what would you do with an e36 beater...

[rocksandblues]

I have a free/leftover 328 vert. The engine and trans are perfect. The top rear window is caulked and a mess. several seats cracked and ripped.
needs a new hood, grill and lights.

I have not been able to sell on CL for $900. It is just sitting on a storage lot i own.


SO would you fix up and sell? I don't have time to do it myself and even if i buy junk yard left overs the repair will be more than its worth. Plus, I have a fine e36 vert, e46 vert, E39, r230 (daily)

hate to see it just sitting...


so I was thinking about buying a cheap turbo kit gutting vert top and putting a roll cage, make it like summer go cart.

I know you get what you pay for with turbo kits. BUT, i get almost free mechanical labor (i lease out a shop) and don't care if it runs perfect or even every day


thoughts?
recommendations?

[RandomHero27]

drift car

[Moron95M3]

I would buy it from you if I were closer

(Here's what I did to my old beater....and boy do I miss it).

-bought w/o wheels...
325i001.jpg

413566_713419055397_502964162_o.jpg

[Timing]

What other known issues does it have?
If it's just the top, I am very tempted to buy it.
Cosmetic issues don't bother me, I've driven some pretty ugly cars.

[boarder2k7]

What other known issues does it have?
If it's just the top, I am very tempted to buy it.
Cosmetic issues don't bother me, I've driven some pretty ugly cars.

And 66 6 can get you another top for it on the cheap iirc.

[rocksandblues]

no known issues

BUT

hood is dented, no grill, no lights.


son had a small fender bender in a perfect e36vert and I found this one on CL and stole the parts. Now the other 99 e36 vert is perfect and this one is sitting

[rocksandblues]

pics

[DotBeta]

my 318i 5 speed is no longer my daily and is slowly becoming my beater as I take more parts from it lol. I would sell it, all I want is 1k for it but it needs some work the average DIY isn't gonna wanna do. I'm seriously thinking about striping it down, welding the 3.44 open diff and turning it into a drift car lol. But I like money soooo.

[ChuckDizzle]

With the front looking like that, there's only one thing to do...drift missile.

[Moron95M3]

pics

Is it a manual?

If so, I'd pay the $500 worth of parts to fix the front end. If it were mine (I don't care for silver) I'd respray it something fun.

Minimal prices:
-headlights (plastic used $30ish, but new worst case) - $75 LINK
-corner lights (hopefully used for $10ish) new - $15 LINK
-nose panel (ebay) - $50 LINK
-Bumper - optional- (M3 via ebay) - $125 LINK
-grills (ebay) - $25 LINK
-Hood (hope to find used locally, but worst case pay to ship) - $250 LINK

So there you'd have just over $500 into it to get it cleaned up. Of course you'd need paint. If it were me, I would put it all together, remove all the trim/etc, sand it down and prep some of the body work


-and-...


...bring it to a Maaco!! (OMG! I know right?!).

or spray it myself but I think supplies to do so would end up costing most the way to a low cost maaco job. Then I would polish it myself (have a polisher/etc) and it would probably be pretty sweet. And it'd be whatever color you want.

Then find some E46 seats cheap via a partout ($100-200ish).
...then I'd throw on some cheap used decent brand suspension ($300-400), fix the top ($200ish). Throw some 17's on it and call it day

[SlumdogJay]

weld the diff and go to town on that bad boy manual or not lol

[pizzaman09]

I already own a beater e36, I made an engine project out of it.

With another beater e36, I would probably fix it up enough to pass inspection and daily it in the winter.

[M3blitkrieg]

Id do the drastic weight reduction. Leave whats needed to pass inspection. Troll every car you could after the upgrades like cams, headers, chip, close ratio diff. Offer to take friends for needed rides and slide around every corner possible. Maybe put leaf blowers on the intake... Jkjkjk on that last part.

[pbonsalb]

If you don't have time to fix it yourself, you don't have time to mod it either. Find the time and money it needs or sell it cheaper to someone who does. A properly done turbo is not cheap. A cage is not cheap. Drifting is not cheap.

