Builds / BMW

BMW E30 M-Tech II Convertible

BMW 325i Convertible (E30), posted July 2011

BMW E30 M-Tech II Convertible, finished — Drag to compare the car as it arrived with the finished build.

BMW E30 M-Tech II Convertible, before the build — Drag to compare the car as it arrived with the finished build.

This is a story about rebuilding one of the best looking convertibles in the BMW e30 line-up, BMW E30 M-Tech II

What the car looked like when I found it

and this is the final result

I bought this car from another e30 enthusiast in CT and while on my way back home to NJ I already made phone calls and started to order the parts for it. First thing on my mind was the custom interior, so passing thru NY I stopped at my upholstery guy

The interior when I got the car

We chose Fire red with black as the future colors of the leather

You can see the sample of the leather on the hood of the car

As soon as we got the car back to the shop the work started, we replaced the stock headlights with Hella Smoked smiley European Headlights

We also installed Xenon HID slim ballast conversion as well as Euro E30 Grills and Black Euro Kidney grill

Next on the list was the instrument cluster

We had to replace all window motors, regulators and all the harnesses inside the doors

The windshield was also replaced

Swapped the old cracked tail lights with smoked ones

Repalced torn shift boot and broken shift knob with new custom boot and ZHP BMW 5 speed knob

D2 coilovers with 34 clicks of adjustability

Full tune-up including timing belt, water pump, gaskets, oils, belts, spark plugs etc.. etc...

By this time the interior was ready and we installed it in the car to see what it would look like

The next step was a complete re-paint and restoration of the body !
So we took everything apart and started this long process of bringing this E30 back to like new