Slowly but Surely- 325iX, 325iS, and E30M3 resurrection

[blue91lx]

Some "after driving it as much as I can" thoughts:

-I fall in love with this car more every time I drive it. It's the first E30 I've put any miles on aside from my ratchet red iX (first E30), and it's the first car I've built that I know I will never sell every time I get behind the wheel. Keeping the exterior and interior a 6/10 in terms of paint chips and seat rips will continue to allow me to hop in this thing with a smile any time I want.

-I am amazed at how quick this car is- I've never driven an E30 that has even come close to the agility, quickness in revs, low rpm torque, and top end power band. Shows what a healthy M20 can do (Matt, you were right about this M20). Having a low mile DOT G260 is a dream come true. It completes the driving experience.

-The balance is perfect. Once you complete a step in a journey like this (changing my mind on setup 100 times), I think the car really tells you what it wants. And I really don't think I'll ever take an M20 out of this car. It wants Megasquirt and ITBs and someday a stroker bottom end, but she's in no rush to get there. Suspension-wise, I'm not changing a thing.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr

[DocWalt]

I've never driven an E30... I should change that Sounds like so damn much fun.

Also, modding the engine and going nuts like that is what kinda ruined my GTI, tbh. Careful what you wish for

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by DocWalt

I've never driven an E30... I should change that Sounds like so damn much fun.

Also, modding the engine and going nuts like that is what kinda ruined my GTI, tbh. Careful what you wish for

If we ever link up I'd be happy to let you take it for a spin! I'll be visiting my family in Schwenksville (with this car) and the end of Sept/Beginning of Oct, but have quite the laundry list while I'm back there.

I believe you're 100% correct, and through this whole process of back-and-forth with setup changes I definitely learned that another involved project will ruin this car for me. I think the engine build would be way down the road, if it ever happens at all.

I'm beta testing a true AFM to MAF conversion board for the E30 starting next week which should solve the rest of my immediate complaints with the car, but ITBs will definitely happen once life frees up. Check 'em out. Rama (RHD) makes some quality, affordable, and complete ITB solutions for a number of cars. I'd need to go MS to run it so I can run Alpha N and/or Speed Density off of a vacuum block.

http://racehead.com.au/products-page...e30-cf-plenum/

[Shipman]

I love this car. Needs a front lip though and then it will be perfect.

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by Shipman

I love this car. Needs a front lip though and then it will be perfect.

Thanks man! It actually has one, it's just the "i" lip and wasn't on for my country road photoshoot

This brings about a tangent:

I've got this weird thing with E30 lips. Everyone runs the iS lip without iS skirts or a rear valance, so the front lip of the car is the lowest point by far, so it ends up giving the car a bucked teeth look that drives me crazy. So I run the "i" lip for balance/flow on the bottom lines of the car. My car with the "i" lip:








And E30 with an iS lip and no skirts:








A car that has an iS lip AND skirts (when the iS lip should actually be used):








And, an iX body kit with an iS lip (also acceptable):

[Shipman]

I don't like the paint match lip. The bottom two are definitely the best ones though.

[DocWalt]

Definitely don't like the paint match lip either. I like the small lip even with the bigger skirts, actually. I'm weird.

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by Shipman

I don't like the paint match lip. The bottom two are definitely the best ones though.

I think 98% of folks would agree with you! For some reason, I just prefer no skirts, no flares, no valance, just the stock lines with the small lip. Likely due to the fact that I've got the M3 with the huge front valance, boxy flares, spoiler, etc. This car retains the simple lines, while the M3 looks like this one with a body kit

Originally Posted by DocWalt

Definitely don't like the paint match lip either. I like the small lip even with the bigger skirts, actually. I'm weird.

Yes, the smaller lip still works great with the flares as well! I heavily prefer the simplicity on this car for some reason.

[blue91lx]

Haven't been doing much with cars lately, but the SSSquid MAF conversion arrived the other day and I am absolutely pumped to get it on the car. I think this will be huge for the E30 community, as it is a true conversion, aka it does not need a chip to run, it can be used on a stock chip. I'll be using mine with a 502 MAF.

I'd like to do a before/after dyno, so I am trying to arrange that with a local who has a dynojet.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr

[DocWalt]

Is the MAF conversion supposed to help with performance? I assume it's just replacing the flapper box thing which flows kinda poorly.

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by DocWalt

Is the MAF conversion supposed to help with performance? I assume it's just replacing the flapper box thing which flows kinda poorly.

The MAF conversion is mainly for response, by removing the terrible AFM/flapper box thing (it's bad). In terms of a physical restriction, I've seen dynos of a 7hp increase over the full curve by removing the AFM in favor of speed density (more with tune). It'll be interesting to see if there are any HP gains, or if the gains will be found more in throttle response, which e30s lack unless on ITBs, a standalone (alpha n or speed density) or both.

