My First E30-- a Mtech 1

[87mtech27]

Don't tempt me

M20 for this and M30 for another.... that way I will have both

[jimbom30cab]

Good idea then maybe M52 for another LOL

[87mtech27]

3 will be breaking the bank lol

[polsta]

If I were you , I'd not worry about them other cars like a tech 1 with chrome and wrong trim or a tech 1 alpina mish mash, it seems maybe you don't quite know what you want ?

A nice tech 1 is and will be a rare car in a few years even more so, if the shell is a decent one , get it all to original spec and look after it, there is s nice mint houndstooth interior or 2 floating about for sale £550 odd but worth getting , get it stripped down and re painted and make it a beautiful car, but then you'l want to keep garaged and look after it, cars like that you don't want to use as a daily driver and put through winter weathers

Then get another 318 or something to engine convert and kit up and rag around in daily

Or if you want it as a daily and have no garage and the paint is reasonable, just patch it up wack an engine in it and blast around in enjoying it as it is having fun

Just spend a bit of time thinking about what end result you want and what you want/need to use it for

Good luck, when a tech 1 looks oem and like new - you absolutly love it

[Kos]

I'm glad the shell got snapped up

A lot of time and effort was put into building that car up and getting the s54 working properly in it.

As for what you do with it, well that's up to you. But it is fairly sold foundation for any build.

[87mtech27]

I hear what your saying Polsta, I always wanted to have a tech 1 but in Zinno with colour coded not the chrome trim, however after buying it lot of people told me to keep it silver and tbh it has grown on me as well.

As for the Alpina bits and pieces such as front valance, rear spoiler, steering wheel and allow wheel... IMO I can switch back and forth between them, storing away the unused parts a bit like. What I wont do is badge it Alpina as it isn't one.

On the engine front I wasn''t too sure whether I wanted M20 or M30 but now I've decided to go with with M20 on this and get another E30 down the line for M30.

I don't intend on driving this daily, more of a garage queen in the making therefore it will be fully stripped and repainted. Already have mint/ no wear or tear houndstooth interior

For daily drives I have these: http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=257127

Agreed the shell is a solid foundation to build on

[Kos]

Proper daily driver

[87mtech27]

[jimbom30cab]

Any updates on this ?

[87mtech27]

Not at the moment Jim, just buying parts for now. Was hoping to buy a donor car this next month but it fell through unfortunately.

Want to build a garage this year so the actual Restoration work won't start on this until summer 2016

[jimbom30cab]

Cool, great project by the way, whats favourite for the enginE?

[87mtech27]

It will either be a high comp M20 2.5 or a 2.7 depending on whatever I come across first and the initial mileage of the motor too. The donor car I had in mind was a 2.7 so a little gutted I missed out tbh a˜­.

On a separate note I've picked up a M30 however that will be for another E30

[bab-91]

Put the M30 in the tech 1 or I'll have Pete fondle you in your sleep!

[87mtech27]

M30 will go in another pre-facelift Bab a˜ƒ...

Pete wants me to go M20 route too (using his M20 )

[jimbom30cab]

M20 in my view is best for a tech1 as it looks original and it you can find a 2.7 even better

[87mtech27]

M20 in my view is best for a tech1 as it looks original and it you can find a 2.7 even better

+ 1 for originality

For now its under two sheets of breathable car covers.

[pony]

So the sport is outside ?

[bab-91]

M30 will go in another pre-facelift Bab a˜ƒ...

Pete wants me to go M20 route too (using his M20 )

I know not to get between Pete & his shekel making!

Is the 2.8 stroker engine not as easily done?

[87mtech27]

Thought I'd upload some pictures of my E30 as I never really took any proper shots when I bought it. It's covered in a lot of dust at the moment.

I'll let the pictures do the talking as the old adage goes "a picture tells a thousand words"





































85% of what appears to be rust is in fact dust



Rust line in the battery tray area



Rust bubbles







Will need a new piece







This is just ugly but fortunately the only part of the car that is rotten.



Onto the interior









Also got myself a houndstooth M3 bench with headrests to go with the front seats.

These dehumifiers and the military grade desiccant bags have done a great job keeping the interior dry.



Plans for this year are to build a garage at the back which will be big enough to park two cars inside. Just hope my constant presence at here doesn't annoy the tenants

[jimbom30cab]

Very very clean and what a great blank canvas. That rear arch should be pretty easy to sort out. The little rust lines under the rear windows seal, they do tend to go there but I would rub them down with 320 grade and put a lick of acid primer on for now.

What plans do you have for the engine?

[pacerpete]

With the mileage , ownership history and general togetherness, this turd has potential to be an extremely nice car with the added rare bonus of a nice earner when done. I was tempted as I have most of the bits but too many other turdz and too little time
Be sure to keep it standard- ish . It is too good to molest.

[87mtech27]

I'm going to be molesting the car with this









Nah just kidding, the anchor will be used in another E30

The engine I've decided on will be a high Comp M20B25 with btb manifold, schrick 272 cam, lighter flywheel and a chip (what is the best chip to go with?). My diff of choice is Tech 2 3.91 LSD.

Took some pictures of the Houndstooth M3 bench today.





The car really is too good to molest Peter, I had a big smile on my face after checking the underbody around the footwells.

Any items I do molest this with will be easily reversible such as Alpina 147 front spoiler, 157 rear spoiler, classic style 4 spoke Alpina steering wheel and Alpina gearknob.

Thanks for the tip on the acid primer Jim.

[87mtech27]

Here is one of two first E30s in my life (the other being my neighbour's white pre-faclift 335i with tech 1 bodykit and shadowlined trim) back in 94 and my earliest recollection of E30s.

It belonged to my uncle. This was a 323i in saphire blue and leather sport seats, unfortunately its seems it was sent off to China in 2000

[jimbom30cab]

Very cool

[polsta]

You probably won't be thinking the same when you take the kit right off and carpets and dash out (been there done that)

What's the rear inner arches like ? In from behind the boot sides and in behind the rear door cards ? Why no pics ?

Car looks straight and honest and the average tech 1 corpse really although bits n pieces n trim etc look quite good , but once you start- don't just think it will be easy going , it's when you start addressing things like the rear panel rust and the rusty bubbles around the famous tech 1 arieal hole , that tjen means the whole rear quarter and rear panel will need painting, the rear arch only do it properly with the inner arch aswell do a proper job or rust will come back through after not too long , that's when it starts getting costly , as you then think - well to re paint this and that , and old silver paint is notoriously hard to match up , it just won't look right , the screen bits etc - you then think well to paint these sections and leave them sections won't look right , and your then talking a whole re spray

Seriously - get the carpet and dash out and have a real good look , if there's any signs of rust and water leak staining at all (coming down the bulkhead) you want to be removing all the deadening from the floor pans , get it all up , as the rust lurks and festers under there , I'd bet money you have surface rust at the very least under it , if left it will rot away so save it now

These tech 1s are all the same sadly , be prepared for it buddy and a money pit

The inner arches the same - get it on stands get the tools out and strip all the inner arch sealant , find the rust festering underneath , and there will be some !!! Do some testing - get the rear drivers side wheel off , remove the rusty metal cover over the fuel lines , scrape away at the seams all around inside that area , you at least find surface rust , if not worse , if left it will eat and turn in to holes

Look at jims threads for some great pics of this sort of thing and what you need to be doing , it's standard practice if your brave enough and the cars a long term keeper, but it's worth doing , get brave roll your sleeves up , prepare your bank balance and get to work lol

Look forward to the rust fest pics

[bss325i]

AFAIK, the underside of this car has already been restored by the prev owner as it was S54'd and E30 M3 running geared up at one point.

This aint your average tech 1 festering f uck pig.

[M-Sport]

Pretty sure seen this at pod in 2013 with the s54 lump, was parked at bmw stand.

Can't wait to see this put back to its original form not that it needs much doing to it.

Good on you for taking it on mate will make a nice car once completed.

[ajay]

The rear carpet was cleaned 9 years ago and was only put back in 2 years ago, the dash has been out for 2 years while doing the S50 conversion no rust in those areas at all, yes i understand some will find it hard to believe but this car is not your usual Tech1 nightmare, i only realised this myself once i began to see other prefacelift & sport nightmares which were patched up here n there with poor repairs over the years, this turd was purchased by my mate at 8 months old, he owned it for 13.5 years then sold it to me who owned it for the same again ( mostly garaged) the inner arches are perfect and rear pannel pretty good too.

[polsta]

But he didn't address the arch and rear panel surface rust around the bay and boot and shell etc ? its had repairs in the bay you can see that have been bodged over by the looks of it , car looks nice in a lot of areas but we all know there's most likely rust to be found, tell tale would be to get the wheels off and look at areas like the metal fuel line cover in the rear arch and see if it's all rusty etc would give a good inclination , and look if the sealant in there is all original or not and get the carpet out and a good inspection, jims threads where hes done this on all his cars are an excellent showing of that and rust he's found after taking the sealant back

[bss325i]

Wheres that pic of the underside you posted up once Andy?

[87mtech27]

Hater

Ofcourse there will be rust and surface rust as it is a 28 year old car (offside inner arch for example). Matching of colours isn't an issue as I factored in a full respray when I bought it (Ajay mentioned it himself and I was all for respraying it Zinno Red at the time) and the reason I aint repaired the rust on the offside arch (pointless repairing, respraying the arch only to fully respray the whole car again after a year). The boot carpet was out when I went to view it and all issues pointed out to me.

Money ain't an issue because its a project between me and my brothers that we will do over the next 5 years, with cost being split equally between us!!

From paint to sealant.. everything will be re-done

I don't plan on doing anything to the car this year so pointless stripping it NOW

[jimbom30cab]

Pretty much as good as you'll ever find a tech 1 these days, damn close to perfect really. Probably the best condition original one left.

[polsta]

Looks good man, good purchase and with a re spray it will be fantastic , good to see it in the hands to be sorted out and saved, look forward to seeing the progress of it

[ajay]

But he didn't address the arch and rear panel surface rust around the bay and boot and shell etc ? its had repairs in the bay you can see that have been bodged over by the looks of it , car looks nice in a lot of areas but we all know there's most likely rust to be found, tell tale would be to get the wheels off and look at areas like the metal fuel line cover in the rear arch and see if it's all rusty etc would give a good inclination , and look if the sealant in there is all original or not and get the carpet out and a good inspection, jims threads where hes done this on all his cars are an excellent showing of that and rust he's found after taking the sealant back

The underside was stripped and inspected before the conversion took place as a clean face n a dirty arse was not an option, the conversion was then done with the final part of the job being the surface body work n engine bay once i proved the conversion was worthy of an extra 5k paint job, but then an M3 shell became available and i had to make a decision to stick eith the Tech1 or buy the M3 shell n swap the conversion over.. By the way the metal fuel line cover was off long ago & all perfect there too.

[87mtech27]

Here are some of the pictures of the car under Ajay's ownership.