I bought a badly neglected 1991 E30 this Saturday for $600. It had an automatic that had given up the ghost and was running pretty rough. It's in the rare Calypsorot (Burgundy) color. Naturally, I've taken to calling it Ron.

It's at a shop having a manual swapped in. Mechanic is checking the rough idle but I'm betting it's the MAF. Body is straight, bumpers are excellent and other than a ding in the hood it looks like it's never been hit.

To do list:
* plugs & wires
* timing belt, water pump
* guibo
* battery
* tires (likely Direzza Star Spec 195/60-14. Hard to find tires for 14" wheels!!)
* seat repair
* paint
* stereo
* retumble locks
* dash

It's already got H&R sport springs, Bilstein front and KYB gas rear shocks...suspension actually seems to be in good order, though the front end is teeth-rattingly stiff.

Right now I'm just putting it together as a fun weekday car (I spend a lot of time in crappy areas for work and taking the Cayman isn't a good idea!)

Seller's pics:

 

Bought this thing last night. Comes with HD radio and an aux-in. Not looking for high-end home audio quality here. Comes with some free 6x9s which will promptly go on ebay LOL

 

Looks good! Hope everything turns out fine with the project!

 

I guess this should go in the other BMW forum...whoops.

Very excited for this project! I'm building it up with an eye on a possible Spec E30 build in the future, so 3.73 LSD needs to go in, OEM Brembo brakes, etc.

 

Looks like a great fun project! I just shot you a PM about some spare E30 M3 parts we have off our Project M3

 

Are you going to Lemons this also?

 

^ No!! I am done building LeMons cars.

 

Why no manual?

 

Cool! Back to some old school proper driving eh! I can't believe swapping out the gearbox for a manual is cheaper/better/whatever your reason than having found a manual one from the start?

And wow, Cali weather really preserves old cars huh. If I had come across that anywhere near here, it would be a complete rust bucket. I can't even remember the last time I saw a regular E30, one that wasn't a stored and babied M3. They're all gone in Europe.

 

It's cheap enough to swap in a manual (just a few hundred bucks, and I know a guy who has one he's been itching to sell anyways) so I focused more on finding a car that was really straight and had never been hit, had a decent interior, and wasn't totally tarted up. E30s are so easy to work on, everything just swaps out. They're everywhere out here, but they're all riced and diced to oblivion. Junkyards are full of 'em, so parts are cheap and plentiful. The sun wrecks havoc on dashboards, paint and interior leather, so finding uncracked dashboards and seats that aren't split is a bit rare, but it does preserve the bodywork.

I really liked the color and I don't see many 91s, and for 600 bux I didn't need to think too hard