E30 Zone

Well, having lost a packet when I got rid of my automatic 320i 4-door last year (yea that was a bright buy wasn't it!), I've finally persuaded the keeper of the pennies that another E30 would make, er, sound economic sense.

This time its a B reg 323i 2 door manual, which I picked up for a song last night from a chap who is leaving the country today.

I say a song but its no minter. Its got some nasty little knocks and scrapes on the one hand, but a full BMW S/H and 88K genuine miles on the other. Nice enough to drive though I'd forgotten how bus-like the steering is on E30s, the brakes need bleeding at least and this one wants at least some track ends if not a new rack. Plus the steelies aren't exactly perfect.

But a sound enough 2 door shell and fair mechanics for less than 15-year-old Escort money can't be bad.

So now its clear the garage out and start looking for M52s ;)

Thats the one from ely.
He had it up for £750 ?

ed325i wrote:Thats the one from ely.
He had it up for £750 ?

Yep that's the one Ed. He was actually in Soham. He paid £1500 for it off a dealer First E30 syndrome!

Out of respect to the seller I won't say what I paid but suffice to say a lot less than £750!

Another one I was watching on Ebay - nice and original looking !

As the seller is leaving the country give us a clue what you paid for it

alexp wrote: Nice enough to drive though I'd forgotten how bus-like the steering is on E30s,

So now its clear the garage out and start looking for M52s ;)

Whilst you're nicking the engine out of the E36, take the steering rack as well.

The pics you have posted reveal a lot more than the ebay ones did !

Shame to do an M52 conversion on what looks like an original lowish mileage motor - there can't be many 323i 's left full stop let alone 2 doors with less than 100k and not messed with - but each to his own

Sure you can't be tempted to do a sympathetic resto on this one and find an unloved high mileage 4pot to do the m52 conversion ?......go on.....save a chromie !!!!

capri_rob wrote: As the seller is leaving the country give us a clue what you paid for it

Half his starting price more or less. Which is about right when you find a new scab every time you walk round the car Mostly surface rust but I'll take it to the garage and pop it on a ramp at some point soon to see what I'm dealing with downstairs.

I have no plans to drop it or anything like that but I can feel some BBSs coming on at some stage, and, er, anyone know a good dent puller near Cambridge or Norwich?

Its a funny old thing - poverty spec inc. manual windows but with an electric sunroof (working!)

Dunno how easy those pre-facelift bumpers are to get hold of any more?

capri_rob wrote:Sure you can't be tempted to do a sympathetic resto on this one and find an unloved high mileage 4pot to do the m52 conversion ?......go on.....save a chromie !!!!

Truth is I'll do neither for a while, lottery notwithstanding, but you're right it would be mildly sacreligeous (sp?) to rip out a perfectly good 2.3 (and it doesn't half roar - got it up to temp for the first time just now and opened it up: wow - different beast over 5K aren't they?!)

It'll be pretty pampered once I clear the garage out - we don't really need a second car so it'll probably do 5-7K pa max.

Well mate you won't have much trouble finding some 15" BBS or bumpers through the For Sale section or Ebay.

Spec of these older cars is a little weird - just got the original build data for mine today - apparently its got heated mirrors and door locks - and also has ABS yet came without power steering ! ( now recitifed thanks to Chris W )

Never driven a 2.3 but Im a big fan of the early cars.

If your's hasn't got PAS I would definately recommend getting it done - its made driving my car a lot easier and more fun - and I really liked it to start with !

Keep the pics coming mate

Oh yea. Get this. According to the service book its on its FIFTH cam belt

alexp wrote:Oh yea. Get this. According to the service book its on its FIFTH cam belt

Its best to change M20 cambelts every 30K/4 years - whatever comes first.

capri_rob wrote:If your's hasn't got PAS I would definately recommend getting it done

Well I'm not sure whether it has PAS to be totally honest. The rack looks like a PAS rack but then I've never seen a non-PAS one.. Steering is heavy-ish but I'd expect it to be heavier without PAS. On balance I think it probably does have PAS. Wasn't it standard on the 323i then?

Just had a proper look underneath. Looks sound enough, though the diff is very "sweaty"


Here's some more pics.




(edited to change pic hosting)

No Its got a manual rack mine had pas and I have converted it to manual.

Power steering was standard on the 320i/325i SE and on all models from 09/88. Optional before that.

ed325i wrote:No Its got a manual rack mine had pas and I have converted it to manual.

Can you tell from the photos Ed or did you see the car?

Yep definately no PAS on there mate - most obvious way to tell is if it had it you would have the fluid reservoir between the brake fluid reservoir and airbox.

