E21 318I from France [newbie]

ollycarbs · Post by **ollycarbs** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:26 pm

Hello all!

i was looking around this forum for one or two weeks and i realize it is now time to show you my proudly owned E21:

a 318I alpinweiß from 1982, always in the same family before i bought it to a friend 6 months ago.
280 000kms ans still run very well!
she saves me when my vw daily driver broke down in january!

about me:
young prototype maker, barely 23 yo, design studies and graduation, i love old car raleted stuff and old stuff in general, before 1990 or 1980 say, i love to use my cameras (film or digital) and i love to work on my cars!!!

plans for my beloved E21 is a lowering but overall better shocks an springs, it is now a boat on the road, suspension is stock from 1982!
i have rear disc brakes axle from a 323i yet. i plan to buy some better bushings too.
for the suspension i was thinking about KYB shocks and some 60/40 lowering springs found on ebay.de but i read it would be better to choose a Bilstein HD shocks+H&R springs setup...
i don't know what to choose considering bilstein+H&R are really too expensive for me at the moment!

i am currently buying a new waterpump and thermostat in prevision!

later i want to chnage my wheels for BBS or BBS looking in 15" or for oldstyle wide 3 parts 13" wheels liks PLS, gotti or Tramont, or perhaps(and it is my main idea) a set of widened stock 13" steelies in 7,5"front and 8,5" or 9"rear.

OK, so i will get back to learn more about what i have to do and not to do on my car!

Tate · Post by **Tate** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:54 pm

Nice E21, but where are your yellow headlights?

gerrit323 · Post by **gerrit323** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:00 pm

Nice 318i you have there ... some advice on the schocks ... save some money until you can buy the Bilstein/H&R setup probably the best still available combination for e21 ... Don't buy the cheaper stuff ... Many of us members have the Bilsteins installed and I haven't heard any complains.

... and Welcome

Gerrit

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:17 pm

Welcome here, nice to hear the old lady is still going strong! Nice pics too btw!

--ALPINA-- · Post by **--ALPINA--** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:28 pm

Hi nice car mate, welcome here and also believe what gerrit323 says!!!!!

j

ollycarbs · Post by **ollycarbs** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:21 pm

hay many thanks for the car, the advice and for the pics!

i never seen the two headlights E21 with yellow glass, but my friend that have a 323I has the 4 yellow headlights, he explains me that the 4 cylinders models have 2 white headlights and the 6cylinders models have 4 yellow headlights.

for the suspension, i will follow what you are telling me! but another question come to me, have i to choose bilstein HD or bilstein B4? i can't find bilsteins for other models than 320i, does they have the same shocks?
a friend of mine tells me that bilstein HD will be sufficient for sporty road use and bilstein B4 will be ok for competition, i don't plan to do track so often, HD would be a good alternative i guess.

for the pics, those one are made with an old '76 Nikon Nikkormat film camera with a 50mm f1,2 lens, the last one was a test with an older Lubitel 2 (it is the only picture i can save on the 6 i took!) i also have an old Canon AT1, a Holga, a Lomography Fisheye, some other film camera not working anymore or impossible to find some films for them (old agfa, kodak brownies) and a digital canon EOS 300d or rebel!
OK that is all for the moment,

i can't wait to have some new shocks and springs because it is frightening sometimes...

what a novel i write there, sorry!

--ALPINA-- · Post by **--ALPINA--** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:53 pm

what camera in the last black and white picture was taken with??? bit of a 1940`s style..

j

ollycarbs · Post by **ollycarbs** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:38 pm

you are not far from the truth, it was taken with an old Lubitel2 produced from 1950 to 1977 but mine is in very bad condition so it increase the old style of the picture!
the camera looks like that: