E30 Zone

You might remember, a few months ago I posted a picture of my purchase:



I was busy with other stuff, but finally got around to do the first step: stripped the rear and started cleaning the rust. To my suprpise it's worse than expected... Someone has done a job on it a couple of years ago but it was a poor job and rust came out again...
















It is going to be a really slow and painful process...

Good luck dude

What's it like under the carpets and behind the bulkhead?

Didn't dare to look yet. I guess it's not gonna be much better judging by the front wing. I'm gonna do it in stages. There has been too many 'unfinished projects' where car has been stripped inside out and then due to lack of time/lost of interest it never gets back on the road!

I'd get that carpet up personally, just to see the extent of the rust. If those are the original wings, which they look to be, I have a feeling your gonna have some very nice rot underneath them

The zones usual opinion to everything is 'give up, its not worth it' on everything, but I'd be following that advise with this one and try sourcing a better condition shell and using that one as a donor or sell a few parts to fund the project as it goes.

Obviously, these are bought as projects though so you wanted to get stuck in in the first place They can just turn into massive restorations, just to get the shell right, and by the time you sort that, you end up in the money pit area, as you have too much to loose if you stop

Don't tell me it can't be done.... I will want to do it even more .
Indeed, it will be a lot of hard work. A lot of elbow grease . I've got my own workshop so I'm prepared to do most of the work myself.

Does anyone knows the best place to get the panels? Will need both front wings and a part of n/s rear wing.

Also is anyone selling rotten 325, that I can use as a donor? 2.0 is toooo slow... I'm based up north - Burnley.

dont be afraid to get stuck in , im doing mine on a tiny budget on my marshland style drive,

its the bigger resto projects that keep others inspired ,.

^^^^ is well versed in old fords and they rot way worse than the above, that would be considered mild in some ford circles

an rs2000 i had, needed new rear arches, both front floor pans, inner front wings and some plateing on the sills, all done and its still on the road now

get stuck in pal

Go for it I'd say. I'm sure I'm showing my ignorance compared to the more experienced heavy waited on hear. But as you said if you've got a workshop and are doing the work yourself, cutting out steel and letting new in shouldn't cost too much, surely.

I'm on a welding course currently with the intention of restoring a rotten E30 I have. I'm sure once I start posting pics up I'll get the same reaction . But I'm sticking with the philosophy of pulling it apart and if I can't get it back together, it's off to the bridge...

the biggest cost as with anything G bear, is if you have to pay someone else to do it.

theres a common theme on here, and its probably down to the fact e30s are (currently) quite abundant, but cars that could be fixed are broken due to rust.

which i suppose is understandable if you have to shell out for someone else to do the work, but having owned many a crusty Ford, iv seen way worse repaired and to a high standard.

I'm doing it on a tight budget - to show that it can be done, and also, as it is a hobby - don't want to spend a ton of money on it.

And again... if anyone comes across a 325 as a donor that I can pull out an engine/suspension/drivetrain out it... let me know!

magiccars wrote:
And again... if anyone comes across a 325 as a donor that I can pull out an engine/suspension/drivetrain out it... let me know!

Best bet is to put a post up in the 'Wanted' section here. People get intouch pretty fast.

Also keep an eye out in the 'Parts' section.

You'll find everything between those two sources.

Just a quick update:










that's just the one side done, tip of the iceberg!

i dont wish to rubbish the effort going in, but with e30s you dont really want to mess about with plates on the rear arches, particularly as you have rotting inner arches aswell, as you can do the welding yourself in a workshop, surely you should do the arch/inner arch job properly so it doesnt come back , particularly if the cars having a re spray etc and going to all the trouble

and by the looks of it a new rear panel would be best aswell, a pattern one can be bought for £60 odd , and i imagine less time to do the job and a better end result than all the messing about with that shagged one

do it all once do it properly ! (just passing on advice i have lernt from here) having just had all this done to mine

I know, I probably made a mistake. I should have bought complete panel, would save me a lot of time manufacturing one! Well, other side is much worse so it will definitely be a new one.
What's the best place to get new panels from? I will need need to get new front wings, new n/s rear quorter and n/s inner boot.

im not qualified to advise like a lot of othes are on here, can only go from my expirience, a bodge up to prolong life is one thing, but if your going to a lot of trouble to do the whole car, and your lucky to be able to weld and have a work shop, then its not an expensive job for you like it is those who cant, and if they are done properly they will live on long and strong , as oposed to issues comming back or have fresh paint but still rotting away inside the double skinned lip

rear inner arches only from bmw (wheel housings) and bmw only sell whole rear quater panel, which are probably a shite the bed price , so people buy a repair panel (£20 odd) from someone like cleveland panels ,who also sell wings (£50-60 odd) and rear panels aswell

if i could weld and the car was having new paint, no way would i just patch it up with plates if its a very nice end result your aiming for

mrrodney wrote:dont be afraid to get stuck in , im doing mine on a tiny budget on my marshland style drive,

its the bigger resto projects that keep others inspired ,.

Hey is that a bronze e30 I see in your sig... I have a bronze one I am retsoring myself...

Not many of these around...

Update:
Front wings off and surprisingly solid



When I have pulled the carpet up, I found a swimming pool in the sponge that sits at the bottom. Rust wasn't that bad thankfully:





A little more hard work and I will be on the road next month

on the road next month

yer, i recon you could do that, say 6 weeks to be on the safe side.......NOT !!

Much much respect to you for doing this, i take my hat of to you sir !!!

Even when you are fed up and have had enough keep going all one day you will be proud of your work

Same shit different car lol , i have rust in most places you have sir .

jimbom30cab wrote: Much much respect to you for doing this, i take my hat of to you sir !!!

Even when you are fed up and have had enough keep going all one day you will be proud of your work

BATTS91 wrote:
Same shit different car lol , i have rust in most places you have sir .

Thats the spirit. Hold on to comments like this..

Good work...

Does anyone knows where I can get new complete n/s rear quarter panel? Mine is badly rotten

Hadrians panels

Negative sir.
Also I can't locate N/S front wing, it seems to be out of stock everywhere I look. No delivery date. I guess it's on its way from china?