Discussion
Of course, I don't know why I didn't twig about your airbox, long day! It was a few years ago but IIRC it was about 150 for a refinished cam cover and plenum. Non exchange. I bought standard crackle finish ( back when I don't think you could readily buy it in a can) but I saw the painted Evo/JC ones which looked very good quality.
Freegs said:
Saw your motor this morning Mark and had a chat with Joe about my future swap. He was a nice bloke and i'm leaning towards an m50 (2.5) for the start of the summer.
Great to see your car in the flesh and the other cool vehicles they've got at ARM.
Joe's extremely good and very knowledgeable when it comes to engine swaps. He's also extremely methodical and works to a great standard. I really like the m50 and m52 engines. I've got an m52 going into my E21 316. It's an easy route to 220+ bhp. Great to see your car in the flesh and the other cool vehicles they've got at ARM.
Yer he obviously really knows what he's doing. I'm so bloody excited to get the e30 sorted and use it a bit more. Converting the roof to manual is the next job.
Joe mentioned ideally your car could do with a bit more of a repaint. What are your next plans and are you likely to get it out on track anytime soon or is it too wet?
Joe mentioned ideally your car could do with a bit more of a repaint. What are your next plans and are you likely to get it out on track anytime soon or is it too wet?
Freegs said:
Yer he obviously really knows what he's doing. I'm so bloody excited to get the e30 sorted and use it a bit more. Converting the roof to manual is the next job.
Joe mentioned ideally your car could do with a bit more of a repaint. What are your next plans and are you likely to get it out on track anytime soon or is it too wet?
To be honest, it's only a few stone chips and minor scratches, so I'm not in any real hurry to have it painted. It still looks great to me. Also, as it is now, I enjoy driving it without worrying about it getting any marks on it. If I sank another £2k into a respray I wouldn't use it half as much. Also, I'm in the 3rd year of building my E21 daily driver, which has taken way too long and cost far too much. It's going to be awesome though and a bit more comfortable than the E30. Joe mentioned ideally your car could do with a bit more of a repaint. What are your next plans and are you likely to get it out on track anytime soon or is it too wet?
I think the next track day will be Brands in March sometime, or possibly Llandau again. I really enjoy Brands though.
As long as it's solid I can always sort the cosmetics later on. Is your E30 there now? I saw the yellow one that Joe had just sorted the wiring on.
This is a link to my E21 > http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
This is a link to my E21 > http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Naa mines Brilliantrot, in storage now for winter with the dehumidifier in etc. Sad not to be using her but starting to do a few bits over the next few months in preperation for the swap. Manual hood conversion is next. Would be cool to meet up later in the year when it's done and have a look at your e21.
http://www.s14power.com
http://www.s14.net/forums/
Two very good sites to start with, in particular, s14Power has some very experienced and knowledgeable members.
As for buying, there are the usual suspects in terms of Dealers, some better than others in my opinion having dealt with the majority. The ideal purchase would be from an enthusiastic owner, these cars can rot terribly and sadly there are a few very shiny but rotten cars for big money out there. Of course if you fancy one of the rarer models ( SE, EVO2 etc) then prices are in a different league.
Buy a good one though ( rare model or otherwise) and they are wonderful cars. I'm on my second, a normal early 2.3 example with a few tweaks and I utterly love it
http://www.s14.net/forums/
Two very good sites to start with, in particular, s14Power has some very experienced and knowledgeable members.
As for buying, there are the usual suspects in terms of Dealers, some better than others in my opinion having dealt with the majority. The ideal purchase would be from an enthusiastic owner, these cars can rot terribly and sadly there are a few very shiny but rotten cars for big money out there. Of course if you fancy one of the rarer models ( SE, EVO2 etc) then prices are in a different league.
Buy a good one though ( rare model or otherwise) and they are wonderful cars. I'm on my second, a normal early 2.3 example with a few tweaks and I utterly love it
No problem.
