Can I build an e30 M3????

[macau77]

Hi all, I've not had an E30 for a while now my last was an E30 M3, 8 years ago I was heavily involved in the scene, having lots of sports even a hartge car! I'm now looking to build a car, I'd love to build an E30 M3 but how hard will it be to find the parts, are damaged ones about any where????? Any advice would be great? Also what's your opinion on building it on a sport shell and fitting genuine body panels? Cheers guys.

[leeparkes]

This lads doing a Touring

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=227245

[snakebrain]

Budget 5 or maybe even 6 figures...

[Grrrmachine]

A sport shell is identical to any other E30 shell. The only thing that makes a Sport special is its gearbox and some letters on the log book, so if you're stripping the car anyway it's a waste of money.

If you're going to do it, do it like this:

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=212522

But buying the engine and suspension will cost far more than the body and paintwork.

[zaust]

Really it would Probley cost less to buy an ok m3 and repair rather than find an early shell as they are different from the later ones. then setting about getting all the bits and fitting.

[Sweety]

Building one would be more fun though

Wish I had the wonga to do that!

[macau77]

Cheers for the reply lads, money is not too much of an issue is just the project I want, are there any rough ones about, I wouldn't mind a rebuild either? Perhaps I need the shell first?

[harry_p]

To be honest I think you'd be better off buying a ropey m3 if only for all the little bits and pieces that are no longer available new and almost impossible to find secondhand.

Plus a fixed m3 will actually be an m3 and have a value and pedigree afterwards.

Tatty m3 and a rust free chromie as a body section donor? If you could get the two side by side you'd be able to compare directly and see whether a reshell is morse cost effective than a restoration.

[davethegoat]

I've been looking into this a bit recently.
The bulk of the M3 panels appear to be reasonably easy to get hold of new. The main bug bear seems to be the rear windscreen panel. There have been a couple on fleabay from Poland recently, the last of which sold for around £750. There's a used one on there at the moment. Buy it now for £2800, though it comes with boot hinges at least! There's also a some GRP and carbon fibre ones available for a lot less. But, well... meh.
I read somewhere that there are still some rear screens available from Germany, though I haven't looked into availability properly. The front screens are also bonded, and IIRC different.

If money's not such a big issue, I'd say do it!

Here's some inspiration:

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99901

http://www.bimmerteam.hu/forum/viewtopi ... =33&t=1163

[Kos]

M3 shells are still 5k plus extras depending if you want the log book & ID, suspension, glass an bumpers etc

I have an immaculate rust free shell with legitimate ID proper suspension etc

I've knocked back a few substantial offers but I will sell for the right price.

If you want an M3, go buy one at least what ever you do to it , it will still retain a value. M3 replicas have no value.

[polsta]

wouldnt it probably cost more to build a decent one from a saloon, than it would to just spend 12k on one ?

or start with something like kos has got...

[hennared323i]

Speak to Pacerpete

[ross_jsy]

wouldnt it probably cost more to build a decent one from a saloon, than it would to just spend 12k on one ?

or start with something like kos has got...

Would cost a lot more, then you are stuck with a mongrel turd with no real value.

[polsta]

exactly

or, if you coud spray, weld, etc all yourself, then wouldnt it be more sensible to just put m3 spoilers,wings,quaters on a normal e30, some decent suspension,and some sort of engine conversion , so it looked like an m3 to mr average and was very fast, yet minus all the very expensive stuff to 100% replicate a real m3, in which case youd just aswell buy a real one

[anothere21323i]

Speak to Pacerpete

+1. Peter normally has a few project cars available. If you're saying that money isn't an object for you, then it makes no sense whatsoever to start with anything other than a genuine M3 (especially one with a good history and provenance), because any money that you're going to invest will be wisely spent. Building a replica will be costly, and as others on here have already pointed out, it won't be worth much at all, therefore your money won't be wisely spent.

Just my tuppence worth of course, but worth thinking about. Hope that helps.

[polsta]

^^^^

and if you wanted a "project" then buying an m3/decent m3, stripping it down and ensuring its perfect, renewing lots of components/fittings/bushed etc etc etc, would still be a project and plenty to work on, in making a nice m3 mint or a bad one nice

[ajay]

What exactly attracts you to an M3? The body,the engine, the handling or the racing history or every thing?If the awnser is everything then you will never be satisfied with a replica. You can drop an s14 lump and box or running gear into a e30 shell and experience a similar drive for a lot less££ and effort, but boy going full hogg would cost as much as buying an m3 as said above with no real end value except in parts. Look for a genuine shell and go from there.

[Morat]

exactly

or, if you coud spray, weld, etc all yourself, then wouldnt it be more sensible to just put m3 spoilers,wings,quaters on a normal e30, some decent suspension,and some sort of engine conversion , so it looked like an m3 to mr average and was very fast, yet minus all the very expensive stuff to 100% replicate a real m3, in which case youd just aswell buy a real one

Trouble is the wings, spoilers, quarters, rear deck etc ARE the expensive bits.

[polsta]

but you can get replica wings etc ? and not as expensive as the suspension, s14 engine, messing about with the rear screen and whatever, ie the last engine on here was asking 5 grand for !

[kangman]

This may be handy if you want to build one from scratch..

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/clas ... ate/712181

[Sweety]

Whats the legality of putting a different VIN plate on a chassis?

[polsta]

what do you think !

buying that vin and v5- building an m3 from a normal e30 chassis, with m3 engine,interior, panels,spoilers- doesnt make it a genuine m3, and is a crime when its passed off as one to someone unknowing

vosa/police should be straight round the hosues of people listing things like that for sale !

[polsta]

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/clas ... e30/810477

[ross_jsy]

The words "perfect for drift" in that advert are a bi-word for poorly fitting fibreglass shite.

Tigersealed/P40'd/chawed on panels does not an m3 make. To get a passable replica, full steel panels are the only way to go imo, but why bother

[Kos]

what do you think !

buying that vin and v5- building an m3 from a normal e30 chassis, with m3 engine,interior, panels,spoilers- doesnt make it a genuine m3, and is a crime when its passed off as one to someone unknowing

vosa/police should be straight round the hosues of people listing things like that for sale !

But when the ID is put onto a genuine M3 shell, and say its a new shell ???


It's cheap at £1000 that's for sure.

[polsta]

what do you think !

buying that vin and v5- building an m3 from a normal e30 chassis, with m3 engine,interior, panels,spoilers- doesnt make it a genuine m3, and is a crime when its passed off as one to someone unknowing

vosa/police should be straight round the hosues of people listing things like that for sale !

But when the ID is put onto a genuine M3 shell, and say its a new shell ???


It's cheap at £1000 that's for sure.

but why/where would there be a genuine m3 shell,with no m3 id

[ross_jsy]

Brand new shell from BMW might be ID-less

[Falkster]

I had a shell that was going to be used as a britcar until about 18 months ago. It was meant to be one of the last shells produced and had a receipt for 5k worth of cage, turretting and provision for air jacks.

Ended up getting £3k for it.