1991 BMW 318is - a car for the interim

[dem00n]

Don't know why, everytime i see this topic i think of...


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzOPR7STqrQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzOPR7STqrQ[/ame]

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by cmspooner

I loved my e30 318...I might have a set of bottle caps at my friends house if you are interested? You are brave or stupid to make that a winter car...be prepared it will definitely be "exciting" to drive when it gets slippery out.

On these tires, shouldn't be any problem.

[Turbowned]

Originally Posted by Huss

I appreciate e30s had 6 of them. But the e30 crowd is full of douchbagry!

Very true. I'm quickly finding that on the E30 forums... makes me wanna people!

Originally Posted by Asterisked Accolade

I'm not a BMW person at all, it has to be said. However, these particular era BMWs are very appealing, even to me. I love seeing it restored and i'm sure it'd be a very fun HPDE and/or AutoX car. Enjoyable topic.

I like them in general but there's very few I would actually want to own. The appealing thing about 80's BMW's (and 80's cars in general) is that they're just modern enough that you're not stuck with carburetors and points-style ignition systems, but not so advanced that you have a million computerized things to go wrong and hundreds of extra pounds of useless crap. You certainly can't find a 2600lb BMW today!

Originally Posted by streetwaves

Again, kudos to you on this build. Awesome job! By the way, where'd you get the rear Euro license plate filler? I'm liking it a lot. I've also been a fan of black iS lips as opposed to body-matching, so I like that too.

Thanks! The license plate filler is a BMW factory part. I don't have the part number handy but you can get it for ~$29 from Bavarian Autosports: www.bavauto.com
Yeah, I couldn't decide whether to paint it body color or not, but the rest of the car has the black rocker trim and I don't plan on adding side skirts or a rear skirt so I thought I'd match it to the rockers. I was thinking of painting the rear spoiler to match but we'll see.

Originally Posted by dem00n

Don't know why, everytime i see this topic i think of...

E28 M5... So amazing... I love E28's but the gas mileage is horrific, especially the M5.

Originally Posted by cmspooner

I loved my e30 318...I might have a set of bottle caps at my friends house if you are interested? You are brave or stupid to make that a winter car...be prepared it will definitely be "exciting" to drive when it gets slippery out.

Thanks but I have a line on a set of basketweaves right now that I'll probably buy. This isn't my first rodeo; I had an '89 325i that I drove in the snow. With all-season tires the car is mostly useless, but with knobby snow tires like the ones I have now, the car just hooks up and goes!

[bestwheelbase]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

Very true. I'm quickly finding that on the E30 forums... makes me wanna people!

I like them in general but there's very few I would actually want to own. The appealing thing about 80's BMW's (and 80's cars in general) is that they're just modern enough that you're not stuck with carburetors and points-style ignition systems, but not so advanced that you have a million computerized things to go wrong and hundreds of extra pounds of useless crap. You certainly can't find a 2600lb BMW today!

Agreed on both accounts.

Simplicity is good. Example: I enjoyed my ride in an E60 M5 but couldn't help but think how expensive it will be when the active seats break and the occupant is left with a lopsided bolster. Yeah that's not gonna be cheap to fix.

[Asterisked Accolade]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

I like them in general but there's very few I would actually want to own. The appealing thing about 80's BMW's (and 80's cars in general) is that they're just modern enough that you're not stuck with carburetors and points-style ignition systems, but not so advanced that you have a million computerized things to go wrong and hundreds of extra pounds of useless crap. You certainly can't find a 2600lb BMW today!

Honestly, that's how i feel about most cars nowadays. At the moment, i'm very interested in a Hyundai Accent Hatchback. It doesn't have Traction Control, it doesn't have Stability Control, it doesn't have electric windows or locks, it barely has any technology. However, the suspension, weatherproofing, and engine is all up to date (relatively). It has something that many other cars don't-- less.

Forget a 2600lb BMW, try a 2600lb anything. You have to buy a little Fiesta or something just to (typically) get below 2900lbs. And then, if you can find a light car, you then need to find one with the least amount of electronic mucus that gets between you and the driving feel.

I went on a little there, but i agree with everything you said and those BMWs and 80s cars in general were in the perfect technological bracket-- it's too bad so many were so ugly.

[cmspooner]

Originally Posted by ZDan

On these tires, shouldn't be any problem.

Nice! My e30 was half dead and had terrible tires...so my perspective is skewed...I still loved that car and still miss it even though I have my BRZ (who I also love deeply). It is funny I bought the BRZ to replace my long departed e30, but it is like getting a new dog to replace an old one. The new one is wonderful, but it doesn't let you forget the old one.

[bestwheelbase]

Originally Posted by Asterisked Accolade

Forget a 2600lb BMW, try a 2600lb anything. You have to buy a little Fiesta or something just to (typically) get below 2900lbs. And then, if you can find a light car, you then need to find one with the least amount of electronic mucus that gets between you and the driving feel.

