Interesting highly-modified E21 at Mecum at Monterey

**Wardenclyffe** · 08-14-2016, 11:41 AM

This is definitely not for the purists among us:
http://bringatrailer.com/2016/08/13/...1979-bmw-346i/

**Somjuan** · 08-14-2016, 11:59 AM

I can't say I'm a fan of the color, but the workmanship is superb! I wonder if there's a build thread anywhere

**308larry** · 08-14-2016, 06:52 PM

Created quite a few years ago by Pacific Motorsports in Portland, OR. http://pacificmotorsports.com/bimmer-love/

**wally509** · 08-15-2016, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by Somjuan

I can't say I'm a fan of the color, but the workmanship is superb! I wonder if there's a build thread anywhere

Me either.

A couple of my friends that are into high end collector cars and I had a quick discussion on this car. Looks awesome, high quality, should be super fast, etc.

Then we got to the part about the color and we all sort of agreed that is going to hold it back. It knocks out a lot of potential buyers for a highly modified car IMO. "Sleeper" guys are out, rat rod type guys are out, more than likely older guys that have the kind of dough to just buy something like this for fun aren't going to want such an "in your face" color either.

Of course, I could be way off. There might be a younger guy with the money who wants a "hey look at me" color car. But how many of those want an e21??

Later,
Wally

**autox320** · 08-15-2016, 09:12 AM

Looks fun in a straight line so maybe light to light street machine. At that point I'd just drop a LS in it. I get the V8 swaps are ridiculous cheap, fun, but I'd never get over the nose weight. It would have to be mostly behind the axle line. The E30 guys at the track find them all day long in wreck yards for $500 then swap parts to get the extra displacement. Don't believe me troll some e30 forums. I saw at least two guys I met last track day with these having a blast.

Now the craft at which this swap is done, yes that is top notch work. Very sexy for a street/show car. Color I could live with at least it's not whore red. IMO if I bought something like that I'd just respray color to a fleet white. If have that kind of funds color shouldn't matter it's just a spray away to whatever you want.

Guess I should mention the money is for the body and interior work. Motor is not worth so much.

**Tom D** · 08-15-2016, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by autox320

Looks fun in a straight line so maybe light to light street machine (but how much fun can that be? tom). At that point I'd just drop a LS in it. I get the V8 swaps are ridiculous cheap, fun, but I'd never get over the nose weight. It would have to be mostly behind the axle line.
Motor is not worth so much.

yup, I think you and I could be good friends!

**BMWonly** · 08-15-2016, 02:29 PM

I will be at Legends on Friday. Maybe I will swing by Mecum early afternoon, when it's expected to sell. I would love to check it out...

**autox320** · 08-15-2016, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by Tom D

yup, I think you and I could be good friends!

On another thought for that price I'd have a aluminum built 5.3 LS. I mean I just can't see the money in this 4.0/4.4/4.6 swap ever bringing this much unless the buyer just isn't aware of how it's done. Those are cheap motors all day long in old 7 series especially $500 with trans and full harness to run it.

**hotdish** · 08-16-2016, 01:03 AM

Looks like it has e30 fenders and a trimmed e36 m3 spoiler too.

**jrcook320** · 08-16-2016, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by autox320

Looks fun in a straight line so maybe light to light street machine. At that point I'd just drop a LS in it. I get the V8 swaps are ridiculous cheap, fun, but I'd never get over the nose weight. It would have to be mostly behind the axle line. The E30 guys at the track find them all day long in wreck yards for $500 then swap parts to get the extra displacement. Don't believe me troll some e30 forums. I saw at least two guys I met last track day with these having a blast.

Now the craft at which this swap is done, yes that is top notch work. Very sexy for a street/show car. Color I could live with at least it's not whore red. IMO if I bought something like that I'd just respray color to a fleet white. If have that kind of funds color shouldn't matter it's just a spray away to whatever you want.

Guess I should mention the money is for the body and interior work. Motor is not worth so much.

Originally Posted by Tom D

yup, I think you and I could be good friends!

I've been tempted to m62/6speed swap my e21. After daily driving my 540/6 I'm in love with that drive train, the torque, and the glorious sound. But something always holds me back; maybe i have too much invested in the m10 build and I like the idea of extracting ridiculous power out of an old motor that is becoming forgotten.

thanks for the pep talk.

**320iAman** · 08-16-2016, 10:45 AM

Its painted golf yellow so that you can find it in a large parking lot in case you duck hooked or shanked parked it. The color yellow is good color-yet Canary Yellow is the prize winning yellow-'Canary Yellow' is a shade of Yellow that is 100% saturated and 100% bright, this is why judges at car shows like Canary Yellow.lol

Randy

**autox320** · 08-16-2016, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by jrcook320

I've been tempted to m62/6speed swap my e21. After daily driving my 540/6 I'm in love with that drive train, the torque, and the glorious sound. But something always holds me back; maybe i have too much invested in the m10 build and I like the idea of extracting ridiculous power out of an old motor that is becoming forgotten.

thanks for the pep talk.

hey JR, you know it's 4bang for life here

The V8 swaps can be done if engineered well work fairly well on a track. If going that far with a bmw only V8 though I'd look at the s62 into an e30. Not easy or cheap, but if that's your thing. Pretty sure there was an entire phase of swaps in Europe doing exactly that. Most recent one with full success on track is from BPC in Raleigh NC. They did the UTCC and lapped VIR full in 2:02 which is beyond GT3 Pcar quick.
Some even have v10 swaps and really screw up the chassis balance to the point of needing an entire trunk of concrete just to hook up. No thanks. That's what makes me really wish I had the funds for a full dtm topend on my motor and raise the compression for race fuel. It would be rated in low hours life expectancy (like maybe 20) but a lot of fun while it lasts.

Hey man sidebar hit up my thread on my clutch question. Know you been there.

With your turbo setup there is nothing like a light powerful power plant and light car.