My car 318 76 model converting to 323i

[Atle_323i]

How did you work out that exhaust? I am hoping for the pre production 323i exhausts, both inwards, like you'd planned. That would be so cool!!

And indeed, great details! Love to see how those smoked headlights will look in that stunning white e21.

The exhaust is not done yet, I need the engine in, to start the fitting of the exhaust from the front to the back. I hope the original 323i rear mufflers is not too long, because I need to bend the end pipe inward the center and out. It might be a tight turn, but I hope not. I will make it work somehow, because I want my car to have that setup.

The VW headlamps will a project later on, because I want to use as much original parts before I have to get the car aproved after I´m done, and in my application I have stated that I will use original parts, as much as possible. But I will try out the VW headlamps, because I think it might look cool, with the black grill.

[uwbuurman]

Cant you use a leftside muffler and weld the endpipe 180° rotated?

[Atle_323i]

Cant you use a leftside muffler and weld the endpipe 180° rotated?

I will figure out something when I start mounting the exhaust. I got some headers that I want to use too, not sure how that will fit either. I don’t even know the brand on headers. I think they were used on an E30.

[Atle_323i]

So it finally happened, the engine is out

This was an easy task, and since the 4 cylinder is much shorter than the 6 cylinder, it went out in just seconds.
Also dropped the front axel. I noticed / meassured the front roll bar to be the same as 323i, so the previous owner probably replaced the the 22mm at some point, or did the early models have 23.5mm too?

And why is there a spring in the flexdisc for the stearing rod? I didn´t know there was one, and I accidently broke it, but does it need to be there, what is it´s function? I can´t find it anywhere in the ETK. You can barely see it on the picture showing the complete front axel.

I still need to dismantle the brake lines etc















Comparing the M20 subframe with the M10 early model.

[Jeroen]

We were wondering about that spring as well, best thing I figured is to protect the rubber coupling from wear in cases where it gets deformed, for example when it gets real warm.

Stabilizer, yeah, sounds like it was replaced at some point.

Anyway, nice milestone with the engine out!

[uwbuurman]

Like Jeroen says, I'd found that spring in my 1980 e12 528i flexdisc. But the funny thing is that is on the ETK for the e12.

Nr 10
BMW nr 32311110814
NLA, by the way

http://ills.bmwfans.info/2xo.png

This one is for lhd, e3, e12 and early e24

[Atle_323i]

I'm working on cleaning up the engine bay, preparing for welding in 323i specific items.
I cut out the battery bracket, and going to move the battery to the trunk, making the engine bay looking alot cleaner.

How big cable does people use from the battery in the trunk to engine bay?

Also noticed a rust hole when removing the firewall sound isolation. So have to fix that while I got the engine out.
Next, sandblasting in the engine bay, looking forward to doing that

Copy and paste the brake line running along the firewall.


Battery bracket out


Need to grind down the welding spots.




Rust


Grinded the welding down, need to make an earth connection around here for the wiring harness.








Clean engine bay, Chamonix (original color on the car) vs Alpinweiss.

[nic65]

the bodywork of the 323 in the radiator area is different from the 76 model, how do you plan to solve it?

[Atle_323i]

the bodywork of the 323 in the radiator area is different from the 76 model, how do you plan to solve it?

The first 323i models has the radiator placed like these pictures shows. And has an electrical fan. So there is no different doing it with my 76 modell compare to early 79 modell.

[nic65]

OK...very good!

[nic65]

p.s.
I also moved the battery to the trunk, I used a 50mm2 cable

[Atle_323i]

p.s.
I also moved the battery to the trunk, I used a 50mm2 cable

Ok, I purchased 50mm2 cable, so my guess is ok then

[nic65]

I looked at the one on my 320IS

[Jeroen]

And as the viscous fan takes up power from the engine, using an electrical fan will make the engine more lively. Win-win!

[Atle_323i]

And as the viscous fan takes up power from the engine, using an electrical fan will make the engine more lively. Win-win!

True, but still not like having a turbo on the engine