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Thread: New to the forum and just picked up an E21!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
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    USA
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    1,005
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    04 ZHP, 83 320i, 00 M5

    New to the forum and just picked up an E21!

    Hello,
    This is my 2nd post as I posted in a thread earlier asking questions about springs / shocks. The car arrived today from the transport. I cleaned it up a bit and took a few photos. I will take a few photos during the day to provide a perspective of the condition.

    Overall the car seems pretty solid, no rust and was a cali car. 50k miles on the ODO. The engine, transmission, and diff are strong. The front end needs a refresh (i.e.: shocks/springs/tie rods/control arms etc). I am ordering all of the front end parts to start new.

    I also forgot how fun these cars are to drive! I ran around a bit this evening until it was dark.

    Thanks for the help in the previous thread. I look forward to hanging out with the members on this forum!

    The photos do not show this however I took off the sunroof windguard. It was blocking too much of the sky at night.

    See posted pictures:

    BMW-320I-1.JPGBMW-320I-2.JPGBMW-320I-3.JPGBMW-320I-4.JPGBMW-320I-5.JPG

    _________

    1980 320i - Kashmir Metallic - Sold in 1993
    1985 535i - Cosmosblau Metallic - Sold in 1995
    1985 535i - 1985-06-27 - Delphin Metallic - Currently own!
    1983 320i - 1983-04-20 - Kashmir Metallic - Currently own!
    Last edited by charter21p5; 07-27-2015 at 12:14 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Posts
    1,364
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    83 320 14 335ix
    Looks real nice!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Wichita Falls, Texas
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    My Cars
    1997 BMW Z3 2.8
    Beautiful car...where did you find it?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    gainesville,fl.
    Posts
    2,643
    My Cars
    1977 320i
    Why is the windguard blue? Real nice car. I hope you didn't have to pay $15k for it.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    monterey, ca.
    Posts
    14,486
    My Cars
    e21, e30 m3. e46 330ci
    very nice. mind telling us the particulars, like what you paid, where it came from, ect. we like to keep track of this stuff, thank you.
    Tom D

    77 e21 - m42
    88 e30m3
    04 330 dinan3
    84 r1000rt
    02 r1150rs
    all of them gray
    14 f800gsa - red headed stepchild!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    1,150
    My Cars
    1982 E21;'06 E90;'14 F30
    Sweet car!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Mount Vernon, VA
    Posts
    115
    My Cars
    1983 BMW 320i
    love it!! looks super clean! seems to have an E30 iS wing mounted (could be wrong).

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Corona California
    Posts
    4,313
    My Cars
    79 320/6 81320i 65malibu
    Welcome - really nice looking car!

    Always FUN TO DRIVE - Build Thread & Tech info - 79 320/6 track car build thread -- Videos of track car -Adam in car Auto-x video - Start-up video - 4/2011 Adam's TOP BMW time San Diego BMWCCA - 4-5-15 Dyno break-in run new M20B25 - Exhaust Thread - Link

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
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    USA
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    04 ZHP, 83 320i, 00 M5
    BMW-320i-day1-(1).jpgBMW-320i-day1-(2).jpgBMW-320i-day1-(4).jpg

    - - - Updated - - -

    Thanks for the great comments. It seems to be a very well preserved and partially restored car. I posted a couple more pictures above.

    A bit of history on the vehicle: I am the 3rd owner, it was originally a California car (always garaged) 1 owner and in California for all but the last 2 years. The 2nd owner lived in Oklahoma, always garaged the car had the car for 2 years and then decided to sell it due to other interests. I am the 3rd owner of this E21 and I live in NC.

    Tom, I paid $3600 for this car plus I had to ship it. I took a risk and bought it site unseen however I did get many many photos from the seller prior to purchase and almost lost the deal due to a very determined potential buyer.

