New toy - awd '89 bmw - 2 weeks old now Options

[John_D.]

Decided I needed a fall-back car for my daily driver.

Doing too many things to (with?) the Camaro. Needs some downtime for some more mods, plus if it ever breaks, then there I'll be....

A guy at work had this 1989 BMW 325ix all wheel drive. He bought it a year ago, and his wife hated it, and he didn't drive it anymore. Got a pretty good deal on it since they just wanted it gone.

Needs a few things and some TLC though.

5-speed tranny is noisy in all gears but 4th.

Hood is faded and chipped. (carbon fiber hood arrives today....) (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Mirror paint chipped, tires, brakes, oil change, wipers, etc.

242,000 miles. 2.5 liter straight 6.

Now that I have it though, I keep finding myself torn between keeping it cheap and reliable, or modding it. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It would make a nice little autocrosser or road racer I think.

Ideally it needs some suspension work for that though. Just a little. It handles great as it is. I'm even toying with the idea of stuffing an aluminum LS1 into it some day...


(IMG:http://www.mtfba.org/forum/images/uploads/MTFBA%20Member%20Albums/John_D./479.jpg)

[Sam Strano]

Just a reminder.... I have PLENTY of parts for that puppy too. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Aside from Koni, Bilstein, Eibach, H&R, and the normal suspects I also carry more BMW specifc parts from companies like UUC Motorwerks, Turner Motorsports and so on. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[2manyfbods]

Ideally it needs some suspension work for that though. Just a little. It handles great as it is. I'm even toying with the idea of stuffing an aluminum LS1 into it some day...

http://www.vorshlag.com/ls1bmw1.asp

[John_D.]

Just a reminder.... I have PLENTY of parts for that puppy too. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Aside from Koni, Bilstein, Eibach, H&R, and the normal suspects I also carry more BMW specifc parts from companies like UUC Motorwerks, Turner Motorsports and so on. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Cool. I was hoping you did. I bought the car to be my reliable, stable, daily driver. So I can do whatever (mods or events) to the Camaro and not have to worry about something happening. But now I'm wanting to mod the BMW too.... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The awd seems to have more limited parts availability though, because of the front suspension parts being different, the different wheel offset, etc.

It sits up very high in the front. I'll need to do something about that. (actually it's about level, but the wheel opening in front is higher, so it's very noticeable).

I just put a fresh stock set of tires and brakes on it this weekend, to get it ready for winter.

Oh yeah and a VIS carbon fiber hood too... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) It looks good on there, blends in with the diamond black on the rest of the car.

I'd like to eventually put a Rieger M46-look front bumper on it too.

[John_D.]

Ideally it needs some suspension work for that though.  Just a little.  It handles great as it is.  I'm even toying with the idea of stuffing an aluminum LS1 into it some day...

http://www.vorshlag.com/ls1bmw1.asp

Thanks for that info.

I've been scouting around a little. I ran across the Vorshlag site a few months back, but they are taking forever... That's what got me thinking about a BMW in the first place.

Here are a couple of links to completed cars: (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
(or at least more nearly completed)
http://www.personal.kent.edu/~wbainey/BMW.htm
http://www.nash8503.com/