[rocksandblues]

If you don't have time to fix it yourself, you don't have time to mod it either. Find the time and money it needs or sell it cheaper to someone who does. A properly done turbo is not cheap. A cage is not cheap. Drifting is not cheap.

lol

ur kinda right. My daily is a 2 seater rocketship from the other german nameplate.
I'm ok throwing away several grand for a temperamental striped down go cart. If i buy a cheap turbo and it blows up a month later oh well

your also right I;m not going to start going to tracks and drifting or whatever- i'd rather boat (if you want a really $$$ hobby)

It will give my mechanic something to do...


this is a decently sorted 328 with great body, top, interior, eng.

it is also just sitting.

[JEC928]

I'm ok throwing away several grand for a temperamental striped down go cart. If i buy a cheap turbo and it blows up a month later oh well

I say go for it, sounds like fun.

[jc43089]

I have a used ebay turbo kit that I would sell for cheap. It was installed on a car I bought at an auction. It was mounted as a bottom mount, mechanically it is all there. It is ebay quality stuff but no shaft play in the turbo. Not sure of the specs. It is an internal wastegate turbo. I couldn't find any other bottom mounts with a tubular manifold. This one looks good, no cracks. I bought the car at an auction so I don't know the history, from what I could tell it was mechanically installed but the tuning was never done and the car wouldn't run because the fusible link in the trunk was blown. I just wanted a work beater so I took it off and put a stock exhaust on. It is dirty like it was used at some time but I think on a different car.

PM me if you are interested.

[pbonsalb]

lol

ur kinda right. My daily is a 2 seater rocketship from the other german nameplate.
I'm ok throwing away several grand for a temperamental striped down go cart. If i buy a cheap turbo and it blows up a month later oh well
.

Why blow it up? It's a pain to change motors. Why not do it right? My E36 has been turbocharged for 7 years.

[DotBeta]

Id do the drastic weight reduction. Leave whats needed to pass inspection. Troll every car you could after the upgrades like cams, headers, chip, close ratio diff. Offer to take friends for needed rides and slide around every corner possible. Maybe put leaf blowers on the intake... Jkjkjk on that last part.

Why not pass inspection first then go to town stripping her down?

Just saying, that's how I'd handle it lol. I love sleepers .

[1215]

For $50-$75 I'd be interested and willing to come get it. Not trying to low-ball (well that was a low-ball offer) but Lemons has a $500 cap so couldn't pay $750 and even at $500 that car needs a little work. I've been working on a guy in the next town over trying to buy a sedan for less than $100 so no big deal if you aren't interested in giving it away.

[flyfishvt]

I have a spare GT35r turbo in great condition. Also have a m52 tune and injectors for it. I bought it as a package to do a super low budget turbo build but never got around to it.

I have a custom made 5 point roll bar in my 98 m3 vert that is NHRA approved. The roll bar was expensive because no one makes drop in roll bars for e36 verts. It's 100% bolt in and the door bar is removable. I know I'll never get my money back on it but it's still worth a decent price.

This would be a great start to a budget turbo build. If you're interested let's see if we can make a deal. I'd rather sell it now before I move to Charlotte this summer. I'll throw in the camera mount that's attached to the roll bar. I used it for my GoPro but it will take any camera you want to throw on there.

[rocksandblues]

I have a spare GT35r turbo in great condition. Also have a m52 tune and injectors for it. I bought it as a package to do a super low budget turbo build but never got around to it.

I have a custom made 5 point roll bar in my 98 m3 vert that is NHRA approved. The roll bar was expensive because no one makes drop in roll bars for e36 verts. It's 100% bolt in and the door bar is removable. I know I'll never get my money back on it but it's still worth a decent price.

This would be a great start to a budget turbo build. If you're interested let's see if we can make a deal. I'd rather sell it now before I move to Charlotte this summer. I'll throw in the camera mount that's attached to the roll bar. I used it for my GoPro but it will take any camera you want to throw on there.

PM'd you

sorry been away from computer for a bunch of days

[rocksandblues]

meh

sold it on CL for $750

started the other e36 vert i have. think i will drive it for a week or so and decide if i want to sell that next.