My 1978 BMW 320i

B

BMW M5

Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
96
Location
Massachusetts, USA
Car(s)
1983 BMW 320i
This is my 1978 320i. I bought at the end of August for $900. My first car was a 1995 Ford Taurus SHO, but I had been a BMW fan for quite some time. At first I wanted an e30 325is, then I changed to wanting a e28 5 series, and then I finally decided on an e21 320i. I joined up with a car club and that's what got me really into BMWs, because before I didn't know much about them other than how they look.

So far all I have done to the car for maitnance is...

- New rotors and calipers (stock)
- Kenwood Head unit, and Pioneer speakers
- new fuses
- new spark plugs
- new exhaust (just patched for now)
- new headlamp sidemarker and bulbs
- painted fog light guards

So it has been pretty reliable.

My plans...

- Euro bumpers!
- Clear side markers
- Better brakes (probably will swap the brakes from a 80's Volvo which is an easy mod.)
- Shaved rear sidemarkers
- Some BBS or Alpina wheels
- Some major rust repair. (Needs new rocker panels, and probably a fender. Floor boards need to be sanded and sealed.)
- Bilstein sport shocks, and BavAuto lowering springs
- Euro ellipsoids
- New exhaust (probably just a striaght pipe since I don't have to pass emissions because the car is so old.)
- Maybe an engine rebuild with some other mods, or in the very long term, tubro or a complete swap from a e30 M3 (not cost effective unless I get lucky) so the turbo is more likely.

I have a lot of plans for this car!

Anyways, here is some pics from yesterday infront of my house:

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Here is some pics a month after I bought it. I cruised up to New Hampshire with 30 other BMWs to Bavarian Autosport for their annual BavAuto Show & Shine. It was so mcuh fun!!!

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...and here is a picture of a couple of my friend's cars.

The white and green 2002 widebody is my friend Brent's car, and the 320i next to it is my friend Chris' car. (You can thank him for getting me into an e21.)
2006bavauto095.jpg


So far I am loving this car. The community involved with these cars is small, but is a very tight knit group. Everyone is really helpful. A lot of the guys on the e21 forums are cool. They give away parts to help each other out. They don't even ask for anything other than you return the favor to someone else.

Anyways, hope you guys like my car.
 
such as clenodium of a car, awsome awsome .... I whish I had a 2002turbo or a 635CSI

haz
 
Cool car, but god US bumpers are nasty! Good thing you plan on replacing them8)
 
Your car is cool, one of my friends has one very similar to it. Is there any chance you have or can get more pics of that wide body 2002? That thing is HOTTTTT!
 
haz said:
such as clenodium of a car, awsome awsome .... I whish I had a 2002turbo or a 635CSI

haz
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I love 2002turbo's. They are very rare here, but I was fortunate enought to see one at a local repair shop. My friend drove by the place and saw it. He wasn't sure if it was real, so we went back and checked it out, and turns out it was legit. I guess the guy imported it from Holland or something.

Here is a pic of me next to it:
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Magnet said:
Cool car, but god US bumpers are nasty! Good thing you plan on replacing them8)
Click to expand...

I agree completely. Euro bumpers are so much cleaner looking. I can't wait to do the swap, it will completely transform the car. I still need to do some basic maitnance and other body work, but once spring time rolls around, that's the first thing that will happen.
 
ssnapier said:
Your car is cool, one of my friends has one very similar to it. Is there any chance you have or can get more pics of that wide body 2002? That thing is HOTTTTT!
Click to expand...

Here is another pic from that day..
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Here's a pic from when the club went down to Limerock Park in CT, I was unable to make this event unfortunately.

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I know the car was in a magazine. It might have been the BMW CCA Roundel, not sure. I will try to find pics from it.
 
Here's another pic of my car in motion on the way up to the car show. That's my friend in the passenger seat.

http://img228.imageshack.**/img228/2198/2464lr1.jpg
 
My friend has a mint 2002 as does my dad's friend. Great cars. :)
 
Magnet said:
Cool car, but god US bumpers are nasty! Good thing you plan on replacing them8)
Click to expand...

I was just about to say the same thing :-D DAMN those are ugly, it's like someone pulling your upper lip while you're trying to pose for a photo:p
 
what made you change your mind to get this over the e30?
 
I love the 2002 turbo, but the E21 is cool as well. We had one as well, with my friends. It was a practise car :D .
http://img55.imageshack.**/img55/3657/muha5zm6.jpg

Yep correct, i wasnt in that mint condition :D .
 
Awesome BMW! I'd love to own an older one...
 
bone said:
what made you change your mind to get this over the e30?
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I'm not really sure. It's kind of just how it all worked out. I also didn't have a whole lot of money at the time and e30's run for a bit more than an e21. I like having an old car. It has character, and it is just so much fun.
 
my parents had one of those in green when I was born......there are pictures of me with 3months sitting behind & holding the steering wheel ^^

but I must agree, get rid of those US bumpers, and what are those red things behind the rear doors (near fuel cap)?
 
D-Fence said:
my parents had one of those in green when I was born......there are pictures of me with 3months sitting behind & holding the steering wheel ^^

but I must agree, get rid of those US bumpers, and what are those red things behind the rear doors (near fuel cap)?
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They're side markers. Another thing that the US required at the time. (They light up when I turn the lights on.) Those will be shaved, as well as the extra trim the previous owner added. (You can see a peice already came off on the passegner door.)
 
Nice car, seems to be in excellent condition.

I owned an E28 528i and drove a lot my friend's E30 325i Coup? in Europe, and also tried an E21 323i (from the same friend). They are all great cars, very rewarding.

I was wondering if it were legal to have euro bumpers in US.
 
targa_997 said:
Nice car, seems to be in excellent condition.

I owned an E28 528i and drove a lot my friend's E30 325i Coup? in Europe, and also tried an E21 323i (from the same friend). They are all great cars, very rewarding.

I was wondering if it were legal to have euro bumpers in US.
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Yes, it is legal. Granted, you have pretty much no protection, but you can do it and still drive legally.

I'm driving it throught winter this year, but as soon as swap on euro bumpers I won't ever be driving it in the winter again. You hit a snow bank your pretty much screwed. I don't want to drive it in the winter anyways though.
 
Nice. Should look pretty good when it's done :) Hate those american spec bumpers..

I want an e24 myself :p
 
BMW M5 said:
Yes, it is legal. Granted, you have pretty much no protection, but you can do it and still drive legally.

I'm driving it throught winter this year, but as soon as swap on euro bumpers I won't ever be driving it in the winter again. You hit a snow bank your pretty much screwed. I don't want to drive it in the winter anyways though.
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I had a low speed crash with the E28, and it's pretty tough, maybe too much (non deformable). But I know that with few more km/h the bumper would have been a bit fold.
 
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