Aus 323i (first second and third)

Share the story on your car, and photos!
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dilmah_323i
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Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Aus 323i (first second and third)

Post by dilmah_323i »

just thought i'd post some pics of my babies. and an encyclopedia of background story!!!

this was my first car, a RHD 1981 323i polaris metalic, blue velour interior, I put a pair of cannon exhaust mufflers on it, spent thousands on replacement shocks, control arms, bushes, and various other parts. I got it running beautifully and in good clean cond, then.... BANG, some old man pulled out in front of me and all of a sudden, she was no more.
whatsmore his insurance company decided $200 was fair compensation!! :evil:

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So i hunt around for a replacement and find this beauty. A 1982 323i saphir blau metalic with blue interiour. It had already had extensive mods, including lowering, 16" rims and a 2.7 litre with an alpina cam. :D but it was fairly run down and before i knew it i had spent another cupla grand doing pretty much the same stuff i did to my first e21 (struts, coils, bushes, lower control arms, driveshaft center bearing etc.
then after restoring to good running condition.... BANG, some petite woman in a Nissan patrol with a chunky steel bullbar ploughs into the back of me at around 60 kmph. :evil: :evil:
This time however i was prepared, with a comprahensive insurance policy with an agreed value of $12,500 au. :)
I then purchased the wreck back at auction for a parts car.

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which brings me to my latest girl a 1981 323i, graphit metalic with Black velour/vinal interior. bought in a completely dilapedated cond. with the intentions of doing minimal to it and using as a runaround till i found a mint'a.
but once i started putting the parts from my parts car on it, i couldn't stop, and soon pretty much everything was changed, steering wheel, whole front supension, driveshaft, diff, wheels (16" x 7"wide with 205/50 tires at the front and 225/50 at the rear), halfshafts, brakes, converted it to power steering etc.
Then came more tasty upgrades bilsteins, DBA slotted rotors, e30 rear brakes, poly eurathane filled sub frame mounts and lower control arm bushes (gets rid of shimmy), whiteline additional front sway bar kit. pod filter and battery relocation to trunk. lowered king springs (rear) and lovells progressive rate lowering springs reset another inch lower (front).
strut brace (front) and a Zender front spoiler (side skirts being painted as we speak).
soon i will install the 2.7 m20 with alpina cam from my old car, twin rear swaybar kit. and a locked (welded) diff (always looking for an LSD :wink: ). and oneday in the not too distant future a supercharger :twisted:
and im sure ive forgotten a few things aswell

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so thanks for taking the time to have a look at my e21s. Ill take some more pics after washing the old girl this wkend, and engine bay fotos too.

ps. great site Jeroen!!! an absolute wealth of knowledge and safe to say without it id still be paying mechanics to do work for me!

cheers Dylan


81 323i polaris metalic, stock (gone, sniff)
82 323i saphir blau metalic, bilsteins, 2.7 w/ alpina cam (gone, sniff)
81 323i graphit metalic, lowered, 16's, stiffened, short shift, 2.7 w/ alpina cam comming soon
skyflyer

Post by skyflyer »

Beautiful car. Sorry for the first car though...
hadrian
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Post by hadrian »

sweet cars
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dilmah_323i
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Post by dilmah_323i »

cheers :) its getting there
81 323i polaris metalic, stock (gone, sniff)
82 323i saphir blau metalic, bilsteins, 2.7 w/ alpina cam (gone, sniff)
81 323i graphit metalic, lowered, 16's, stiffened, short shift, 2.7 w/ alpina cam comming soon
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Jeroen
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My E21(s): '81 323i Baur
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Post by Jeroen »

Thanks and welcome mate!

Graphite still is a beautiful and rare paint color... hope this one gets to stay in one piece a little longer!
Regards/groeten, Jeroen
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dilmah_323i
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Post by dilmah_323i »

jeroen wrote "Graphite still is a beautiful and rare paint color..."

yeah I LOVE the colour, its the shade my first cars would've ended up had I ever got around to painting 'em.

jeroen wrote "hope this one gets to stay in one piece a little longer!"

yeah im thinking big bull bars and a coat of fluroesent orange paint :wink:
that should help no-one will crash into me then!
81 323i polaris metalic, stock (gone, sniff)
82 323i saphir blau metalic, bilsteins, 2.7 w/ alpina cam (gone, sniff)
81 323i graphit metalic, lowered, 16's, stiffened, short shift, 2.7 w/ alpina cam comming soon
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mbuus
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My E21(s): 82' 323i silver manual
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Post by mbuus »

Nice set of e21s mate and always a pleasure to see another Australian hit the forums!

Its a real shame about the first 2 e21s... bloody old people!! At least you have yourself a nice graphite one now, just like the one i have 8) hope to see more pics of it as you progress with your upgrades.

Your looking for a LSD? Ill be selling my 3.45 LSD in the next 3-6months, she is in fantastic condition tight and has had regular oil changes, with receipts from the previous owner to prove it.
E34 M5 Artic Silver Mettalic AC Schnitzer Special
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dilmah_323i
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Post by dilmah_323i »

LSD you say? hmmm sweet
well youll have to let me know when it comes up!
81 323i polaris metalic, stock (gone, sniff)
82 323i saphir blau metalic, bilsteins, 2.7 w/ alpina cam (gone, sniff)
81 323i graphit metalic, lowered, 16's, stiffened, short shift, 2.7 w/ alpina cam comming soon
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dilmah_323i
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Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Post by dilmah_323i »

more pics

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using a 520i (?) air intake plenem to feed from the pod to the k-jet
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81 323i polaris metalic, stock (gone, sniff)
82 323i saphir blau metalic, bilsteins, 2.7 w/ alpina cam (gone, sniff)
81 323i graphit metalic, lowered, 16's, stiffened, short shift, 2.7 w/ alpina cam comming soon
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Jeroen
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My E21(s): '81 323i Baur
Location: The Netherlands
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Post by Jeroen »

Hmmm interesting intake conversion!
Regards/groeten, Jeroen
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gerrit323
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My E21(s): '82 e21 323i hartge
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Post by gerrit323 »

Nice to see you aren't givin up e21 after 2 accidents ... Surely DIE HARD fan :lol:

Hope this is your lucky one ... enjoy :wink:

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RR
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Post by RR »

is that battery just sitting there? :shock:

That dodgy checkerplate stuff has to go as well

I'm originally from Adelaide myself, I'm getting all misty eyed seeing the old SA numberplates again :lol:
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dilmah_323i
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Post by dilmah_323i »

RR wrote "is that battery just sitting there? "

no the battery is currently held in with one of those universal battery hook and u bolt thingies. I will invest in one of those sealed battery box's when i put the fuel pump (cluster) in the boot.

the intake conversion was done (like most of mods) just for something to do. works quite well though
81 323i polaris metalic, stock (gone, sniff)
82 323i saphir blau metalic, bilsteins, 2.7 w/ alpina cam (gone, sniff)
81 323i graphit metalic, lowered, 16's, stiffened, short shift, 2.7 w/ alpina cam comming soon
filleke69
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Post by filleke69 »

NEVER STOP TUNING...otherwise...>>>bang :d
pas nieuw E21'ske gekocht :)


Getver...rijdt zalig.
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ZenderE21
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My E21(s): '82 318i
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by ZenderE21 »

Tidy interiors on all of them. Also like the Ally window winders, nice touch.

good luck with this one mate, and good to see another Aussie on the boards.
1983 318i - Sapphireblau Metallic, 5spd
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