I went on a little there, but i agree with everything you said and those BMWs and 80s cars in general were in the perfect technological bracket-- it's too bad so many were so ugly.

I was composing a lengthy response and my computer died. Damnit.

Cliff's Notes: The Huet Brothers are on to something. So are the guys at Singer (though their pricing makes it a moot point for all but the 1%). Factory Five is there too, but not everybody wants to build a car.

What we need is someone to offer a kit using readily available components but instead of making it something you have to completely build - make it "almost ready to run." Deliver it non-running to skirt the kit car rules, but leave only a simple step to be turn-key. Maybe it's a matter of building everything and leaving only engine installation for the end user.

In the meantime, frankly there are so many cool cars from the 80's and 90's that are reliable and full of character that we should just keep them alive and accept that occasionally they'll have a part failure or breakdown and just chalk it up to part of the experience.

[Jedi1]

Hard to go wrong with an early BMW! I'm part owner of an E21 Chump Car and love it to death!!!!!! Jump on it!

[Giccin]

Absolutely love reading this thread and your rebuild journey!

I hope to keep on reading and seeing more photos of this. Its quite inspirational.

[Turbowned]

Car is finally registered/insured and I received the title in the mail yesterday. Ordered up new OEM replacement rotors, pads, fuel filter, intake gaskets and vacuum/PCV hoses (to tackle the infamous M42 "Mess Under the Intake") and reman. steering rack, thanks to Bavarian Autosports and The Rack Doctor:


Oh, and $73 for two new keys from BMW, as all I had was a copied ignition key and it didn't seem to match the door, trunk and glovebox locks. Yuck.

Unfortunately the front rotor hold-down bolts were seized in the hubs and the allen wrench just stripped them out. I had to drill them out:


I also noticed the RF wheel bearing was a little noisy, so I need to track down a thin wall 36mm socket to get the axle nut off and inspect the bearings. Wee! 3 months later and I'm still not driving this silly car!

[Turbowned]

Updates! Car finally left the garage under it's own power. Unfortunately I didn't notice that a coolant hose under the intake plenum had split, so I peed coolant all the way to my friend's house and back on it's maiden voyage. Back to the garage she goes!

New steering rack installed:


Picked up a set of OEM wheels:


Tackling "The Mess Under the Intake" (removing unnecessary coolant/vacuum lines):


Cleaning carbon deposits out of the plenum:



Running again! Bleeding the coolant and power steering:


Out of the garage after a new battery is installed:




Still a lot more to do, but I'm glad this much progress has been made. Eventually everything will work properly, mark my words!

[R_E_L]

3 months and still not driving it around? I admire your patience haha. Looks great though!

[Turbowned]

Finally driving it! Although not without some issues. I just dropped another $700 on the following:

-Battery (original one was 8yrs old and not holding charge)
-Thermostat (the one I installed in Nov. was stuck shut)
-Throttle cable clip (the original one which I broke but made a clever jury-rig out of a cut up credit card)
-Fuel pressure regulator and o-rings (to hopefully solve a hot start issue)
-MIL scan tool/oil svc light reset tool
-Front control arms
-Front and rear sway bar end links
-Front sway bar bushings
-Rear wheel bearings
-Rear brake dust shields
-Tranny output shaft seal, diff seals (fix leaks and change fluid)
-Bosch beam style wiper blades

I should get a wholesale account with Rockauto.com and Bavauto.com, considering how much I've spent there over the past 6 months!

I have a lot of work ahead of me in the next couple of weeks; I want to get it to legitimately pass inspection and start enjoying the drive! It's OK so far, just want it to be closer to 100%. I also have to fix a small exhaust leak and fix a broken wire going to the differential speed sensor so I can get my odo/speedo working again.

[Turbowned]

I picked up lightly-used Bilstein sport shocks/struts, K-mac camber plates, Turner Motorsport 93 octane chip, and a (mostly) crack-free dash from one of the E30 board members. I got to check out Turner Motorsport where he works, and which is conveniently about 1.5hrs from my house. Look at all the sweet cars I saw!










You know a place is pretty serious when they put old trophies in their bathroom:



Two days of wrenching bull$#!t later, I got the new control arms, sway bar endlinks, and Bilstein sports/BavAuto spings installed. I'm waiting for new needle bearings to install the camber plates, and the trailing arm and control bushings haven't come in yet. I forgot to install a washer between the LH spring perch and the top mount so I'm getting some binding; I get to tear it down again and fix that crap. Hurray...

Oh well, MOAR LOW finally! I'm perfectly satisfied with the ride height; it's not too high, not too low. For the $40 I spent on the springs I'm very happy. I started to take pics of the install process but once I got into tearing apart 22-yr-old suspension components I was too busy getting filthy and cursing to take photos.

New stuff:



Old vs. new (I'd say it was time):


(these MOOG sway bar bushings didn't fit; I'm going to get OEM replacement ones instead)

All back together:



And just because I was bored, I took a few pics of my two cars together:





The car is getting the tires and alignment done today; stay tuned for updates!