E30 coupe owner New to the Board

[steveoz32]

Hi Guys,

Though I would pop on here and say hi!

Just came over from bmwcarclubforum to here. I've recently sold my E36 M3 to make way for a nice daily driver and a project E30.

I hunted high and low for a good shell of a E30 coupe, and the best I found, with the best history happened to be a 320i (not my engine of choice unfortunatly but I will get on to that later ;)). So I handed over the notes, and drove her home. An absolute steal as well if I do say so myself, the car has a carrier full of history and receipts with the book all dealer stamped right the way to 170k! (current mileage), after an afternoon reading nearly everything on the car has been replaced, so it's a good start. The shell is very solid and clean which is what I was mostly interested in. It's a late coupe on a H plate registered in 1991, its silver/blue and totally original.

Anyway, so beings the project, I've totally stripped out the back, more to follow on the front. The next stage is to source a good 325i engine from an E30 and drop it in (something I am having trouble finding already!), and I'm also ordering up a new suspension set up and brakes over the next few weeks.

This place looks like it could be the answer to all of my questions . I'm going to do some digging on the search function to see if I can find out anything on 325i to 320i conversions, and suspension set up's etc. One thing I have found it hard to find is a good suspension kit as most suppliers I have called only list the spring/shock in one set up, not the seperate spring and shock on the trailing arm like mine is atm. If anyone can point me in the right direction of some resources or parts for sale that I could use, let me know

Thanks!

Steve

[buster]

hello welcome to the e30 zone.You should find all you need to know here.
The 320 to 325 conversion is very easy.The engine a straight swap,change the ecu or just the chip in the ecu (the e30zone chip is very good) and your away.
Suspension can be bought from the zone shop also.
With it being a late 320 it should have disks on the back so no need to change them either.

Theres plenty to read here so have fun ,any questions just ask.

cheers
andy

[Cotty]

I'm also ordering up a new suspension set up and brakes over the next few weeks.
If anyone can point me in the right direction of some resources or parts for sale that I could use, let me know

As already said click on the Zone Shop button at the top of the page for suspension bits, a lot of people rate the H&R kits. M5 Pilot runs the shop and you can ask question in the Zone Shop section
http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... forum&f=30

for the engine you could post a wanted advert http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... wforum&f=8 and keep your eye out in the Parts for sale section http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... wforum&f=6

[Cotty]

Oh and welcome

Try to get to a couple of meets, there is a couple of really big ones coming up, one at the Ace Cafe and one at Santa Pod

[steveoz32]

Thanks for the tips, I'll try and get to a meet as long as my car isn't in a state of being taken apart at the time

Here's the piccies of the interior strippage i've done ATM, everything weighed up it's just over 80 kilos of saved weight on the back end. Still got the front to do!

I'll try and get some piccies of the outside when it stops pi$$ing it down!

Cheers.

[E30BeemerLad]

that is a tidy shell mate

looks like a MX-5 in the lower pic. plenty of RWD machinery in the household then

[steveoz32]

that is a tidy shell mate

looks like a MX-5 in the lower pic. plenty of RWD machinery in the household then

Hehe you know your cars! Bit of a hairdresser machine but suprisingly fun

I was very surprised by the condition underneath everything, it seems it is as good as the outside thats without giving the inside a clean or anything too. Some discolouration that needs scrubbing off near the rear wings but nothing structual, just stained paint.

Just wondering how far to go with the front, still want it functional as a road car and easy enough to put back, hence stacking everything neatly in the garage

[E30BeemerLad]

sadly there isn't a lot you can lose from the front in terms of weight, i assume you are looking at getting rid of door panels? Lighter seats and I suppose you could go for plastic windows.

You won't believe how much road noise you get without the carpet in, it's so thick especially in the front footwells near the front bulkhead.

Battery to boot conversion will shift a small amount of weight.

[maxfield]

Carbon bonnet and wings if your willing to spend mony

[Cotty]

Carbon bonnet and wings if your willing to spend money

Could also lose the main beam and fog lights

[steveoz32]

Cheers fellas,

Perspex is one of my favs, I've taken the back windows out of the coupe and I'm getting perspex ones cut this week, also tempted to do the front two side windows as long as they are not curved. Should still pass the MOT like it as long as they don't get overly marked.

Not to keen on loosing the lights, it makes up the front end of the E30 Although I will need somewhere to use as a good duct for the induction when I'm sorted.

Carbon stuff would have to come after the outlay on handling and performance, but would defo be an option later on!

[steveoz32]

Oh yeh sorry, didn't answer the question!

Front wise I was looking at roof fixings, carpet and sound deadening, the padding on the fire wall / bulkhead, sill covers, door cards, centre console. I've already removed the kick plates and door cards, all stereo equipment and on board computer + all the air box gubbings and put a spare induction kit on I had in the garage (weighs feck all!). I did have to seperate it from the engine, but did that with a light sheet of ally.

I'm sure there is more to go, dont want to chop up the dash board or anything like that, as said, I want it so I can 'restore' it to it's original condition if needed!

[Beeches]

80kgs - that's very impressive. Looks nice and clean too. Nice one mate.

[Jon_Bmw]

Where abouts in Wiltshire are you fella? One of the best regarded parts suppliers in his spare time on here is Jonb and he is down in bristol, but can usually sort postage of stuff fairly cheap.

It looks like a very nice clean shell, ripe for a 2.5 engine. When you get it all done, there are several airfield events in wiltshire for about Ԛ£99 open pit lane. I am going to try and attend one every 2 months, so if you are interested let me know, would be good to see an e30 at a track day.

Get hold of some good quality tyres, they help a huge amount when you are looking to knock time off a lap.