E30 325i Rag-Top

When I went to put the front lower lip back on over the oil-cooler I realised that there would be no air flow through the cooler, checking on my 325i it has extra cut outs in the front lip to allow air into the cooler. I don't want to use the lower lip off the 'vert, or buy another 325i front lip (as I will probably go to an E30 M3 front pretty soon) so needed another solution. Decided on a little bit of DIY with the cordless drill, looks a little bit rangi but should work reasonably well and was a cheap solution...

Yup option 338 is the one you're after and it's there. It's also got the M-Sport suspension 226 which is good as that is often removed from the spec.

Very cool project Ray, love your post above, it's the details like the arches that make all the difference.

Good work chaps, should generate lots of interest as it looks great with the variety of cars.

Too many people on too small a planet I'm afraid. Using up the resources faster than is sustainable.. will lead to more and more wars and disputes, over oil, water, food, space, etc. Only question is whether we will destroy ourselves before we destroy the planet? Just off to check my 12-gauge and stock up on tinned food and bottled water.

It's actually a new colour - Austin Yellow, not the old Pheonix Gold, but they are in the same ball park of the colour spectrum. It does look very good in the flesh, it was very over-cast when I took the photo on my phone so it's come out a bit dull. Physically swapping the engine over would not have been a problem Josh - even with the twin-turbos, however getting all the electronic gubbins to work would require a genius like you! I was thinking of putting the brakes onto the race car as they are proper 4-pot front 2-pot rears, but as the discs are bigger diameter than my rims there was a little bit of a clearance issue... bugger!

Press car from BMW AU, over here for the joint Aussie / Kiwi press launch of the new M3 / M4 last week. Just getting a quick polish up before it goes back.

How about you show us what you've been upto as well Andrew, I hear on the grapevine your car has had a few improvements done to it...?? No secrets here, just a lack of ability on the videos front. Managed to change the munted hose under the fuel rail as well, but it was a bit of a mission getting to the bottom hose clamp without having to take the air-box off again. Finally managed it with one of those flexible drive screwdriver extentions and a bit of twisting and pulling. Seems to run a little smoother now at idle, so might have had a small leak, but might just be my imagination!

I would only be after 5 bucks or so for it, I also have a multi-meter so can help check it that way as well. Only problem is I'm not around this week-end, away on business from Friday afternoon...

I've got a few 325i ECUs kicking around - is 173 the last 3 digits in the part number?

No idea how to post vids, only just got the hang of photos! I will try and capture the noise on my phone next time I start it up. One of my favourite features on the engine are the gorgeous chromed dome head nuts that are used on the rocker cover, air box, inlet manifold, etc. Don't add anything in terms of performance but really finish off the engine bay. At some point in the past the whole of the top of the engine, including the nuts, had been sprayed matt black with a rattle can. Most of the paint had chipped off the nuts when the engine was stripped and rebuilt, but annoying little bits still stuck. So while I have been taking things off and on the engine I have been cleaning them all up with a soft brass wire brush, won't make it faster - but makes me feel better!

Just sittin' there chillin'... looks so at home!

And suddenly they just appeared... A bit small but there. Freaky deajy ju-ju that's fo' sure!

If the roads were made and repaired properly they would be cheaper in the long term.Doing SH1 through the Desert Road twice in 18 months wasn't a good use of tax dollars was it??

I would nominate the SH2 / SH27 route south from Auckland through Matamata to Tirau as the worst road, unbelievable that this is a major route from Auckland to Tauranga part of the way and south to Taupo for the rest. Pot holes, un-even surfaces, off-camber, worn and rutted. Just down-right awful to drive on. Only reason I go that way is that I think it's quicker than SH1 as it avoids going round Hamilton. These are supposed to State Highways so I would compare these to Motorways / Autoroutes / Highways / Autobahns - absolutely nowhere near the same standard by comparison.

Can you pull back the shroud to see the colours of the wires, then cross reference to a wiring diagram? It looks like a fairly generic- two pin sensor plug, so could cover a whole host of things - temp, pressure, etc. Might explain your horrendous fuel consumption if it's not connected to something it should be - like temp, thinks its cold so over-fuelling??

Looking good Foxy... I take it you've got some wider rims to fill those flares? Be good to see it out on the track next season.

Yeah, no problem. Pretty sure I've got one in the garage. Out Howick way if you can't find one closer.

So you're more interested in a Whine & Cheesy event at some restaurant than driving a car on a track??Funny that Contis didn't care enough to invite you to their track day a month back though...

I can't take the credit for the idea, it's something the Committee has had in the ideas bank for a while, and now the Recruitment Sub-Committee have got the sponsors on-board and made it happen.Thought I would throw it up on here as well so the Bimmersporters were aware.

I think there's more to this story than meets the eye...

I used to watch these monsters in the European Rallycross when they were banned from the Rallying. Racing with RS200s, 6R4s, T16s, R5 T2s and Integrales was totally awesome. I can't remember the exact power figures, a lot depended on the size of the turbo and tune for each particular set up, but the figures were certainly in the 600-800hp range, so the quoted 770hp would be comparable. It doesn't sound quite as wild (no huge flames on the over-run, etc.) but from the way that car is launching out of the corners it is certainly performing!

Pretty much impossible to make a "total loss" of a race car especially an E30 on the track, and believe me I have tried. The condition is in there so that the car is treated with respect, as if it was your own, not used recklessly without so much as a "oh, sorry about that... here's your keys" afterwards.

E30 Series Scholarship Car. To attract and develop new talent into NZ motorsport the Castrol BMW Race Driver Series are offering one lucky winner a scholarship drive, for more details see here... http://www.bmwraceseries.co.nz/?page_id=1582 Or checkout the Facebook page, and the car and entry forms will be on the stand at the CRC Speedshow coming up next weekend. Anyone that has ever thought about getting into racing, you won't get a better chance than this.

Leather Msport interior is good if you fit snugly between the bolsters, otherwise yeah can get slippery. The other option is to CLEAN IT now and again Westy! There's probably enough pie crumbs to feed an African village in the gap to your knee bolster by now.