E30 Zone

Sold this car 10 years ago and just bought it back after years of trying as I regretted selling it!!

PIC TAKEN WHEN SOLD IN 2003: (Worst decision I ever made)







BOUGHT BACK 2013:

I have this wagon back in the garage and ready for me to start to restore/fix up...

Has been off the road for 7 years... and needs a serious amount of work... been sat ina garage with no cover for years and had rats eating away at bonnet insulation and eating holes into water bottles! (bloody chinese restaurant nearby).

*Firstly i know i need to change the inlet manifold!, was part of 88'000 engine I put into vehicle back in 2002*

Have just bought bronze tint nsr glass and rear window, as had green tint on there, as someone smashed the glass when previous owner had it, facelift fascia panel, facelift foglights, full scorpion system, boonnet strut, wiper/hlight bottle, vicous, fan,

next up get timing belt kit, all filters, change all fluids, spark plugs, also replace old fuel, all coolant... need ot be careful turning it over as not been started for years!

the paintwork has been keyed on the bonnet, while I will need to source genuine front and rear mtech 2 bumpers as the ones on now are fibreglass and front bumper is tragic..

I will be getting rid of the mille miglia wheels they are 16" but I hate the look of them and will be looking at bbs splits ideally...

I remember I sold this car back in 2003 but it had no rust underneath, only had rush to one arch (osr and above rear lights /boot recess) I have no idea now how bad the rust has gotten. So will need to inspect fully..

Here are a few pics... (AS PER FEB 2013)

Mmm that is a very nice and uncommon colour . Well done on getting it back , not every day that happens

I know took serious hounding, worst thing was had to pay more than I sold it for.. but honestly. It has burned me selling it for 10years..

Have not seen any metallic bronze ones about so should be a rare sight on the road when finished...

Just requires much time and attention..

jbrunouk wrote:
... needs a serious amount of work... been sat in a garage with no cover for years and had rats eating away at bonnet insulation and eating holes into water bottles! (bloody chinese restaurant nearby).


the paintwork has been keyed on the bonnet, while I will need to source genuine front and rear mtech 2 bumpers as the ones on now are fibreglass and front bumper is tragic..

I will be getting rid of the mille miglia wheels they are 16" but I hate the look of them and will be looking at bbs splits ideally...

Well done on getting it back

Be sure thats all the rats have ate! I bought an E36 a few years back, nobody (RAC/AA/ couple of local garages near the guy) could work out why it wouldn't start. Bought it for a steal anyway and after a short while scratching my head, worked out that the little blighters had chewed through the injection loom. Repaired that, turned the key and it started like you'd just switched it off! 69k miles from new
Sold the engine and box, and when breaking the rest of the car, was evident that they had been through the rest of the car with equal success!

Do you know how they got the tech2 kit to fit the phase one1 car? Afaik they need a fair amount of modding to get the whole kit to fit.

Good to see it will be getting a more fitting set of wheels soon

Keep the pictures coming

Rats did that much damage???... I hope to god it is not that serious...

I may need to ask an expert what i need to do other than above before trying to get the car started..

Weird how the rats got at the clutch reservoir cap... and I know they have chewed a few things so will have extensive look at it tomorrow morning as plan on spending day workin on it.

The mtech 2 kit has fibreglass front and rear bumpers, rear one not so bad, but front looks like it is too small or badly cut at top as massive gaps between bumper and the body of the cvar under the headlights (like i said tragic) the side skirts and pods have been secured properly, looks like extensive work at some point, as from sills and inner door area it looks like a very good fitment. I remember it had mtech coloured vinyl stickers in in middle of mtech 2 kit when I bought it and I took those off straight away...

I bought it from a guy who had this car from 1996-2001 and he said he paid alot to get it fitted. But over years the front and rear bumpers got damaged so fibreglass fitted instead.

The prices for the genuine bumpers are very high and in most cases people are selling the whole kit, not just the front bumper...

Saw a set of Keskin alloys on ebay as well, but not sure if they are good or not... as BBS are renowned.

Jewish racing gold cool colour

good luck with the resto

Is it Bronzit beige? should be a black sticker on the top of the front suspension tower telling you what it is.

Cool colour.

is this the one the seller bigged up few weeks ago with loads of dribble as being a super rare limited edition sport

well done for getting it back mind, is a nice color

Is this the one that was on pistonheads??

lovely car mate, the interior looks in pretty good nick.

Whats the plan, full nut and bolt restoration so its mint or just a fix up so its solid and rust free. First time ive seen a tech2 spoiler with a brake light it that OEM??

polsta wrote:is this the one the seller bigged up few weeks ago with loads of dribble as being a super rare limited edition sport

well done for getting it back mind, is a nice color

Think you have this confused with another car as this has been parked ages... Not think anyone claimed it to be anything special edition etc etc...

kangman wrote:Is this the one that was on pistonheads??

lovely car mate, the interior looks in pretty good nick.

Whats the plan, full nut and bolt restoration so its mint or just a fix up so its solid and rust free. First time ive seen a tech2 spoiler with a brake light it that OEM??

