The One to End It All
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Since everyone else on here has white coupes I figured I'd join the crew!
I was sitting in Oregon on a job site and came across a posting for an E30 from Cali, claimed one owner vehicle, with some mediocre pictures.
Chatted with the seller, got more pics, a video or two, and I sent him some money to hold the car for me to arrive. Two days later I show up to his place in California with a trailer, worked out a deal, and left with the least rusty E30 I've ever seen.
I was surprised on arrival to find two spots on the exterior with clear coat gone, but only on the hood and trunk which is easy enough to work with.Service record of one shop its whole life, original owner on the title, and I've now become the second registered owner of it.
Every vin tag matches, one or two door dings on the whole car, it is astounding.So what's the plan?
This is my long haul project car, the culmination of everything I've learned from working with E30's over the years. I am in no rush to get this completed as I want every facet of it to be exactly what I've desired. The intent is to completely remove the interior and replace it (interior is mediocre and tan) with black/grey things and custom seats that I've been working on. Driveline will be the S52 from my other E30, in a shaved and repainted engine bay. Suspension will be a hybrid of what I've got in my blue e30 and a mix of new parts.I promise this is (one) of the last E30's I will own...
California is always scenic, ft. E30 and Titan with lightweight clear coat mods.
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Congrats! How many miles on the chassis?
250k on the odometer that is still functional, the carfax shows that most of those miles were put on within the first 8 or so years of its life.
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Really looking forward to how this one works out. Hope the hounds tooth interior finds its way into this car. Feel like this one is going to deserve a nice set of wheels.
Also, if you need someone to take that M20 off your hands and you happen to drive back to Appleton one of these days...
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very awesome, welcome to the club.
have to agree, my favorite part of this is the non-rusty chassis. its strange and delightful to remove suspension bolts with normal hand tools.
Dan
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Nice find!!
Rot-free examples with any paint on them are becoming unicorns these days.
The lack of need for the blue tip wrench will pay you back for the long trip in no time.
We just swapped the exhaust on my son's E34 540i. it took all day to cut the mid-pipe and cats out of my rustbelt parts car. 45 min to drop the straight pipes from his and another hour to put new exhaust back on. the differences in time are staggering.
very awesome, welcome to the club.
have to agree, my favorite part of this is the non-rusty chassis. its strange and delightful to remove suspension bolts with normal hand tools.
You feel like your cheating or something when you put a wrench on it and it just comes apart.
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Non crusty chassis are the best
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I've been trying to find motivation to work on this whole project since picking it up, especially after getting the M3, but I finally started on some simple stuff. Probably in the wrong order, but who cares.
I didn't know how hard water could be holy crap. Tried vinegar and water, WD40 (internet for ya...), CLR, and eventually was direct by the fine folks of WiBimmers to quit messing around and get the DA and buffing cutting compound out.
Some amount of time later I had part of one window done. That stuff really clings on for dear life! It's looking like about 50% of the car will need this treatment.
The side trim had a nice black ring around it that also didn't want to wipe off. Between broken clips and faded paint on the side moulding I popped it all off and will be repainting, re-clipping, and buffing off the black ring.
The S52 is finally at a point where I am comfortable bringing it over to this chassis, but I have realized this chassis is nowhere near ready for that kind of power.
I wish it was as simple as just swapping front and rear subframes from the other E30, but I have a no rust situation going on that I would love to keep, so I will be sourcing all new parts once again. I think I will be making a big black Friday splurge for poly bushings for all areas of the car.I am very tempted to pull the engine out of this early, stash it, and get to work on the cosmoline and non shiny engine bay... I really enjoyed doing the last bay shave + paint and think I could do better a second time around. A truly horrible place to work in once painted though, as panic is constant about dropping a wrench!
I wish I could sell one car before the other to fund this project... or live somewhere cheaper haha.
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Interior is all out, engine is out.
Getting started on engine bay cleanup and strip for paint.
Intended things to keep with this chassis and with S52
- AC (was working when engine was pulled, dryer looks replaced. R12 converted already?)
- Cruise Control
- ABS maybe? Unsure on that one so far -
Bump
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^Respect
Haven't spent a ton of time on this, plenty of other things going on. Spent some time with it the past couple of days (after driving the other E30, my god that thing is frightening amounts of fun).
I got most of the engine bay stuff out and did a light cleaning in there as it was quite gross. I'm thinking it'll still need a pressure wash to get all the small corners and such.
I'm half tempted to not spray the bay, but I don't know why. It's not all that much work after having done it once. This one will be harder as I plan to leave all the brackets and such due to retaining cruise control and all of those fun things.I'm debating on taking ABS out, but I don't see much reason to do as such. Anyone have thoughts on this? I've driven E30's without ABS and it was never much of an issue, just the occasional tire smoke from auto-x as one corner would go light.
Interior had been pulled a bit ago, but it looks like I never made mention of that. The inside will be getting a full refresh as well.
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^Respect
Haven't spent a ton of time on this, plenty of other things going on. Spent some time with it the past couple of days (after driving the other E30, my god that thing is frightening amounts of fun).
I got most of the engine bay stuff out and did a light cleaning in there as it was quite gross. I'm thinking it'll still need a pressure wash to get all the small corners and such.
I'm half tempted to not spray the bay, but I don't know why. It's not all that much work after having done it once. This one will be harder as I plan to leave all the brackets and such due to retaining cruise control and all of those fun things.I'm debating on taking ABS out, but I don't see much reason to do as such. Anyone have thoughts on this? I've driven E30's without ABS and it was never much of an issue, just the occasional tire smoke from auto-x as one corner would go light.
Interior had been pulled a bit ago, but it looks like I never made mention of that. The inside will be getting a full refresh as well.
I’ve never felt any real reason to remove it as long as it’s working. Sure, if it’s not functional anymore rip it out, but I guess I don’t see why a minimally intrusive (on the street) safety net should get canned.
I can’t comment on track or autocross use though, someone else might have more feedback on whether it can be intrusive or annoying in those situations, but for a street car, I’d keep it. Personal opinion and all that though.
Holy hell is that car clean and nice, what a find. Alpine E30’s ftw!
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I’m removing my abs. (6pack delete)
it currently does not function.
it’s fine during autox, just have to be conscious that you can’t stomp the pedal like a caveman.
I’m completely removing the pump and making new lines. Also adding in a remote adjustable bias dealio. -
If it works, is in good shape, and isn't in your way it might be worth keeping, apparently the stock ABS is pretty good and non-intrusive when working properly. I got rid of mine a few years ago (removed pump/lines/etc. completely, still need to strip the wiring from the harness) because it only worked intermittently and then the pump got smacked by a deer and mangled all the lines going to and from it. My experience is exactly what @KaiserRolls said. I've locked up wheels in auto-x and my excuse is the RA motorplex super slick surface, but mostly it's from being a caveman. On the street it has been a non-issue, just need to keep it in mind. I put in a Wilwood adjustable bias dealio in the same location as the stock bias valve but didn't make it remotely adjustable and regret that immensely as I can barely reach it. I am fairly certain the stock ABS system does not do any biasing so you could definitely just keep the stock valve to simplify things.
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I removed all of my abs. The ecu, lines, module, and all associated wiring has been removed. I put in the Chase Bays abs delete brake line kit with the adjustable bias valve. Mine hasn’t worked for the last three years and the two rallies I did (which is exactly how I drive the car) it was never an issue.
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I am fairly certain the stock ABS system does not do any biasing so you could definitely just keep the stock valve to simplify things.
Pretty sure you’re correct. There is a stock “proportioning valve” on the main run to the rear line IIRC
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All good input
In reality I have no idea if this system works or not. I have no reason to believe it doesn't work considering the AC was still functional.Finished pulling the driveshaft. The CSB seemed to be new which is neat!
Wait...Found some performance parts hiding in it! Offset CAB's!
Firewall sound deadening / heat shielding removed carefully. Not a single piece of messed up hardware. I keep waiting to find rust... Still no signs
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