If I were looking for an M3 to actually use, as opposed to getting one as an investment, I would opt for an earlier car without any extras fitted. It also depends if you're a stickler for originality or not? I knew I wanted things like carbon air box and uprated suspension, so my car was a little cheaper as a result. That said, with so few good cars being available, that gap has closed considerably.
You have the links to the best M3 related forums and there is always plenty of good advice available. Body condition is the biggest concern (in my opinion obviously) as it costs so much to restore any BMW nowadays, but the usual rust traps are well documented. The scuttle panel, inner wing beneath fuse box and ends of the sills are the most obvious. The s14 engine is great if well maintained. Regular oil changes and an upgrade to the E36 timing chain tensioner are a good idea too.
If you spot any cars you're interested in, post a link here and ask if anyone knows it.
Getting back to my own car, I had been thinking I would need to paint the carbon fibre front splitter and rear flap, as they stone chipped and looking pretty tatty. Replacing them would be over £550 but a bit of careful sanding by Joe, followed by a couple of clear, has them looking as new again. I've also had to order in a pair of side mounts for the Ridgard passenger seat. I still need to order a hand held extinguisher but other than that, I should be ready for scrutineering at the first event this year.
If I were looking for an M3 to actually use, as opposed to getting one as an investment, I would opt for an earlier car without any extras fitted. It also depends if you're a stickler for originality or not? I knew I wanted things like carbon air box and uprated suspension, so my car was a little cheaper as a result. That said, with so few good cars being available, that gap has closed considerably.
You have the links to the best M3 related forums and there is always plenty of good advice available. Body condition is the biggest concern (in my opinion obviously) as it costs so much to restore any BMW nowadays, but the usual rust traps are well documented. The scuttle panel, inner wing beneath fuse box and ends of the sills are the most obvious. The s14 engine is great if well maintained. Regular oil changes and an upgrade to the E36 timing chain tensioner are a good idea too.
If you spot any cars you're interested in, post a link here and ask if anyone knows it.
Getting back to my own car, I had been thinking I would need to paint the carbon fibre front splitter and rear flap, as they stone chipped and looking pretty tatty. Replacing them would be over £550 but a bit of careful sanding by Joe, followed by a couple of clear, has them looking as new again. I've also had to order in a pair of side mounts for the Ridgard passenger seat. I still need to order a hand held extinguisher but other than that, I should be ready for scrutineering at the first event this year.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
The price of air cooled pork has me (yet again) considering getting into an e30 M3, where is the best place for gleaning info & finding cars these day?
Have you seen this? White looks so good on e30's and this seems well priced too. http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
e21Mark said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
The price of air cooled pork has me (yet again) considering getting into an e30 M3, where is the best place for gleaning info & finding cars these day?
Have you seen this? White looks so good on e30's and this seems well priced too. http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
it certainly looks good compared to the usual 4starclassics adverts and you get the feeling it's being sold by people who know what they're looking at.Air cooled have been my speciality for a long time, I feel I need to delve into the m3 world a bit more to learn what's what, but looking at the price of a proper homologation special compared to a ropey old 911 has really got me wondering (even if the last time I viewed one was when £12-15k would get you a minter). I do miss having something to tinker with in the garage of a weekend
LaurasOtherHalf said:
e21Mark said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
The price of air cooled pork has me (yet again) considering getting into an e30 M3, where is the best place for gleaning info & finding cars these day?
Have you seen this? White looks so good on e30's and this seems well priced too. http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
it certainly looks good compared to the usual 4starclassics adverts and you get the feeling it's being sold by people who know what they're looking at.Air cooled have been my speciality for a long time, I feel I need to delve into the m3 world a bit more to learn what's what, but looking at the price of a proper homologation special compared to a ropey old 911 has really got me wondering (even if the last time I viewed one was when £12-15k would get you a minter). I do miss having something to tinker with in the garage of a weekend
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vNa2zBQBztE
There are some specialists who I simply wouldn't deal with, having seen their stock.
