1989 325ix Restore!!

**Stück** · 10-24-2007, 05:34 PM

Did you forgot to remove the glass and trim?

**GODJESUS** · 10-24-2007, 05:35 PM

can i have your steering wheel?

**red88ix** · 10-24-2007, 05:38 PM

Oh, so close. Can't wait to see the finished product. Went through this 4 years ago. Paint job took almost two months because I was offered a good size discount if I would leave the painter alone. Since the shop is two hours from my house, it wasn't all that hard to do, but the last week or so seemed like the whole two months.

**NHskibm** · 10-24-2007, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by LongBeachM3

I wish I had enough money for a re-paint like that =(

you and me both

Originally Posted by Stück

Did you forgot to remove the glass and trim?

It was removed and we got some of it back in/on but the shop got busy and didn't have time to finish putting the glass back in.

Originally Posted by GODJESUS

can i have your steering wheel?

lol. no, but you can find them on ebay pretty easily. I think I paid $250 like a year ago.

Originally Posted by red88ix

Oh, so close. Can't wait to see the finished product. Went through this 4 years ago. Paint job took almost two months because I was offered a good size discount if I would leave the painter alone. Since the shop is two hours from my house, it wasn't all that hard to do, but the last week or so seemed like the whole two months.

thanks! I know what you mean. They are helping me out quite a bit with cost and I have pretty much left them alone, but for taking pics every now and then. I was hoping to have time to work on it with the painter more than the VERY little I have but I was in Florida much this summer for work... hopefully either he or we will get this thing wrapped up pretty soon...

**bigdog68** · 10-24-2007, 06:04 PM

wow what a good looking car and even better as its a labor of love, I want to do a 325ix myself, but its third on the list behind 90 E30 M3 and 95 E36 M3. Beautiful Car man.

**audiquattrot** · 10-24-2007, 10:36 PM

damn nice color.

**PMPNX5** · 10-25-2007, 05:04 PM

That looks sick, can't wait to see it roll up at the next meet all done up nice nd purty.

**downeaster1** · 10-25-2007, 08:17 PM

i really really hope to see this around town where your done. as far as i know of, there are two E30's in X-Town. One is owned by a 50 year old shady guy and the other is by a high school junior (who every time i ask her "What year is your E30?" she angrily responds "ITS A FLIPPIN' BMW NOT AN E-Whatever!!!").

So im carrying a camera with me now

**SawyE30** · 10-25-2007, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by Stück

I don't see a restoration. I just see some body work.

I still see rusted parts everywhere.

Its not taken apart enough for a restoration quality paint job.

You might take into consideration that its an iX which means its a winter beater, so complete restoration is a relative term for these cars. If it was like the 86 Euro iX on Ebay recently, then it might be a candidate for a complete restoration, but this isn't and so relative to the less desireable post-88 american iX's this is a complete restoration. Most iXs don't have this many "new" parts on them, sadly.

**NHskibm** · 10-25-2007, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by PMPNX5

That looks sick, can't wait to see it roll up at the next meet all done up nice nd purty.

maybe CSP or the dyno day if I get lucky...

Originally Posted by downeaster1

i really really hope to see this around town where your done. as far as i know of, there are two E30's in X-Town. One is owned by a 50 year old shady guy and the other is by a high school junior (who every time i ask her "What year is your E30?" she angrily responds "ITS A FLIPPIN' BMW NOT AN E-Whatever!!!").

So im carrying a camera with me now

That's a riot! Stupid girls (at least those not on the forum)!

Originally Posted by SawyE30

You might take into consideration that its an iX which means its a winter beater, so complete restoration is a relative term for these cars. If it was like the 86 Euro iX on Ebay recently, then it might be a candidate for a complete restoration, but this isn't and so relative to the less desireable post-88 american iX's this is a complete restoration. Most iXs don't have this many "new" parts on them, sadly.

Thanks. I'm hoping to make it as "new" as possible, but of course am on a budget... This year has been a rough one at work... This was a good learning project though.

**davey101** · 10-25-2007, 09:50 PM

we have to have a new england ix meet!!!!

