cons to an '87?

#1

Hey guys,

Well the car hunting continues. I did find a pretty clean '87 325is in town, though. I was wondering what you guys thought of the pros/cons to an '87 vs. an 88/89+. I know the bumpers are different and everyone thinks theyre ugly, but for a race car are they any better or worse? Seems like maybe a little more impact protection? I’ve read they actually weigh less… can that be true??

Any issues w/ the different radiator hose configuration using stiff enging mounts?

Any other pros/cons of an '87 over a later car? This car looks good, but i’ll hold out for a later car if its justified.

Thanks again,
Dan

#2

As the owner of a '87, I don’t think it makes one bit of difference either way. I find way more diving board bumper cars in the junkyards than the newer ones, which means easier body parts sourcing should an errant, spinning 944 get in my way. :laugh:

#3

This information is not 100% confirmed but this is how I understand it.

'87 - Has Big bumpers, hard to find spoiler of one piece, smaller gas tank, two fuel pumps. May have battary in front (but I think you can move this)

'88 - Has big bumpers, metal valance and spoiler of the '89-'91 cars, larger gas tank and one in-tank fuel pump.

'89 and greater - Plastic bumpers, metal valance and spiler, larger gas tank and one in-tank fuel pump.

Other than those, I am not sure there are much differences. I have an '89 E30 ITS car that has gone through 3 front bumpers. My Spec E30 is a '88 so hope it will be more durable.

#4

I have an '87 325iS… most of what IlateApex wrote is correct (except for the 1987 battery location). The rear bodywork also changed (wheel well arches were lowered, rear valance was added and tail lights were changed in 88+).

The pre-88 iS spoiler is a real pain to get off and on (there are 6 hidden 10mm bolts that can’t be reached with a socket wrench – only a flat combination wrench) and the fuel system has a smaller tank, two pumps and a "fuel cooling system" that complicates the removal of the air conditioning lines.

That said, the parts for the '87 – other than the spoiler – are cheaper than the parts for the '88+, so there is a trade-off. (A gas tank is ~$330 vs. ~$580)

IMHO, the metal bumpers do make a difference (pro: they’re much stronger than the plastic, for obvious reasons, if you get hit; con: they’re heavy).

If you decide that you don’t want the '87 after all, I’d strongly suggest the '88 – metal bumpers and no airbag to disarm.

#5

Whatever you decide on, just make sure to avoid Bronzit!

#6

do the dual fuel pumps help w/ fuel starvation at all? Is the smaller gas tank a race limitation?

I’ve read that '87s are lighter cars… any truth to that?

I imagine tucking diving boards would be a bad idea for a race car… or are they only for 5mph impacts and there is still a more solid ‘defense’ against bigger impacts behind the shocks?

Can this fuel cooling system be deleted w/ the A/C?

Thanks again

#7

Maybe I haven’t dug far enough into the car to find it, but I haven’t noticed any association of the A/C system and the fuel system. Looks to me like the A/C system is only on the right side of the engine and the fuel system on the left side. Could you elaborate on that?

#8

IIRC from earlier threads about fuel starvation, the problem never seemed to coalesce around the early or later (2 pumps vs 1) style tank/fuel systems.

Rather, it seems like it depends on some other variables, like condition of the pumps, physical damage to fuel pickup areas (count off: who has an unbent fuel tank?) Most of them have been pranged on the road or bent by a dipwad with a lift that may be contributing to pickup problems.

Again, I’m not sure if weight varies much from early to late, but we all run the same min weights and have about the same issues/options in getting down to weight.

Lots of guys collapse the metal bumpers for looks, but seems like if you’re going to run diving boards you should leave them stock for the full benefits of protection.

I can run my 89 car down to an indicated 6 liters on the OBC, which I’m sure is an optimistic reading, w/o starvation, but lots of the early tank guys can do the same.

Get the best condition/price you can find from the 87+ selection and get busy with the build!

#9

what the guys already said :slight_smile: If it is a good deal - get the car.

jlevie wrote:

That “interlocking� of fuel an AC systems is unique to 87 model AFAIK (BMW introduced it that production year and then abandon it). Fuel line comes from driver side, hugs the firewall and goes to the pass side of the car. There it “wraps� (sort of) around AC line and goes back to driver side of the car.
I have apic of it someplace – if I find it I’ll edit this post.

Igor

#10

jlevie wrote:

'87 iS Fuel Cooler Info:
http://spece30.com/component/option,com_mamboboard/Itemid,/func,view/catid,16/id,1791/#1791

#11

The fuel cooling delete was easy. The hard lines running across the firewall come right off and you connect the rubber hose off the regulator to the fuel return hard line next to steering flex thingie. I didn’t even have to get a longer rubber hose.
Granted, this is from memory so don’t hold this as gospel. If you don’t remove it, you’ll have a big chunk of a/c conduit hanging off a fuel line, :blink: so it was the first thing I did after tossing the a/c compressor.

#12

Jamie is right. All we did was reconnect the line to the feed line from the fuel pump - located under the brake booster. It was easy to remove for such an elaborate system.

Ed

#13

I have two 87s downstairs without this. Was it just early 87s? Previous owners take it off?

#14

Mine was built 4/87 and doesn’t have the fuel cooler.

#15

I’ve got a 6/87 and i don’t see that either (now that I know what I’d be looking for).

#16

mine is 2/87 and has it

#17

155MPH wrote:

Nice.

#18

Well i went and got the '87. I drove great and very tight. Ran good. Looked good. shrug.

#19

In my opinion, 1987 was a great year and by far the best year for the E30…it’s aged well and peaking now with an overtone of quickness in the bouquet and a hint of of kick ass on the nose.

Sorry, wineman humor thats not even funny to wine people…ask JP

#20

Ditto on the '87 accolades. We have 2 - a 1/87 and a 2/87 (there were some minor changes after 4/87 - water pump, belt tensioner I think).

Both of our cars had the A/C fuel cooling stuff.

Only real advice - check the ECU. If it is a "153" might want to get a spare. This was an early software version and prone to problems. Get a spare, a 173 or 225 should work fine - we have one of each and they work fine.

Enjoy the car!
Ed