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

[bss325i]

Before we begin with the story of my beloved 325i Sport, here are the most up to date pics of how its looks and a spec list below. I will update this first post as and when i take newer pics but for now enjoy and read on..........

October '89 built and November '89 registered 325i Sport Manual in Diamond black with Anthricite cloth

Standard 325i Sport equipment

M technic 2 body kit
3.91 ratio LSD
M technic suspension
15" BBS alloy wheels
Close ratio getrag 260 gearbox
Sport seats
Black headling
Shaddow line trim
Shaddow line tailpipe trims
M technic 2 370mm steering wheel
All in one leather gear knob and gator
Map light mirror
Interior light delay
Rear centre arm rest
Electric windows and central locking
Front fog lights
Head light wash wipe

Options ordered when new

Electric sunroof

Available factory options retro fitted

13 button On board computer
Rear head rests
Automatic speed hold (Cruise control)
Regulated temperature control (climate)
Air conditioning
Recaro LS front seats
Heated mirrors (washer jets and door lock to come)
SE bootlid liner

Dealer fit options retro fitted

"Alpina 3" Styling package comprising of,
front and rear Alpina spoilers
Staggered Alpina 16" Alloy wheels
Alpina 3 spoke 365mm leather steering wheel
Alpina rose wood gear knob
"ALPINA" script rear badge (not fitted at the moment)

BMW Hifi pack "premium" Audio system comprising of
Rear component speakers with separate tweeters in one housing
Front door mirror mounted tweeters
Front foot well speakers
Blaupunkt SQR88 Memphis cassette head unit
Blaupunkt BQA80 four channel amplifier
Blaupunkt BEQ stalk mounted equalizer

Rear licence plate "Heck blende"
OEM Cut pile floor mats
Centre consol cassette tape holder
Leather handbrake grip and gator
First aid kit and warning triangle

Aftermarket upgrades

Full retrim in fine grain black nappa leather
Eibach pro kit 35mm springs
Bilstein B8 shock absorbers
Eibach three way adjustable anti roll bars
BTB2 stainless six branch exhaust manifold
Continental Sport contact 2 tyres 205/50R16 and 225/45R16
























This is how it all started, a totally standard car which only had covered a paltry 32000 miles when i bought it in july 2006.
A few pics from the early days before any major work was carried out.









May 2007

Well the time has finaly come to do what intended to do from the begining but not without being indecisive about what i wanted to do even to the point of thinking of selling so when i saw bmwe30mtechs wanted add i thought i would let it go. When i took the car into work to check it over before paul was due to view on sat a couple of people said a few things to make me realise that if i let it go i would regret it forever like i have in the past with other cars so unfortunately i had to let him down.(once again sorry paul!) So now its just gonna stay at work till its done!

The car is going to be repainted including the bonnet, boot and door shuts in its original colour after having all the small repairs and the tiny amount of rust sorted out.I'm going to get the wheels refurbed as well and once painted any fitting clips and bits of exterior trim will be replaced if needed along with new badges etc as i want it to be as mint as hubble1990's and ritz's Sports. When i sell my other car and buy a cheaper one to release some funds i will do some of the other stuff i've been thinking about. Any way here's some of the initial pics, more to follow soon.



Above; Why not to let other people drive your car!



Some of the stuff that needs doing




The yellow marks are some of the other small areas that are to be seen to some of them hardly noticeable but i want it to be mint!

No rust under here thankfully!

The only rust on the car!

More pics to follow soon.

[bmwe30mtech]

To think i almost bought that shed

No worries about changing your mind, hope you get the results you want.

Keep this updated

[oakey]

good stuff mate. get her looking mint. shes certainly worthy of it

[bss325i]

Hope the one your looking at turns out to be a good one fella! Thanks

[youngster]

Great looking car ,is it diamond black? How much is it costing for the work and respray as I need to get mine done?

[bss325i]

Great looking car ,is it diamond black? How much is it costing for the work and respray as I need to get mine done?

Thanks and yes it is diamond black and its costing me £1250 for the panel and paint with me doing the strip and fitting and thats with a discount!

[youngster]

Great looking car ,is it diamond black? How much is it costing for the work and respray as I need to get mine done?

Thanks and yes it is diamond black and its costing me £1250 for the panel and paint with me doing the strip and fitting and thats with a discount!

Alot of money but well worth it. I will have to get some quotes for mine. Good idea keeping cost down by stripping and refitting yourself.

[bss325i]

Great looking car ,is it diamond black? How much is it costing for the work and respray as I need to get mine done?

Thanks and yes it is diamond black and its costing me £1250 for the panel and paint with me doing the strip and fitting and thats with a discount!

Alot of money but well worth it. I will have to get some quotes for mine. Good idea keeping cost down by stripping and refitting yourself.

Its what i do for a living at the mo but will be going back to work for the service dept soon.

[csl]

Lookin forward to the results fella.

[B7]

Me too. Can't wait to see it finished. The mate I had in mind for it has now found a manual cirrrus blue G Plate cabriolet 325. Needs a front wing repair (small dent) but it sounds like a goodun. We're going to see it next week I beliee.

[beardymat]

i dont think you`ll regret the decision to keep it, looks like a good un. im doing a more extensive resto to mine with an eye to getting it to look hubblelike and it had a lot worse rust issues than some out there.a few people thought i was crazy but its what i do too and i just wanted to save one.

click the link in my sig for my thread about it

oh yes, keep the photos coming

[bss325i]

i dont think you`ll regret the decision to keep it, looks like a good un. im doing a more extensive resto to mine with an eye to getting it to look hubblelike and it had a lot worse rust issues than some out there.a few people thought i was crazy but its what i do too and i just wanted to save one.

click the link in my sig for my thread about it

oh yes, keep the photos coming

Hi, i've been following your progress for a while and your a hero to have taken on a damaged a rusty one! looking forward to seeing yours done to!

