My tech 2 325i Sport. 25 years old today 25.10.14

[B7]

the buttons being of closer design style to E30 switches.

Sorry, I cannot see a single button on that that resembles an e30 switch.

[bss325i]

Barry - sterling work as ever with your deviant OEM ways.

But I feel I must speak up. I love your Sport as is and a fine Sport is a rare thing. I know all your work will be reversible but...

Rear M3 bench - no.
Recaro's - they were an option I guess but I wouldn't.
Head Unit - cool but a step too far, will be poor SQ by today's standards and there are units out there that look as 'correct.' It's good to have in the bag tho.

All that trouble to go original in fanatical detail but then Alpina valance and M3 rear bench - seems confused.

M3 rear bench, ok it isn't right but it looks better when used with the highbacks.

Recaros, are you mad?! The are far superior to bmw sport seats and alot of alpina E30's used them, they are staying!

Retrims.

Original Recaro's did not have indented centre stitching it seems and the grey retrimmed set do.
Also, any decent trimmer will do good work but if you want it to look E30 there are a few things to watch out for. Firstly, the leather seems very tightly wrapped on E30's and so make sure they do that and also suggest they use a thinner underlay to help achieve that look. If you look at E36/E46 leather it's quite soft and baggy by comparison. Secondly, no retrim will look OEM just because its new and we're all used to seeing the tough shiny vinyl look of E30 leather. Back in the day, it would have looked matt and new as a retrim does today but will only start to look original after a few years, get's creased a little and buffed up. Lastly, E30's use a leather similar to Nappa in that it has no grain or fake grain stamped into the hide imperfections - which is why it looks like vinyl. So hide choice important. Don't do leather door cards they NEVER look right. Vinyl door cards are the way to go - plus will save you £300+ in trimming lol!

What it really looks like is you're after a mint Alpina to go [with] your Sport rather than merged into your Sport.

But it's your car bla bla bla....

Original BMW recaros did have indeneted centre stiching, just look at the pics on the previous page and look at the "pictures of highbacks" thread on page 2 or three of E30 BMW chat, you will see Oz's black leather highbacks with the same stitching.

Leather door card would be done in the exact style of the type used in Motorsport cabs, not the usuall leather centre panels tacked onto vinyl ones.

Obviously it will look and that is OEM because thats how it would have been when new, thats the look i want, NEW!

I'm sticking to my plans, so no parts are for sale!

Oh and by the way, tha head unit is an E36 one, its on the etk beacuse its now a retro fit for E30's. That unit wasn't even available on early E36's!

I'm not going to be using the blaupunkt, i have a Nakamichi CD500 which looks ok in the dash, has amber lighting and most of all, is at the very top end of the tree for SQ.

I'm off out now, bye!

[Royalratch]

Lol, such rage!

I don't want any parts - just pointing out you may be making a beautiful Sport into a bit of an Alpina/M3/Motorsport Cabrio mutt.

As you wish tho dude.

[Ric_Vezza]

But hang about Ratch... aren't you getting aAlpinas' for your galvaniser

Looks like it was Simon13 who wanted the parts

[Bob_S]

it's a sport in a polka dot party frock! Barry your getting far too anal over this car. You might as well just bite the bullet and fit an s50 in it and be done with being a homo about originality

[Royalratch]

But hang about Ratch... aren't you getting aAlpinas' for your galvaniser

Looks like it was Simon13 who wanted the parts

Gotten.

But I am intrigued as to how you know my friend...?

[B7]

But hang about Ratch... aren't you getting aAlpinas' for your galvaniser

Looks like it was Simon13 who wanted the parts

Ric my man. Sports looking good. joined the fat boys club now? Like the 18's as well.

Loving mine. needs a service but it's a great car.

[Kos]

barry, i'm so sorry but i cant resist

But I am intrigued as to how you know my friend...?

do you actualy have any real friends

barry go ahead with your plans, i will look sweet regardless if it takes some of the originality away. its all reversable if you feel the need to go back to complete original factory spec.

ps, i'll give you a shout during the week about you know what.......

[e30topless]

But hang about Ratch... aren't you getting aAlpinas' for your galvaniser

Looks like it was Simon13 who wanted the parts

Gotten.

But I am intrigued as to how you know my friend...?

even I knew this !

Haterz!

Barry I think it will look awesome, do what you want it's your motor !
if it doesn't look right then it can be easily reversed, I am looking forward to the end result

[Royalratch]

How when I haven't told anyone except BARRY.

Not bothered I guess. They'll be my Spring/Summer wheels with the BBS for the rest. An E30 owner must ALWAYS have a set of mint 15" BBS to hand.

It's da law.

[e30topless]

How when I haven't told anyone except BARRY.


I knew because you mailed a freind of mine who was selling his pina's on ebay !



Not bothered I guess. They'll be my Spring/Summer wheels with the BBS for the rest. An E30 owner must ALWAYS have a set of mint 15" BBS to hand.

It's the law.

it certainly is !

[B7]

Not bothered I guess. They'll be my Spring/Summer wheels with the BBS for the rest.

You have just confirmed you are not right in the head.

If you run a MINT e30 and it has to be MINT (which obviously what you are aiming for on your car), the BBS HAS to be the worse wheel to run in the winter. A f*cking nightmare to clean! I ran 2 e34's with BBS over 9 years as daily's and in the winter, they drove me insane, keep cleaning them!

[Royalratch]

Only 2 types of wheel can go on my car and these are they.

One set for the summer and one in winter.

Given that BBS are far more widely available and not as valuable they will be the winter wheels.
Besides, it will not be a daily driver and it will be garaged when I;m not around for extended periods. Plus things like that don't bother me. The Alpinas are just a sort of 'must have' item, always wanted a set.
Maybe they'll go on a Cabrio when I get one etc - just good to have in the pocket.

I like things to be tidy and working, not necessarily pampered.

Bazza!

Get a mint set of Red door cards / panels and get your standard interior red-trimmed, lose the Alpina valance and your Sport will be the sickest sport out there and totally original. I'll be in the US in Jan so you have until then to find them and get them sent to me there and I will bring them back saving you postage and I'll pack them up tight.

Then bide your time for a mint C2 when it becomes available. Isn't a low-miles Sport with Alpinas and every option ticked enough!?

But it's your car lol!

[bss325i]

Bob, no S50 for this chariot, it would be a crime!

Ratch, i did consider red leather but finding a mint set of of door trims, speaker grils, parcel shelf with blind, premium speakers and RHD carpet all in red is impossible!

I'm going to proceed with my plans, all the alpina Parts would have been available for my car when new, it will esentially have the "ALPINA 3" styling package. With regards to the seats, the highbacks are 100% staying but the M3 rear seat isn't set in stone yet as i dont have one.

[Ollie_bwoii]

Loving the sound of your plans barry. Especially love that headunit!

Have you thought about beige leather? Or is that to OAP spec for your car?

[Blitz]

Not bothered I guess. They'll be my Spring/Summer wheels with the BBS for the rest.

You have just confirmed you are not right in the head.

If you run a MINT e30 and it has to be MINT (which obviously what you are aiming for on your car), the BBS HAS to be the worse wheel to run in the winter. A f*cking nightmare to clean! I ran 2 e34's with BBS over 9 years as daily's and in the winter, they drove me insane, keep cleaning them!

I cleaned by BBS's, buy the end of the day they were filthy.

[Royalratch]

Barry.

You can use a Black parcel shelf and black premium speakers with a red interior and it will look great. Red on Diamond Black is so tasty.

But it's your car!

[bss325i]

Barry.

You can use a Black parcel shelf and black premium speakers with a red interior and it will look great. Red on Diamond Black is so tasty.

But it's your car!

No, it would look like a miss match and certainly wasn't available fro BMW like that!

[Royalratch]

How about Grey then? Grey interior in a Black car is very classy, will seperate you form the Lotus Leaherz crew.