    Current status: The car is currently pulling to the right so I am keeping it parked in the garage until the front end parts arrive from Bavauto. The engine, transmission (auto) and diff have no issues and the engine is very strong. I do have the common 55mph shimmy. The exhaust and cat appear to be fairly new. The radiator is new and for some reason has an attached shroud. The car does need a donor dash as it currently has a dash overlay cover due to three cracks. The carpet was replaced with new. The seats were recovered with black vinyl however I might change them out to leather. If I don't find a dash I might also have the dash re-done in leather. The interior liner was also re-done so it doesn't really leave much to work on. It will probably be a good weekend driver.
    Last edited by charter21p5; 07-27-2015 at 10:43 PM.
    _________

    1980 320i - Kashmir Metallic - Sold in 1993
    1985 535i - Cosmosblau Metallic - Sold in 1995
    1985 535i - 1985-06 - Delphin Metallic - Sold in 2016
    1983 320i - 1982-09 - Kashmir Metallic - Currently own!
    2004 ZHP - 2003-08 - Titanium Metallic - Currently own!
    2000 M5 - 2000-02 Titanium Silver - Currently own!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Wilmington DE
    Posts
    124
    My Cars
    '83 e21, '86 alfa spider
    Wow, $3600 with only 50k and that clean I'd say you did very well on that. Congrats!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    1,150
    My Cars
    1982 E21;'06 E90;'14 F30
    That was an excellent deal, congratulations

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Chapel Hill, NC
    Posts
    166
    My Cars
    1996 Z3 Convertible
    Wow that is a nice one! I was into Mercedes when I bought my 320i e21 on a lark. After driving it the first time I was hooked. It is the first car I have ever owned that really makes driving fun and desirable. I gave up my mercedes hobby and have been restoring it to pristine condition ever since.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
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    USA
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    04 ZHP, 83 320i, 00 M5
    Thanks! I think one of the reasons these cars are so fun to drive is the lack of power steering and lack of computer aided driving! All you feel is the road with no aritifical enhancements.

    I think today it is even better own one of these E21s than when I owned my E21 back in the early 90s since there is now the modern ability to join an internet forum such as this one with folks willing to help keep your car on the road!

    I live over in Cary NC if you ever want to meet up sometime. My car is sitting for a bit waiting on the homeland Germany to send my ordered parts.

    Tomorrow I might try to eyeball an alignment so I can drive it around town a bit more however I really need to replace the front rubber parts specific to steering and then get the car aligned.
    _________

    1980 320i - Kashmir Metallic - Sold in 1993
    1985 535i - Cosmosblau Metallic - Sold in 1995
    1985 535i - 1985-06 - Delphin Metallic - Sold in 2016
    1983 320i - 1982-09 - Kashmir Metallic - Currently own!
    2004 ZHP - 2003-08 - Titanium Metallic - Currently own!
    2000 M5 - 2000-02 Titanium Silver - Currently own!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Elkton, VA
    Posts
    22
    My Cars
    '78 & '82 320i
    Nice car! Be sure that you bring it to "Vintage", in 2016.
    Myself, my son, and my grandson will all have 320's there.

    Regards,
    Randy Bryant

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
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    My Cars
    1982 E21;'06 E90;'14 F30
    Bryant, if I can get my red car ready by then, my son and I each plan to each drive an E21 to the Vintage next year also. It should be a good meet. OP, you should try to make it. I've gone twice with the red car but missed the last couple of years. Here's a picture of the time we drove to Biltmore from the Vintage for inspiration. My son was much younger and you can see him hiding in the passenger seat.


