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So now ive figured out how to post photos, I thought I would start a restoration thread.
Ever since I built and sold this car 11 years ago that some people might be familiar with, I have wanted another E30 M3 so badly.
Roll on to 2020 November, we have been in solid lockdown for 4 months, im bored and want a car to drive and play with so I pull the trigger on what I thought would be a great driver. New paint, engine build less that 1500kms ago to a 2.5, alpha N and carbon intake, new interior..... Sounds great and the car is at a reputable source in the E30 M3 community in Aus. This is how it looked when I bought it.
So I buy the car and have it shipped from Perth to Melbourne, and all those thoughts I was getting a good driver fly out the window. The seller installed the Alpha N and intake, but couldnt get it running, so the car arrives on a flat bed, bad start. Then the paint.... oh my gosh, it was the worst paint job ive ever seen, absolutely disgusting. Full of runs and inclusions. The interior was out of a 4 door so the front seats didnt move forward to allow passengers. There was loose bolts in the suspension all over, diff was loose.....
Anyway I got the car running and thats where the real fun starts, its chewing through coolant. leak down test indicates head gasket, I strip the head to find all the water jackets on the head are corroded and the bores are damaged in the block (see engine woes thread) I put a head gasket on it and drive it a little, the engine is so noisy and when i measured the valve clearance i needed shims so big BMW didnt make them. Enough is enough, I decide im going to strip the car, get the paint work fixed and sort the engine.
So I strip the car and its originally a Japan Euro spec so its unbelievable rust free, its saving grace. But as im stripping it I see one little tiny bit of rust on the bulk head, so I remove the heat shield and insulation to inspect....
Yeah its rotten where the scuttle drain has just kept the insulation wet, so just to recap where we are at....
Engine is toast
Paint is horrible
Suspension is shot
Shell is rusty
interior is trash
its got a 4.10 diff in it with a dog leg gear box
So yeah, the car needs to go to ground zero. So I strip it further...
So rock bottom here we are, onwards and upwards. The goal is to put it back to original, as stated before the car is a 7/87 Japan Euro spec, it had 0211 houndstooth interior and was diamond schwarz. Im going to keep it a 2.5 with a carbon intake but have all the parts to put it back to standard intake set up.
I am trying to get everything I can new or refurbished, even down to the nuts and bolts. There is so much wrong with the car its a large project but since I stripped it in January 2021 I have managed to accumulate and restore nearly everything. Just the engine to build, interior to retrim and the body to paint really.
Ever since I built and sold this car 11 years ago that some people might be familiar with, I have wanted another E30 M3 so badly.
Roll on to 2020 November, we have been in solid lockdown for 4 months, im bored and want a car to drive and play with so I pull the trigger on what I thought would be a great driver. New paint, engine build less that 1500kms ago to a 2.5, alpha N and carbon intake, new interior..... Sounds great and the car is at a reputable source in the E30 M3 community in Aus. This is how it looked when I bought it.
So I buy the car and have it shipped from Perth to Melbourne, and all those thoughts I was getting a good driver fly out the window. The seller installed the Alpha N and intake, but couldnt get it running, so the car arrives on a flat bed, bad start. Then the paint.... oh my gosh, it was the worst paint job ive ever seen, absolutely disgusting. Full of runs and inclusions. The interior was out of a 4 door so the front seats didnt move forward to allow passengers. There was loose bolts in the suspension all over, diff was loose.....
Anyway I got the car running and thats where the real fun starts, its chewing through coolant. leak down test indicates head gasket, I strip the head to find all the water jackets on the head are corroded and the bores are damaged in the block (see engine woes thread) I put a head gasket on it and drive it a little, the engine is so noisy and when i measured the valve clearance i needed shims so big BMW didnt make them. Enough is enough, I decide im going to strip the car, get the paint work fixed and sort the engine.
So I strip the car and its originally a Japan Euro spec so its unbelievable rust free, its saving grace. But as im stripping it I see one little tiny bit of rust on the bulk head, so I remove the heat shield and insulation to inspect....
Yeah its rotten where the scuttle drain has just kept the insulation wet, so just to recap where we are at....
Engine is toast
Paint is horrible
Suspension is shot
Shell is rusty
interior is trash
its got a 4.10 diff in it with a dog leg gear box
So yeah, the car needs to go to ground zero. So I strip it further...
So rock bottom here we are, onwards and upwards. The goal is to put it back to original, as stated before the car is a 7/87 Japan Euro spec, it had 0211 houndstooth interior and was diamond schwarz. Im going to keep it a 2.5 with a carbon intake but have all the parts to put it back to standard intake set up.
I am trying to get everything I can new or refurbished, even down to the nuts and bolts. There is so much wrong with the car its a large project but since I stripped it in January 2021 I have managed to accumulate and restore nearly everything. Just the engine to build, interior to retrim and the body to paint really.
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