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Hello everyone, first post on Stanceworks, and first build thread, but long time reader and build stalker 
After moving to Orange County a few years back, I started seeing these badass little BMW cars all over the place and was hooked immediately. It took months, but I found a clean e30 with 150k miles on the original engine/trans and purchased my first non-truck/offroad vehicle. Elated, I paid the guy, fired it up and jumped on the freeway. I didn't get more than a mile down the freeway until I pulled up behind a beautiful, bone stock, bright orange car with a little BMW roundel and the numbers 2002 on the back. 3 mins into owning my perfect e30, I found my next car.
A year later, I picked up my 1973 BMW 2002. Here they are together the day I had the 02 dropped off.
Both cars sat for about 3 years. I didn't have time or the space (I'd get evicted from my home if they found me working on my car) to work on them. The e30 became a fun weekend car (picked up a super reliable crewmax Toyota Tundra the week before the 02) and the 02 became a shelf for garage stuffs since it came with an engine and 5 speed transmission, neither of which were actually in the car. So they sat.
I'd been considering turning the e30 into a track car, and maybe dropping the m20 into the 2002 instead of hooking up the m10 it came with. I considered this for 3 years since I didn't have the time, space or mechanical confidence to start my first swap. Then one day I mentioned to a friend that I'd be willing to let go of the e30 body if he'd swap the drivetrain into the 2002. A few days later, the e30 was towed away for the last time.
(I should note the e30 is named 'Misty', but since she's since been gutted for vital components, I now call her 'the e30')
1973/1987 BMW 2002/325
In the last few months the engine, trans, driveshaft, cooling, fuel system and half of the electrical systems were pulled from the e30 and installed into the 2002 by someone who actually knows what they were doing, let's call him something, like .. Allen. Over about 3 months, "Allen" got the swap about 95% completed and was able to fire it up for the first time. Now with the more complex electrical and combustable elements completed, the 2002 (Sophie) is coming back to me to finish some of the more simple mechanical tasks and get a full interior and exterior overhaul.
I'll be doing rust removal, fixing/replacing panels, paint, trim, wheels and tires. Going to take some time on this car.
Will post parts used later on. The fuel pump and cooling system was an adventure.
The full interior is being pulled, stripped and painted. I decided it would be easier for me to build in a new transmission tunnel when restoring the interior than for "Allen" to spend any more hours banging out space. A lot of people say they can make the trans fit just by hammering it out, but I made the unpopular decision to put a more economical 325e engine+trans into the 2002, which requires more space where the motor and trans meet. (the 02 will be a weekend cruiser/project car that needs to live for a long time, not go as fast as possible).
I'll be posting updates as I work, now that I've gotten her back!
After moving to Orange County a few years back, I started seeing these badass little BMW cars all over the place and was hooked immediately. It took months, but I found a clean e30 with 150k miles on the original engine/trans and purchased my first non-truck/offroad vehicle. Elated, I paid the guy, fired it up and jumped on the freeway. I didn't get more than a mile down the freeway until I pulled up behind a beautiful, bone stock, bright orange car with a little BMW roundel and the numbers 2002 on the back. 3 mins into owning my perfect e30, I found my next car.
A year later, I picked up my 1973 BMW 2002. Here they are together the day I had the 02 dropped off.
Both cars sat for about 3 years. I didn't have time or the space (I'd get evicted from my home if they found me working on my car) to work on them. The e30 became a fun weekend car (picked up a super reliable crewmax Toyota Tundra the week before the 02) and the 02 became a shelf for garage stuffs since it came with an engine and 5 speed transmission, neither of which were actually in the car. So they sat.
I'd been considering turning the e30 into a track car, and maybe dropping the m20 into the 2002 instead of hooking up the m10 it came with. I considered this for 3 years since I didn't have the time, space or mechanical confidence to start my first swap. Then one day I mentioned to a friend that I'd be willing to let go of the e30 body if he'd swap the drivetrain into the 2002. A few days later, the e30 was towed away for the last time.
(I should note the e30 is named 'Misty', but since she's since been gutted for vital components, I now call her 'the e30')
1973/1987 BMW 2002/325
In the last few months the engine, trans, driveshaft, cooling, fuel system and half of the electrical systems were pulled from the e30 and installed into the 2002 by someone who actually knows what they were doing, let's call him something, like .. Allen. Over about 3 months, "Allen" got the swap about 95% completed and was able to fire it up for the first time. Now with the more complex electrical and combustable elements completed, the 2002 (Sophie) is coming back to me to finish some of the more simple mechanical tasks and get a full interior and exterior overhaul.
I'll be doing rust removal, fixing/replacing panels, paint, trim, wheels and tires. Going to take some time on this car.
Will post parts used later on. The fuel pump and cooling system was an adventure.
The full interior is being pulled, stripped and painted. I decided it would be easier for me to build in a new transmission tunnel when restoring the interior than for "Allen" to spend any more hours banging out space. A lot of people say they can make the trans fit just by hammering it out, but I made the unpopular decision to put a more economical 325e engine+trans into the 2002, which requires more space where the motor and trans meet. (the 02 will be a weekend cruiser/project car that needs to live for a long time, not go as fast as possible).
I'll be posting updates as I work, now that I've gotten her back!
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