DeadlyPixels

Shame its so far away, I'm in Christchurch. I figure any E30 manual, particularly a coupe with a rego that is still live should fetch a grand easy. Looks like a fun project to me, GLWS.

Well the exact wording requested a Fine Summary as well as a Suspension Report (the one that lists all offences for the last 5 years and active demerits) but it did say 2 years CONVICTION free. Yeah I'm not saying Ive set any kind of new badass rank. I just need to be sure I can actually get issued my commercial license, cause if I pass the exams, pass the flight test and then send away to the CAA for my license to have them reject it would be awful. It's likely that I just misinterpreted the letter. Will check it out and post back.

Hi all, I appear to be an a bit of a fix at the moment. Over the past year or so I have been working towards getting my private pilots license - passed my flight test and got my license just last week (yay!). Part of the application is getting a fit an proper person check done, which I was issued but they also said they because I have 3 prior tickets that want to see two years conviction free for any further ratings. Hmmmm... ok normally not an issue. However I was issued a ticket for 112kph in a passing lane just over the holidays in January. Which would count as an infringement as soon as I pay it. Meaning no more licenses/ratings for me. Does anyone have any experience with a lawyer helping to sort this out. Can this actually successfully be fought and/or not placed on my record? Having to wait for 2 years would be kind of a big deal here so that would be best avoided at all costs. Much obliged for any advice.

I'm curious about this too. If you pick up a wrecked E36 from Turners/Manheim Auction you can get a M52B28 for incredibly cheap. Admittedly you have to deal with parting out the rest of the car but it is still a good way to find a motor. I would think shipping alone from japan would make it an expensive by the time you got it here.

A friend of mine is selling one at the moment, hasn't really been listed yet but the specs are: 735i, NZ new, 175,000Km, water buffalo leather interior, sunroof, very tidy, well maitained, runs and drives beautifully. Not a manual but have driven it and it is really nice. Located near Christchurch. $2700.

I have had great success with isopropyl alcohol before when I accidently swiped part of the bumper on a painted wooden fence (I know, I know, but it was really tight spot) and the paint from that wiped right off. You can get it at a pharmacy and it is usually pretty cheap for a small bottle; like $6-7 or so. I mostly use it for cleaning thermal paste off CPUs but it is a great solvent because it is pure enough that it leaves no residue.

Thanks Andy, I was suspecting that might be the case. I was hoping I just was gravitating toward the really nice stuff as usual (an expensive habit) and someone was going to remind me that there were more cost effective options. You make some good points, so it sounds like I might as well get a stock setup while I save my pennies for what I really want.

Looks tidy! GLWS

Hi all! I have a '84 320i that I am in the process of bringing back from the dead. On my list of to-do items is to swap out the slightly mangled existing setup for something that saves a bit of weight and gives a nice sound. The current setup I have is a slightly hacked up factory exhaust that has been changed to a single pipe halfway through. I would like to convert the car back to dual pipes all the way, but the e30 factory setup is a bit heavy and too tame in terms of volume for me. I have done a bit of research and found that while an Eisenmann sounds glorious (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wATJXGhi-70) it is also the most expensive by far. Like $1100 NZD + shipping kind of expensive. Which sucks because it is my favorite. Stromung makes a catback setup for the e30 that I like a lot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOQDkPOFLZA) and is a lot cheaper than the Eisenmann at $610 USD (currently that is $930 NZD because of the crazy exchange rate, so it should get cheaper again). Still a lot coin though. SO My bottom line is I paid $850 for my whole car and I'm not in a place where I can just drop 1-2K on a perfect exhaust setup. I want duals and a louder but nice tone. If that could happen for $600 or less all up I would be stoked. What would you reccomend as a nice sounding rear muffler that is affordable here in NZ? Also use a factory center section or use something else? Thanks guys!

I'll take them. PM sent.

I dunno man - it seems like a decent car for sure! Kms are little on the high side but anyone that knows older BMWs knows that isn't a problem. Motor is only just getting broken in! =) I dont have space for another car otherwise I would have snapped it up. Someone buy this, and help the man get to canada!

Amen to that. My sisters old 318i auto box E30 felt just as quick as the 320i auto we are tidying up. Sure they had different diff ratios, a taller final drive in the 320i but that made it slower which kind of negated the point of the extra displacement. Manual anything fixes that right up though - have driven a 316i with a manual and a 4:45 diff and although it was never that rapid it was so much more fun that either of the automatic cars. On topic though, a M20B23 wont be as powerful as the B25 but that's no reason to avoid it. If you are building it out of the car you could use Megasquirt or some other standalone system which would negate any off the old tech issues in jetronic or motronic. Also if you have the B23 it should have the old school side driven distributer which makes it easier to go standalone ECU because the ignition is purely mechanical so you only have to worry about fueling - and it makes converting to coil setup easy later too. Making the whole setup with more power and efficiency than you could ever get out of jetronic. If you were planning on keeping jetronic though I feel a lot more "meh" about picking a B23. You can probably tell that the idea of a standalone ECU to play with on an M20 has been an interest of mine. On the pros for the M20B25 it makes more power out of the box which is nice and the added torque is nice. Motronic 1.3 is a decent system although I'm less a fan of the earlier 1.0 setups (have helped dad with one and was a bit of headache to diagnose compared to a 1.3 car). I think it all depends on what your goals are on the build. I would pick what you think is cool - the couple hundred dollars difference at most in price difference ins't likely to be very consequential when you consider the whole project. You could spend that much just on maintainance parts for the new motor regardless (new hoses, filters, fuel line etc). Just my $0.02

Does $85 dropped off sound fair? I am in Ashburton but will be heading to christchurch on wednesday so I should be able to drop it off then. Otherwise I can find out courier pricing for you. If you dont have a use for the E30 M20 sump we might be able to come to an arrangement on that. Cheers!

Hi - I have an E34 sump for an M20 that can be shipped to you. Still looking for one?

Could be keen on the M3 solid front bushings, do you have a part number from them please?