My £350 E30 320

[Zetecvan]

When I joined the Zone a few weeks ago, I was just about to buy a 320 off a mate. I'd not seen it, because he lives in Croydon and I live in West Yorkshire. A distance of 220 miles. I'd seen photos but you know what it's like. They always look better in them. It looked good, so I bought it for the princely sum of £350. I posted some pics up at the time but none that I'd taken.

Today, finally, I was able to get the train down and pick it up. Phil was selling it because he hadn't used it since buying it last year. Its only done 800 miles since the last MOT. When I got to his, he'd been having problems with the battery holding charge, so we had to go out and buy a new one. £79! Phil said he'd pay. Top bloke.

The body is very sound. One arch is mint, the other is starting to bubble. The OS scuttle is starting to bubble, and the NS is mint.

£350 you say?


Here's the drivers sill


Looks nice and straight


The good scuttle (that's dirt)


The bad one


Under the bonnet


The interior is passable, but has bits missing. eg: The ECU cover under the column, the triangle bit by the drivers mirror, the blanking plate in the passenger door pull. There's a chunk missing out of the drivers window seal. I've got a replacement to fit. The radio is shit. There isn't an aerial, just a grommet where it should be. The drivers electric window button has a broken connector and the sunroof handle has come off (a new one came with it).



On the plus side he left some change for me


Under the bonnet the clips holding the headlight backing plates are missing



and WTF is this?



Driving wise, it seems to go ok, but feels a bit lethargic at low speeds. I don't remember my old 320 being like this, but five years of driving a mad Anglia Van may be making me think they should be more spritely. I did the 220 miles home at a decent motorway cruising speed, only stopping once for petrol, and it didn't miss a beat. It even got a couple of admiring looks from passing cars.

There is also a metallic scraping sounds at low speeds that seems to be coming from the N/S/R wheel. It may be just the brake drum rubbing because it's constant, rather than a rumble of a knackered wheel bearing. Doesn't sound like diff whine either (any ideas anyone?).

Tomorrow, I'm getting it up on the ramp at my mates garage to have a proper look underneath. Previous advisories have mentioned corroded brake pipes, and they don't seem to have been replaced. I'll probably change those then put it in for its MOT which runs out in four weeks.

After that I'm going to replace the bushes and lower it a bit. Then I'll be collecting the parts to do an M52 conversion.

[KimH]

Looks like a great £350's worth of investment there. The WTF bit looks like a Clutch fluid reservoir cap is needed, the other bits you mentioned are also peanuts.

Good luck in the MOT

[rix313]

Simply a bargain! Engine bay looks lovely.

£79 for a battery? Some one needs a Helfrauds trade card by the sounds of it lol!

[bss325i]

The last pic is the clutch fluid reservoir which most likely has a split cap hence the "temporary" repair.

Looks like a good project in the making. 2dr, gloss black and M52 in the pipe line. Win!

[Rav335uk]

Looks a good buy.
Bit with the masking tape on it is your clutch fluid res.

[mercdriver]

They are a bit poor at pulling at low speed them 320's it has to be said! Bargain at £350 though! Fancy selling me your drivers seat?!

[e30topless]

. and WTF is this?

your missing the clutch resovoir cap, my unit is just outside bratfud , let me know if you need any bits !

[mercdriver]

Some one needs a Helfrauds trade card by the sounds of it lol!

Classic! Got one, never used it!

[Zetecvan]

Cheers for the replies. The 'WTF' bit meant the repair. It looks a bit more 'shocking' in real life.

Mercdriver, I'm going to hold on to the drivers seat. I may need it..

The £79 was from a motor factors we tried after visiting Halfrauds and saw they were £79 or £89 (depending on the power). The last battery I bought was about £30 so it was a bit of shock!

[Zetecvan]

your missing the clutch resovoir cap, my unit is just outside bratfud , let me know if you need any bits !

Where abouts? I'm in Birkenshaw.

[mercdriver]

.

Mercdriver, I'm going to hold on to the drivers seat. I may need it..

Gutted! Well if you decide to get rid in the next week or two can i have first dibs?!!! (I would keep it if i were you too )

[Zetecvan]

Do you have a leather interior to swap it for? or a blue plastic milk crate?

[rix313]

Did all 6 pot air boxes have the BMW logo on them?

[Zetecvan]

I seem to recall my old 320 had it on.

[mercdriver]

Do you have a leather interior to swap it for? or a blue plastic milk crate?

A milk crate lol or a rottweiller spec seat!!

[Zetecvan]

I took it down to the garage today and got it up on the ramps.

It's going to need a couple of track rod ends, a couple of bearings, an exhaust (been repaired multiple times!) and some welding on the NSR quarter where the valence meets the arch. The rear subframe bushes look to have been replaced recently. It's had a bit of welding on the rear valence near the towing eye, and at the bottom of the A posts, but they look to have done a good job.

I've just spent an hour or so replacing the drivers window seal and fixing the sunroof handle. Considering it's not been opened for a year or so it was a nice smooth action and didn't stick.

[Jim78]

How do?

Just a quicky to say if you need any little bits and bobs for the interior, I'm just down in Mirfield and I need to have a clear-out. Got some brake pads sitting around that have never been used an' all if you are in need. Wouldn't mind seeing your charoit in the flesh one weekend soon too.

Jim.

[Zetecvan]

Hi Jim.

Cheers. I may be after some things, but it'll be in a month or so. I want to get the bits and pieces done for the MOT first.

Mike

[Jim78]

No worries Mike - keep in touch.