New E21 Owner, 1979 320i bbs brown beauty! (pics)

[EnzoTheBlack]

Hi Folks,

Just picked up an automatic (3spd) 1979 320i, all original with 135k miles on vintage BBS wheels. I say "all original" lightly to describe paint/interior/drivetrain as the previous mechanic owner completed the following recent updates; Kamei bumper spoiler, front bumper tuck, new radiator/hoses/waterpump/thermostat, R134a complete conversion (ice cold in Arizona!), rear CV shafts, front control arms, drive shaft bushing, both fuel pumps (there are 2 on this car??), alternator, cold start valve/regulator, thermotime switch, Pertronix electronic ignition, and valve adjustment w/ new valve cover gasket, and emission system delete (no air pump, egr bypass).

The car is a blast to drive. I traded a 2006 Triumph Speed Triple 40k miles to a local mechanic for this BMW. It was his daily driver for the past 4 years and meticulously maintained. There are a few cracks in the dash, small rips on driver seat, and some chips in the paint that have been "touched up", but otherwise seems to be a solid 8/10 vehicle for being 38 years old.

I failed emissions today due to CO and hydrocarbon levels in addition to visual inspection fail for air pump removal. Luckily, in Arizona I can sign up with collector/classic vehicle insurance to bypass the emissions requirements. Looking forward to the vehicle and community. Cheers!

(yes i plan to take the silver sticker off the trunk lid)

[Tiroler]

Another Phoenix e21--welcome! Same color and wheels as the first one I drove back in 1981. Good to see a nicely kept original. Gonna swap out that auto box for a manual trans??

[tlapham]

Nice!

[m60b30530i]

Looks clean. Looks good with the windows tinted.

[Fred39]

I really like the color. Beauty.

[gsumzzz]

autos have their merits but nothing like rowing the gears to the m10 rpm tunes......nice car. enjoy and welcome.

[charter21p5]

Congrats! It is hard to find e21s for sale in great condition. You might want to consider swapping out the trans to a manual. I currently have the auto trans and my first e21 had the 5spd manual, they really change the driving experience.

[virafp]

Car looks great....but it needs a 5 speed! ��

[mxl556]

Nice e21 and a great color!
I used to own an automatic 320i, it was fun. Different from 5 speed, but I found that old fashioned 3 speed autobox amusing and very mechanical (for an auto).
Being relatively rare, I'd say autos as kind of fun. The only disadvantage is a higher speed highway driving revs, but keeps carbon build up to a minimum.

Max




Max

[SilverPuddle]

Nice car...I love the color. I would drive it and see how it feels. They have a slightly luxury feel when compared to other cars from that time period.
Welcome...there is lots of info and help here.

[EnzoTheBlack]

Thanks for the replies folks.

I am in the process of searching for a manual transmission donor car. I think I need a 77-79 for a "simple" swap (IE same wiring connections, plug-n-play). I'd like to build up the engine a little, maybe slight cam, dual webers, header/exhaust. Emissions testing is no concern for this vehicle.

Can anyone chime in if I am on the right path? I want the 2.0L displacement from the 77-79 and a hopefully it is pretty direct remove/replace swap. I know the steering column needs to be removed for the 3 pedal plate, but being a fun car I am in no hurry.

Edit: I believe the earlier manual transmission E21 are 4spd+R, and the later are 5spd+R. Obviously the extra gear would be nice to have, but I don't want to get too "technical" on the swap as parts are hard to come by. I think the donor route rebuild (engine+trans) is the easiest way to go. Your thoughts?

Thanks!

[Layne]

There's no need to use a 4 speed, the transmission wiring only consists of a reverse light switch. You have to do all the same work for a 4 or 5 speed swap. The 4 speed is cheap though (nearly free, no one wants them, but actually not all that easy to find. It's not the same as a 2002 4 speed). There are two 5 speeds, 80-82 and 83 only. Functionally no different, but they use a different driveshaft and shifter. Best to get all the parts from one car to avoid confusion. The 80-82 has a ton of value due to 2002 owners swapping them into their cars. The 83 is usually cheaper. The best deal would be locating one at a junk yard, there's still thousands of them scattered around.

[Layne]

That's a great looking car, btw. I personally think a 79 with a 5 speed swap is the ultimate E21. Has the 2 liter engine and the cool older features like metal mirrors, but 79 also has most of the newer features like the improved front suspension. Swapping the 5 speed makes it perfect.

Note you may wish to change the differential if you want maximum acceleration. 5 speed cars come with a 3.91 ratio, but all 77-79 and all automatics have a 3.64. I also have a 79 automatic unfinished project (mine is sepiabraun, darker than your siennabraun). I planned to leave the 3.64 in it. I think it'll work well and get a little better gas mileage. My engine is overbored with a 284 cam so that'll make up for the acceleration difference.

[Somjuan]

Chiming in with agreement there. The 3.64 and five speed are treating me nicely and have been great for fuel economy. Once you get up in the proper rpm range it really shines on windy roads as well