bmwe21.net forums

Thanks MM,
Its not so much the thread that's been hiding, it's been me! Your post actually cemented my decision to get this car finished. In all honesty it needs another £1K thrown at it to make it perfect. Few bodywork touchups, such as the boot needs spraying. Alloys need refurbishing, and stainless steel exhaust and a few things to finish in the interior, such as electric windows, central locking and general tidying up of the trim.

Still a bit to do then but for me the main this is it's driving, and the amount of people who compliment me on the car and have given me a hand has helped immensely. My 2007 Audi and Merc can wait for now, I'm going to get this finished ASAP and that's a promise

Oh and I will definitely post some interior pics and better photos. The E30 dash doesn't look at all bad as I have E21 recaros and the E21 sports steering wheel to balance the look

Arshad

I have a box with a steering wheel in, is that the wheel you mean, or is that one somehow actually mine and I forgot I had it???

Jim

Could be either Jim! I actually bought two, one from American ebay. I think I left that behind and the front bumper trim somewhere. No biggie really if you need them its o.k.

Could do with going back to the workshop for one last scour, hows the little one doing anyway? Baby not car I mean.

rasb1 wrote:Hey, welcome to the one and only E21 forum

Nice job with your car... keep the good times rolling. Looking foreward to follow the progress.

Excellent job!!..continue with the photos!!

RASB1...the car you have in your Avatar is YOURS????..i have all the photos from your car!!!, they're my inspiration!!

Very nice work Arshad-what size wheels are you running and with what brakes?

Re:SLR- it's a fastidiously engineered German car, but overweight and I don't rate Mercedes engines- in terms of BMEP, brake specific fuel consumption, burn rate and thermodynamic efficiency at part load.

The later Merc engines tend to flow well and have quite competitive friction levels- but still not a patch on BMWs...

Although my E21 is in bits, at this rate it looks like my E21 will be in America before yours. As I understand it, due to the age, the RHD shouldnt daunt them too much...

Hi Marquis,

Yes looks like you'll be in the states before me. You'll have to give me some pointers on getting my car there - homeland security never seem to warm to me!

Wheels are 15" MSW's and brakes are standard 323i, work well enough but now seriously considering Brembo fronts.

Getting some electrical work done, then in goes the rest of the interior.

Friends,
I fell in "love" with the BMW e21 when the body style was introduced in the states in 1977. I was still driving (commuting) in my 1970 2002 at the time. I remember, on a freeway in the rain, doing a spirited speed. I came upon a white BMW 320i. I was most impressed with the shape of the car, I really liked the shape. Anyway, I got a job that paid me handsomely and I purchased a new 2.0 liter BMW 320i in 1978. It was white, (Chamoinix), as well. The car was a real crowd pleaser in the Hamptons of NY. Haha.
Later, I bought a used Henna red "S" package 1.8 liter e21 in 1987, as part of a mid-life crisis. Since then, it's been a great daily driver. Oh, I've put in new shocks, and bushings. I do have a 2000 e46 coupe/ that I also like very much. I have serviced the heck out of this car. I love the look, the drive. So now, I want to know, what are some good set=ups that I should do for a good e21 ride? Oh, I'm thinking of 15" wheels, a new clutch, a new (rebuilt) M10 motor and turbocharger upgrade. Maybe moving the battery to the trunk? Please advise to this BMW driver-owner since 1975.

mate you should have posted this in a new thread? have you made one in the owners gallery section yet?

Well it has been absolutely ages until I've done an update. Partly because I have up until recently been driving a 2007 Audi A6 Le Mans (really was a lovely, lovely car).





With this now sold and driving my mums car as a temporary measure I really need to get my E21 on the road as a reliable daily driver. As well as having the rear wheel bearings replaced, all the fuel hoses have been renewed and for a long time it doesn't smell of fuel on a full tank - result.

Might be aware that I have an E30 gearbox in now. A Z3 2.9 linkage has tightened up the gearchange nicely. On full acceleration though the rear would vibrate. First thought it might be the propshaft coupling, then perhaps the exhaust twisting. Turned out to be the gearbox itself. My mate got me to have some longer versions of the original bolts made up, tightened them on and no more vibrations! The linkage does very slightly kiss the prop when in reverse, but I can live with that and moving the gear selector slightly stops it from happening.



Even though I've had so many compliments on how clean the bodywork is for the cars age, its never been quite perfect. Definitely couldn't grumble for how much I paid to have it done, but with the wrong prep the paint would just chip too easy, revealing the yellow primer underneath. That and the nightmare mechanic who changed the fuse hoses came back with the valence damaged on his watch meant it was time for a respray (thanks for the pristine replacement Dr Jim). I've taken a punt with a bodyshop in Manchester, eastern european workforce and just starting off, keen to do business and gave me a really competitive quote. They do Vauxhall main dealer cars too, so I thought why not. Windows still to come out as well as welding in a new jacking point and some general surface rust removal and then it's respray time.







I really am single minded now to get this car finally finished. I need to remind myself to take the car to BMTEC to have the final stainless brakehose fitted. The metal brake pipe it attaches to has corroded so they need to have it in for a couple of days to finish the job. New dizzy cap and a proper bracket for a new fuel pump to stop it resonating against the body!

The hopefully Murran will look at changing the loom to 1.3 motronic?

Trip to get some electrics and ICE fitted.

Take it to an interior specialist, then some new stainless back boxes, alloys refurbed, new tyres and it's finished!

Couple more pics.



Car has had it's first coat. . They seem to have done a great job.



Hard to get a good angle and battery was going. Next task is to spray the boot, re-stonechip the sills. treat the odd bit of surface rust and then its building it back up.

Not much to show in between, except the work really has been amazing IMHO. Some minor polishing and then it's out by early next week

Lovely.

RetroBeemer wrote:Lovely.

Cheers Mark. Forgot to say thanks for putting me in touch with your mate. Managed to pick up some Goodridge stainless hoses for £45 posted!

Well a little bored waiting for some stuff being done in the garage. Lucky enough to find a brand new Bosch Dizzy, rotor, dizzy cover and high performance HT leads for under £50, so having them fitted along with the braided hoses I got of Marks contact.

I think I was following pistonheaders thread when he was looking for a replacement spare wheel cover. Having had a fair few E21's I've found all of them to have chunks missing or succumbed to moisture. I kept one made out of plywood from a previous car that fits perfectly and is obviously a lot more durable than the BMW chipboard stuff. It was dirty and unfinished though and would take me a while to prep and paint it. The finish would be pretty crappy with aerosols,so I found a company in Failsworth who to quote spray "kitchen doors to museums" in any colour or sheen. They sorted it for £20 painted both sides in a gloss finish. I even got to choose through a swatch of colours to match, so I went for an ice white blue thats close to the grey of the original without looking like primer.



It's the little things I guess, but with the car looking how I want it too, I have to see to them.

Braided hoses and front wheel bearing next. Then it's the wiring, ICE and interior sorted out. Can't wait to be driving it daily.

Nice work