81 e21 323i, worth restoring?

[euroriffic 609]

Hey all, I have known of this car for awhile now and am considering buying it depending if its worth while. can pick it up for a little over 1k. Just found it when it was listed on here for sale http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index....showtopic=31743

Since then it has had a new windscreen and brakes rebuilt and alot more rust around tail lights, bottom of front guards and lower parts of the doors.

the interior is still pretty tidy, cloth seats and had a dash mat so unsure if its cracking, but body will need a barematel respray to find all the rust and dodgey repair work that needs tending to.

Have been told by current owner ( local Euro specialist) who knew the owner about 3 back had the motor fully rebuilt by a guy in CHCH that is a wizz with the older bmw motors and since then has only travel maybe 10,000km.

He has said it runs like a dream, nice and crisp, but will hopefully find out tomorrow if the battery charges up alright.

it has done 315,000km , 4speed manual, maybe lsd? comes with another full set of wheels, head and tail lights and maybe afew other bits and pieces.

So what Im really asking is... what sort of money would it be worth once restored and is it worth the effort or should I just wait till a tidy one shows up and build up a nice m20b25 with a hot cam and tripple carbs

Its the sort of thing I would keep for a while once finished, not just a quick tidy up to make a buck on but theres no point if its going to cost a sh*t-ton more than Itl be worth

any advance welcomed!

[OP6 27]

I think this car is a bit too rusty to be worth saving. I should imagine that the floor in the passenger compartment will be rusty along with the lip around the boot. I cannot remember, but I would also expect to find rust underneath the windscreen, similar to that pictured for the rear screen.

All in all it could be a big project and the cost will be high. The value of these cars is increasing but it will be many years before they reach collector status.

I would be dead keen on the steering wheel on this car though.

The M20B25 motor in these cars transform it, bit like putting the M20B25 into an E30 320.

[_Matt_ 42]

only way to know is strip it a bit.

[OP6 27]

A few more photos.

[speedyg 16]

I used to own that car. I bought it off a guy in Governers Bay. I sold it to a couple from Dunedin. It looks like the condition of it has gone downhill since I had it. I am pretty sure it is 5 speed, the front drivers seat was lumpy and uncomfortable and there was a bit of rust in the boot under the carpet. It went pretty good though but had fairly interesting handling. Nice stainless exhaust, I put new (tidy s/h) headlights and brake lights in it and stripped the old cracked leather off the steering wheel. The owner I bought it off had owned it for a long time, he didn't mention any engine rebuild.

Old post

Pics don't seem to be working or the link to other post.

[_Matt_ 42]

Depending on the floors condition it's definitely worth saving, if you can't afford it sell it to someone who can. These cars are only getting rarer....

[euroriffic 609]

Thanks for the info Gareth, so in 8 years it's only done 15,000km. Not bad. I had a good look over it today and started it up after been sitting for 6 months. Started straight away and ran pretty well, was going to take it for a spin but had a flat tyre and alot of cops hanging round for some reason...

I had checked all over the car and every area you mentioned Don had rust. Some not too bad, mostly surface but there was alot in the boot around the lights, boot opening right round and the floor that would need a lot of work.

Drivers floor was soaking so could imaging what was under there, was a fair bit of rust on the firewall around brake cylender and carried round to the front strut And elsewhere as shown in pics and op.

As much as I'd like to take this on it's going to cost me way too much in rust repairs since I cannot weld or wouldn't even attempt to try so will leave it for someone else.

On the plus side though I was parked outside a guys work who reckonised my car as he lived up the street from me and came out for a chat hoping that I'd have a few parts lying round from my e36's for his dakar yellow m3 Evo he's trying to tidy up.

To cut a long story short he said he didn't really have the time to tidy it up but was trying to do what he could but if someone (me) offered him what he paid for it (9-10k) he'd happily sell it. Has done 195,000kms, needs the lower half resprayed from a rough door repair and afew window seals and trims replaced to bring it back to new.

Mechanicly it has been very well looked after and interior very tidy too so sounds like a good deal to me.

Said he was looking for a tidy car that's already had afew mods but something with still plenty of power so hopefully going to convince him after a drive that my 328i thats forsale is the car for him .

Will try check out over the weekend

[berjjj 0]

If you do purchase it, you'll probably make a tidy profit through parting out (sad, but true). LSD, 4 wheel disk brakes, sway bars, that steering wheel. Gearbox, subframe and engine mounts are also sought after among e21 owners wanting to do the m20 swap. Easy purchase if I had a spare 1k

[euroriffic 609]

I ended up getting an e36 m3 evo but if I had the room I probably would part it out, or try reshell it.