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  4. e30 cabrio in Shorewood -- kinda a long post

e30 cabrio in Shorewood -- kinda a long post

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  • ClassEC
    ClassEC
    ClassE
    wrote on last edited by
    #3

    Welcome'

    BenDem said:

    This is the first car I've owned since '98

    Holy. Wow.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • mkoeppM
      mkoeppM
      mkoepp
      wrote on last edited by
      #4

      Welcome and nice picture

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • KaiserRollsK
        KaiserRollsK
        KaiserRolls
        wrote on last edited by
        #5

        Welcome!!

        Great first car since 98!!

        Also. I think jdesign has some HR/billies for sale yet

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • jc43089J
          jc43089J
          jc43089
          wrote on last edited by
          #6

          Awesome car, welcome! 

          As for replacement/maintenance parts, there are lot of places but I usually get stuff from pelicanparts.com or bavauto.com.

          2/94 325i Sedan, Arctic Gray: UUC LTW FW, EVO 3 and DSSR, +.020 Maxsil pistons, ASC delete, Eibach shocks/springs, 16" contour reps 238k
          3/93 325i Coupe, Schwarz 2, Sketchy stance action, ebay turbo, 300k
          '89 325i Vert, Alpine White: 5spd swapped, sold.

          '04 Toyota Sienna: 24V to 24V swap in progress

          '05 Volvo V70R, 6spd.  200k
          '85 Toyota LandCruiser: Lifted, gas hog. 205k
          '99 Nissan Maxima: 5spd, Rusty but trusty winter beater. 252k RIP.

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • BenDemB
            BenDemB
            BenDem
            wrote on last edited by
            #7

            KaiserRolls said:

            Welcome!! Great first car since 98!! Also. I think jdesign has some HR/billies for sale yet

            Thanks. If I'm going to break a streak like that, it needs to be for something worthwhile :).  I just posted on jdesign's thread asking if they were vert-specific or not.

            jc43089 said:

            Awesome car, welcome! 

            As for replacement/maintenance parts, there are lot of places but I usually get stuff from pelicanparts.com or bavauto.com.

            Yeah, I'm cool with finding places for new stuff, but I'll be looking for a used diff when my pinion gear gets really bad, or when I decide to do the 5 speed swap.  Whichever comes first.

            1 Reply Last reply
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            • jc43089J
              jc43089J
              jc43089
              wrote on last edited by
              #8

              I have a very good condition 4.10 open dif available, (stock for auto trans).  I swapped to a 3.25 when I trans swapped to a manual.  How are you determining that the pinion gear is messed up?

              2/94 325i Sedan, Arctic Gray: UUC LTW FW, EVO 3 and DSSR, +.020 Maxsil pistons, ASC delete, Eibach shocks/springs, 16" contour reps 238k
              3/93 325i Coupe, Schwarz 2, Sketchy stance action, ebay turbo, 300k
              '89 325i Vert, Alpine White: 5spd swapped, sold.

              '04 Toyota Sienna: 24V to 24V swap in progress

              '05 Volvo V70R, 6spd.  200k
              '85 Toyota LandCruiser: Lifted, gas hog. 205k
              '99 Nissan Maxima: 5spd, Rusty but trusty winter beater. 252k RIP.

              1 Reply Last reply
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              • 6670charger6
                6670charger6
                6670charger
                wrote on last edited by
                #9

                Looks like a very nice car. Mine's an 88 Cabrio automatic too. 

                I've had very good luck buying replacement parts on ebay, and a few at the dealership of all places. Those are the two places I've found my best deals on new stuff. Rockauto.com and Pelican are supposedly other good sources, although they can be a bit pricey. http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/ looks like another place with a good assortment of parts for E30's. 

                For used parts, your best bets are either Ebay or any of the local "You Pull It" salvage yards. The salvage yards are a wild card as their inventory constantly changes, and the E30 that you were lucky enough to find and pulled from a week ago may not be there two months later. A lot of these cars are also pretty well picked over by the time you get to them too. They can be substantially cheaper than Ebay, though. It's all a matter of what you need/want and how badly you need/want it. I just picked up a leather auto shift knob and leather handbrake handle cover, along with a spare power mirror switch at my local yard for $10 total. Cleaned the leather parts with some leather conditioner and they look like new! 

