Operation: Obtain e30>>SUCCESS>>Initiate project #2

[Spyke]

June 28, 2012...This was not a day to be forgotten for a while. Let me preface all this by saying I am not a rich kid, but I am a very hard worker. Supporting my girlfriend and myself on one paycheck for the last year+ has been a constant struggle. I have been dreaming of owning a second BMW for a couple years here. I randomly jump on Craigslist a couple times a week to see what's up for sale, and luckily July presented a nice opportunity. Three paychecks in a month instead of the usual two? Hell. Yes. So, I began to comb CL a little more frequently, knowing I would have to jump quickly.

Found a vague posting for a black '87 e30 coupe, but the photos looked pretty good. The ad stated the couple who owned the e30 just got another car (making three), so they had no real use for this one. The lady who posted the ad had her work and cell phone listed, so I gave her a ring at work as fast as I could dial. She answered saying she had just come back from vacation and had been overwhelmed by the response she had gotten for the car. At $900, I could understand why; this was the ever-increasingly elusive running e30 for under a grand!!! Ran through the usual questions and everything seemed in order. I immediately offered an even thousand if I could be the first one to look at her, and she agreed. Sweet!

Took her about 5 days to arrange a meeting, and honestly by day three I was getting pretty bummed out, losing hope that this would ever happen. But then on the fifth day, I got a text saying if I was still interested, come on by. In a flash I replied, grabbed my girlfriend and smashed through the canyon in the e36.

The couple selling the car turned out to be extremely nice. After chatting about the car, we went for a quick test drive. Feels pretty good for it's age, awesome! I get out, and my girlfriend switches with me. She pulls the seat all the way up (she's a shorty) and realizes she can't engage the clutch... in fact she has to be sitting on the absolute forward-most part of the seat to do so. We both have a laugh, and I do my best to keep her pushed all the way forward so she can still drive it. She likes it, but she's concerned since part of the reason I am getting the car is so she has something to drive.

Once we came back and decided to take the car anyways, I walked up the hill where my car was parked to grab the cash I had hidden away. I rolled Veronica (my e36) down the hill and parked about 150 feet from the e30. The second I get out and start to walk back up to the hill, the husband comes jogging down going "No no no... You gotta show me what you have there." I pop open the hood and swing the doors all open for him, and offered the driver's seat up. While he sat there looking around in utter disbelief, I explained that she was hand-built and what I had done thus far... I could tell he was really impressed for some reason, so I offered him a spin and boy you should have seen his face light up! There was a nice strip of 2 lane road that ran along the freeway, so I waited until there were no cars, eased into 1st and swung around the median. Glanced at him, he was ready, so I rolled the gas pedal to the floor, took it to redline and then made fast work of 2nd and 3rd, settling into a cruise in 4th. He was incredibly giddy, and grinning from ear to ear. Just loving it.

He turned to me and said "I know I don't know you, but I am really proud of you man." Somewhat taken off guard, I said thank you... He went on to ask us to be guests at a barbecue soon, and also a car show coming up. They apparently run a non-profit that helps homeless and veterans get into housing. I did not refuse either! After dropping him off at his place, I had a feeling we gave that man one of the most exciting afternoons he's had in a very long time.

I called my best friend who works about a mile away as a motorcycle tech, so he could drive the car back home for me. Luckily he had just gotten off minutes before, so it was perfect timing. The car stalled a couple times, but I could tell it was nothing major. It wanted to start every single time, so we figured we would stop and get some premium in the tank. Pull into the first gas station we see and go to fill her up. NO GAS CAP!!! Ugh... Okay this is easy; plastic bag, rubber band, and poke a small hole in it. On our way again, going back through the canyon and I can tell from behind that she's running perfect. Win! My girlfriend and I are bullshitting, and she stumbles upon a name for her. The cracked dash, and coming from a somewhat ghetto area she goes "I got it! Her name should be Le-ah!" (Pronounced: Le Dasha) "The dash ain't silent bitch, can't you read?!" We bust up laughing. It fit perfectly, so now she is named and we're not even home yet. We got Le-ah home without any problems at all, and so the story begins...

My buddy Joe driving, it had just stalled again...

Trying to get Le-ah back home by greggdrake, on Flickr

Fresh gas, and a McGyver'd gas cap

Le-ah's journey begins by greggdrake, on Flickr

Home!

Le-ah front by greggdrake, on Flickr


Le-ah driver side by greggdrake, on Flickr


Le-ah driver interior by greggdrake, on Flickr


Le-ah passenger side by greggdrake, on Flickr


Le-ah passenger interior by greggdrake, on Flickr


Le-ah rear by greggdrake, on Flickr


Le-ah rear interior by greggdrake, on Flickr


The girls at home 1 by greggdrake, on Flickr


The girls at home 2 by greggdrake, on Flickr

[richardodn]

Awesome. Congrats

[tomscat1]

Congrats and welcome to the forum! That is a great story, and, I gotta admit, I LOLed at the Le-ah bit, once I figured it out. Frickin' brilliant! Kudos to your gf, I like her already!



Good luck with the car, looks like a good deal.

[Spyke]

Been here since 2008, just new to the e30.

Any ideas on how I can get the driver seat closer to the pedals for my height challenged girlfriend? The e36 is my "fun" car, but I would like to keep the e30 pretty stock/clean/classic...

Thanks gentlemen!

[dsilvac7070]

Is that a 98 E30?

[Spyke]

87 (I think you meant to type 89?)

I would have liked to have held out for a late model, but then I may have ended up waiting another year or so more before picking one up. So I just jumped at the first decent opportunity.

[Tom D]

Been here since 2008, just new to the e30.
Thanks gentlemen!

chill guy, a quick search of your post shows you never posted on the E30 site before 6/29, so as tomscat said "welcome to the forum."

incendently, we won't hold the fact that you drive an E36 against you.

