Helping a friend make a decision

[Smellit]

My friend has aquired this









Its a 316 auto with 56k on the clock, we have done the head gasket as it was blown but now he wants to stick a 2.5 in it and manual it.

I am trying to convince him to either sell it because the shell is to good to be minced around with (he has never had a rear wheel drive before and crashes very freqently) or to put it all back to original as the bumpers have been painted with what looks like hammerite, the springs are way to low and has painted vents and bits inside


I said to him if he sells it how it is now or makes it original and mint he can sell it and buy a daily 2.5 that he can blast about in and not worry about damaging it?
Seriously there in no rust anywhere and the paint with a little treatment is immaculate.

what do others think?
It has the most amazing shell i have ever seen

[Chris_B86]

Get some 15" BBS's, a lip spoiler, sort the bumpers and naf interior bits, and sell it

[macas]

Why sell it?...do your engine conversion on that if its rust free(which i doubt),because you will end up looking for ages for a decent shell to come up again.

[harry_p]

Why bother trying to make it mint? it's a pretty sad looking 316i, it's never going to be worth a fortune.

[Smellit]

Why bother trying to make it mint? it's a pretty sad looking 316i, it's never going to be worth a fortune.

Its not about the money its about getting the car back to what it should be and someone can enjoy it and polish it.

He wants to learn to drive rwd and if he does it in this with a 2.5 in the next transplant will be a tree.

Honest i want to cry how good the shell is i have had it up in the air and there is nothing no rust anywhere!!! the onlt thing i can see on the shell is the front wing has a little trolly dent in it.

It would be a good shell to convert into something special but tbh he really needs a starter e30 that he will not be gutted by the firt post in the rear quarter. So really it would need to go to someone who can handle a rwd with a bit of power.

[ross_jsy]

It's a facelift 316i auto. Almost the least desirable turd money can buy. The best thing that could happen to that sorry chariot is some 24 valve loving and a tidy up.

[Gert_8]

Smellit - it looks like scrap in the pic - and pics usually make a car look better than it really is..!

[tomislav]

So how much is he gonna sell it for as is?

[Smellit]

Smellit - it looks like scrap in the pic - and pics usually make a car look better than it really is..!

Agreed, but this was when we first got it back and it had been sat for a while in a garage and is the only shot i have at the mo.

It needs alot of thing like

front lip
bumpers sorting out
interior sorting
some fog lights or blankers
and it also needs the carb tuning a bit

but apart from replacing a few bits it will be very good, he gave a one rear quarter a polish and it looks amazing, took the carpet out the boot, front footwells pulled up and its like new everywhere.

Anyone in the area can come and see it if they want, its like someone got a brand new shell and tried to tw@ it up


What i think happened was some old boy had it since new and some monkey offered him some money, took it home and started a council conversion then the head gasket blew then gave up with it. By the look of it the head gasket blew due to the viscous fan being like free willy, it didnt blow major at all

[polsta]

Smellit - it looks like scrap in the pic - and pics usually make a car look better than it really is..!

thats what i thought it looks like a bit of a dog

but smellit- WHY, on earth would he sell that (a 316 auto) with iffy bumpers and wheels etc looking tatty , for sub 1k money, to then try buy a 2 door 325i thats probably gonna have issues , for more than double the price, and let someone else benefit if it is a nice shell

use your time on here to find ya mate a nice lump to put in it !

[Andy325i]

Get him to look after this shell, waxoyl it etc then in a years time when he's got some RWD experience think about giving it more power if he wants too

Andy

[andyp]

if its that good he best keep it and do a conversion as it will be very hard to find another if its as good as you say it is, as already said the pic does not say much apart from scrap

[ross_jsy]

I would love half an hour, a ramp and a large flat head to examine the shell

[MattTheHat325]

Unless he still wears a nappy and/or has Quaker oats instead of brain matter, he will struggle to hurt himself in a standard 2.5. Throw a 12v in it and use it. Tis not gonna be a museum piece anytime soon so crack on, the 'solidness' might be his saving grace when he finds that tree.....