I already have a big bore throttle body and will likely never spend $3K for ITBs and a standalone, so for those simple setup, stock ECU folks this is a dream come true.

There is a MAF conversion already available made by Miller but it requires a chip to run using their software which is quite poor, so this true MAF conversion is the first of its kind for the E30 market!

[DocWalt]

Ok, so essentially like removing the "digi lag" on the EFI Mk2 VWs. Yeah, the throttle response on those is truly awful too...

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by DocWalt

Ok, so essentially like removing the "digi lag" on the EFI Mk2 VWs. Yeah, the throttle response on those is truly awful too...

Yes, precisely! I'm just waiting on a MAF pigtail and I'll be in business.

[blue91lx]

I was recently inspired to suck it up and get some leather shifter/ebrake boots. These were like $30 shipped from the UK- nice quality and fitment.

I tried to buy a wood mushroom shift knob on FB but the seller kept changing his price and after agreeing on a price he sold it out from under me. Still trying to find an old wood mushroom push on knob that's not crazy overpriced if someone reading has one for sale. Running an eBay cheapie for the time being.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr


I also rebuilt my cluster- it's quite exciting having everything working (only the second time I've had a working ODO in an E30). I have four lights on I am anxious to fix: Coolant level, Wiper Fluid, ABS, and Brake Lining.

I'm waiting on the waterproof solder connections to come in. Once I get those I can wire up my coolant sensor (M42 rad location) and move my wiper plug to the iX location to get my iX wiper res functional. I also have an ABS sensor that's bad, light comes on after a bit of driving. Need to unplug them one by one to see which one is the culprit. Then finally brake lining- I used the best parts car pads I had out of my bucket since someone lifted my new H&R parts from the old garage. I've got new sensors, need to snag new pads and throw the sensors on.

I also got fog light glass from Russia that I need to throw on- it's not the most fun job so I am procrastinating. I also got a magical upper rad hose from Lithuania that fits my custom M42 rad on M20 configuration, so I can do away with my spliced upper hose. Lots of things coming together on this car, feels good.

[blue91lx]

How about an overdue update for Heidi?

She is still doing great- only needed a few things before she gets put up for sale. Shift linkage, Z3 shifter, rear endlinks, updated SSSquid/Bimmerheads chip, new hubcentric rings (Thanks again Motorsport hardware!), pass seat refresh, etc etc. She is now living her best life. Every time I get under this car I am reminded of how wonderfully clean it is. This car is special. Driving it, it feels perfect, but with character. Just as it would have been, but with all of the complimentary mods to make it what it should've been from the factory. This car is 98% rust free which always amazes me, the 2% is light battery corrosion that only occurred in the last few years the car has been in PA. This car has the cleanest factory engine bay out of any E30 I've owned. 10/10, will wish I didn't sell later on in life.
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr

[blue91lx]

Got some work done on the '89 iX!

Got some more stuff done. I put ODO gears in for good measure, but pulled the cluster apart only to find that they were still good! I still threw the new gears in since I had them.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr






I got a parts OBC on eBay and combined that with my existing one to create one good OBC, paired with a good temp sensor.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr




I also cleaned and reassembled the rest of the front end. I stole the "i" lip to put on my red car, so I need to grab another one for this car.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr



I brought nice spare iX weaves back from my vacation in PA where I have the other iX and the M3 still. I'm going to be refinishing those wheels for this car. Bonus was I had another set of centercaps with new emblems in a box.

She's gettin' close!



Also, Linda has been a utility vehicle lately.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr





Oh, and someone buy my heckblende so I don't keep it and put it on this car.

Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr

[Big_Jim]

What is a heckblende?

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by Big_Jim

What is a heckblende?

The 80s looking thing in between the tail lights! They're extremely rare in the E30 world, I scored the one above on a car I purchased out of Washington State.

So infamous Jalopnik wrote an article about them

https://www.google.com/amp/s/jalopni...1826419841/amp

[Shipman]

More m3 news or bust

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by Shipman

More m3 news or bust

I don't think I'm doing too bad for building 4 cars at once while parting 3 out, with an 11hr drive separating some of them.

Even if it takes four years.

I'm almost done both iXes though, which means M3 time is coming soon!

On the '89 iX:

-refinish wheels
-wire radio
-install catback

On the '88 iX (Heidi):
-rear swaybar endlinks
-radio code

Originally Posted by Shipman

Another project that will go unfinished then sold for scrap

Originally Posted by Shipman

Another project that will go unfinished then sold for scrap

Originally Posted by Shipman

Another project that will go unfinished then sold for scrap

Originally Posted by Shipman

Another project that will go unfinished then sold for scrap

Originally Posted by Shipman

Another project that will go unfinished then sold for scrap

Originally Posted by Shipman

Another project that will go unfinished then sold for scrap

Originally Posted by Shipman

Another project that will go unfinished then sold for scrap

Originally Posted by Shipman

Another project that will go unfinished then sold for scrap