Budget Question - Building a "new" E30 M3

[OPTIMO]

I sold my '88 E30 M3 last year and have since moved (down to DC) and bought a house. Well, I'm back to thinking about buying an E30 M3 again, except this time I'm going to buy one built by VSR or the shop in New Jersey. I'm looking to make the purchase after the New Year and am trying to figure out how much it would cost for:

• an E30 M3, no rust, perfect body, white (or painted white).
• Fresh 2.3 (or 2.5)
• nice interior with functioning radio/ipod hookup (don't need rear seats though)
• C/F Airbox, Alpha-N
• Adjustable Suspension (plan on doing some snow events and would like to raise it in the winter)
• Cobra seats or something similar, harnesses and all that jazz
• any reliability bits for the track (e.g. brake ducts)
• rollbar
• Evo aero bits
• perhaps a set of street wheels and track wheels.

I essentially want a new E30 M3 to my liking, but since you obviously can't buy a new one, I'd like one prepared/built by VSR or Mr. M. I don't want to buy from a private seller and ship the car but have the shop take care of everything and then I'll just ship it down to DC. What kind of $ am I talking? I want everything to be fresh/new and it ready to roll with no headaches for years to come. It will be driven several times a week to work and will see 4-6+ track events a year. I've test driven a Cayman S and a few other new cars but nothing makes me grin like the E30 M3. I have yet to drive an Elise but fear I will grow tired of the car as I am a BMW whore. Also, with the money saved, I'm looking at upgrading the wife's car as well...

Ballpark? Am I talking 20k? 30k? 100k? I just trying to figure out how much to set aside and if I'm out of my mind.

Thanks and it feels good to be back on the forum.

[OPTIMO]

The car I sold many months ago:

[vlad]

25k if everything is done right

[OOMPH!]

I remember seeing your car for sale months ago, looked good. For what you are looking for it sounds like www.azevedomotorsports.com can do what you want. Not sure how much it would cost, I had a motor swap done there in my previous e30 and they do gorgeous work! Vlad and Jerry can vouch for them as well as Rui is the shop owner that built Vlad's red convertible. Call them, ask for Rui, and explain what you are looking to accomplish.

[L James]

I know someone that's having something like what you've described and he's into it for ~30-35K :jakeroutine: This doesn't include the cost of the car....

This would include:
Fresh 2.5 LTR
Fresh Repaint
New Suspension
Style 5's and new rubber
Recoverd Stock Interior
All new Rubber and Exterior Trim around

:OMG:

[OPTIMO]

LJames, who's doing the work? That pretty much sounds like what I'm looking for. I wasn't sure whether to 2.3 or 2.5 the car as I've driven a tuned 2.3 that felt as fast as someone else's 2.5. :dunno: The CF airbox is a must - the car has to look and sound sweet.

OOMPH, I'll reach out and see what they say.

[Brandon]

Holy crap - if you want a ground-up restoration, effectively giving you a new car to your specs I'd say $40k (including cost of the car) is a conservative estimate if you do the work yourself (depending on how crazy you get with the engine and suspension for starters), $60k (including cost of the car) if you have a shop do everything and hand the key over to you when complete. You've owned one of these and you know what they cost to maintain and buy neato Evo parts for. It would be a beautiful machine indeed, but after spending that kind of money, I'd almost be afraid to drive it other than to and from concours events. :^)

I'm in Herndon, so let me know if you ever make it out this way and we'll shoot the sh*t.

Road Race Technologies is also near me. If you're intent on doing a rebuild, I'd use them as opposed to an out of state shop for the logistical hassles that would introduce.

I'm not knocking Don or the good folks at VSR by any means... I'm only saying that if I were going to undertake such a project, I'd do it as close to home as possible.

One day, given the time and garage space, I'd love to tear my car down to bare metal, do a full strip, repaint then rebuild. Talk about a project!

[L James]

LJames, who's doing the work? That pretty much sounds like what I'm looking for. I wasn't sure whether to 2.3 or 2.5 the car as I've driven a tuned 2.3 that felt as fast as someone else's 2.5. :dunno: The CF airbox is a must - the car has to look and sound sweet.

