur TC's.

Gr Jeroen

[Fushion_Julz]

Early cars had a slightly different front panel, front bulkhead and rear quarters...may have been other minor differences, too...

Easiest way to spot one is to see if the rear quarters have no vent behind the bumper, I believe..

[Jim78]

The rear arches are also slightly higher on early E30's. Apparently the outer skins were lowered on the cab when it was introduced to cover the folding mechanism or something but saloons still retained the higher arches. Then after the '88 facelift all models had the lower arches although the inner arches behind the panel is still as high as it always was.

Does that make sense? - Think I've confused myself!!!!! Probably be proved wrong now..............

[Baurtje]

Early cars had a slightly different front panel, front bulkhead and rear quarters...may have been other minor differences, too...

Easiest way to spot one is to see if the rear quarters have no vent behind the bumper, I believe..

Here you can see the difference. The blue one is a '85 323i, the white a '87 325iX


Gr Jeroen

[Fushion_Julz]

Nah..those cars are the same...the *valance* is a bit different, but that is a clip-on and could easily be changed..
The 325ix is different as the front and rear arches are different and the whole running gear (pretty much) is unique to the iX...Also, being 87, it could be a Motronic car...the 323 is L-Jet

The easiest way to tell one of the very early cars is to look behind the rear bumper quarters...If there is a vent from the boot, then it is a later shell.

[secondtimelucky]

325iX drop-top???

[GrindCulture]

I feel a bit odd, I've just realised I sort of like Baurs

[Simon13]

Saw a plastic bumper carb 316 on the bay a little while ago too, rare as rocking horse sh1t I imagine.

they were made for around 12-18 month they were avalible in 1988/9 then the 1.6i m40 turd was launched

they were around years 82 launch till just after the facelift in 87

An E reg facelift 316 will be an M10 donk

[Chase007]

I feel a bit odd, I've just realised I sort of like Baurs

No way! No way!

[Mayze]

Right the cabs still had metal bumper well after the facelift but they had the face lift engines so were they still using the same shell?

[Alex]

Saw a plastic bumper carb 316 on the bay a little while ago too, rare as rocking horse sh1t I imagine.

they were made for around 12-18 month they were avalible in 1988/9 then the 1.6i m40 turd was launched

they were around years 82 launch till just after the facelift in 87

An E reg facelift 316 will be an M10 donk

i was just on about plastic bumper 316 carbs