Well worth converting IMO

capri_rob wrote:most obvious way to tell is if it had it you would have the fluid reservoir between the brake fluid reservoir and airbox.

Right you are, thanks. I wasn't sure if it was that little tank between the coolant and the battery. What's that then?

Ironic that you added PAS to a manual whilst Ed325i did the opposite!

I guess you prefer the lightness of PAS while Ed wanted more feedback from the wheels? Each to their own for sure

The rack on my E39 is on its way out too, and that's the one that gets the motorway miles where a fat old dead spot in the middle is really annoying, so I'll probably leave the 323 alone for the time being tbh. Anyway - heavy steering is a good way to keep the wife off it

Right you are, thanks. I wasn't sure if it was that little tank between the coolant and the battery. What's that then?

Just the reservoir where you can check/top up the hydraulic fluid for the PAS system.

Ironic that you added PAS to a manual whilst Ed325i did the opposite!

I guess you prefer the lightness of PAS while Ed wanted more feedback from the wheels? Each to their own for sure

Yeah after years of driving cars with power steering I just couldnt get used to the heaviness of the manual rack on the 325i. My first E30 had a manual rack but my current car felt much heavier on the steering ( even after putting the correct tyre pressures in ! ) - maybe the rack was on the way out I don't know.....anyway sorted now and for my money much easier to live with

I like my manual rack. Not for parallel parking or 3point turns though

I bet it drives nicely at 88k

Right you are, thanks. I wasn't sure if it was that little tank between the coolant and the battery. What's that then?


Just the reservoir where you can check/top up the hydraulic fluid for the PAS system.

No its for the clutch.

The manual rack is not that heavy not like a golf, you couldnt tell it didnt have pas.
Both my e30's have manual racks

heavy steering is a good way to keep the wife off it

Thats hasnt worked for me her toyota has a manual rack.

I bet it drives nicely at 88k

Not significantly better than my 130K 320 used to tbh. A little perhaps. I've been driving round Ely today but haven't done a run yet. Think I'll drive to work (Norwich - 120 mile round trip) Monday to get a real feel for it.

Going into 2nd gear always crunches and the detente to avoid reverse has pretty much worn away, which could lead to some embarassment

Quote:
Right you are, thanks. I wasn't sure if it was that little tank between the coolant and the battery. What's that then?


Just the reservoir where you can check/top up the hydraulic fluid for the PAS system.


No its for the clutch

DOH ! Sorry mate didnt read your post properly....and me battery is in the boot

btw if anyone local fancies popping round and giving it a spin I'd value the opinion of a more experienced owner Dunno if there's much in the way of meets round this way? Bury St Eds perhaps? Seem to be a lot of zoners based round that way..

looks like a good solid car shame about the scrapes on the front

I have all the parts here you need to fit pas going cheap.

Looks like Zinnobar red to me? Fairly rare in my book, as most E30 323i's were the more orangy Henna red, and by the time Henna was replaced by Zinnobar, the 325i was being introduced.

Rare beast! Back in '84 that was a very desirable car...

Keep it original...

ed325i wrote:I have all the parts here you need to fit pas going cheap.

Thanks Ed but I'll leave it for now. Wallet + also I went for a run from Streatham to Soham (through Wicken) earlier - know the road? Anyhow I'm getting to quite like the steering

Z3I wrote:Looks like Zinnobar red to me

Yea 'tis.

Z3I wrote:Keep it original...

Yea its too rare & good nick to butcher as you say - I've come round to this

The only thing I'm slightly tempted to change is the interior at some point. Pearl Beige Cloth isn't really my thing (though its in pretty good nick.) It would look gorgeous in beige leather. Has a sports steering wheel (tech 1? - leather 3-spoke) and gear knob too. Shame the previous owner ripped out the Blaupunkt and replaced with a cheap CD player.

Alex wrote:shame about the scrapes on the front

Yes. The tale told by the s/h is that the first owner (who had it until 2007) did about 3.5K a year in it, keeping it in his garage (somewhere near Chiswick). Frankly he must have hit something pretty much every time he went out in it

Most of its just annoying, and assuming I can get it garaged before the winter (even I can clear out a garage in 6 months!) there's nothing that's going to lead to serious rot as far as I can tell. There's a few bits and bobs that need attention though before they get too much worse. Arches, bottom of door, that sort of thing.

My plan at the moment is simply to get it garaged, stop the rot from spreading and save up enough to get it properly restored and get the bodywork back good again. That would be more of a long term project though!

Took it to see Dean at Deans Minis in Soham yesterday, and the verdict was the mechanics are pretty sound. He didn't want to touch the bodywork though!

I went for a run from Streatham to Soham (through Wicken) earlier - know the road? Anyhow I'm getting to quite like the steering

Yes I know the road