[bss325i]

Me too. Can't wait to see it finished. The mate I had in mind for it has now found a manual cirrrus blue G Plate cabriolet 325. Needs a front wing repair (small dent) but it sounds like a goodun. We're going to see it next week I beliee.

Glad he found what he wanted. Get him to bring it to Guildford fella.

[bss325i]

Just got back from work, managed to strip some more including the b*stard fiddly sunroof assembely and see some of the progress to panel beater's made.

Some of the repairs




More detailed searching for the dreaded rust!




Look original rear arch lips! I'm gonna remove the wheels at some point and clean out all the arches and flood them with waxoil.
More pics soon!

[maxfield]

You taking the windscreen out to look for rust there?

Looks good mate

[bss325i]

You taking the windscreen out to look for rust there?

Looks good mate

I've already taken the side windows out and all is good round there and the front and windows are coming out monday so fingers crossed, i think i stand a good chance of it being fine because of the minimal use the car has had and the fact that they are not bonded in but you never know!

[maxfield]

Yeah my dads was rusty but was only surface rust.

Good luck mate.

[bss325i]

Yeah my dads was rusty but was only surface rust.

Good luck mate.

Thanks!

[boxclever1753]

what a great step by step view of what you are doing - great work mate.

[B7]

Really cracking on there. Looks worse now but can only get better.

[Ritz]

etc as i want it to be as mint as hubble1990's and ritz's Sports.

Cheers for the shout out mate. Good luck with the respray and looking forward to see the results. My Sport is going to need respray in a couple of years. Also, Oil and Annual Check plus dreaded exhaust manifold gasket needs doing £Â£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£

All the best
Ritz

[bss325i]

Really cracking on there. Looks worse now but can only get better.

With a bit of luck it will be done for Newlands! I know it looks bad now esepecialy all the yellow markings allm over it but most of these are virtualy unnoticable but i really want it perfect.
Your car has also been an inspiration to! I will do the underneath in time as well.

[bss325i]

etc as i want it to be as mint as hubble1990's and ritz's Sports.

Cheers for the shout out mate. Good luck with the respray and looking forward to see the results. My Sport is going to need respray in a couple of years. Also, Oil and Annual Check plus dreaded exhaust manifold gasket needs doing £Â£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£Ã‚£

All the best
Ritz

Respray?! It looks mint in the pics you posted!

[snoops]

[B7]

Really cracking on there. Looks worse now but can only get better.

With a bit of luck it will be done for Newlands! I know it looks bad now esepecialy all the yellow markings allm over it but most of these are virtualy unnoticable but i really want it perfect.
Your car has also been an inspiration to! I will do the underneath in time as well.

Thanks for that. If my car can inspire to this extent, it's worth all the hard work just to keep another e30 fan "on the case".

Remember that carpet damage i showed ya? Have a full cab carpet (in blue) hanging in my garage drip drying. Dreading fitting it but it will be the interior finished at last.

[hubble]

etc as i want it to be as mint as hubble1990's and ritz's Sports.

Thanks too for the compliment.

[bss325i]

Really cracking on there. Looks worse now but can only get better.

With a bit of luck it will be done for Newlands! I know it looks bad now esepecialy all the yellow markings allm over it but most of these are virtualy unnoticable but i really want it perfect.
Your car has also been an inspiration to! I will do the underneath in time as well.

Thanks for that. If my car can inspire to this extent, it's worth all the hard work just to keep another e30 fan "on the case".

Remember that carpet damage i showed ya? Have a full cab carpet (in blue) hanging in my garage drip drying. Dreading fitting it but it will be the interior finished at last.

I saw your wanted ad, lucky find eh? Was there any other e30's in pease pottage?

[bss325i]

etc as i want it to be as mint as hubble1990's and ritz's Sports.

Thanks too for the compliment.

Your car is awesome, total inspiration!
Gonna get my drivers seat done to!

[hubble]

bss255 Just sent you a pm

[bss325i]

Recieved.

[B7]

With a bit of luck it will be done for Newlands! I know it looks bad now esepecialy all the yellow markings allm over it but most of these are virtualy unnoticable but i really want it perfect.
Your car has also been an inspiration to! I will do the underneath in time as well.

Thanks for that. If my car can inspire to this extent, it's worth all the hard work just to keep another e30 fan "on the case".

Remember that carpet damage i showed ya? Have a full cab carpet (in blue) hanging in my garage drip drying. Dreading fitting it but it will be the interior finished at last.

I saw your wanted ad, lucky find eh? Was there any other e30's in pease pottage?

Very quiet down there although just heard that a green 320 tourer has just arrived which I've not seen yet. As far as others theres 1 fairly stripped white 4 pot down there and the cab I had the carpet out of. Thats it. The e30's seem to be getting thinner on the ground in the breakers at the moment.

[bss325i]

I managed to strip more of the car today and am pleased to have found zero rust in the usuall hidden hot spots so just the behind bumpers and lower front panel to check so fingers crossed they will be ok to!

Rear window appature and corners.



Windscreen appature and bottom corners.



Lower sections of the o/s




Scuttle trims removed.


Sun roof, rear light and side window appatures.






Hopefully the car will be fully stripped in primer by the end of the week.

More pics soon!

[he30]

Good work fella, you 'll have your work cut out mind to get to the lengendry hubble standard!!! Great pics too!

[bss325i]

Good work fella, you 'll have your work cut out mind to get to the lengendry hubble standard!!! Great pics too!

Well i have every faith in the guy painting it to get a top finish, its just the constant cleaning! Plus i dont have a garage.

[he30]

Spend a good day on it cleaning, and take enough pics to recycle them dude. Create the illusion ha!