E30 320i Touring parts into an E30 318is shell?

[T89 Preparation.]

Hi all, I have nearly finished my drift/track E30 320i Touring ('89 F) but to throw a spanner in the works a guy up the road has offered (for free) the shell from his 318is (2 door, late plastic bumper model) that he has left after breaking the car for parts.

Question is will all of the mechanical parts from my 320i Touring bolt on or will I be in a world of financial pain getting adaptor bits to make it all fit?

I am talking about taking a completely bare shell and fitting everything needed to run onto it (engine, gearbox, wiring, fueling, suspension, brakes, everything).

FYI the reason for doing this would be further weight reduction as I understand the 4 door touring shell is significantly heavier than a 2 door coupe shell. Although I am wondering if this is even worth the effort?

[sniff diesel]

If you were putting an engine into an E30 it would be a shame for it to be 'just' a 320i lump - maybe an M50B25 lump would make the project worthwhile?

[T89 Preparation.]

sniff diesel said:

If you were putting an engine into an E30 it would be a shame for it to be 'just' a 320i lump - maybe an M50B25 lump would make the project worthwhile?

Unfortuantely that would cost money, which I don't have. I do have the offer of a free shell though and lots of time.

This is the catch 22... when you have a job you have money but no time and when you have no job you no money but plenty of time.

[buggalugs]

Hmm, a little bell is ringing in my head about the rear suspension being different but I'm not 100% sure. e30zone might be your best bet to ask. Well worth joining there anyway if you're going to be working on e30's!

[T89 Preparation.]

buggalugs said:

Hmm, a little bell is ringing in my head about the rear suspension being different but I'm not 100% sure. e30zone might be your best bet to ask. Well worth joining there anyway if you're going to be working on e30's!

Yeah I've joined and the place gets on my nerves, the layout and colours are awful and make it hard to read, also with all those fking 'Avatars' and 'Signatures' it's hard to actually find and then read what has been written.
Give me the PH simple/readable/useful layout stye anyday.

And the people using seem to be all mouth, you ask them advice about one issue and they just tell you to spend £££££££'s doing something else and that you're doing the wrong project. Also they don't respond to ad' requests unless you're in their little clique.
I'm not the only person who thinks this as well, the guy I picked my new wheels up from yesterday said the same thing.

The PH BMW/Trackday forums give better and more useful advice I have found.

[buggalugs]

T89 Preparation. said:

buggalugs said:

Hmm, a little bell is ringing in my head about the rear suspension being different but I'm not 100% sure. e30zone might be your best bet to ask. Well worth joining there anyway if you're going to be working on e30's!

Yeah I've joined and the place gets on my nerves, the layout and colours are awful and make it hard to read, also with all those fking 'Avatars' and 'Signatures' it's hard to actually find and then read what has been written.
Give me the PH simple/readable/useful layout stye anyday.

And the people using seem to be all mouth, you ask them advice about one issue and they just tell you to spend £££££££'s doing something else and that you're doing the wrong project. Also they don't respond to ad' requests unless you're in their little clique.
I'm not the only person who thinks this as well, the guy I picked my new wheels up from yesterday said the same thing.

The PH BMW/Trackday forums give better and more useful advice I have found.

I hear what you're saying, you do often find that with fourms though. If you want to try things out or do something a little bit different to the herd you just get told you're wrong - usualy by people who have no idea what they're on about anyway! To be fair I have had some useful answers to questions on the zone though. There's a few people over there who are real goldmines of information and really helpful with it.

Anyway back to the question... quick brainwave how about checking on realoem? Springs and dampers will be different but you could check that part numbers for subframes, top mounts at least match?

[E30M3SE]

The change over should be more or less straight forwards, rear cross beam is the same as are trailing arms and drive shafts, rear dampers and top mounts are not the same.

Front end is all the same, roll bars will be of varying thickness model dependent but will transfer over. Wiring loom fuse box will all be the same. Steering rack, front subframe, front top mounts, front coil spring and wishbones are all the same.

[T89 Preparation.]

E30M3SE said:

The change over should be more or less straight forwards, rear cross beam is the same as are trailing arms and drive shafts, rear dampers and top mounts are not the same.

Front end is all the same, roll bars will be of varying thickness model dependent but will transfer over. Wiring loom fuse box will all be the same. Steering rack, front subframe, front top mounts, front coil spring and wishbones are all the same.

Cheers man, with regards to the roll bar issue I actaully bought the ARB's from the guy yesterday (they were polybushed and had new drop links) and they have fitted fine to my Touring, but what is the actual difference? Are they a higher rate on the 318is?

On the top mount issue will a drill and a welder be able to make the ones from the touring fit the coupe' shell or are they completely different?

The thing is I have brand new coilovers on the touring and if they won't fit then I won't bother as I can't afford new coilovers.

[E30M3SE]

T89 Preparation. said:

E30M3SE said:

The change over should be more or less straight forwards, rear cross beam is the same as are trailing arms and drive shafts, rear dampers and top mounts are not the same.

Front end is all the same, roll bars will be of varying thickness model dependent but will transfer over. Wiring loom fuse box will all be the same. Steering rack, front subframe, front top mounts, front coil spring and wishbones are all the same.

Cheers man, with regards to the roll bar issue I actaully bought the ARB's from the guy yesterday (they were polybushed and had new drop links) and they have fitted fine to my Touring, but what is the actual difference? Are they a higher rate on the 318is?

Diameter is the difference, and therefore 'rate', convertible vehicles have the thickest front bars (ETA 21mm). Your tourer runs 20mm front, same as an iS, but if it has not got self leveling suspension, which I assume it hasn't as your have gone coil over and did not have, then it should have a 13.5mm rear an iS left factory with 14.5mm.

T89 Preparation. said:

On the top mount issue will a drill and a welder be able to make the ones from the touring fit the coupe' shell or are they completely different?

The thing is I have brand new coilovers on the touring and if they won't fit then I won't bother as I can't afford new coilovers.

What coil overs are you using on the Tourer?

Edited by E30M3SE on Tuesday 2nd June 13:56

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

The suspension is different in diameter. Tourings (and cabriolets and M3's) all had 51mm Suspension. Saloons had 45mm. It's not a straight transfer I think but don't quote me.

If the shell is free I'd take and then sell it on the Zone and buy yourself a 2.5 litre engine for £250.

Besides; I'd keep the Touring - it's just that little bit different and the extra weight over the rear helps traction.

I've got two - a 320i and a 325 that I pick up in North Wales a the end of June. Absolutely love them; wife hates them.....

What have you done to the engine for performance? If you haven't done so already I'd strongly recommend a Zone chip. I bought a Mild (there's wild too) chip and it's made a big difference to the perforamance before it hits the cam at 4,000rpm. No rev limit either and it's a lot eager.

[T89 Preparation.]

Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

The suspension is different in diameter. Tourings (and cabriolets and M3's) all had 51mm Suspension. Saloons had 45mm. It's not a straight transfer I think but don't quote me.

If the shell is free I'd take and then sell it on the Zone and buy yourself a 2.5 litre engine for £250.

Besides; I'd keep the Touring - it's just that little bit different and the extra weight over the rear helps traction.

I've got two - a 320i and a 325 that I pick up in North Wales a the end of June. Absolutely love them; wife hates them.....

What have you done to the engine for performance? If you haven't done so already I'd strongly recommend a Zone chip. I bought a Mild (there's wild too) chip and it's made a big difference to the perforamance before it hits the cam at 4,000rpm. No rev limit either and it's a lot eager.

Nothing done to the engine as yet, I'm more into handling than power. I will try and do a 2.5 conversion at some point but money is the limiting factor at the moment.

Have you got a link for the chip?

By the way I decided not to have the shell, it wasn't an issue of time or effort but I just didn't want the front of my grandparents house (were I do my work) looking like a scrap yard and causing friction with the neighbours.

[E30M3SE]

Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

The suspension is different in diameter. Tourings (and cabriolets and M3's) all had 51mm Suspension. Saloons had 45mm. It's not a straight transfer I think but don't quote me.

But this is not really an issue as you can fit the 51mm struts to a car that has 45mm struts, infact the 5 lug M3 struts and rear arms can also be fitted to any car.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Ah - wasn't sure about the 45 versus 51mm thing - I just want him to keep the Touring shell! Any excuse.

In terms of the chip I'd register with the e30zone.net and contact the seller there called Speedtouch.

I bought my chip off him for the 320i and am about to buy another one off him for my 325 touring.

I bought the mild which is great.

I can't give you a link but he regularly advertises in the 'e30 parts for sale' section or you can simply email him once you're a member through the email function on the website.

[T89 Preparation.]

Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

Ah - wasn't sure about the 45 versus 51mm thing - I just want him to keep the Touring shell! Any excuse.

In terms of the chip I'd register with the e30zone.net and contact the seller there called Speedtouch.

I bought my chip off him for the 320i and am about to buy another one off him for my 325 touring.

I bought the mild which is great.

I can't give you a link but he regularly advertises in the 'e30 parts for sale' section or you can simply email him once you're a member through the email function on the website.

Cheers for the help like I said Touring shell is now being kept, I advised the guy with the 318is shell to put it up as a 'free to collector' item on e30zone rather than send it to a scrappy.