[Spyke]

Incidentally, we won't hold the fact that you drive an E36 against you.

Thank goodness!

[dsilvac7070]

87 (I think you meant to type 89?)

Yea that was a typo..

[egebhardt]

That's the Center street intersection in Castro Valley. That's a decent neighborhood where I lived for 7 years. Best weather I've ever live in is right there. Hands down.

[Spyke]

New Corbeau seats installed. Had to modify the brackets a bit to get them installed, but everything worked out. Seems like they move forward a bit more than stock, so my little girlfriend can actually use the clutch pedal now.


New Recaro seats by greggdrake, on Flickr

Antenna deleted. No more pool in the trunk! I haven't listened to the radio in a good 10 years anyhow.


Antenna deleted by greggdrake, on Flickr

Ugly fogs and front plate removed as well.


Fogs & front plate deleted by greggdrake, on Flickr

[Court M3]

Nice subtle changes. Routine maintenance first and keeping it stock?

[Spyke]

Yes sir! Trying to keep her classy. Not too many photos just yet because there's just a lot of replacing filters, sensors, hoses, etc.

[Spyke]

Both of the girls got a good washing this weekend, and I did some almost-free mods on the e30. Scrubbed, sanded, primed and painted the diving boards, and refreshed the bumper trim while I was at it. I also used some black reflective vinyl to cover the front & rear reflectors. This way they are nice and black to be less obvious/distracting, but they will still function as reflectors for safety. You can see the front one is dark, and the rear one catching a little bit of light. I call that a win/win for sure!

Everything came out great but now that it looks so fresh, the outer bumper housings (not sure what to call those pieces) look absolutely offensive in comparison... I'm going to have to see if I can save them, or find newer ones for a reasonable cost.


Front bumper painted black by greggdrake, on Flickr


Rear bumper painted black by greggdrake, on Flickr

[Macktheknife]

That bumper trim is definitely salvageable. Give it a good sandin' and some SEM trim black and they'll look great.

[Boisebimmer]

You're front grill could you a little black too. IMO

I repainted mine and it came out super dope. I removed the left and right grills and painted them. Then I realized I should just go blacked out, so I hit the kidney grill too. I'm very happy with it.

[Spyke]

That bumper trim is definitely salvageable. Give it a good sandin' and some SEM trim black and they'll look great.

Good to hear some encouragement that it can be saved. I'm really glad it isn't wavy like a lot I have seen... Those pieces will be up next, along with the side view mirror housings.

Your front grill could use a little black too. IMO

I repainted mine and it came out super dope. I removed the left and right grills and painted them. Then I realized I should just go blacked out, so I hit the kidney grill too. I'm very happy with it.

Oh I know believe me, I was going to leave them for now and just do new euro grills. They're cheap, look a bit nicer and they will be fresh plastic/less brittle. The kidneys I think I want to leave silver, and I'm leaving the window trim and side trim as well. (I usually am not a fan of chrome/aluminum trim personally, but I think it really brightens the car's personality up. My girlfriend will be doing most of the seat time in the e30 now that she can use all three pedals )

[stefanom3]

congrats. I have a thing for e30. one day I will own one again...
it's the car that defines bmw for me.

definitely try to find euro bumpers (hope they are not too expensive). IMHO the us version ruins the car.

[Spyke]

New smoked signal lenses, new euro grills, painted the black sections of the kidneys as well.


New Euro grills & smoked turn signals by greggdrake, on Flickr

Speedo gears replaced


Speedo gears fixed by greggdrake, on Flickr

Everybody loves boxes


New suspension goodies by greggdrake, on Flickr

Public education system failyre indeed


Failyre indeed by greggdrake, on Flickr

Front suspension installed. Only took 2 days...


Front struts & springs installed (finally) by greggdrake, on Flickr

Because of these bastards. They were horribly seized, in the end a sloppy monkey wrench and a map gas torch saved me.


Son of a by greggdrake, on Flickr

Rear done in only a couple hours, thankfully. My hands were still bruised from the weekend.


Rear shocks & springs installed by greggdrake, on Flickr

Also done:
-New tires mounted and balanced
-Free, and practically new black e30 rear seat. Literally looks like nobody has ever sat in them.
-Front license plate delete strip
-Brake pad wear sensors deleted/shorted out

[silverfbimmer]

looks good man... I want another E30 so bad....this makes it that much worse. Guess I will bum around in my E60 until I can get another fun car!

[Hatster]

Are those h&r springs? I was shopping around and looking at what options there are available to drop my e30 a little.

[Spyke]

looks good man... I want another E30 so bad....this makes it that much worse. Guess I will bum around in my E60 until I can get another fun car!

You NEED an older bimmer man. I swear I hear more unsatisfied e60 drivers than any other model.

Are those h&r springs? I was shopping around and looking at what options there are available to drop my e30 a little.

Yes sir. Going to do a test drive tonight to feel the difference, and to settle the suspension. Import Replacement Parts gave me a great package deal on springs & Bilsteins. I also went with 195-60-14 tires, instead of 195-65-14 stock size. (PO had 195-70-14... a little overkill)

[Hatster]

Yes sir. Going to do a test drive tonight to feel the difference, and to settle the suspension. Import Replacement Parts gave me a great package deal on springs & Bilsteins. I also went with 195-60-14 tires, instead of 195-65-14 stock size. (PO had 195-70-14... a little overkill)[/QUOTE]

nice. I was thinking of picking up a setup from VAC here in philly...

[porsche5k]

Subscribed, looks awesome.

[Spyke]

Rebuilt some door locks!


Driver side door lock rebuilt by greggdrake, on Flickr