Help identifying my new motor!? IS or not IS?

[RadoVR6]

Guys,

need some help here, i've only ever dealt with my dubs so don't really know where i am with my new E30 be gentle with me!

My mates had this car for 2 1/2 years or so and i went with him to collect it so i do know a bit of the history of it. Bought it off him coz i've always thought it looked crisp!

Right, my confusion starts with the car being listed on my logbook and chassis plate as a 318I - according to VIN should be the M40 8v engine? (checked VIN on www.realoem.com)

HOWEVER, I have the M42 twin cam chain engine - i understand only in the 318IS model? also the car is registered 06/89 so also too early to be an IS... right/wrong?

Am i just looking at an engine swap carried out in the past and changes not registered? wiring doesn't look chopped/ disrupted but i don't know whether the looms are different between the 2 models?

Any help or light shed on it would be mint,

Cheers, Scott

[RadoVR6]

this is it by the way...

[kevin316i]

An original iS will should have the following as standard:
- M42 engine (16v)
- front iS lip spoiler, shadowline trim, colour coordinated bumpers and rear boot spoiler
- Three spoke MTec steering wheel and leather gear knob
- Anthracite headlining

Most came with sports seats and 14"/15" BBS alloys

If you type the car's VIN into realoem.com, it will tell you if the car is originally an iS or not, e.g. 'EE48177'.

[RadoVR6]

ok so sounds like i've had an engine conversion in the past... this a common/ easy swap i take it?

i got the engine, whats the splitter i have, aftermarket? steering wheel is swapped to the alcantara M-Tec2

its got the recaro check interior with knee bolsters, is this the 'sports interior'?

[anisotropy]

Thats the sports interior, splitter is correct 'is' one. Have you discs all round?

[RadoVR6]

Thats the sports interior, splitter is correct 'is' one. Have you discs all round?

nope rocking drums on the rear... another deciding factor then!

[Alex]

Lets see the engine

deffintly not an IS,

[RadoVR6]

borrowed pic, my camera flash aint that good at this time of nite!!

[Alex]

well thats deffnitly a 318is engine, much better than the m40

[JWaller360]

Definately an iS Engine, front splitter, interior. Looks like it's not got shadowline (chrome around the windows?) which also tells it's a non iS shell with the engine from an iS

[RadoVR6]

me thinks a previous owner has got hold of an IS breaker...

got the chrome trim round the rear windows but weather strips on the front drop windows are plain black.

[Sanchez]

borrowed pic, my camera flash aint that good at this time of nite!!

this is it by the way...

White car in 1st pic, black car in second pic!!!!

Or are you just pointing out that the engine looks the same in both cars?

Defo M42 twin cam in the engine pic.

[Alex]

borrowed pic, my camera flash aint that good at this time of nite!!

this is it by the way...

White car in 1st pic, black car in second pic!!!!

Or are you just pointing out that the engine looks the same in both cars?

Defo M42 twin cam in the engine pic.

he says borrowed pic

i thought the same at first

[RadoVR6]

borrowed pic, my camera flash aint that good at this time of nite!!

[Sanchez]

borrowed pic, my camera flash aint that good at this time of nite!!

Sorry, thought borrowed camera cause sh!t flash

But yea looks like engine transplant from M40 to M42.

You can check the engine number against the engine to the logbook as well i think.

[skipunda]

looks like a lot of dish on those rear bbs's by the way. or could be just me

[RadoVR6]

looks like a lot of dish on those rear bbs's by the way. or could be just me

there is a good dish on them, but they're Ronal LS's 7.5j x 15"

used to run a set of 8.5J BBS RM's on my corrado, would look sick on this!

[kevin316i]

How stupid of me to forget about the suspension and brakes, iS had MTEC sports suspension and brake discs all round. MTEC suspension has 51mm front struts, with front and rear anti-roll bars, and the front brake discs are vented. An iS sits about 15-20mm lower than standard E30 suspension.

[Brianmoooore]

Have a close look at the bracket that holds the coil pack, and at how it's attached to the inner wing. The iS was the only E30 to have this bracket.

[jamie325isport]

Its not a 318is. It looks very much like swirlye30's old car. Think it started life as a 318i. Is this it?

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... 78&start=0

[armanib]

Vehicle Registration MarkDAZ2459
MakeBMW
Model318I
Transmission & fuel typeMANUAL 4 GEARS PETROL
Body Type2 DOOR SALOON
ColourWHITE
It not an IS

[RadoVR6]

Its not a 318is. It looks very much like swirlye30's old car. Think it started life as a 318i. Is this it?

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... 78&start=0

that could well be the car, i took my mate and we picked it up from brighton a couple of years ago!

[kevin316i]

Don't be disappointed about it not being an original iS, but look on it as a bonus having a 318i with an M42 fitted!

[mr_dink]

That's darren from ECP's car! Deffo not an original IS but Ive seen it in the flesh before and it's mighily clean! The ronals look really good on it as well!

Just needs a rear disk conversion IMO, an original IS would have had a small lip spoiler on the boot but I think it looks good without.

Did you buy it from Daz?

[RadoVR6]

yeah daz used to be my boss now he's one of my suppliers...

always told him if he got bored with it i'd have it... so i did!

[mr_dink]

yeah daz used to be my boss now he's one of my suppliers...

always told him if he got bored with it i'd have it... so i did!

Nice one mate! Always loved that car, I've got a fake IS myself based on a 316i but I've done the rear disk conversion on mine.

I hang around with Adam @ series 9 quite a bit so I've seen your new ride around a lot.

Pop into Series 9 and speak to Adam if you want the rear disk conversion doing... Well worth it IMO

[RadoVR6]

i used to speak to adam/ dave when i was at euro and i know him thru another mate of mine...

might speak to adam about the parts but luckily i'll be able to do the work myself

he had a couple of E30's last time i was there, he still got them?

[mr_dink]

Adam? he's got rid of a couple but he's still got an e30 318 track car and an e30 Alpina C1 2.3. Neither of which are on the road ATM.

His old 325 lives on but it's now owned by another lad who's put a 2.7 Hartge lump in there.
His old LHD cab got sold to one of his mates who sold it to a guy from Middlesbrough.

He's also got a couple of e28's and an e32. And an e21. And probably some others I can't remember off the top of my head!

He's deffo got a rear disk conversion about somewhere but I think he was gonna use that for his track car. Pop in for a chat anyway he'll be glad to know Daz's car is still about.