The car is being finished up at Mr. M Car (Motorwork) with Don Fields.

[OPTIMO]

Holy crap - if you want a ground-up restoration, effectively giving you a new car to your specs I'd say $40k (including cost of the car) is a conservative estimate if you do the work yourself (depending on how crazy you get with the engine and suspension for starters), $60k (including cost of the car) if you have a shop do everything and hand the key over to you when complete. You've owned one of these and you know what they cost to maintain and buy neato Evo parts for. It would be a beautiful machine indeed, but after spending that kind of money, I'd almost be afraid to drive it other than to and from concours events. :^)

I'm in Herndon, so let me know if you ever make it out this way and we'll shoot the sh*t.

Road Race Technologies is also near me. If you're intent on doing a rebuild, I'd use them as opposed to an out of state shop for the logistical hassles that would introduce.

I'm not knocking Don or the good folks at VSR by any means... I'm only saying that if I were going to undertake such a project, I'd do it as close to home as possible.

Wow...I definitely wasn't thinking $60k...but perhaps that's taking it to a level I don't really need. Mine will see the track, I just want it to be pleasing to my eye while I'm getting there and to not be a constant source of headaches. I don't have time to spend days wrenching, unfortunately. The other thought was looking at a used Elise, but my friend (who sold it bought a new M5, sold that and bought a Gallardo :lostme: ) really said it was of poor quality, and my wife thinks I'll die in a wreck, whereas the E30 has some steel to crumple first.

[UNHCLL]

I remember seeing your car for sale months ago, looked good. For what you are looking for it sounds like www.azevedomotorsports.com can do what you want. Not sure how much it would cost, I had a motor swap done there in my previous e30 and they do gorgeous work! Vlad and Jerry can vouch for them as well as Rui is the shop owner that built Vlad's red convertible. Call them, ask for Rui, and explain what you are looking to accomplish.

He doesn't want a motor swap...???


Ballpark $30k if you start with a rust free chassis.
I think a lot of the numbers thrown out thus far go on the assumption of building a "showy" track car.

A decent paint job but not "show" - $8-9k?
2.3L rebuild - $10-14k depending?
"Budget" Ground Control suspension - $2k?
Decent track seats - $1800 including mounts(?)
Rollbar
Harnesses



Would like to explain more, but have to leave on a business trip.
-C

[OPTIMO]

Thanks UNHCLL.

$30k is within my ballpark, $60k is not. Have a safe flight.

[///Mflossin]

One thing that I can tell you is the following:

I have been restoring my car since I bought it. Including the price of the car...I EASILY am into it for $40K. It all depends on the level you want....there are so many things to consider. A good quality paint job alone (brought to steel) is going to cost you $7-10K. Factor in a decent start point....$10K car and you're already at $20K. At bits, bobs, etc and a motor, etc....forget it...easily into the 30's plus.

I contemplated selling my car to partially fund an addition on the house and decided against it...one, because I love it so much but even moreso because of how much money and time I actually have invested in the car. To me...its' about details. I mean, once you paint the car...you may as well replace everything or it'll look like shit. When I did my car....ALL NEW aluminum trim, glass etc. Shit adds up fast!

[wld_tony]

Things do add up, Ive invested 35k, have about have about 10k left, thats not including the cost of the car, Now thats with a motor upgrade with supposedly 315hp, But we'll see next spring.
But id say between 30k if you find a cheap M3

[Brandon]

This is a perfect chance to "rescue" a garbage M3 that has a straight rust-free body at the very least. A worst-case car with no frame damage or rust, but damaged interior and crappy of not trashed motor would probably run $5k from someone who knows what they have and I'd consider that a bargain. So-so condition with running motor is easily $10k

Once in a great GREAT while you will see a perfect primed shell for sale. If you find one of those, jump all over it like white on rice, a glass of milk, a paper plate and a snowstorm!

[Dougy Fresh]

fyi you can buy new shells from bmw