Distracting Toys...

[guntherrex]

excellent allroad bike, looks like a nice trip!

[srmmmm]

Originally Posted by wpoll

With my X5 out of action with a blown shock/strut, I've been playing with my other toys....

Summer Sprinter - F650 Community

Looks like a spectacular time!

[PropellerHead]

1st 'mod' on the E38 is the 1st upgrade to becoming our new roadie. My 3rd Zionsville aluminum:

[crystalworks]

In this week's episode of "Poor Financial Decisions" w/ crystalworks:



Excuse the hand cameo.







So the story behind this particular episode is the wife and I took a trip to Houston to go to an event at TMJ Bimmers to look at what else, some cool BMWs. Red needed to be driven and gets her share of attention at events like this so we figured why not. The grandparents had already volunteered to host the kiddos. "Let's get outta town before they change their minds!"

Within 10 minutes of getting there and parking the wife and I find this little gem amongst the E30 M3s, Alpina E34 wagon, and about 50 other cool cars. Really nice turnout for TMJ as they were hosting. It's a 1991 318i which had been m52 swapped and has functional AC. Wife says, "you need another e30 in your life." Done, I probably left a Wiley Coyote cloud in my wake. Within the next 10 minutes I had told the owner we were in. After completing that discussion, "Oh wait, I should probably at least look at it a bit more thoroughly huh?"

So I got it on the rack at the end of the event and it's pretty nice mechanically. Still has the getrag 240 in it though which is not good for the M52 power plant. Was never designed for that kind of power. Fortunately I happen to have a 5spd ZF box out of a 96 328is sitting in my shed. Found a few small little things here and there that the owner will take care of before I pick it up but overall I was very pleased. Sitting on aftermarket coils (colored grey, not sure of brand) and Bilstein sports. Will grab some H&R Sport springs to swap in as it sits a little low for my taste. Maybe I'm getting old.

So... I have added yet another project to the driveway. And this is why we can never live in a neighborhood with an HOA. I buy the exact opposite type of BMW that Propellerhead does when he goes car shopping.

[Happy]

Too bad I didn’t get a chance to examine ReD!

[EODguy]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

In this week's episode of "Poor Financial Decisions" w/ crystalworks:



Attachment 81860



Excuse the hand cameo.



Attachment 81861



Attachment 81862



Attachment 81863



So the story behind this particular episode is the wife and I took a trip to Houston to go to an event at TMJ Bimmers to look at what else, some cool BMWs. Red needed to be driven and gets her share of attention at events like this so we figured why not. The grandparents had already volunteered to host the kiddos. "Let's get outta town before they change their minds!"



Within 10 minutes of getting there and parking the wife and I find this little gem amongst the E30 M3s, Alpina E34 wagon, and about 50 other cool cars. Really nice turnout for TMJ as they were hosting. It's a 1991 318i which had been m52 swapped and has functional AC. Wife says, "you need another e30 in your life." Done, I probably left a Wiley Coyote cloud in my wake. Within the next 10 minutes I had told the owner we were in. After completing that discussion, "Oh wait, I should probably at least look at it a bit more thoroughly huh?"



So I got it on the rack at the end of the event and it's pretty nice mechanically. Still has the getrag 240 in it though which is not good for the M52 power plant. Was never designed for that kind of power. Fortunately I happen to have a 5spd ZF box out of a 96 328is sitting in my shed. Found a few small little things here and there that the owner will take care of before I pick it up but overall I was very pleased. Sitting on aftermarket coils (colored grey, not sure of brand) and Bilstein sports. Will grab some H&R Sport springs to swap in as it sits a little low for my taste. Maybe I'm getting old.



So... I have added yet another project to the driveway. And this is why we can never live in a neighborhood with an HOA. I buy the exact opposite type of BMW that Propellerhead does when he goes car shopping.

CW,
I'm not saying that you used some sort of mind control drug on your better half....

But hypothetically what would the store you would have gotten it from be called?

Sent from my SM-A730F using Tapatalk

[nick325xit 5spd]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

Sitting on aftermarket coils (colored grey, not sure of brand) and Bilstein sports. Will grab some H&R Sport springs to swap in as it sits a little low for my taste. Maybe I'm getting old.

Read off the numbers on the springs. Grey is highly likely to be an older set of H&R Sports or OE Sports.

Note that you can get a 9mm front upper spring pad, and 15mm spring pads top and bottom for the rear. The front also might have a drop hat - it's pretty common to throw the E90 upper spring perch on, which lowers the front 15mm. (If it's aluminum, it's the E90 hat.)

FYI, I've done at least five E30 engine swaps (not counting stock).

Also, if that car was OBDI converted, check the state of the knock sensors. OBDI knock sensors commonly fail in as little as 10 years. This shows up as visible cracking.

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by Happy

Too bad I didn’t get a chance to examine ReD!

Mouse and I should have gotten with you. With the haste we left here it didn't even dawn on me. Might get another chance though. Will be in Htown again this weekend to do sale paperwork and there is another meet on Sunday morning.

Originally Posted by EODguy

CW,
I'm not saying that you used some sort of mind control drug on your better half....

But hypothetically what would the store you would have gotten it from be called?

Brother, I'm sorry. They swore me to secrecy. It was expensive though...

Originally Posted by nick325xit 5spd

Read off the numbers on the springs. Grey is highly likely to be an older set of H&R Sports or OE Sports.

Note that you can get a 9mm front upper spring pad, and 15mm spring pads top and bottom for the rear. The front also might have a drop hat - it's pretty common to throw the E90 upper spring perch on, which lowers the front 15mm. (If it's aluminum, it's the E90 hat.)

FYI, I've done at least five E30 engine swaps (not counting stock).

Also, if that car was OBDI converted, check the state of the knock sensors. OBDI knock sensors commonly fail in as little as 10 years. This shows up as visible cracking.

Good info, thanks nick. Will check on all you mentioned. Forgot about all the common E30 mods since it's been awhile since I sold all of mine. Maybe that's why the wife was so generous. I sold my e30s around when our daughter was born to fund nursery, SUV purchase, etc. Looking forward to having one in the driveway again.

[Happy]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

Mouse and I should have gotten with you. With the haste we left here it didn't even dawn on me. Might get another chance though. Will be in Htown again this weekend to do sale paperwork and there is another meet on Sunday morning.

Ok.. Keep me posted..

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

I buy the exact opposite type of BMW that Propellerhead does when he goes car shopping.

For a guy with an HOA, lemme me advise ya: Anything beyond 2 or 3 Bimmers gives them the same Preparation H itch. As for the shopping thing..

I'd like to think I don't really 'shop' inasmuch as people find ME and offer me the low mileage cars. People who see the Blues on the E53, the E82, and the F87 think I like blue. I mean, I *do*, but color has rarely been a factor. (Unless I find technoviolet. This, Well.. I'm buying for color. But the truth is, I didn't LIKE the blue E53. I wanted red or silver. But there it was.. all 11K miles of it.

And the E82 is my daughter's (daddy-will-take-it-away-when-you-f it--or anything else up). The thing that sold it was, well.. like 32k on a 9yr old car, AND that red interior. None of us can understand today why we still like it. I guess it seems like it belongs. But now now listen... Have any of yous seen the E53 red leather with Imola trim? It's a fncking murder scene. I don't see how EVRY cop doesn't see that shit and strap yer ass outta the vehicle. But, I digress.

Similarly, The Long Beach Blue (I think) on the M2 was a little too.. common.. for me. The F87 in that orangey clor and in white or black is the buttz nuttz. So, I am working to take the focus off the blue and into the whole package. I'm getting there.