e30 build

[jerseypug]

After not doing too much damage to my compact in the jersey rally, I was looking for a project to keep me busy. I have always liked the e30 and as they share a lot of parts with the compact i could swap parts between the 2. I had finished building another compact with standard engine which i only used in one rally and then sold to a friend as he wanted it so i had some spare cash and started looking for a decent shell to start from. I had bought a mint 325i sport which had been stored in a garage for the last 9 years and was in really good rust free condition. I couldn't bring myself to start cutting up a really good shell to make into a m3 lookalike After finding a mint shell that i paid a deposit on, I came over to the uk to collect it but unfortunately it was pretty bad and needed lots of work, Luckily i managed to get my deposit back. I sold the sport and bought an interesting LHD 320 auto e30. I got it in the garage and stripped down to a shell so i could see the condition of the shell. it was really bad in some areas and ok in others. it was a non sunroof and the top half was really good but the jacking points were bad along with the footwells. i started cutting out and welding in new metal taking each repair one at a time finishing before i started the next. some areas looked bad and weren't, others didn't look too bad but were.
Most the rust is out now and i have fitted the cage, converted it to rhd and started to fit the corsa c power steering motor to the e30 column
I have put the pictures on youtube detailing the progress if anyone is interested. i have an e30 M3 body kit to fit but i will leave the original steel quarters on and tub the arches as i want it to keep its strength. you will see it is quite literally car porn
https://youtu.be/3HJGIHaBxEk

[denzilbmw]

if id realised you were bored Tim i could have sent you a few jobs to do on mine coming along tidy it all takes time though...

[jerseypug]

im bored of cutting and welding now, looking forward to the paint stage. yours is coming along nicely.

[jerseypug]

its been a lot of work but getting there

[Bimsy]

its been a lot of work but getting there

Can`t open the picture Tim.

[jerseypug]

can you see this one?

[jerseypug]

getting there

[Adam Gardner]

That's looking good, are you going for another m42 engine in this one?

[jerseypug]

i am going to put a standard m44 in to get it msa passported before the new cage regulations come in, the m42 out the compact would slot in nicely but I'm happy with the compact as it is. I'm getting a loan of a 2500cc 4 pot to try out so will wait for that