http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHrUk4444wY
Wow! Makes me sick to think a e21 could sound soooo sweet!

Mine will. in about 2 years.

thats it? lol....mine sounds 10x that:D

I really should of did quick video of tearing down the back road near my storage while I was on leave. Was so fun, the internet was the last thing on my mind.

where do u get those chrome rings for the guages?

where do u get those chrome rings for the guages?

They pop up on ebay.de all the time. I'll try to find a link

Cluster looked sweet! I dig the rings a lot.

I wish mine sounded like that. It sounds like a tractor tho :( Still needs a good tune up I guess.

Cluster looked sweet! I dig the rings a lot.

I wish mine sounded like that. It sounds like a tractor tho :( Still needs a good tune up I guess.

Lol, i think nomatter what 320s will sound like tractors due to the direct drive fan. Personally mine just sounds like a Diesel Truck (Minus exhaust noise).

Ive found recently running 87 Octane helps the car alot, due to the 10:1 compression.

Ive found recently running 87 Octane helps the car alot, due to the 10:1 compression.

Are you really running the lowest octane gas on a car with a CR of 10:1?

Lol, i think nomatter what 320s will sound like tractors due to the direct drive fan. Personally mine just sounds like a Diesel Truck (Minus exhaust noise).

Ive found recently running 87 Octane helps the car alot, due to the 10:1 compression.

Yeah that's what I thought. That belt-driven fan cracks me up, I don't know why. I wonder if it's out of balance and that's why it sounds like a tractor. Anyway, this one in the vid sounds amazing I gotta say.

Yeah mine sounds way better and revs twice as fast hahaha. The gauges are sweet, I'm dying for a green stripe tach. 87 octane!?!? What were you running kerosene before? You'd better be using 93 or whatever the highest number they sell in your area is.

Its hard to get a good sound though videos like that. But I would venture to say that my 323i sounds better then that (maybe im biased), its got that deep rumble-burble sound going for it.

And not a an of those gauges, throws the whole classic E21 dash look out the window imo.

You're right, I don't like the chrome part of the gauges personally, but the green tach and Kmh speedo are on my to-find list.

where can you get this new type of gauge cluster, how much on average and are all the plugs the same in the back (plug and play)?

where can you get this new type of gauge cluster, how much on average and are all the plugs the same in the back (plug and play)?

Those are just universal rings they sell on eBay. The cluster is the green/red tach from Euro models (will not work on any motor other then the M20), all 323i's have them.

Al 323s have the green stripe!? I didn't know that. I think I should be able to just install the face onto my regular tach if I can find one. I know I have seen them on 4 cyl cars, maybe alpina used them?

Al 323s have the green stripe!? I didn't know that. I think I should be able to just install the face onto my regular tach if I can find one. I know I have seen them on 4 cyl cars, maybe alpina used them?

Not sure if Alpina used them on the A1/2/4 if thats what you mean? Thinking about it, I shouldnt say ALL 323's had them, but most of the ones that I have seen. If they are on a 4cyl car then they are just the face plate. The tach is set to read 6-cyl from the coil. If you put the 6-cyl tach on a 4-cyl it reads about 1000-1500 rpm's off.

Taking the tach needle off isn't that difficult if you use the correct pry tool. Just use caution.

I started running premium in my 80 because of predetonation. Lately I have used 87 and so far no predet. I wonder if the 10% ethanol is making a difference...and the chrome rings IMO take away a little class from the instruments.

Oh hell, brain fart...most alpina cars aren't 4 cyl. Yeah, I think I'll just get the face plate...I've seen em on e-bay. I think it'd be really hard to change the speedo plate though, its all tamper proof and the needle is about impossible to remove.

P.S. if it doesn't knock on 87 you should advance the timing and run 93. My stock engine knocked BADLY on 87 and I don't try it but I'm sure my tii engine would too.

You're right. The timing is ok and I noticed predetonation today under a load. it took a few tankfulls to do it but next tank it's back to premium.