RE: BMW 325i Touring (E30) | Spotted

[Muzzman]

This was my old girl, loved it.

M52b28 stroked to 3.0 with shrick cams. Built by Dan Harborow who's well known in e30 circles.



Mucking about with this Grandad spec 80k mile 320i more door at the moment. Converted it from Auto to manual, new shocks and springs, need to raise the back, i'm building a 2.7 with ITB's for it.

[Phid]

I have just bought this E30.

I can confirm it is as good, if not better, than it came across in the advert and pictures. There is no evidence of any welding whatsoever. Original factory underseal. No rust in the usual places. A real survivor. It must have been garaged all of it's life hence the uncracked dash and lovely unfaded interior.

The worst job, which wasn't obvious on the pictures, is the droopy and dirty headlining. Awful job but I've done it before on an E30 Touring.

[spreadsheet monkey]

Phid said:

I have just bought this E30.

I can confirm it is as good, if not better, than it came across in the advert and pictures. There is no evidence of any welding whatsoever. Original factory underseal. No rust in the usual places. A real survivor. It must have been garaged all of it's life hence the uncracked dash and lovely unfaded interior.

The worst job, which wasn't obvious on the pictures, is the droopy and dirty headlining. Awful job but I've done it before on an E30 Touring.

Excellent work. Look forward to the Readers Cars thread!

[carinaman]

Congratulations Phid. It's good to know it's solid around the front bulkhead.

[JJJ.]

SpudLink said:

williamp said:

It wasnt a 325, it wasnt a touring. But I owned it in the late 90s and I loved it.



I keep looking at them for sale today. It'll be the same as my youth, wont it???!!!

The car might be the same. You, on the other hand, probably won't be.

That's the thing. We've been rather spoilt with the advancements in car engineering, especially for the past 30 years.
I wouldn't for a second think of buying some cars I owned in the past even though they're considered classics now and have a following, not even just for a bit sunny day driving.
Somewhat sadly, the E21 and E30 fall into that category. They're not alone and it's not just BMW's either. Car's like the 90's Honda Accords, I was a big fan and had several, I even feel a bit guilty not taking one on as project and saving it.
Mad I know, but there you go.

[JJJ.]

Phid said:

I have just bought this E30.

I can confirm it is as good, if not better, than it came across in the advert and pictures. There is no evidence of any welding whatsoever. Original factory underseal. No rust in the usual places. A real survivor. It must have been garaged all of it's life hence the uncracked dash and lovely unfaded interior.

The worst job, which wasn't obvious on the pictures, is the droopy and dirty headlining. Awful job but I've done it before on an E30 Touring.

Congrats, delighted to hear it's in good condition. Looking forward to updates

Enjoy.

[spreadsheet monkey]

2 GKC said:

Proper poverty spec on that

This car has an electric sunroof, which is nice. What worthwhile extras could you have added in 1988? A/C would be nice, but I could live without leather seats or fancier alloy wheels.

No panoramic glass roof or Pro Nav on the options list back in those days!

[williamp]

spreadsheet monkey said:

2 GKC said:

Proper poverty spec on that

This car has an electric sunroof, which is nice. What worthwhile extras could you have added in 1988? A/C would be nice, but I could live without leather seats or fancier alloy wheels.

No panoramic glass roof or Pro Nav on the options list back in those days!

I think fabric seats with no A/C would be preferable to leather and no A/C!

[Phid]

I guess I might source some of the nicer BBS wheels - RZ? To keep it original does anyone know what size would have been offered back in 1988 - 14" or 15".

The sports seats of that era are lovely in either leather or cloth, but to be honest to find an interior this good is very satisfying and it certainly won't be changed.

I don't think any of the 325's were really poverty spec!

[JJJ.]

Almost certain yours are 14''
From memory the 15'' cross spokes were five stud.

[Phid]

The BBS RZ's came in 4x100 15" as well - but maybe not an option back then?

[JJJ.]

Indeed, you are correct. Forgot all about them, I don't think they were that popular. Wasn't there a 14'' version too? They don't look as good as the 15'' five stud, may be those were wider @ 7''.
You might laugh, but I think 15'' silver steels and BMW centre caps could look very well.

Edited by JJJ. on Friday 31st March 15:33

[Phid]

I'm a big fan of steelies. My slightly modified TR6 is on its original deep dished steels, and my '83 Scirocco Mk2 is on steel G60's. My last E30 Touring had some lovely 16" banded G60's on it when I sold it - but that was quite highly modified. This car is so original it would be nice to keep it close to what it would/could have been back in 1988.

[JJJ.]

Anything else planned. Are you going to do bushes, springs and shocks?

[Phid]

I will do whatever is needed. So bodywork (2 small dents and cut and wax, deal with any little spots), service incl cam belt, brakes (think new hoses but maybe more), headlining, engine bay detailing.

Then I will find more bits I'm sure. ARB bushes and drop links looked OK but I won't know until I drive it properly. Will leave suspension unless it needs anything.

[JJJ.]

You must do a thread on it. If for no other reason, so I can relive my 20's!

Edited by JJJ. on Friday 31st March 13:48

[Leins]

Congrats Phid!

I’m not sure how well this will come out, but I have an old picture of a 1990 E30 accessories list

[Phid]

Can just about make it out - thanks. For the 3 series it just says cross spoke alloy - but that product number brings up BBS 15 x 6.5 wheel.

[PSRG]

spreadsheet monkey said:

2 GKC said:

Proper poverty spec on that

This car has an electric sunroof, which is nice. What worthwhile extras could you have added in 1988? A/C would be nice, but I could live without leather seats or fancier alloy wheels.

No panoramic glass roof or Pro Nav on the options list back in those days!

I had a slightly shabby 1988 E30 325i Touring (manual) for a few years, back in 2008 I think. The seller claimed it was a launch / demo car, and it was relatively highly specc’ed for the day. But all that meant was 15” BBS wheels, leather trim, electric windows all round, electric sunroof, air conditioning (non functioning!), heated seats, a blaupunkt stereo and headlamp washers which, along with the OBC, might have been standard. The leather, as with all BMWs, aged badly and I’d rather have had the cloth of the much newer 316i touring I had at at the same time…. Even then both felt antiquated and agricultural compared to the 120d that was my ‘proper’ car at the time. I hate to think what another 15 years has done to that…best left as a memory I suspect. Though, it’s impressive that the one in the original post is rust free. Mine was distinctly scabby round the sunroof and lower front wings even then! Though I note that E256BKK is currently sorned so it does still exist

[SweptVolume]

2 GKC said:

Proper poverty spec on that

White paint is a bit poverty, though it was the 80's, but otherwise that seems about right. Big petrol engine, electric windows and sunroof, fog lights, alloys. Leather might have been nice, but velour is also a luxury material and will have worn better than all but the most cherished leathers.