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Thread: New E21 Owner - 1982 320i

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Mooresville, NC
    Posts
    98
    My Cars
    85 325e

    New E21 Owner - 1982 320i

    Hi all, I just recently moved back to NC after an 18 month stint in the Bay Area CA. Now that I have a garage it was time to get a fun little project. While in CA I searched for an affordable 2002 to no avail, anything "reasonable" was too much or required too much paint and body work. While perusing Craigslist I stumbled upon a one owner Alpinweiss 320i in Pinehurst. Went out to check it out and ended up writing a check on the spot.

    Here's the car after some serious compound work. Not entirely happy with the results, but it will do for a "driver".





    Car came with complete maintenance history, which was pretty extensive. It has 180K...just broken in!

    I have a bunch of parts to get it up to my standard including front control arms, brake hoses, rear trailing arm bushings, upper strut mounts (forgot to order rears), cap, rotor plugs. I also got some H&R Sport springs and Bilstein Sport struts and shocks to eliminate the floaty suspension.

    Phase two will include a set of refinished 14" Momo mesh wheels (I think they are called Altairs?), a header of sorts, free flow exhaust, hotter cam and head work (port, polish, double valve springs, etc.). I'd like to keep the CIS injection. I've already found that the oxygen sensor wire is cut, so it is running open loop (no catalytic converter, rich). I was cleaning up the engine a bit and managed to disconnect the auxiliary air valve vacuum hose from the nipple on the intake boot. That was fun getting back on with the intake manifold in place (came very close to pulling it off)! I must have reduced a vacuum leak as I had to adjust the idle after I got everything buttoned back up. Car has received new fuel pump, accumulator and WUR within the last 10K (which spanned over 10 years), so I think I can get it running okay once I get an oxygen sensor and replace all vacuum hoses and lines.

    Fun little car. It has funky brown checked interior that somewhat matches the cloth pattern on the door panels which. The brown carpet is now a nice green color, too!

    - - - Updated - - -

    Sorry about the huge pics...trying to figure out Imgur!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Auburn, CA
    Posts
    433
    My Cars
    1980 320iS, 1970 2002
    Can't see any pictures ! Unless it's on my side, can you please attach them again? Thanks

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Mooresville, NC
    Posts
    98
    My Cars
    85 325e
    Thanks sorry about the pics. They looked fine on my Mac and on Tapatalk too.



    Last edited by Petebee; 02-14-2018 at 09:08 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    DFW TX USA
    Posts
    1,447
    My Cars
    1983 320I, 1986 325E
    Quote Originally Posted by Petebee View Post
    Thanks sorry about the pics. They looked fine on my Mac and on Tapatalk too.



    Imgur blocked image hosting on bimmerforums. I just upload my pictures directly to bimmerforums now. The 5 pic per post is somewhat annoying.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    corpus christi, texas
    Posts
    6,738
    My Cars
    No e30s, again :(
    No pics for me, also
    No e30s again.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Posts
    87
    My Cars
    2002 530i
    Beautiful!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Sacramento, California
    Posts
    4,704
    My Cars
    1980 BMW 320i E21 M10B18

    Cool

    Welcome to the e21 forum. I cant see pictures as well.

    Randy

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Mooresville, NC
    Posts
    98
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    85 325e
    Is there a link on how to load pics directly?

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    corpus christi, texas
    Posts
    6,738
    My Cars
    No e30s, again :(
    When you answer, in the area where you type, is a bunch of little symbols. One of them is attach a pic. It will open another window and you pick your picture out in the other window and then hit the box at the bottom
    No e30s again.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Mooresville, NC
    Posts
    98
    My Cars
    85 325e
    Quote Originally Posted by superj View Post
    When you answer, in the area where you type, is a bunch of little symbols. One of them is attach a pic. It will open another window and you pick your picture out in the other window and then hit the box at the bottom
    Gracias

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Mooresville, NC
    Posts
    98
    My Cars
    85 325e
    e21 rear.jpge21 front.jpg

    Hope that works...I guess you can click them to enlarge. It used to be so much easier when Photobucket worked.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Petebee; 02-15-2018 at 03:40 PM.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    641
    My Cars
    1982 323i 2003 325it
    Quote Originally Posted by Petebee View Post
    e21 rear.jpge21 front.jpg

    Hope that works...I guess you can click them to enlarge. It used to be so much easier when Photobucket worked.
    I use Flickr, and it works just fine, so that'd be another option.

