"new" E30

[BlueM60]

Hi guys I just picked up a project car since the E34 is my daily driver and runs so well it never needs anything.The E30 is an 89' 325i 2 door. Its got 150.000 and has a broken t-belt. Ill have to put a head on it at least. The body and int are perfect. Hard to beat for $250. What do you guys think are the best ideas for this car motor wise? Get a new head and put it back togehter? (Bottom end is fine) Go with a new M20, s50 swap etc? This will be a corner carver and maybe a track car. Thanks in advance for the ideas.

-Ben

[winfred]

check out the head as it may only need some valves, look at the towers where the rocker shafts go through if theres no broken spots the head can be built with with some new valves and maybe some rockers if any are broken and be fine

[BlueM60]

I actually just got done pulling the head. ALL rocker shafts for the intake valves are broken. 4 exhaust valves bent. Amazingly, the pistons look fine, not even a scratch. Doesnt appear to have a bent rod either.

-Ben

[kyleN20]

its trash, give it to me, ill only charge you 50 to take it off yer hands

[Karl]

The e30 has gotten to be the standard project car, so there's lots of ideas and go fast parts. Since the bottom end of the engine is OK, you don't want to mess with it now but when the time comes Pete McHenry has worked out several combinations of cranks/rods/pistons that give serious power increase. He's the mix and match guru for M20 engines.

In the mean time, shorter springs, wider wheels, sway bars for cornering.

[ILoveMPower]

Sounds like an awesome candidate for a euro s50 swap.

Of course, it wouldn't be that fast...

[SC David]

Really fun cars to drive. You'll love it once it's up and running.

[Kalevera]

I really like my iX. An extremely cool little car with lots of pep and good driveability. Didn't very much enjoy it when I bought it and had to do about a months worth of work to get it back on the road.

Here's a pic (not my particular car, but mine's an '89 diamond black on black four door 5 speed):



Ben, you might want to dump the M20 altogether. M50s are cheap and the swap is inexpensive. I assume it has a G260 and not an auto.

http://www.e30m50.com/_e30.htm

Mark lives in the vicinity and I've seen his car.

Either way -- nice choice

best, whit

[Kobe Diesel]

Check out r3vlimited.com, it's a dedicated E30 forum and has lots of info on engine strokers, swaps, suspension, etc.
The only problem with that site is the maturity level.

[Andrem5]

Hi guys I just picked up a project car since the E34 is my daily driver and runs so well it never needs anything.The E30 is an 89' 325i 2 door. Its got 150.000 and has a broken t-belt. Ill have to put a head on it at least. The body and int are perfect. Hard to beat for $250. What do you guys think are the best ideas for this car motor wise? Get a new head and put it back togehter? (Bottom end is fine) Go with a new M20, s50 swap etc? This will be a corner carver and maybe a track car. Thanks in advance for the ideas.

-Ben

This only depends on your tolerance for $$ pain, your intentions for the car and your time horizon. Rebuilding the head itself would cost more than a used M20 while M50 swaps have become routine.