1985 BMW 323i Euro V8 Swap Project

Ah the E30. Perhaps the definitive new classic BMW. It's modern enough to still hold it's own among todays cars, but wears sheet metal and features design touches that are nowhere to be found anymore.

The 318i was a poker. But the 325i was a peppy little thing. This here, however, blows both out of the  water with a V8 pulled from a '94 E34.

Ok, for starters the seller has a Euro-spec 323i. The 323 was never offered here and without US emissions was slightly more engaging than our 325. It also wears sleek mini-chrome bumpers that we never got, although we did get the universal short plastic bumpers that came in '89. These are more auto-classico looking, though. The french yellow high beams finish things (although it was later scientifically proven yellow light does not improve vision in fog).

It's obviously in rough shape. There's body damage, the paint is poor and the interior is a mess. But the black sport seats and M steering wheel are pluses.

The seller says the body is rust free and the V8 engine and and trans worked good in the E34 they came from. However, there are a bunch of mechanical things left to do, and then the thing needs a thorough cleaning at at least a repaint.

I rarely post project cars due to their unfeasibility but this seems so uncomfortably in transition that somebody with a garage, time and money should finish it themselves, re-name it a 330i and drive the hell out of it (not to mention confuse the local bimmerheads).

Available here on craigslist for $4,500.