                BTW: Be sure to check out the items that members of this forum have for sale. I got a nice set of aftermarket taillight assemblies from a member on here. 

                Hope this helps.

                Eric

                88 325ic, Cirrus Blau; 120,000 miles

                66 Dodge Charger, red/black, mileage unknown

                Appleton, WI

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                • BenDemB
                  BenDemB
                  BenDem
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #10

                  jc43089 said:

                  I have a very good condition 4.10 open dif available, (stock for auto trans).  I swapped to a 3.25 when I trans swapped to a manual.  How are you determining that the pinion gear is messed up?

                  Well, there's a whine coming from under the car.  It occurs regardless of the gear selected.  It's there even if the the car is off, coasting downhill in nuetral.   I took the car to a shop a block away, and had them put on the lift with the car in gear to determine which bit is making the noise.  (I wasn't about to get under a car on jackstands with the motor running, in gear, and going to 30 MPH indicated).

                  The tech said it was coming from around the pinion bearing area... So, that's where that's at.   So, the gear is OK for now, but who knows how long it will last...

                  The diff that's on there is 3.73 (as was put on auto's in '88), but I wouldn't mind the extra pep of 4.10.  

                  However, if I'm going to to a manual swap down the road, I think 4.10 might be a bit buzzy on the highway.   I'll PM you re: the 4.10.  Thanks!

                  1 Reply Last reply
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                  • jc43089J
                    jc43089J
                    jc43089
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #11

                    I forgot about the switch, mine is an 89 but mfg in 7/88 so not sure what it is.  The tag is not readable, I will have to spin it and count.  It was definitely too aggressive after a manual swap.

                    2/94 325i Sedan, Arctic Gray: UUC LTW FW, EVO 3 and DSSR, +.020 Maxsil pistons, ASC delete, Eibach shocks/springs, 16" contour reps 238k
                    3/93 325i Coupe, Schwarz 2, Sketchy stance action, ebay turbo, 300k
                    '89 325i Vert, Alpine White: 5spd swapped, sold.

                    '04 Toyota Sienna: 24V to 24V swap in progress

                    '05 Volvo V70R, 6spd.  200k
                    '85 Toyota LandCruiser: Lifted, gas hog. 205k
                    '99 Nissan Maxima: 5spd, Rusty but trusty winter beater. 252k RIP.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • BenDemB
                      BenDemB
                      BenDem
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #12

                      Just sent you a PM.   I'm still on the fence about the manual swap.   If it wasn't a 'vert I'd do it in a heartbeat.  However, the slushbox isn't exactly out of character with relaxed nature of the car.  I think I can probably live with it for a while, and get the rest of the car *just right* first.

                      1 Reply Last reply
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                      • EarlE
                        EarlE
                        Earl
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #13

                        Are you just going to keep this as a clean weekend driver with subtle mods?

                        museum sig 2earl.jpg

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • BenDemB
                          BenDemB
                          BenDem
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #14

                          The general idea is to keep it within the 'character' of the car as it was originally produced.  Lumps and all.

                          So, the diving boards stay, as does the 80's sound system.

                          I'd happily swap / add anything that was an 'option' by BMW when it was produced -- maybe a 5 manual swap. LSD, etc.

                          I also might do spring / damper mod -- as that's a simple thing to revert to 'stock'.

                          I've also got this idea for an engine montoring device that would work with a smartphone via bluetooth -- but that would be completely hidden from view and would only be to monitor how the car is running.

                          I'm not interested in 'perfect' either.   Instead, I'm going for 'approptiate patina' as the car ages.  I'm expecting the car will gain between 2-5k miles per year.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • YoungCRY
                            YoungCRY
                            YoungCR
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #15

                            Very cool, I'm all for the originality and OEM+ mods.

