Presenting the latest addition to the Motoring Con Brio stable..
..a 1989 Delphin Metallic 325i. Hat tip to the previous owner(s) for modifying it pretty darn well— there are a lot of badly modified E30s out there, and we are pleased to report that this isn’t one of them. It’s a little rough/unfinished around the edges (which we certainly don’t mind), but not counting the little things here and there that will need to be addressed over time, we cautiously venture to say that much of the heavy lifting seems to have already been done.
Is it an M3, that most lustworthy of E30s? No. But we’re certainly not complaining. We are happy to be the latest to assume ownership of this magnificent – if unassuming – machine, which has aged gracefully during its now twenty (!) some-odd years of being. The lines still look fresh, and in the metal, it remains every bit the head turner we remember it being in our youth, its classic Teutonic appeal undiminished. We’d argue that not even the E36 – a car we don’t dislike, by the way – can make that claim.
We hope (and expect) that it’ll make us better drivers, as we learn the fine art of momentum driving and extracting the most out of its modest (by modern standards) ~ 178 horsepower (with chip) and 164 lb-ft of torque.
Look for more of this (photos and video) over the course of the year. Should be a good one.
Motoring Con Brio 
Your car and the ‘hood look sinister. Mazel tov!
Tamerlane said this on January 21, 2011 at 12:12 am
Well done guys. I agree, the E30’s still look the part, possibly more so, twenty years on (and in any of their body forms for that fact).
Looking forward to reading about it, and your drives.
Alasdair said this on January 21, 2011 at 4:27 am
Sweet!!! So this is the one you spoke of? Good canvas! Needs some TSX projectors 😉
Brandon: Richmond, VA said this on January 21, 2011 at 8:40 am
Congratz!! Nice Beemer 🙂
R-sport said this on January 21, 2011 at 9:28 am
Mazel Tov. Peter and I just bought one of these for an ice racing/summer track machine. It’s going to get a full cage and safety system…oh yeah, ours is a lowly 325e.
Derek Kreindler said this on January 21, 2011 at 11:06 am
Congrats! Drive it in health!
Automobiliac said this on January 21, 2011 at 11:11 am
Very nice! This car does have the edge over the M3 in one (crucial) aspect: The sound of a silky-smooth small-capacity straight-six. Hmmmm….
Etienne said this on January 21, 2011 at 11:26 am
I regret not buying a black E30 325is from my friend when I had the opportunity a few years ago.
Mike said this on January 21, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Congrats. Really a timeless shape.
If you think 178hp is modest, you should have taken a ride in my ’91 318is. 136 big ones!
Looks like maybe yours has had a 5-lug swap? Those look like E32 wheels if I’m not mistaken… I had them on my E28.
Ardelean said this on January 21, 2011 at 3:38 pm
mike: close! they are E38s. and you are correct, the car has had a 5-lug swap. which is cool, but i would have been just as happy with the stock 4-lug setup— i happen to think 15×7 is the best look on these cars anyhow. as for 325i versus 318is, true enough, but doesn’t the 318 also have less weight to carry around? 🙂 in truth, if the right m42 had come around, i could’ve gone that route. more than anything, i was interested in a clean car, regardless of displacement.
brandon: i ended up going with a pre-fabbed HID kit, which should be more than enough for my needs based on what i’ve been seeing. the retrofit projectors were cool, but i needed something more within my budget!
thank you all for the well-wishes!
motoringconbrio said this on January 21, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Congrats on a great pickup! She’s definitely a looker! Tell us more about the specs. Suspension setup, LSD?
tailhappy said this on January 21, 2011 at 4:32 pm
Oh, and reverse rake? 😛
tailhappy said this on January 21, 2011 at 4:34 pm
aha! one of those weird bmw things. the drop is even but the gap looks larger in the front than in the rear. from what i can tell, some people actually prefer that look in these cars (BMWs, not just E30s). it doesn’t bother me.
suspension is bilstein/h&r shocks and springs. car came with an lsd from the factory 🙂
motoringconbrio said this on January 21, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Was the LSD a factory installed option? Because I always understood that just the “is” models had factory LSD, and even then, not all US-bound “is”‘s had them. Which is why I skipped so many 325i’s before I got the GLI…dumb!
tailhappy said this on January 21, 2011 at 11:45 pm
yes, factory-installed i believe. i think all 325is’s (including all US-bound) had LSD, and were an option on the 325i’s:
how’s the miata doing?
motoringconbrio said this on January 26, 2011 at 12:06 pm
Late model cars like yours have a lower rear arch, creating reverse rake. Early models have higher arches and look level. (even though both are level already)
Ben Lodsin said this on January 24, 2012 at 11:37 am
thanks ben. that is what i wanted to say but wasn’t able to articulate the way you just did 😉
motoringconbrio said this on January 24, 2012 at 11:42 am
Most welcome, you’ve got a beautiful delphin. Don’t harm that e30 or I will come steal your 5 lug swap (is it e30 m3 or e36?) and your style 5’s!
Ben Lodsin said this on January 25, 2012 at 1:30 pm
e30 m3 🙂
here is a link to the r3v CORE thread, by the way:
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=209848
motoringconbrio said this on January 25, 2012 at 1:32 pm
Doh yeah E38. 16×8 is a sweet size for both E30 and E28… but I feel you on the 15s too. You gotta try those E38 wheels without the caps sometime… they look meeeeaaaaan.
Yeah the M42 was fun and very well balanced because of the light front end. It made me work for the power; not much fun in traffic but lots of fun up and down Beverly Glen where I lived back then.
I was coming out of an E46 325i wagon at the time and to be honest, even though the 318 was like 3 seconds slower 0-60, it didn’t feel that slow in driving comparison.
Anyway more power is good and you are gonna have fun getting tail happy in that thing. Enjoy.
Ardelean said this on January 21, 2011 at 4:44 pm
i may at some point need to run them without the caps. to be honest i like the clean oem look with them on, but i would also like to do a wheel stud conversion. from what i understand, the studs are just a little too long to fit beneath the caps.
it’s not a bad look, just not as oem.
motoringconbrio said this on January 21, 2011 at 5:28 pm
Congrats on the excellent purchase! BMWs are a dream to drive and work on. Treat it right, and it will reward you in spades. I absolutely love my 328is, but I’d certainly love to add an E30 to the stable, too.
ZeGerman said this on January 21, 2011 at 10:09 pm
Great choice guys. I personally love the E38 wheels, gives a stockish look with a more serious wheel arch filling.
Envious of your new purchase and excited to hear about your times with it. Hopefully it will inform my own E30-having sometime.
nater said this on January 22, 2011 at 2:02 am
I almost bought one of those some month ago. I chickened out because it was a foreign car and had an alarming burned oil flavor after our test drive.
I still regret my decision.
Congrats for the buy it looks superb !
Julien Mahiels said this on January 22, 2011 at 1:11 pm
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Motoring Con Brio’s new E30. « IEDEI said this on January 23, 2011 at 3:27 pm