'85 323i Restoration

[MikeBM299]

Hi everyone, about a year ago I started restoring my '85 323i. This is my first restoration and quite an experience too. In this topic I would like to document the resto while sharing it with you guys. If anyone has any tips feel free to share. Plan is to take it back to it's original Polaris Silver color and adding the Mtech 1 kit. I hope you like it

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Just before the project commenced.

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It was exported from the UK by it's previous owner who was a Maltese national living and working in the UK at the time. When it was time to come back to Malta he brought the car with him. It was pretty difficult for him to sell me the car after almost 30 years of ownership.

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Trim and interior were the first things to come off the car.

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Engine ready to be removed too.

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Engine removed, the rest of the drivetrain soon followed, sady don't have any decent pics.

[MikeBM299]

With the car stripped down to a bare shell, I started stripping the underseal off the underside of the car.

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Stripping the car revealed a very solid underbody with very minimal rust considering the car was used daily for almost 30 years. After 3 destroyed drills, lots of hours and patience I'm almost ready with just one wheel arch left. I hope to get the car into bodywork soon so I can get some more updates for the thread.

[martauto]

Thats alot of real hard graft you have done there, nice one mate
Looking forward to seeing how this progress`s.

Mart.

[Tineca]

Wow that's amazing work!!

[Acaciastrain360]

Any updates??

[Cloggy Saint]

Great work, and like you said, surprisingly clean so far, it could've been a very different story!

[hennabm]

Seems like it has been away from the UK since 1993. So it has had a good few years in the sun.

Looking forward to further instalments of the restoration.

[MikeBM299]

Hi all sorry for the lack of updates. There's not been much work done to it lately. The doors, bonnet and boot lid have been removed. I have removed the interior sound deadening. Apparently 323i's had it also in the boot and it weights a total of 15KG. Don't know any info why only 323i's had it.

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I also installed the car on the rotisserie for a test fit. All went well and just a few more adjustments and off to the body shop it goes.

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Car is expected to go the body shop in May. I plan to post another update detailing what will be done to it. In the mean time I had a go at stripping the paint but things did not go to plan. I've tried paint stripper but after lots and lots of coats most of the primer still won't dissolve.

[MikeBM299]

As promised in the last post I've got another update. Car has gone to the soda blaster's today. They will be blasting the interior and engine bay. The exterior parts will be sanded to bare metal by the painters so as to minimise damage to the surface. Should be ready by tomorrow and next week the welder should get a start on it.

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In the meantime I plan to keep you guys updated with the suspension refresh. I'm currently assembling my zinc plating kit so I can get a start on the front subframe.

[Tineca]

Coming along brilliantly. Made up for you

[MikeBM299]

Lat week car was ready from the blasters and back to the paint shop. I had these pictures sent by them.

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[MikeBM299]

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[MikeBM299]

I took the rest of the panels to the paint shop so they can get a start on them too.

Car should now get all the rust sorted with many new body panels to get it in as best condition as we can. All panels have been delivered to the panel beater but he will have to fabricate the firewall pieces himself since I could not get hold of E30 Garage Norway to buy them too. I've used Valcas garage for the floors, square pads under front floor. I've got the Klokkerholm front wings, I think they should fit well with some minor adjustment. Rear panel may need to be replaced too since I had a strange issue where the right tail light had 2 screw mounts at the edge broken to make it fit and still poked out about a mm. I hope to get another update soon the panel beater should be working full blast on it so it should be a matter of weeks.

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[martauto]

Some very serious intent there mate,
Keep the pics coming as they "paint a thousand words"

Mart

[hennabm]

Thanks for the update. Keep them coming and hope all goes well with the tin worm extinction.

[MikeBM299]

Hi all, the work has continued. Sadly not at the pace I wanted it to but personal matters have taken a toll on me lately and sometimes I don't have the motivation to work on the car.

But we have another update. Car has been ready from metal work for some time now. It has had loads of work done to it to get it to a stage where I'm happy with it. Pictures for your viewing pleasure. For those who want to see al the photos they can be found in this Facebook Album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 768&type=3

The Klokkerholm wings I had did not fit well and would need a lot of work to make them right. We have now bought a pair or RHIBO Maxicar wings from Italy. Car had one of them on and it fit well. We still have to test fit the new ones on.

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[MikeBM299]

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[MikeBM299]

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[MikeBM299]

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[MikeBM299]

While the car is waiting for paint. I have managed to buy an Mtech 1 kit and OBC which I wanted to retrofit. I bought some new wheels too.

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[MikeBM299]

Lately I started working on the suspension I am stripping them down to bare metal with a wire wheel and priming with Forch L239 Rust Stop Primer. I am planning on spraying them in sating black 2k myself. What are everyone's toughts on this?

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[flybynite]

While the car is waiting for paint. I have managed to buy an Mtech 1 kit and OBC which I wanted to retrofit. I bought some new wheels too.

Certainly nice to see another 323i getting some love. Few enough of them now. Going well

One thing to check is the 323i had the early pre-facelift front valance. That pre-dated the Mtech1 spoiler which came in on the later pre-facelift around '85. Although you have a very late 323i from the first photographs it still has the early front.

Alpina spoilers before and after '85 are different fitment . I would check the fitment while you still have time to alter things if needed. I am not 100% sure about the tech1 fitment to an early car but worth checking.

I do like those wheels, well made and not that heavy, I am tempted by a set to run in the winter to save the risk of bending another original. 99% of people would not notice the difference

[hennabm]

Satin black for the suspension arms and cross members is correct.