E30 to M3 conversion...

[A930Rocket]

EDIT: Title should read E30 to M3 wheel flares...

My 17 y/o son is off the jacked up F150 truck idea and has seen the light with my 1991 E30, but he want's an E30 M3. Real E30 M3's are out of our price range, but buying an 87-91 E30 to fix up over time and convert the E30 fenders to M3 fenders is an idea I'm bouncing around.

We don't want to build a full blown replica (too much time and money), but just want the flared fenders with wider wheels, new paint, a clean interior with aftermarket seats, etc. The front fenders and side skirts bolt IIRC, but the rear fenders will need to be grafted on.

What is the downside to doing this project? How hard/easy would it be to graft the rear M3 fenders on the E30? Remember, we are not looking for a show car, but a car he and I can work on together and make into a cool little street car for his senior year.

Pics for inspiration.

[Jim Bremner]

needs LS2 !

[A930Rocket]

I'd like to find an E30 with the M42 engine as the donor, as it's been a great little motor in my car.

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

needs LS2 !

[rturbo 930]

The rear C pillar/window frame is going to be the hardest part. Only place you can get it is off of an M3 parts car.

This thread will give you a good idea of what the process will be: E30 M3 Steel Bodywork Conversion - R3VLimited Forums

BTW, you might want to use an early E30 ('87 and older) for the conversion since they have the correct tail light panel already.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I've seen a few similar builds on bimmerforums, if you are bodywork savvy it's totally doable. I'm not sure about sourcing either the flares or the entire fenders to install, if there aren't aftermarket options it could get expensive fast. 5-lug conversions are really common so that shouldn't be an issue, and it's a good time to upgrade brakes/suspension. Personally I would swap in an S50/S52, they are cheap and easy to find and fitting one into an E30 is easy and well documented.

[slow&rusty]

The rear (flared) fender work would be tricky

[89911]

I would keep a close eye on your budget and goal. You may end up with a clone of a car that is actually more expensive then the original.

[klaus]

Can it be done? Sure, but it is going to be very expensive and time consuming to do it right. Here is a thread where someone did the body conversion the propper way:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=196500

And while I understand the desire to have the e30 M3 look, maybe something along the lines of a euro bumper conversion would make sense, that way if you son changes his mind back to wanting an F150 you have not thrown tons of money at a project you cannot sell.

Euro bumpers can be seen on this car:

http://bringatrailer.com/2009/05/12/rare-in-the-usa-1985-alpina-b6/

[VincentVega]

Give him some time, he'll change his mind again.

[javadog]

Skip the M3 clone idea and buy a 325iS, preferably a later one, and fix it up. Those can be made to look nice and they are a nice driving car. You'll get more of your money back than if you try to make an M3 clone. There are a lot of differences on an M3 body and the fenders are just the tip of the iceberg.

JR

[asphaltgambler]

Originally Posted by 89911

I would keep a close eye on your budget and goal. You may end up with a clone of a car that is actually more expensive then the original.

This >

I do feel very qualified to comment on this as I have completed many restorations on very different types of vehicles. A better way to do this would be to skip the body mods and find a good E30 'IS' 6 cyl / manual trans car. The "IS" cars already have the sport suspension, sport seats, lower rear gearing usually with posi-trak and the 6cyl cars respond really well to the typical bolt on / chip tuning mods.

The problem is with this particular model is finding all the stuff to make it a clone and the work and $$$ that goes with it.

M/O is the 6 cyl IS car is a much cheaper choice and a really good platform to start with and in all honesty, when modded will probably out-perform a M3

[widebody911]

There's a kid locally that's done an S50 conversion in an E30, but he left the bodywork stock.

I used to see another E30 running around that had an S50 conversion and M3 bodywork, but I don't know if it was a real M3 or an ///Mposter

[sck007]

Originally Posted by javadog

Skip the M3 clone idea and buy a 325iS, preferably a later one, and fix it up. Those can be made to look nice and they are a nice driving car. You'll get more of your money back than if you try to make an M3 clone. There are a lot of differences on an M3 body and the fenders are just the tip of the iceberg.

JR

+1

My 1st BMW was a 1989 E30...

[A930Rocket]

Thanks guys. The front fenders are $250 each new. Rear fenders are $400 new each. Side skirts $200 I think. We would keep the stock engine and suspension. Just wider 4 lug wheels (unless I could swap to 5 lug hubs very cheap to get 5 lug wheels cheaper). In no way are we looking at a clone, but just a fun car for his senior year and college.

All a pipe dream? Maybe, but it keeps us talking and thinking.

[Nostril Cheese]

Keep in mind that he will have to cut off the entire rear quarter panel and weld on the M3 rear fenders. At the same time, he'll need the M3 trunk lid and also the rear roof.

[A930Rocket]

My thoughts were to graft the fender only. No C pillar or trunk mods. The trunk wluld have a small apoiler like my e30.

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Keep in mind that he will have to cut off the entire rear quarter panel and weld on the M3 rear fenders. At the same time, he'll need the M3 trunk lid and also the rear roof.

[A930Rocket]

I could always go the Vorshlag route, temping up cardboard adn converting it to steel.

[Jim Bremner]

Notice the engine in the Vorshlag? And yes, I would think that you could form your own for sub $800

[Schumi]

Save money, buy and restore a 944 Turbo, it already has the flares and the power and a far superior chassis to a stock E30.

Probably not the advice you're looking for.

[ZOO]

Just not sure why you'd want to make it look like an M3 rip off. Especially if you are keeping the stock motor and suspension. An E30 is one of the prettiest cars of the last 25 years -- and I don't think an E30 M3 is any prettier than a standard one.

I'd rather take the resources to making a fast, reliable E30, than a half-assed M3 replica.