The past few weeks have been spent sorting the final bits of corrosion in the floor. When the cage was first fitted, by a previous owner, although they attempted to strengthen the floor in critical places they did a piss poor job. The plate they used was way too thin and was already pretty rusty. Anyway, thanks to Joe at ARM the floor is now totally free from rust and properly strengthened. A fresh coat of paint has brightened things up and the dash and console were flocked too. Added to that, any unused wiring was removed or tidied up. The inside has been totally transformed and has a sort of factory CS feel to it. The old passenger Sparco seat was swapped for a matching Ridgard and the driver side door bar, for the cage, was also fitted. Final job was replacing the old dished wheel for a MOMO, using the original snap-off boss. I have a dodgy left leg, so being able to remove the steering wheel makes it far easier to get in and out of the car. Mind you, the door bar is taking a bit of getting used to!
With the interior done and the rust removed, there were a couple of mechanical jobs to be done. The power steering had started making a noise from cold, but this turned out to be just a leaking washer. I assume this meant a loss in pressure and the noise? Either way, a new washer sorted it. There was also a fair bit of rust on the fuel line beneath the car, so it was simply replaced with a new one from BMW. I also changed the oil, oil filter and spark plugs today. Mechanically everything is just about spot on now and I replaced the worn Dunlop's on the rear, with 245/40 Toyo r888's.
Although my cars paintwork looks OK, it's definitely no show car. I use it as often as possible and plan to finally enter some sprint events this year. There are a few cosmetics I wanted sorting though and they included the carbon fibre front splitter and rear flap. They looked as though the sun had crazed the surface and just looked tatty. Unfortunately, replacement just wasn't an option at over £500 for the pair! Fortunately, careful use of the DA and a coat of clear has brought them back to looking as fresh as new again. They have given the whole outside a lift and I'm really chuffed with the end result.
I took it out for a quick run today and the brakes are still improving, now that the pads have had a bit more time to bed in properly. I don't think I've had such confidence in a cars braking ability before. The only other changes I would like to make eventually, is to fit a quicker steering rack and upgrade the suspension to Ohlin. I may get the paint sorted before that though. I don't want it to be too nice though, in case it puts me off using it.
With the interior done and the rust removed, there were a couple of mechanical jobs to be done. The power steering had started making a noise from cold, but this turned out to be just a leaking washer. I assume this meant a loss in pressure and the noise? Either way, a new washer sorted it. There was also a fair bit of rust on the fuel line beneath the car, so it was simply replaced with a new one from BMW. I also changed the oil, oil filter and spark plugs today. Mechanically everything is just about spot on now and I replaced the worn Dunlop's on the rear, with 245/40 Toyo r888's.
Although my cars paintwork looks OK, it's definitely no show car. I use it as often as possible and plan to finally enter some sprint events this year. There are a few cosmetics I wanted sorting though and they included the carbon fibre front splitter and rear flap. They looked as though the sun had crazed the surface and just looked tatty. Unfortunately, replacement just wasn't an option at over £500 for the pair! Fortunately, careful use of the DA and a coat of clear has brought them back to looking as fresh as new again. They have given the whole outside a lift and I'm really chuffed with the end result.
I took it out for a quick run today and the brakes are still improving, now that the pads have had a bit more time to bed in properly. I don't think I've had such confidence in a cars braking ability before. The only other changes I would like to make eventually, is to fit a quicker steering rack and upgrade the suspension to Ohlin. I may get the paint sorted before that though. I don't want it to be too nice though, in case it puts me off using it.
EvoIV NL said:
Where did you get the AC schnitzer wing mirrors from ?
Weirdly you're the second person to ask that today! They came from the USA and were in the classifieds on s14.net. They weren't cheap but they actually work, unlike the ebay tat that had been fitted. I do like ACS stuff but it always seems to be more expensive than the alternatives. Now the rear panel is fitted etc, the prep' work for paint starts from Monday. A thorough inspection for rust threw up just the one patch, on the offside sill, which will be cut out, repaired and all the cavities filled with Tetrosil spray wax in an effort to hold further corrosion at bay for as long as possible. I guess the silver lining, to the accident cloud, is that all those little blemishes and stone chips are being dealt with too. That said, this is still a car that will get used for its intended purpose and not just tucked away in the garage.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff