Has Rust killed my Spec E30?

#1

I discovered some very saddening details about my 1988 325is last night. I knew I had some rust in the driver side rocker panel and some on the driver side floor pan. The price was right for the car and some minor rust repair was to be expected at it is not that hard. (Time consuming and annoying, but not that hard).

Well last night I was putting the car up on jack stands. The passenger side went up very easily no problems, but when I went to jack up the left front there was a major rust crunching sound. After moving the jack and jack stand to the inner frame rail the car was in the air fine. I took off the wheels and started tearing in to the timing belt job.

I took a brake from the timing belt and went over the car with a spot light looking for what caused the rust crunching sound. I can see a little more rust on the floor pan and rocker panels that I had originally thought. Then I see it, the whole body is pulling away from the frame rail. It doesn’t look that bad, but then I see more. Following the frame rail up in to the front wheel well area there is a Huge crack in the body separating it from the frame rail. What is really strange is the passenger side of the car is like new. No rust. It is just on the driver side. I will post some pics some time when it stops raining.

I am pretty sure that this has just now become my parts car and I will have to find a new platform to build on.

Does anyone have any experience with working with floor pans and rocker panels on an E30? Is this normal for a northeast car? I am an ok welder, but not sure I want to tackle a major structure like this.

I will drive this car as my daily driver for a while anyway, but it puts my Spec E30 racing machine further away. :frowning: :frowning:

#2

doesn’t sound good but I don’t have enough experience in these repairs.
I wonder if that side of the car might have been crunched at one time.
sorry,
bruce

#3

Dan I’m was in the same situation as you. My e30 had extensive rust and I was able to get the panels replaced by a body shop. By the time I was done with all the rust, paint and the time/inconvience factor, I spent about $2000 + my time. My believe you will find it cheaper to just buy a whole new e30 that has a good body. Mine was a NE car that had had been in an accident at some point. If I had to do it over I would make sure I bought one that had a good foundation to start with.

#4

Thanks David,

I have been looking for a new car. Most of the cars near me all have a little cancer. I am still planning on stripping this car and seeing how well I could do in repairing it. This way this rust bucket can give me an education too. If I like my work, I will go ahead and keep it to turn it in to a racer. If not, I will use whatever new car I purchase as the racer.

I am going to purchase another e30 no matter what. If I dont race it, it will become my daily driver.

But all plans are on hold till I get a real job. I was outsourced about a month ago.

#5

I was in the same situation this last year, I just started a new position about a month ago. I’m a network engineer. Good luck with your job search. I didn’t get much track time this year, next year I plan to get a good bit.

#6

Here is a link to all the pictures from the beginning. http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a280/bmwbadboy/My%20Spec%20E30/

#7

WOW, the car looks great now!

Thanks for the photos and the advice!