E30 Zone

This the 325i i bought ages ago for parts as it is basically a sport, it had every option from new e/w, e/m, e/s, c/l, opening rear windows and lsd. It then had the full M-tech package fitted at dealer in 1988 consisting of M-tech2 bodykit, suspension and steering wheel, x-spoke alloys and maplight rear view mirror.

trouble is its totally rusted, both inner and outer arches gone like totally, battery tray non existent, sills inner and outer on pass side are naff, drivers side outer has gone a bit as well, rear floor at base of rear seat totally gone on pass side.

hence the reshell.

so i then bought another 325i in metallic black that has mint shell but is standard apart from lsd and abs, so am transfering all the parts over from the M-tech 325i

started dismantling the rusty 325i here are some photos of the rust at the rear....

lol that rust! Looks like its been pulled out the sea or something!

More picture's of the rust please!

This will make the m-tech massive who are too scared to look under their kits more scared! Crikey that is well bad. Was it washed with salty water it's whole life!

i`ll take photos of the rear floor and sills 2moro as i took the sideskirts off today - not a pretty sight.

here is what my other 325i looks like inside, interior was all stripped out, now its full of parts from the rusty 325i ....

they ALL go some where under the side skirts no matter how mint with the kit on! I take it the scuttle is rusty too?

the rear metal valance is gone and rear corners of boot floor below rear lights

Simon13 - surprisingly the front of the car is pretty sound

what about passenger side floor pan? front wing at the bottom surely there?! thats where mine needs some attention

This must have been an E30 built by British Leyland!

front wing bottom is good pass side floorpan is not bad either

fcuking stroll on!!!!! okay, even by MY standards of believing that any e30 is a savable e30........... thats fcuked!!!!!! fukked as fukked gets. that is wankered! totally!!!!!!

That makes my sport (pre bodyshop) to be a minter!

SCOTT325SE wrote:that is wankered! totally!!!!!!

I think that covers it nicely :yeahthat:

What's going on in the boot on the drivers side. It looks like it's got part of another car hammered over the inner wheel arch.

Ian.

Oh my god thats bad. Im getting worried about finding a nice clean 325 Sport now!

Early cars aren't the best for rust protection, loving that fibre glass repair, proper MOT job.

totally agree, i only bought the car for parts, there is no way i would take that shell on for restoration

wait till 2mora i`ll post some more pics up of the floor and sills

the boot did look quite tidy when the carpet was in there

Paul325i wrote:Early cars aren't the best for rust protection, loving that fibre glass repair, proper MOT job.

nothing wrong with early cars ive got 2 and no rust

My old 1985 323i went the same way as this. Inner wheel arches, outer sills, inner sills and floor. Jacking points dissappeared into the inside of the car too. As you said it looked fine with the carpet in! This is how it looked 2 weeks before it was scrapped - I used engine, interior, wheels and suspension on my current Sport. I put it down to having had a shunt at the back and only being properly repaired on the outside.

My old 1985 323i went the same way as this. Inner wheel arches, outer sills, inner sills and floor. Jacking points dissappeared into the inside of the car too. As you said it looked fine with the carpet in! This is how it looked 2 weeks before it was scrapped - I used engine, interior, wheels and suspension on my current Sport. I put it down to having had a shunt at the back and only being properly repaired on the outside.

Blimey

Such a shame! If an E46 325 looks like that in 15 years I will be worried!

got the bonnet, wings, bumpers and the front valance off now.

here is some more pics of rusty areas from yesterday and this morning...

oh my god! even MY car wasnt that bad!

can you imagine what would happen to that car in a shunt!?

i was just about to say..

luckily i never drove the car, well only off trailer and into garage

So why do some cars rust like that, yet others hardly rust at all?

the other 325i has mint shell luckily

having seen that i may go rebuild my 325i se i thort it was bad but a couple of doors and sills and it could well survive any1 handy with a welder in leeds lol Daz