Retro Rides - 1981 BMW 323i White on White

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Nov 21, 2009, 12:08am

Retro Rides :: General :: Readers Rides :: 1981 BMW 323i White on White

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Topic: 1981 BMW 323i White on White (Read 768 times)

427
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1981 BMW 323i White on White
« Thread Started on May 10, 2008, 11:39am »

I thought i'd get one more BMW to add to my fleet. I picked this one up for $600 bucks a few weeks back. It's a cheap way getting spare parts really. My green 320i (see sig) is not total rusted out but I don't have the cash to fix it and totally respray it if I want to still have some let of to make a racer out of it, so I got this one.

I found this one on a car sales site in class at 11am and by 4pm I had made a deal on it. It had been sitting for 8 years in a covered car park, so the seals were all good and there was not much rust.

Pros:
4 wheel discs
not much rust (just a little around the rear side windows)
14x6.5 mags
e30 323i motor (not that matters as you'll soon see)

Cons:
Bent in the front
Cracked front window
all the shocks are blown
No registration

Plans:
Stiff race springs and some nice shocks
Get it reg for it
Pull the stock 6 and put in my worked 4 banger with twin 45 webbers
Stripped out interior
race seats
Roll cage

Heres some photos of the beast out the front with my other 2 road legal cars while there is a skip in the drive.

[image]

It's not back in the drive as of today so I can start work on it to get it on the road. I'll bring you guys some shots in the interior and engine when I start working on it. I've got uni assessment in 4 weeks so i'll start the big things on it then.

Let me know what you think, or tell me how mad I am for getting one more BMW.

cheers

Side note: it's interesting looking at how things on the 3 beemers are done over the time. with one '69, a '77 and an '81.

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Project Car: '69 BMW 1602 "Lucky '69" -//- Daily basher: '91 Mitubushiti Galant "Slow Rider"
"Drive it like the pizza is getting cold and you need the tip."

tigran
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Re: 1981 BMW 323i White on White
« Reply #1 on May 10, 2008, 11:57am »

Mmmm sharknose, mmmmmmm. Liking it a lot.

What's the four bager that's going in? twin cam lump? It'll be a cool track car thats for sure.

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Slippin, Slidin, Glidin, Lowridin'

1964 Rover P5 i6
1979 Ford Capri The Rat, coming back stronger and faster
1986 GMC Suburban - for sale
1988 BMW 525e - The Rusty Streak
1989 Saab 900 T16 - boostin baby!
1994 Lexus LS400
2003 Ford Focus

rob0r
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Re: 1981 BMW 323i White on White
« Reply #2 on May 10, 2008, 4:35pm »

Looing good

I love race prepped E21s. Might the lump be the 2ltr BMW M10? How much power are you looking to get?

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427
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Re: 1981 BMW 323i White on White
« Reply #3 on May 12, 2008, 4:48am »

Yep the 4 banger is from a 1977 e21. it's got 10 to 10 compression pistons and an aggressive cam. they guy I got it from didn't tell me what that angle was. i'll have to get back to him and find out. The motor only has 10,000kms on it from when it was rebuilt from the ground up. Not sure at all about power. I also need an LSD. The cars first outing should be next year in a drift practice day.

Any suggestions on spring and damper set ups for track use?

If I get all my uni work done i'll hope to get this stuff done:
Replace all the missing/broken trim.
Change the door locks so they all work.
Make mirrors work, if they don't off they go and the old school ones go on. mmmm chrome.
order springs and dampers

cheers

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Project Car: '69 BMW 1602 "Lucky '69" -//- Daily basher: '91 Mitubushiti Galant "Slow Rider"
"Drive it like the pizza is getting cold and you need the tip."

rob0r
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Re: 1981 BMW 323i White on White
« Reply #4 on May 12, 2008, 11:30am »

I've got a spax suspension kit. -60mm springs and shorter adjustable shocks. Not sure if you can get them in OZ though. I got mine 2nd hand for £250 though with a years use. Mine seem to be great, but I've only done road work with them so far. They have a reputation of being stiff though.

http://www.spax-suspension.co.uk/p1321860.htm

Other than that, people harp on about bilstien sport shocks and eibach or H&R springs

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427
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Re: 1981 BMW 323i White on White
« Reply #5 on May 13, 2008, 1:12am »

Tell me about it! they must be good if people keep going on about them so much. I'll have to speak to the koni suspension people how did the springs and shocks for the yellow car in my sig.

I want to drop it to but with 6.5" wide rims on it they are getting very close to the edge and I don't throw it around a corner and have it rub on the tires. I might be able to lose about half an inch.

Oh ye and where did you get the clear turn signals from? I think they'll look really good on a white car.

Small update:
It took me about an hour to get one lock out! in the 02 you undo 2 bolts and they fall out door handle and all, now I know what i'm doing it should be easier. I can't believe how easy the windows come out.

cheers

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Project Car: '69 BMW 1602 "Lucky '69" -//- Daily basher: '91 Mitubushiti Galant "Slow Rider"
"Drive it like the pizza is getting cold and you need the tip."

rob0r
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Re: 1981 BMW 323i White on White
« Reply #6 on May 13, 2008, 10:32am »

It's all about the offset, I run ET13 7" rims on the rear and with lowering I've never had issues. I got my signals from http://www.wallothnesch.com/ They supply not only the lense and orange bulb, but the whole indicator assembly, reasonably priced as well. They ship world wide I believe.

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427
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Re: 1981 BMW 323i White on White
« Reply #7 on May 28, 2008, 5:41am »

I pulled the windscreen out to put my spare in but I found this
[image]

It's not bad as it could be, but i'm glad I cough it before a hole developed. I'll have to play musical cars on the weekend and get in in the shed so I can fix it. I don't like the idea of my parts car in the drive but it will have to happen.

More soon, cheers

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Project Car: '69 BMW 1602 "Lucky '69" -//- Daily basher: '91 Mitubushiti Galant "Slow Rider"
"Drive it like the pizza is getting cold and you need the tip."

e21'er
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Re: 1981 BMW 323i White on White
« Reply #8 on Jun 2, 2008, 1:27am »

I've been trying to get the -60mm Spax kit for my Baur but still waiting to hear back from them! Nice pair of beemers you've got there!!

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