                            Chris Young
                            BMWCCA #458972
                            1986 528e/5  | 1994 530i/5 | 1995 540i/6 | 2013 X5 35d | 1998 C1500 Suburban | 1995 K2500 Suburban

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • B
                              B
                              B C
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #16

                              If it is of any comfort to you, I ran my car hard with the automatic on a regular basis and it held up just fine. The weak point on them is revving it while in neutral since the pressure buildup can dislodge a seal and cause you to lose Drive.

                              1 Reply Last reply
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                              • jc43089J
                                jc43089J
                                jc43089
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #17

                                As Snap said the 4hp22 is a solid transmission, a guy I work with has a '90 325i vert, which has 280+k on it (odo stopped before he bought it) the auto still worked great, he had the trans gone through when i built the engine and the guys said it looked decent inside, just put new seals in it and a kickdown cable I think.  Which reminds me, I put the engine in it over a year ago and he still hasn't finished putting the last bits together...

                                2/94 325i Sedan, Arctic Gray: UUC LTW FW, EVO 3 and DSSR, +.020 Maxsil pistons, ASC delete, Eibach shocks/springs, 16" contour reps 238k
                                3/93 325i Coupe, Schwarz 2, Sketchy stance action, ebay turbo, 300k
                                '89 325i Vert, Alpine White: 5spd swapped, sold.

                                '04 Toyota Sienna: 24V to 24V swap in progress

                                '05 Volvo V70R, 6spd.  200k
                                '85 Toyota LandCruiser: Lifted, gas hog. 205k
                                '99 Nissan Maxima: 5spd, Rusty but trusty winter beater. 252k RIP.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • BenDemB
                                  BenDemB
                                  BenDem
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #18

                                  I'm not sure you guys are making me feel better.

                                  I was telling myself when the trans died, I'd do the 5 speed swap.  Now I'm going to have to wait another 100k miles ?

                                  :)

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                                  0
                                  • jc43089J
                                    jc43089J
                                    jc43089
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #19

                                    More burnouts!  (revving in neutral will do it in real quick) 

                                    "Sorry (wifes name) not sure what happened, trans seems fried"

                                    2/94 325i Sedan, Arctic Gray: UUC LTW FW, EVO 3 and DSSR, +.020 Maxsil pistons, ASC delete, Eibach shocks/springs, 16" contour reps 238k
                                    3/93 325i Coupe, Schwarz 2, Sketchy stance action, ebay turbo, 300k
                                    '89 325i Vert, Alpine White: 5spd swapped, sold.

                                    '04 Toyota Sienna: 24V to 24V swap in progress

                                    '05 Volvo V70R, 6spd.  200k
                                    '85 Toyota LandCruiser: Lifted, gas hog. 205k
                                    '99 Nissan Maxima: 5spd, Rusty but trusty winter beater. 252k RIP.

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • i_love_carsI
                                      i_love_carsI
                                      i_love_cars
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #20

                                      nice, did I see you on I-94 W last week during rush hour on Thursday or Friday? I gave a nod to a dude in a red 3.2.5 cabrio when we were right next to each other that looked just as clean as your example.

                                      IMG6593.jpg

                                      2011 E92 M3 6MT ZCP - ESS 625 supercharged
                                      2007 Z4MR 
                                      2003 E39 M5
                                      2002 E46 M3
                                      2021 X5 40i

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                                      0
                                      • BenDemB
                                        BenDemB
                                        BenDem
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #21

                                        Ha.  Yup, that was me!

                                        (Nice 135, my favs of the 'new' BMWs )

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • i_love_carsI
                                          i_love_carsI
                                          i_love_cars
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #22

                                          yes sir! My old boss had a couple of M3's including an '88 E30 that he just sold - to me the 135 is as close as possible in modern times to how that M3 felt. This thing is tiny for sure and reminds me of the older 3-series in that regard.

                                          +1 for manual trans conversion  :D  ditch your auto  :D

                                          IMG6593.jpg

                                          2011 E92 M3 6MT ZCP - ESS 625 supercharged
                                          2007 Z4MR 
                                          2003 E39 M5
                                          2002 E46 M3
                                          2021 X5 40i

                                          1 Reply Last reply
                                          0

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