Project practice machine !

[Flat Eric]

Bought this last summer for a right ole price to get some left hand drive practice in but it ended up sitting in the garden till about october.

Finally got the finger out in anticipation of a bit of snow over the winter, welded up the diff and away we went.



One of the best weeks of my life, every corner/roundabout/slip road/speed ramp/street was an adventure.

As with my last left hand drive machine, a 2.3t 740 Volvo, I thought that would be it and the E30 could return to its place in the garden until another winter.........................................

......but nope, as much as I wanted a jap motor there was no left hand drive stuff about for small moneys. I looked into what was available for the E30's and low and behold, anything you want can be picked off a shelf.
So a plan was hatched and the budget LHD daily drift machine went into production !.

Being completely new territory to me, I recruited a couple of mates who are into BM's. First off was to get it legit and through the NCT.

Both front seats were knackered, you should have seen the size of the chick that used to own this, seriously.
Out came all the toys...........


And in went a spare recaro on a DC2 Integra base frame.


Thanks to Amy for that, it originally came in her FC.
The passenger seat was replaced with the drivers Recaro from Nixons E30 touring, nice one bosco !

Next on the list was the dodgy heater motor that had packed up. Thanks to my mate Paulie for the replacement and the two right hand drive headlamps as well.

Fun time.....


Got a loan of an open diff and off she went for a test, they could only find a couple of visuals so it was as good as passed !. Some dori damage to rear bumper and a cracked lense were sorted and they handed me an 03/12 disc, ha ha !

[Gar-4-age 86]

When i seen the thread i was expectin an epic cam.....pity U gonna slam it/dishy wheels etc!!?

[gem-s13]

ah she would have been a beast with my m3 running gear inside her!! lol i still have them lowering springs here to go with them shock you got small money!!

[SIMO]

cool project man, can i ask why lhd? was it just the fact it was cheap or u prefer em?? what engines in the beemer? i spy with my little eye a worn brake peddle did you get failed on that for the test? best of look mate

[PeterT]

cool project man, can i ask why lhd? was it just the fact it was cheap or u prefer em?? what engines in the beemer? i spy with my little eye a worn brake peddle did you get failed on that for the test? best of look mate

His impreza in the states is lhd

But hooray, e30s for wrecking ftw! i need to wreck mine. Want to do some gentle bashing (ooh eer) and wall rubbing down in tullow?! e30 deatthhhhhhhs

[Flat Eric]

So with that out of the way the mods could begin.

First off was to get some more lock into it, being manual steering it was always going to be handy.

Made up some spacers


They worked a treat, plenty of good useable steering lock now with only one draw back, 5 1/2 turns lock to lock
Combined with the welded diff I end up looking a lot like this trying to park anywhere.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLKR9tCiwvA

Next on the list was some horse power. Being a budget build M3 powers and the like were out the window but after talking with more BMW peeps and joining e30owners.com I came across a 2.5 24 valve swap for sale.It was in an E30 already with all the hard work done for good money so I went out for a test drive.
Turns out I end up knowing the guy selling it so a deal is made and I get a load of extra bits that this man won't need when he fits his e34 M5 motor !.

In preparation for the swap, I source a Ren*@!% brake servo ( can't even bare to write it sorry ). After grinding off all the evidence and a lick of paint I set about getting it fitted.
Old one on the right, it would have sat very close or even fouled on the 24v inlet manifold


Minty fresh, bad enough Im building my first ever non Japanese car but now its got bloody French car parts in it. Let us never speak of it again.

Decided to drop the engine and box out from the bottom with the subframe so I could do a little work on strengthening things for the new 6 cylinder plant.


Both the engine mounting plates gusseted



The steering rack mounts looked like they only had 3 spot welds holding them on so they got some treatment as well


A quick lick of paint and all going well the new engine set up will be in tomorrow night.

[Flat Eric]

I was trying to get a LHD cam from Holland but the chap would not budge from a pretty mega price. Nearly had a LHD KE from Portugal too but that fell through so this is about as close to a cam as I can afford right now !

Thanks Gem but I got something sorted, might be onto you about that LSD and subframe if you still have it though.

Bring on Tullow Pete, although all going well Im hoping to do Mondello in a couple of weeks !.

And just to save any more questions, this is why I need something LHD

[kev.skyline]

would you not throw in an e36/46 rack, 5.5 turns is quite special.

[MCNSPORT.com]

bit late now but i no where there is a lhd rack subframe dash etc for 86

french brakes sound dodgey dont believe u did that!!

[s13-ste]

french brakes sound dodgey dont believe u did that!!

i think it has to be done when doing the 2.5 swap.