Or Indigo - Parcel shelves still available in Indigo - minty mint.

But hey, it's your car.

[B7]

But it's your car bla bla bla....

But it's your car

But it's your car!

But hey, it's your car.

Yeah! I think we get the point

[Royalratch]

But it's your car bla bla bla....

But it's your car

But it's your car!

But hey, it's your car.

Yeah! I think we get the point

What's wrong with you? it's a joke - a dig at all the 'polite' posts that end with those words to mask their disagreement with what's taking place. Is that all right with you mean little man?

[Simon13]

Wheres the love man! Its only me who wants all those parts! maybe others but they haven't said. Vezza is an old man now or a p.i.m.p be-atch

Go grey leathers! or Cream? and some bbs RS?! kind of wish i never sold my set sometimes

Barrys weak keep posting ideas and he'll change his mind on something!

[B7]

But it's your car bla bla bla....

But it's your car

But it's your car!

But hey, it's your car.

Yeah! I think we get the point

What's wrong with you? it's a joke - a dig at all the 'polite' posts that end with those words to mask their disagreement with what's taking place. Is that all right with you mean little man?

A joke is something you have little knowledge of obviously. Jog on.

[bss325i]

Everyone stop bitching!

I'm not going to change my mind!

End of!

[B7]

Everyone stop bitching!

I'm not going to change my mind!

End of!

The challenge is on.

I reckon it'd look the b0ll0cks striped up!

[bss325i]

Everyone stop bitching!

I'm not going to change my mind!

End of!

The challenge is on.

I reckon it'd look the b0ll0cks striped up!

Engine as is for now.

No stripes.

[B7]

BBS?

[Royalratch]

BBS is a good call from Simon13, grey leather and you are ON!

B7 - jesus christ...

[bss325i]

No thanks, black with black leather it will be.

[SidewaysScouser]

Just spent an hour drooling over this, what a stunning car...

At the risk of offending all the OEM junkies, and spending £££'s of Mr. BSS's hard earned, how about going for the absolute rarest of the rare interior spec....

Evo III Recaro SR's in factory black leather with motorsport flashes, M3 rear bench, with flashes and RHR (even if they were never fitted to the SE, you're allowed....), leather consoles, dash, doorcards, kneeroll, glove box, ashtray covers. And red seatbelts.

And you need the Alpina "computer" in the front centre air vent...., and (if you fancy making a mounting bracket for RHD, the SE "dead pedal" cover....

However you decide to do it the car's going to be a credit to the hard work and money that you've invested in it. I just wish it was mine......

[Simon]

Nice car Barry, good progress.

As for recaro SR's, lovely seats, but shouldn't go in anything that hasn't got wide arches. Would look totally out of place in a car like this imho.

[bss325i]

Nice car Barry, good progress.

As for recaro SR's, lovely seats, but shouldn't go in anything that hasn't got wide arches. Would look totally out of place in a car like this imho.

///M + ALPINA is a no no.

I dont think i'm going to bother with the M3 rear seat now, even if it does look better with highbacks.

[SidewaysScouser]

I can't help but think that retrimmed seats will never do this car justice. What about a complete (heated) M3 Trim?

Alpina computer?

[Royalratch]

Leave the highbacks out and just go full Motorsport inside in Black Nappa / Black stitching - glovebox and steering cowling too. Super stealth - you won't notice the the full leather madness until it's too late!

Dare I say it, MTECH II steering wheel too and keep the Alpina for the C2 when it comes around.

Only problem with all that the black-on-black crime is that tons of sports are done this way - grey Motorsport leather with matching glovebox and steering cowling for the two-tone dash look would really separate your car from the masses.


But hey - it's your car.

[bss325i]

I can't help but think that retrimmed seats will never do this car justice. What about a complete (heated) M3 Trim?

Alpina computer?

The standard of retrim will do it justice, watch this space!

M3 trim would be wrong in an Alpina theme'd car.

Alpina VDO gauge is to much money for a non alpina. If it was a genuine alpina then i would have bought one for it by now.