**NickRick** · 10-26-2007, 02:26 AM

Yeah about that paint job, I have an 88 ix and im in the same boat as you man. How much did a paint job like that cost? My clear coat is peeling like a mofo, and i got some rust issues in the trunk by the battery. Im still doin engine work to keep this thing alive but i definatly want to get it painted soon.

**red88ix** · 10-26-2007, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by SawyE30

You might take into consideration that its an iX which means its a winter beater, so complete restoration is a relative term for these cars. If it was like the 86 Euro iX on Ebay recently, then it might be a candidate for a complete restoration, but this isn't and so relative to the less desireable post-88 american iX's this is a complete restoration. Most iXs don't have this many "new" parts on them, sadly.

Because it is an ix it is a winter beater? Not necessarilly so. This car sure isn't gonna look like one. Many ix owners, myself included, see their cars as much more than that. Worth a full off the frame resto? No, but few cars really are, especially if you are going to really drive the finished product.

This looks like a combination of required repairs and maintenance, car craziness (the good kind) and a sort of extreme form of project creep. The condition can be chronic. I should know. Some of the symptons are treatable, for example "financially responsible spouse syndrome. You just have to convince her that it is cheaper than a bass boat, new car, flying lessons, golf club membership or a mistress (Be careful with this one).

Just don't try the "it's a good investment "argument. That could get you hurt or worse yet, laughed at as part of the conversation among her friends.

**NHskibm** · 10-26-2007, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by NickRick

Yeah about that paint job, I have an 88 ix and im in the same boat as you man. How much did a paint job like that cost? My clear coat is peeling like a mofo, and i got some rust issues in the trunk by the battery. Im still doin engine work to keep this thing alive but i definatly want to get it painted soon.

This was a little more than a paint job, and the shop owners are friends of mine... I'm looking at like $5000 for this and I think it is well under what another shop would have charged. The original intent was for me to help but life got in the way.

I don't think a down to the frame restoration is warranted on this car. If we were talking imported beat up M3 Evo Sport or something of course, but alas this is an IX, and while I love her and am not knocking her in any way she just isn't worth the $10,000++ on a restore. Plus with a full restore you need all that cash right away to buy all the parts. I'm planning on replacing the engine, tranny, transfer case, and drivetrain piece by piece until the car is as new as you can get, but I'm doing it over years (2 years for all the work you see so far).

Someday I hope to be able to search Europe for an E30 M3 Cabrio and either pay big money for a mint one, or big more to restore one. This project is helping me to learn what may be involved with a "full" restore but I am doing it at a budget cost. Figure $11,000 total investment when I get the car back and probably $20,000 total over 4 years when I finally replace the BIG pieces mentioned above.

While I might have been able to do a "full" restore with that money all at once I didn't have $20,000 lying around. So at $5,000 a year I have this "partial" restore that at the end of the day will be equally rust free and just as good looking as a "full" one.

Nonetheless, keep posted as it should be done soon, and luckily I am not married yet and my girlfriend LOVES the E30!

**GraniteBMW** · 10-26-2007, 03:08 PM

Nice job! I hope to see this around the hood.

**NHskibm** · 10-27-2007, 05:03 PM

you will, you will

**kishg** · 10-27-2007, 06:43 PM

looks great. would love to see the final pics.

**me30mike** · 10-27-2007, 06:48 PM

looking good.....nice paint

**jase007** · 10-31-2007, 10:23 PM

Nice job.

Definitely a labor of love.

That's what I've said for the last 15 years of ownership of my '90 iX and the $$$ I've put into it [parts ... no labor

]. Had the car in New England for several years and never left me stranded ... well almost never.

Keep us posted.

**NHskibm** · 11-01-2007, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by me30mike

looking good.....nice paint

Thanks! The pics don't even do the paint job justice... Hopefully I'll have some better pics soon!!

Originally Posted by jase007

Nice job.

Definitely a labor of love.

That's what I've said for the last 15 years of ownership of my '90 iX and the $$$ I've put into it [parts ... no labor

]. Had the car in New England for several years and never left me stranded ... well almost never.

Keep us posted.

15 years with your iX?? Tell us more!!!

These things are definitely addicting.

And so far it died on me once - front sending unit went about 2 miles from my office...