1989 325i Sport - Diamond black M-Tech II

[bmwe30mtech]

The seat runners weren’t bad, but i swapped them for the new old stock ones I put on the cloth seats.

I fitted an E30 fire extinguisher bracket under the driver seat along with the new cradle that BMW sell to adapt the E30 bracket to hold the modern/working extinguisher BMW sell for the E30.

Seats fitted

[bmwe30mtech]

I’m really pleased with how the car now drives and looks, and am enjoying using it now and then during the summer, which is more life than it has seen in the last 26 years!

[bmwe30mtech]

It seems to be rotating some of my pictures despite them looking the correct way around on my computer before I upload them - any advice how to spin them back around? Thanks

[SeanOB]

top quality work! I really love how tidy that interior looks too, good choice.

[tha881]

Love all the retrofitting, especially the cruise control. Car looks perfect

[DanThe]

Looks like one of the best cars you could have bought, the original non molested cars are always the best to work on

[RTTBMW]

Love the colour! I picked up mine in July. Well looked after too! The red stole it for me! I like the idea of adding a few simple options! Must pick your brains some time!

[bmwe30mtech]

Thanks guys

[martauto]

Thanks guys

Thank you sir for sharing this with us

Mart.

[boiliebasher]

Just read this through from the start and the level of expertise and attention to detail is nothing short of phenomenal. Just wow. Thanks for sharing

[RTTBMW]

Curious, where did you get those floor mats! Or are they in the car when you got it!

regards

Richard

[ocde30]

I have also just read this thread from the beginning - fantastic car and great to see such thorough detail work. Brilliant thread.

[bmwe30mtech]

Thanks very much for the comments guys.

RTTBMW - The floor mats are the original BMW ones the car came with.

I've not done a lot to the car recently, although there is very little needed. I've not driven it enough though, only one tank of fuel all summer! I'll certainly drive it more next spring and summer, it's not good for them to do so few miles, although it always runs and drives perfectly.

Paul

[Azmontana]

Great work. I've been doing my H26 the last few years. I'm currently rebuilding the callipers and upgrading brake lines. Once that's done it will be going for paint. Mine is also Diamond Schwarz. The end is near!!

[RTTBMW]

I ordered seat belt recepticles for my E30 and they came with wiring attached to them! Is that normal now! Yours looked without wiring!


regards

Richard

[bmwe30mtech]

Thanks Azmontana, get a thread up on here - sounds great!

Richard, the ones with wiring are a different belt reciprocal, for cars with seat belt warning. I’ve usually seen them on US cars, but have seen one or two in the U.K.

Paul

[Jonsku]

Great attention to detail!

[Vez010]

This is amazing! A real dedication... looking forward to your next update!

[Black_Op_88]

Stunning, just stunning. A real credit to you. The very best of health to enjoy.

[scottkc]

I’ve enjoyed this post ! You clearly have an attention to detail. Very nice example

[vonmarshall]

Amazing post, just read it all. Love your attention to detail.
Do you still have it? Do you get much time driving it?

[E30ATIF]

Wow incredible love it! Thanks for sharing!

[bmwe30mtech]

Thanks for the comments guys, I’m glad people enjoy reading through this – I know I enjoy following progress on other cars.

I realise it's been a long time since the last update. I had made some notes to update this thread and named it 'Christmas 2019', so it's overdue! Not a lot happened to the car in 2020, it spent most of the year tucked away in the garage and I only drove it a couple of hundred miles. One of the trips was down to the south coast for the day, here are a few pictures.

Spring 2021 rolled around and I have done a few more things to the car. The car still has its original anthracite velour floor mats and they are in excellent condition, and so to preserve them and in keeping with the black seats I had a set of black mats manufactured by a company in Germany. They are as good as identical to the original OEM velour mats, but in black.

The car was due a cambelt change, and I decided to give it a full inspection II service and have the water pump, thermostat, oil spray bar and aux belts replaced too, so it went to BMR Performance for the work. Some of these items were supposedly already done by a 'reputable' BMW specialist (who I don't trust to have done them at all!) just before the car was sold to the previous owner, less than 1k miles ago, but I at least now know for certain it's been done. I also had them carry out fitting new rear subframe mounts, wishbone bushes and a few other items, which are not particularly fun jobs to do at home. It was on its original subframe and control arm bushes, see the 1988 date!

[bmwe30mtech]

I intend to keep this car for life, and want to preserve the underside as best as I can, so the car went to Impact Body Repair (the bodyshop used by BMR Performance) for a full underside deep clean and wax protection. The results are impressive, and the shell is in fantastic unrestored condition, and never welded anywhere. They removed the M-Tech II kit again to preserve behind it, which meant another new set of clips for the side skirts.

[bmwe30mtech]

The original Blaupunkt Melbourne (SQR 39) stereo which this car had from new was still fitted, however the radio did not work correctly and wouldn't pick up signal. Given my limited selection of tapes I decided to remove this and stored it with the other original parts, although may have it fixed one day. Instead I fitted a Blaupunkt Memphis (SQR 88), a much higher spec stereo which was also an option for the E30 when new. This unit came from Paul (Z3i) and everything works perfectly. It has the added bonus of the Aux-in socket on the front, and the sound quality is amazingly good - I'd say it rivels good new headunits. Despite the original headunit being fitted by the supplying dealer of the car they had chopped the stereo loom, as usual. So I fitted an original uncut E30 stereo loom, which I re-loom taped, and bought the correct adapter from BMW for the SQR 88 (amazingly still available - part number: 65111372723). To connect up the electric aerial and avoid splicing any wires, I then added a plug for the electric aerial to the adapter from BMW, using an OEM E30 plug from elsewhere.

[bmwe30mtech]

I then gave the interior a thorough clean and detail, and washed and polished the car. There is nothing else I want to do except enjoy driving it on summer days and maintain it in top original condition. I've had a few PMs from people asking to buy the original interior items which I have upgraded, but I'm afraid they will never be sold as they belong with this car so it can be put exactly back to standard if ever wanted.

Thanks for reading!

[bmwe30mtech]

[bmwe30mtech]

[aimlessrock]

...is it wrong to look at another mans car and drool?

[Tzantushka]

...is it wrong to look at another mans car and drool?

Certainly not.

[twenty]

I intend to keep this car for life, and want to preserve the underside as best as I can, so the car went to Impact Body Repair (the bodyshop used by BMR Performance) for a full underside deep clean and wax protection. The results are impressive, and the shell is in fantastic unrestored condition, and never welded anywhere. They removed the M-Tech II kit again to preserve behind it, which meant another new set of clips for the side skirts.

Lovely! If you wouldn't mind, could I PM you a couple of questions regarding doing up the underside?

[bmwe30mtech]

Thanks for the comments!

Twenty, of course, feel free to PM me any questions.

[martauto]

Thanks for the comments!

Twenty, of course, feel free to PM me any questions.

I felt bloody great driving mine the past two days so what you feel like is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy out there
You do drive it dont you ??

Mart.

[bmwe30mtech]

Thanks for the comments!

Twenty, of course, feel free to PM me any questions.

I felt bloody great driving mine the past two days so what you feel like is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy out there
You do drive it dont you ??

Mart.

Yes! I really enjoy driving it, but haven’t been using it enough. Looks like the weather is improving again, so I’ll be back out in it at the weekend!

[Phatz]

Hi,

I find myself repeatedly scrolling through this thread. The car is simply stunning and gives me a buzz of excitement for when mine is finished and back on the road.

Can I ask the name of the German company that sold you the floor mats? They look exactly what I’m after….

Cheers