  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
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    04 ZHP, 83 320i, 00 M5
    I would definitely look forward to meeting up with you guys at and attending vintage in 2016. I will either take this E21 or my E28. Gabmwdrvr, great looking E21. What airdam is under the bumper? A stock 320IS?
    _________

    1980 320i - Kashmir Metallic - Sold in 1993
    1985 535i - Cosmosblau Metallic - Sold in 1995
    1985 535i - 1985-06 - Delphin Metallic - Sold in 2016
    1983 320i - 1982-09 - Kashmir Metallic - Currently own!
    2004 ZHP - 2003-08 - Titanium Metallic - Currently own!
    2000 M5 - 2000-02 Titanium Silver - Currently own!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    monterey, ca.
    Posts
    14,486
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    e21, e30 m3. e46 330ci
    Quote Originally Posted by gabmwdrvr View Post
    .... you can see him hiding in the passenger seat.]
    all I can see is that sexy redhead in the background.
    Tom D

    77 e21 - m42
    88 e30m3
    04 330 dinan3
    84 r1000rt
    02 r1150rs
    all of them gray
    14 f800gsa - red headed stepchild!

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    1,150
    My Cars
    1982 E21;'06 E90;'14 F30
    Yes, it's an IS airdam. The car is currently looking kind of bad so I am in the process of redoing the entire car. The picture is on the Blueridge Parkway in the rain. That M1 owner is not afraid to drive it.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Fontana,CA,USA
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    36
    My Cars
    1978 320i
    super jealous great find

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
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    USA
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    04 ZHP, 83 320i, 00 M5
    Update: It has been a couple of months since I bought this E21. I have been working on restoring the car from bumper to bumper. All of the rubber, hoses, gaskets, bushings etc. were pretty much ready for replacement. I ordered the remaining parts which require replacement and a lift for the garage. After the mechanical work is complete I plan on replacing the seat covers with black leather, I might leather the dash and then lastly refinish the wheels. It is definitely a very fun car to work on and I very much appreciate the support from the forum!

    Below are pictures of the parts scattered about as I am sorting through which are associated to specific areas of the car:

    bmw-320i-partsarrival1.JPG
    Last edited by charter21p5; 11-20-2016 at 10:34 PM.
    _________

    1980 320i - Kashmir Metallic - Sold in 1993
    1985 535i - Cosmosblau Metallic - Sold in 1995
    1985 535i - 1985-06 - Delphin Metallic - Sold in 2016
    1983 320i - 1982-09 - Kashmir Metallic - Currently own!
    2004 ZHP - 2003-08 - Titanium Metallic - Currently own!
    2000 M5 - 2000-02 Titanium Silver - Currently own!

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    303
    My Cars
    1983 BMW 320iS
    That's a lotta loot there!

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    DFW TX USA
    Posts
    1,447
    My Cars
    1983 320I, 1986 325E
    Do you still have the sunroof wind guard? I'm somewhat interested in it.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    782
    My Cars
    1982 E21 BMW 320i
    Quote Originally Posted by dups View Post
    Why is the windguard blue? Real nice car. I hope you didn't have to pay $15k for it.
    Mine's blue too
    1982 320i E21 Coupe, Manual, Cashmere Metallic, 162K+ miles (Daily Driver)
    1997 318i E36 Sedan, Manual, Black, 388K+ miles (RIP)

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
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    USA
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    04 ZHP, 83 320i, 00 M5
    Quote Originally Posted by Thecatmilton View Post
    Do you still have the sunroof wind guard? I'm somewhat interested in it.
    Sorry.. I threw it out not thinking anyone would want it...
    _________

    1980 320i - Kashmir Metallic - Sold in 1993
    1985 535i - Cosmosblau Metallic - Sold in 1995
    1985 535i - 1985-06 - Delphin Metallic - Sold in 2016
    1983 320i - 1982-09 - Kashmir Metallic - Currently own!
    2004 ZHP - 2003-08 - Titanium Metallic - Currently own!
    2000 M5 - 2000-02 Titanium Silver - Currently own!

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Denver
    Posts
    88
    My Cars
    1983 BMW 320i
    Quote Originally Posted by Thecatmilton View Post
    Do you still have the sunroof wind guard? I'm somewhat interested in it.
    Keep an eye out at your local junk yard for one. If you see one on an E30 it will fit the E21.
    Life is like a ball and Karma is like a coin.

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