I bought a fourth car. E30 Content

Most of the time, when you jump online and find an ad for a car that looks interesting nothing happens. No phone calls are returned, no emails replied to, and you lose interest because you are sensible and delete the link. But somehow last weekend I ended up buying my first BMW. I needed a fourth car of course, especially one good in the snow since I live next to lake Erie. Instead, I found a beater E30 that has lead a rough life and puts a smile on my face every day I take it to work because I spend most of my trip moving sideways. At least, until the end of the month when the inspection runs out and it has no hope of passing.

Since its days as a respectable street car have long since passed I think I may be turning this into a race car once I catch up on deferred maintenance. I've spent some time on the track at PittRace and Nelson Ledges and did an entire autocross season last summer which is more racing that I've ever done. I won't say I'm any good at it, but I've caught the bug. Originally I was going to get shocks, brakes, tires, and a sway bar for my GS-R and go have fun in stock class autocross. Now I'm trying to figure out where an 87' 325is can be fun and somewhat competitive. Any suggestions? I'd like to refresh the suspension and improve the handling a bit, and I was thinking about a spec E30 setup for springs/shocks/sways. I probably won't be modifying the engine, unless you count replacing the fart can muffler which is surprisingly quiet behind a giant catalytic converter and resonator.

The shifter is a complete mess. Once in gear it moves miles in either direction, but never pops out of gear. The gears are right where you expect, just sloppy. I'd like to improve that. But first I need to replace the clutch master cylinder that died in the garage last night. The clutch pedal is entirely too high as well.

I'm also looking for information as to why I would not have a high idle on cold starts. I have an earlier Motronic 1.1 that doesn't flash codes, my TPS checks out ok, and the idle control valve is clean and looks to be working properly. The engine runs great other than this issue actually. I'm leaning towards a bad coolant temp sensor?

I approve!

Nice!

I'm currently trying to talk myself out of (into?) Selling the Jeep and splitting DD between an E30 and my Miata.

Spec E30 suspension works well, though be aware of your oil pan ground clearance after it's lowered. You'll also want the offset lower control arm lollipop bushings.

The shifter can usually be fixed by replacing the parts outside of the transmission. No need to buy a 'short shifter'; just start with the stock stuff and then you can move to a Z3 shift lever if you want really short, notchy throws.

Be sure to check the condition of the rubber guibo in the drive shaft, and I'd plan on renewing the motor mounts. Oh, and if you haven't done the timing belt, do it TODAY as these are interference engines.

Can't help you with the cold start issue, sorry.

Also, next to Lake Erie, but a less snowy part, I still have these e30 sized tires/rims for sale.
http://sandusky.craigslist.org/pts/4214381255.html.
I would be willing to meet you anywhere near "the mistake on the lake" which would be about middle.

Great car! I need to make it up to PittRace when I get another car.

I hear you about CL sellers never replying. Drives me insane. There is a car near my parents in Charlotte with no phone# listed. Three emails. No response. Drives me insane. If the car is sold, just have the decency to say it's sold. I've emailed from gmail and my microsoft exchange emails.

Arrrg.

Sounds like my '87 325e when I bought it. Its days of being a DD were past, lets strip it and have fun autocrossing and rallycrossing it. You want the UUC shifter, with double shear. Amazingly accurate shifts with their parts. Most likely the sensor is dead, but mine only runs on a high idle for 6 seconds or so then settles down to 800 rpms. Does it stall? Pop on over to r3vlimited.com. All the information you could ever want.

Nitroracer wrote: Now I'm trying to figure out where an 87' 325is can be fun and somewhat competitive. Any suggestions?

Rallycross. Fun - check. Competitive in any class - check.

These two cars alone, in one of the largest rally-x regions for RWD, have 3 or 4 class championships and 3 or 4 more top-3 season finishes in the last 3 years (5 total drivers). Between the e30/e36, RX7, and Miata they pretty much cover the top cars in rallycross for the last decade in RWD (the BRZ is coming on strong these days though)

Taking class last week.

^^pretty clean-looking front-end for a bumper delete. Nicely done. I spy those lexan windows too....one of my projects for this winter. Any more pics that you can provide on them?

Instead of whoring up this thread, you can post them in my build thread if you want: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/mein-e30-mein-sammlungkreuz-baugewinde-my-318i-rallycross-build-thread/40440/page1/

OP: you may be interested as well, even if not doing rallycross. I did a pretty extensive refresh of the stock suspension and drivetrain that may give you some tips (some of which hae already been mentioned in this thread)

irish44j wrote:

Nitroracer wrote: Now I'm trying to figure out where an 87' 325is can be fun and somewhat competitive. Any suggestions?

Rallycross. Fun - check. Competitive in any class - check. These two cars alone, in one of the largest rally-x regions for RWD, have 3 or 4 class championships and 3 or 4 more top-3 season finishes in the last 3 years (5 total drivers). Between the e30/e36, RX7, and Miata they pretty much cover the top cars in rallycross for the last decade in RWD (the BRZ is coming on strong these days though)

I'd love to rallycross this thing - but there aren't any events in my area and this car hasn't proven itself for long trips yet. I did one rallyx in my Camaro when the Philly SCCA put on an event down in Dover Delaware and loved it, but now I'm too far from Philly or DC.

I think there are at least 2 Ohio clubs that rallycross. not sure where, but might be worth looking into.

E30's can be a fun local toy in STX (not nationally competitive) and they can be very competitive in DSP ($$$$$). I'd look into what the other people in your region are into, STX here is HUGE, and even if I got destroyed most of the time I'd probably still have a ball campaigning an STX E30.