Pistonheads... honestly I had no idea the seller had it up for sale as he swore blind since he bought it off me he would not sell it.. EVER.

But colour is: BRONZITBEIGE METALLIC

Good guess....

the spolier has always been on the car as long as I have seen it from 97 unsure if factory... Not seen another though

jbrunouk wrote:

Think you have this confused with another car as this has been parked ages... Not think anyone claimed it to be anything special edition etc etc...[/quote]

yeah heres that one, for sale a couple of times recently looked like the same car

the color is jewish racing gold

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C352057

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=232308

polsta wrote:

jbrunouk wrote:

Think you have this confused with another car as this has been parked ages... Not think anyone claimed it to be anything special edition etc etc...

yeah heres that one, for sale a couple of times recently looked like the same car

the color is jewish racing gold

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C352057

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=232308[/quote]


BLOODY heck your right, looks very similar to how this one used to look, esp with alpina reps.. but thats a genuine facelift version mines is a pre-facelift but honestly look same near enough.. Wonder how much he sold it for...

Nice story there...finding it again....get it all done...will be worth in the end.....but keep it this time LOL

Just saw pics and the interior on that one is nasty.. leathers all the way!!!

Looks like it needs someone to love it again!

My advice would be ditch that nasty kit and go for a tech 1 kit rather than tech 2?

Nice story, sounds like you have sentimental attachment to it

+1 for the tech 1 kit, a tech 1 in that colour would be quite unique possibly around here, that id love to see

polsta wrote: yeah heres that one, for sale a couple of times recently looked like the same car

the color is jewish racing gold

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C352057

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=232308

Jewish racing gold... you are taking the p?ss right? How much were they advertising the car for??????? I'm very curious.

As i did a check on that car advertised via icarcheck and its a standard 325i not a sport or even an SE. With comfort seats too....

yes its just a standard 325i the same as yours is, hence me saying about how they bigged it up with the m sport and special edition color nonsnse, cant remember how much mate

jewish racing gold, is the color its known on here as

that colour , its so, soooo nice

polsta wrote:yes its just a standard 325i the same as yours is, hence me saying about how they bigged it up with the m sport and special edition color nonsnse, cant remember how much mate

jewish racing gold, is the color its known on here as

No mine is an 325I SE but has the getrag gearbox, full black recaro leather, obc, lsd, etc so is not just a standard one in my book, but anyway... funny how mines is 'standard' when you cannot see reg and cannot check.. lol.

as yours has a facelift kit on a prefacelift car and that is not a color sports were produced in and it has beige/cream head lining , thus saying standard- lsd, obc,leather etc could all be added specced up on any e30 !! , whats the factory build spec ?? they are e30 sport seats by the look of them not recaro , nice color tho and be nice to see it back to its former glory and all up together be nice to see the progress

Gave car a clean and came up okay although the arches need attention...

Duke137 wrote: My advice would be ditch that nasty kit and go for a tech 1 kit rather than tech 2?

I'd echo this!

Cool to get your old car back though, I got my first car back last year 10yrs after first having it as a 17yo.

polsta wrote:as yours has a facelift kit on a prefacelift car and that is not a color sports were produced in and it has beige/cream head lining , thus saying standard- lsd, obc,leather etc could all be added specced up on any e30 !! , whats the factory build spec ?? they are e30 sport seats by the look of them not recaro , nice color tho and be nice to see it back to its former glory and all up together be nice to see the progress

Still confusing as I never once said it was a sport. Just a 325i SE... so kit, colour not being a sport headling etc etc is irrelevant.

I think your going by the other car you confused mines with...

Anyway moving on.......

ps: whomever bought this did spent as hell of a lot on the spec as I tried the bmw vin check and was surprised, as only mtech 2 kit and the spoiler were not on car originallym rest of spec someone paid for.

I used to have a 87 325i conv with cruise control and aircon, I wish this had those added but cannot have everything.

very nice mate

That colour is lush!

So I have replaced the mille miglia alloys, which I want to get sold for £85, but have alpina reps as want to have this look and will get a set of staggered bbs split rims when car is on the road,

Have noticed a few problems:

- Driver seat leans the the left as if the cable has snapped inside or mechanism has gone, unsure if I will need a new seat or it can be repaired, but know its not gonna be drivable until sorted.

- Previous owner TRIED changed the heater box & matrix behind dashboard and did a piss poor job the dashboard is higher on the left than it is on the right, think he has sheared a bolt! I think I will have to try get bolt out or drill it out...

- Also the heating is totally unresponsive as in turn the knobs and nothing, no head no anything.. may need ot buy another re plumb it all back in.

- Noticed some rust bubbles to the roof at top where the roof meets the back side windows, not bad but some definite bubbling.. I guess will need sanding and filling spraying unsure if theat area can be cut and welded though.

- Have bought scorpion back box and middle section, just need stainless steel manifold and downpipes.. (anyone have any let me know...)

Have taken out all interior apart from seats as the dashboard thing is really annoying me!!!!!

updated photo:

Nice unusual colour that

There used to be one in worksop like that but someone had colour coded the grills and wheels!