Doormans e30 325e
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Do an s5x
And use the m20 as a boat anchor.
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Present time!!
Got home early today and USPS knocked on the door about ten minutes later.
Parts deliveries make a man feel all warm and giddy inside.......outside of normal middle aged gas, incontinence, etc.
Gonna give the old girl a well needed wash in the driveway and then install shiny parts!!


New wiper arms
Cowl grilles
Washer fluid pump
Washer fluid pump grommet.
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Stripped the rear end down for new wheel bearings.
Harbor Freight wheel bearing kit worked perfectly.
Couple issues/questions
Passenger side came off flawlessly.
Sometime in the past the drivers side half shaft was replaced.
All 6 bolts on the diff were stripped......probably used a 5/16 Allen instead of an 8mm to install the shaft. Bought an Irwin stripped bolt removal set. Well worth the $30!!
Drivers side splines are a bit rough......took quite a bit of work to push it outta the hub.
Any opinions on rebuilt/rebooting shafts?
I've done some looking around and most info points to auto parts store shafts being crap.
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Presents!!

New grilles
Used kidneys
All new hardware for both
PS reservoir
2 new hoses and fitting, washers, clamps, etc

2 shirts as well!!

All e30 owners know this sight or will soon!!
Ordered from BluntTech
2 wheel bearing "kits"
New lug bolts
6 new bolts for the axle-diff
Diff bushing
2 new CV axles ordered from AutoZone.
I called a few shops around Chicago and nobody rebuilds anymore. The guys I talked to said the quality of the axles from the parts stores has gotten better over the years and that's where they get theirs.
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All the parts are finally installed!!
Finished up the power steering reservoir and hoses earlier today.
I still have a bit if "whine" from I think the rear end. A bit of research says it could be the diff.
The car does have over 300,000 miles on her.
Any other guesses?
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I'd say flush the diff, probably time for it anyways.
Did the diff and trans fluid about a month ago. Neither one looked too bad.
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Finally a worthy update!!!
After much patience.......finally got ahold of a houndstooth seat!
A member on R3V (iso_hi) had a comfort passenger seat in black/grey houndstooth for sale. After a few PMs he agreed to just send me the fabric. It's been sitting in my garage since mid May, but with work/family I haven't had time until recently to pull the seat. I'm really happy with how it turned out.




I'll get some interior shots when the sun is out and the car is outside.
So far the "black car" (families name) has been good to us. A/C blows cold and she's fairly drama free.
She still needs better wheels/tires and a shock/strut/spring overhaul.
Added a 2011 328i xdrive to the stable recently (wife wanted to ditch the mini van....who could blame her) so our bmw stable has grown to three!!!

Part of me wants to unload the e39 touring and the e30 and just get a clean e36/e46 for myself.......wife says no!!
She loves them all!!
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That's a great stable and the e30 is looking great!
I've been wanting a daily e39...or a e38...or a working e46 m3...
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An update finally!!!
Local e30 FB page had a user parting out an early e30.
I picked up a package tray with premium speakers (really only wanted the speakers)
Leather shift knob (who could say no!)
Kick panel/knee bolster for under the steering wheel. (Mine had some cracks)
Knob.....

Package tray before charcoal grey painting/cleaning

After painting/cleaning/partial assembly

After installion!! (Installion is NOT a typo......aren't we all "installers" and "stallions"!!!)

Non-cracked kick panel.

Cars running good, A/C blows cold and she always starts.
Premium speakers made a huge difference!!
Leather shift knob increased speed for sure
Kick panel.......has better kick!!!
Diff is a bit noisy
Bottle caps need replacing still
Shocks/struts/springs still need an R&R.
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Busy couple weekends in Doormans world!
Last weekend I decided the faded bottle caps had to go!!
I've been telling myself "self......you're gonna buy new wheels/tires.....live with them for now".
I couldn't anymore!!



A good wash/some sanding/self etching primer/VHT aluminum wheel paint and waalaa!!
This morning I met a WiBimmers member in Pleasant Prairie to pick up an LSD diff. A 2.79 or 2.93. After a good degreasing/rusty metal primer/Rustoleum black appliance epoxy.....behold!!!




I'll order new seals for the output shafts, run all the mounting threads with a tap and hopefully get her installed over the holiday weekend.
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glad to help and meet you. I hope the diff works out well for you.
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glad to help and meet you. I hope the diff works out well for you.
Thanks John!
Good to meet you as well.
I do as well. Mission creep is setting in.....thinking about dropping the whole subframe and doing more then just the diff!
You ever see anything down this way parts wise you are interested in, hit me up!
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I did the bushings on my subframe and it wasn't too bad to drop everything. The brake lines are a pain if they are really rusted but it not too bad.
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Got the subframe/trailing arms/diff out!!!


Not too horrible looking under there. Springs perches still look pretty good. I do have a broken end of a spring stuck on one of the perches on the trailing arm.
Now clean up/prime/paint.
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Got the subframe bushings out. One fought me to the point of drilling out the rubber, cutting the sleeve and using a drift to work it out.
Hit the subframe with a wire wheel, prime and some black epoxy paint.


Ran outta primer and paint after the subframe so I moved onto the LSD I picked up last weekend.

A good sized order from the boys at Blunt arrived this week. Part of my order included new o-rings, seals and a cover gasket for my diff.

I haven't put the cover on yet but did put some fluid in it and gave it a couple twirls.
Too hot and humid too be playing in the garage still.
Hopefully I'll have some time tomorrow to get the trailing arms cleaned up and painted and maybe start reassembly.
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Finally some time to work on the E30!!!
Replaced all the hard and soft brake lines in the rear of the car. Picked a spot under the drivers door to cut the line and start new.



Finished assembling all the new bushings, hard brake lines on the trailing arms, sway bar end links and mounting brackets, caliper hoses and attached the trailing arms to the subframe and got it all bolted in. I left the LSD out to make it easier to install solo.


Hopefully I'll get a few hours sometime this week to finish up reassembly!!
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Finally some time to work on the E30!!!
Replaced all the hard and soft brake lines in the rear of the car. Picked a spot under the drivers door to cut the line and start new.
I know the union looks crooked. I threaded both ends in by hand before tightening.
Finished assembling all the new bushings, hard brake lines on the trailing arms, sway bar end links and mounting brackets, caliper hoses and attached the trailing arms to the subframe and got it all bolted in. I left the LSD out to make it easier to install solo.
Hopefully I'll get a few hours sometime this week to finish up reassembly!!
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