Michael.

Hmm what is that monstrosity doing on line 8, car number 1. :S

I probably should also mention the E36, not everyone's cup of tea, more of a niche interest BMW I suppose. I've always like the M3 versions look that seemed to capture the essence of boxy 90s touring car made for the road. Somehow the E46 lost that look.. Although, in poverty spec with unpainted lower body panels the E36 range can also be bloody ugly - then again so can other base spec models.

^ Fibre glass though. Wouldn't take much to see 500 bucks crack to pieces with one misjudgement.

Wow, you wouldn't have wanted to sit on the dirty seat after seeing just how dirty it was! Makes you wonder how dirty the black BMW leather seats are which hide all that.

I remember this car well, still wish I had bought it when Ray was selling it all of 2 years ago! Oddly enough I saw this car in Onehunga, a few months ago, had a good look at it and was sad to see it in a sorry state, bits falling off, dirty and marked. Now it's washed up on Trade Me. Could be a bargain?.. could also be a money pit for car that's probably been poorly maintained for a while. BEFORE NOW Trade Me Listing I hate how cars are treated like this in NZ just because they are in the lower price range - seems driving them into the ground is common practice for many people

Sounds like it could be a failed fuel pressure regulator diaphragm, so fuels leaking into the vacuum line making those sounds as bits of fuel are sucked through. http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?mo...hg=13&fg=10 Looks like it's on the back of the fuel filter. Part #13531436110

Cool Brent, it will sure look the part with a fresh coat of paint.

Don't forget the Eisenmann - deeper, smoother more Porsche like even. I think many M3 S54 exhausts can make them sound like a Honda of sorts :S

E46 M3 E38 F/L E39 M5

Hmm yeah I'd go with the Euro lid.

That's an awesome combination - good job choosing a decent one!

Oh cool that car, seems like a real good buy for the money. I'd be inclined swap over the good bits from the 528i for the 540i where possible.

Awesome. Can't go too wrong - put a bit of TLC in it and you'll be away laughing.

Yeah, I mean for the same cost I could buy a tidy 328i for what a conversion would cost! At least it does have 5 forward gears so the ratios are like any conventional 5 speed manual out there. Yeah it's prob unlikely for the auto to wear out any time soon, only things that could go are the 7 electronic solenoids - but I have a spare box to replace those if need be. It's definitely putting out a nice sound, got to love it with the windows down especially!

Yeah I agree Graham, it's a fair compromise and I think they are pulling it off pretty well. I just realise this is a 2 series, makes sense I suppose! Good place for a car like this to fill the void of the 3 series which is a 1500kg+ car now (as well as the heafty 4 series)

I like it - finally a nicely designed front kidney grille since the E46! Although it does bother me how small & low the wheel well looks in relation to the bonnet which seems so high.. no doubt thanks to all the pedestrian impact regulations dictating the design requirements. Mind you most cars are like that now days so oh well.

Like this.

Jesus that's some serious control. That must be pulling some hard G forces for its size!

Ohh yeah of course, you have a F/L version. lol yeah thats the trouble with that stitch!

At this stage I've just taken the headers off to tidy up, skim the main flanges and have HP coated. Also going to put down some new heat reflective material around where headers sit in the engine bay while they're out. Good question! after a bit more consideration due to the cost and involvement of the manual conversion, I'm thinking of just leaving the 5spd auto in for now and give it a decent bit of use until it breaks of it's own accord (if it ever will) - I've probably been a little negative about it, it's actually quite good in manual mode, controlled off the cruise control stick (up / down), it just has some issues in auto mode because of a bad signal from the tps sensor at times which it relies on to accurately shift the gears at the correct throttle points. I might have to upgrade the unit or replace the wiring to sort it out. I think the lack of an LSD is more frustrating than anything else, so around corners, and under acceleration it likes one wheel to be more lively than it should.

^ Indeed, I do like that steering wheel too, is it a stock one or retro fitted from an E46?

Looks so much better! Good work.

Very nice, could be one of the best 328ci I've seen for sometime! Genuine Schnitzer by the looks of it?

Welcome Leigh, First thing I wondered based off your name is if you were affiliated with Ray's team. Sounds like a good build, nice to have another F/L E30 around. Perhaps make up a build thread with a few pictures in the member project section of the forum. See you around!

I decided to piece these two clips I had lying around on my HD. Not the most accurate measurement I realize but somewhat interesting nevertheless! Works out to be ~33% faster with 33% more HP and 45% torque than the stock engine. Seems about right...