i just turned 16 like 2 months ago and just got my license like a week ago
so i just went and picked up my new '81 320i today
some lady didnt want it so she gave it to me for free ahaaa
it runs but had a few problems-bent right front tie rod, dented right front quarter panel, and my right front corner light wont turn on. but its in pretty good condition for sitting in her yard for like 4 years without being run
i want to know where a reliable place to get replacement parts for it but i cant find anywhere online that looks legit.



also by the way does anyone know where i can get some clear front turn signal/parking light lenses? they look so sick but i cant find them anywhere

check the sticky thread at the top titled mods and questions. that should answer any question you may have as most of us e21 owners all encounter the same problems. the clear corners new are not cheap and must be imported from Germany through a company called walloth and nesch. but again check the sticky thread.

also welcome to the forums and the addiction

Welcome. Bimmers are an addiction like Boomer said so watch out.

How bout a few pictures

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the getting your first car. An e21 is a great car and fun to drive and you can't beat free. Like Boomer said, all you need to know can be found in this forum. The search function is your best friend.

Here is the section of the forum that Boomer referenced for parts. Go midway down and look for the great list of e21 part suppliers that JRCock compiled and posted titled General E21 Info.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=651790

You will find the link there for Walloth & Nesch for the clear turn lens you seek.

Welcome, if my e21 would have been my first car it would be putting down around 200whp by now... :devillook.

You will enjoy this car unlike any other car you will ever own for the rest of you're life.

Welcome to the forums!

I always use autohausaz.com or autodoctorparts.com for parts. Sometimes pelicanparts.com has decent prices, but a lot of times they are very expensive. Also, ebay may be a good choice, but more than 50% of the parts for sale there are shady and bad-quality units... so beware. You CAN score some pretty good prices there if you find auctions where they specify the manufacturer and you know that it's a good one.

heres a picture of it the day i got it
remember that it was sitting in this lady's yard for 4 years though hahahttp://img151.imageshack.us/img151/7131/0504081338jb1.th.jpg (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=0504081338jb1.jpg)

and heres a picture of it i took today after i spent about 6 hours cleaning it up
http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/9032/0509081905ou0.th.jpg (http://img166.imageshack.us/my.php?image=0509081905ou0.jpg)

wow! nice job man!

Wow! Not bad for free - good on ya. You've signed up for the right forum. As was mentioned earlier, have a really good look through the sticky section, it will give you lots of great information and great ideas.

Also, a good Haynes manual doesn't hurt either. I ordered mine "previously enjoyed" for $16.00 w/ shipping through Amazon.

Welcome, best of luck and above all, be safe on the roads!

Rob

Oh shoot! lol it's amazing what a good cleaning can do. Nice pin-striping!

I have a right side fender (its red). You can have it if you pay shipping.

He said ... JRCock ...:D

Seriously, though, car looks good, especially for free. But it does look like you may have a bent right front strut. Too much negative camber. The car probably pulls left pretty hard. That should be the first thing you check out, along with tires. No tires are good after setting around for years under the weight of the car, in particular when they go low. But get cheap tires, because in no time you'll want to upgrade to 15" wheels!.
Have fun!!
--dennis

I have a right side fender (its red). You can have it if you pay shipping.

awesome how much do you think shipping would be?

I have no idea. Its not heavy just kinda big

i would take that pinstriping off and redo it or leave it off. it looks kinda weird. car looks great though. congrats.

badass ride! just decide what you want the car to become and set a budget. That will help you chose what to upgrade and what to replace.

Nice car. I love the retro red pinstripe. Man, I wish I was 16 again so I'd have 20 more years to mess with my car!!!

Congrats man.

PS Use the search function before asking questions, you can spare yourself the wait for information!

score on the free e21 and welcome to bf.c.

so tomorrow im planning on putting the car up on jacks so i can change the oil, drain the fuel (it had been sitting for 4 year and i tried to run it with the 4 year old gas haha it looked like someone put a smoke bomb in my exhaust), and replace the fuel filter.

i ordered a repair manual but its supposed to get here on friday and i just cant wait that long haha

so can somebody tell me where the fuel tank drain plug is?
also i need to know where the oil plug is so i can drain that too
one more thing - where are the jack receivers? (the places where you are supposed to put the jacks)

oh i forgot to ask - where is the fuel filter located?
i would really like to know soon because im trying to get it roadworthy before school gets out (june 1st)

i also saw someone's e21 who had the US spec bumpers but they were "compressed" does anyone know about how to go about doing that?

yep, all of these questions are answered in this forum... just do a search in the E21 forum (not the entire bimmerforums)

the oil drain plug is pretty obvious - at the bottom of the oil pan

bumper "tuck"/compressing is done with different bumper mount brackets. there's a guy (kdanielson) who manufactures them and sells them to forum members.

fuel filter & fuel drain - i don't know

jack points - there are rectangular indented areas on each corner next to the wheel well - you'll find them. i also started a thread about this a while ago - search and you'll find it.

sorry about that other post i left the room and my roommate decided to post something stupid.

There is no fuel drain the only way to drain the tanks is to detach the helper pump assembly located under the rear seats, syphon as much gas as you can out of the tanks as you can and then you can drop them. They are easier to drop as a pair, but when putting them back i'd suggest putting them back up one at a time. I'd also suggest since you are there dealing with the fuel system and since its been sitting you should replace the braided hoses even if they look ok.

The fuel filter is located next to the external fuel pump, all held to the under body of the car in the same bracket.

Hope this helps

well then wouldn't it just be easier to put a long hose in through the fuel filler hole and syphon fuel out that way? seems a lot less messy and a lot less work...

yea that is what i was suggesting, sorry if that wasn't clear, you can get most of the gas out that way, but in order to get it all out you must drop the tanks. when i bought my bmw it had been sitting for 5 years so i decided to clean everything out to make sure nothing was going to clog the new fuel filter.

do you guys know any reason why it wont idle?
i havent replaced the fuel filter and put in some fuel system cleaner yet but im hoping this is whats causing the problem.
if not is there anything else i should replace/clean up?

fuel pump, spark plugs/wires, injectors(I really dont know what im talking about :dunno )

hey todor in your signature picture thing there is a picture of an e21 with the US bumpers but they are cut off, does that involve like actual cutting or do you jjust unbolt all the parts of the front bumper and the shock thingys too

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=928725&highlight=remove+front+bumper


as said before, the search function is your friend...

yup, you just unbolt it. that thread has a good explanation of the process.