    Good looking car!
    Past, Present, and Future

    1974 BMW 2002tii (RIP)
    1995 BMW 325is w/ FULL S50 swap, track prepped (SOLD)
    1988 BMW 325ix Zinno/Black (RIP)
    1988 BMW 325ix Alpine/Black (Sold)
    1988 BMW 535is Alpine/Pacific Blue (Going Away...)
    1982 BMW 323i (Current Project/Paper Weight)
    2003 BMW 325i Sport Touring (Daily Driver)

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    corpus christi, texas
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    No e30s, again :(
    That is a very nice looking car

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Savannah, GA
    Posts
    240
    My Cars
    83 320i 00 540i6 85 535i
    Looks great! Bring that to The Vintage- E21s are under represented...

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Mooresville, NC
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    85 325e
    Quote Originally Posted by Bonsaibacker View Post
    Looks great! Bring that to The Vintage- E21s are under represented...
    I plan to...don't worry

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Corona California
    Posts
    4,313
    My Cars
    79 320/6 81320i 65malibu
    Welcome.

    Great looking E21.

    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

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Mooresville, NC
    Posts
    98
    My Cars
    85 325e
    Got quite a bit knocked off the maintenance list with a bit more to go:

    Replaced front control arms
    Replaced front brake hoses
    Replaced front struts, springs and strut mounts (H&R Sport, Bilstein Sport)
    Replaced rear shocks and springs
    Scrubbing and degreasing 36 years of gunk and grease in the engine bay (ugh)

    Put the car on the ground to see how it turned out. Still sits quite a bit high, hoping that it settles some more.

    Still to go:

    Replace rear brake hoses and bleed brakes
    Replace front sway bar bushing and steering rack bushings (nice poly from Eurometric)
    Replace rear trailing arm bushings (may hold off on this for a bit)
    Replace rear subframe mounts (nice poly from Eurometric)
    Basic tuneup stuff (plugs, rotor, cap, fuel filter, air filter)
    One tie rod end is bad, so I'll have to order that, too

    I am so impressed how nicely this car has come apart. Nothing too dramatic so far, fingers crossed that I didn't just jinks myself.

    Here are a few after pics:

    front after susension.jpg
    side after suspension.jpg

    Here is one of the Momo wheels that I plan to refinish. I am thinking of painting them gold or Nogaro silver and then having the faces and lips machine polished. Thoughts?

    momo.jpg

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    DFW TX USA
    Posts
    1,447
    My Cars
    1983 320I, 1986 325E
    Quote Originally Posted by Petebee View Post
    Got quite a bit knocked off the maintenance list with a bit more to go:

    Replaced front control arms
    Replaced front brake hoses
    Replaced front struts, springs and strut mounts (H&R Sport, Bilstein Sport)
    Replaced rear shocks and springs
    Scrubbing and degreasing 36 years of gunk and grease in the engine bay (ugh)

    Put the car on the ground to see how it turned out. Still sits quite a bit high, hoping that it settles some more.

    Still to go:

    Replace rear brake hoses and bleed brakes
    Replace front sway bar bushing and steering rack bushings (nice poly from Eurometric)
    Replace rear trailing arm bushings (may hold off on this for a bit)
    Replace rear subframe mounts (nice poly from Eurometric)
    Basic tuneup stuff (plugs, rotor, cap, fuel filter, air filter)
    One tie rod end is bad, so I'll have to order that, too

    I am so impressed how nicely this car has come apart. Nothing too dramatic so far, fingers crossed that I didn't just jinks myself.

    Here are a few after pics:

    front after susension.jpg
    side after suspension.jpg

    Here is one of the Momo wheels that I plan to refinish. I am thinking of painting them gold or Nogaro silver and then having the faces and lips machine polished. Thoughts?

    momo.jpg
    Definitely have someone else polish the lips. Doing it yourself is not fun. Its time consuming and the black stuff gets everywhere.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Gilbert, AZ
    Posts
    97
    My Cars
    1983 BMW 320is
    great looking car and nice progress already!! i cant wait to see the rest of your build
    Ryan | 1983 BMW 320is | H&R's, Bilsteins's, Eurometric
    My Build: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...83-320is-build

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Mooresville, NC
    Posts
    98
    My Cars
    85 325e
    I won't refinish the wheels...no way. I am thinking of using Renewed Finishes to do that.

    Got the other brake hoses done (rears were a bit more fiddly than the fronts), bled brakes, tightened everything up and went for a test drive. The suspension is really not that firm, but that's okay. I have a front caliper that was sticking and must have boiled the brake fluid a bit as I lost the pedal and required a few pumps to get it back (good thing I was close to home at that point). Pulling into the garage I could feel something dragging and the passenger front wheel was hot hot hot.

    Do you guys rebuild these calipers or are decent remans available? I imagine new calipers would be $$$$!

    Also looks like the suspension settled in a bit (moar low LOL):

    side again.jpg
    Last edited by Petebee; 02-20-2018 at 06:10 PM.

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