Time for an update then! My 323i has seen yet another transformation. Not sure if I told anyone on the forum that I bought an excellent condition E30 325i with air con, the plan was to drive it around for a year ad then swap over the engine to my E21. However, when my mechanic friend who had three weeks to kill persuaded me to do the conversion quicker.
Perfectly useable 325i
Now looks like this!
Its now 90% there. Initially I was worried by the amount of E30 ancillaries that have gone into the conversion. I was of course happy with the engine going in, but now it has the complete wiring loom (so yes it’s fully Motronic), and even fingers crossed the air con! One advantage of installing the complete E30 loom is that other E30 extras can be added. We’re now modding E30 electric window motors to fit and also the electric sunroof. I know it’s not important to many E21 purists, but I like the idea of these luxury touches, especially since it should look like a factory job by the time it gets done.
As for the gearbox, Jimi might need to eat his words on this one! We managed to attach the speedo pickup to the original E21 LSD diff. My friend had a spider wheel from the E30 diff machined from an engineer. The speedo pickup now sits outside the diff and everything mated up to the millimetre and works perfectly.
Decided not to drill into the gearbox, and placed speedo outside the diff using a custom fabricated spider. Simple!
skimmed the halfshaft a little so everything fits perfectly.
We then decided to source a good LHD E30 dash, so that it would hold the air con and instruments better than modifying an existing E21 dash. At first I was worried that it might look out of place, but it actually feels like it belongs in the car and of course will be easier to attach all the heater controls air conditioning vents etc too (more detailed pics to come), and prefer the way it cocoons the driver better than the E21 does.
easy to fit, but metal support does have to go
It was a also a relief to be reunited with my Bilstein Sports (nice to see they have a label with my name on it) These will be installed next, along with some brand new Ventura springs I got from ebay a few years ago.
Been busy with the details too. Wiper motor cover for example was cleaned up and repainted in satin black. One of the mods required to fit the E30 air con will probably mean that it won’t fit, so I will have to modify a spare wiper motor cover I have, then get it resprayed so it looks like a factory job.
Well that’s all for now folks, dash should be going in soon, then I need to see an aircon specialist to regas the system and also supply a condenser (the original one doesn’t fit behind the valance.
My car has picked up the odd chip hear and their. Still looks excellent, but while I have a little money it will go to the bodyshop for a little touch up here and their.
Original E21 recaro seats are also to follow (pics soon) and then get the alloys refurbished, and then we're almost done.
Leave you with some shots of work in progress, covers off fairly soon
and a lot of patience
however id like to see the interior eg. dashboard, console e.t.c. and also the electric sunroof lining where the switch is!! and other bits n pieces.. but its looking good thouhg.