Dlux BMW E21 build

[Erik D_lux]

Dunno, I usually wear baggy pants and oversize sweaters but here is photo evidence so you can check

@DawsonLiri 's pants actually pretty hipster-ish if you ask me

On a serious note, my point against big wheels on old cars is, if you don't tuck them hard the body is gonna be far from the ground and I like my old rides slammed if you enjoy them tho that's all that matters, opinions are like assholes y'know

Dawson is on the left and youre on the right? Either way, I am happy to not see the tight pants look.

I dont understand your thought on the wheels. I dont understand how a bigger wheel hits the fender faster? I guess if youre stretching tires a bunch and the wheel is the widest point? Seems like you just need to put on a set of wheels/tires with correct offset and widths that actually clear? This setup I have now clears where as my 15s didnt and this is lower. Difference is all in offset and a semi stretched tire. My coilovers are the limitation but if they were not, I am confident I could lay my front and rear subframes on the ground and still have tire clearance. Thats all with running what I think is reasonable camber too.

[Erik D_lux]

Literally laughed out loud

Love what you did to that car, love the outcome and most importantly, love that your hard work paid off and the car surpassed your expectations. That is the best part of this build.
Drive the shit out of that car.

You can get a 2.93 LSD out of a 325es or a 525es. < Not sure how the e28 "supereta" was sold in the US, but basically an E30 or E28 with a m20b27 and an LSD will have a 2.93 gears in it. E30s 325es before September 1985 should have 2.79 though.

Thanks man!

Yeah, on the lookout for a 2.93 now. I am thinking it over though and now not sure....

I paid more attention and I think the real problem is the 1st gear in this car. It just seems that its either low geared or I am just focusing on it too much. As I said above, I take off from a stop light and half way thru the intersection, driving it like half normal person, I am at 3k rpm and need to shift. That feels too slow and low to me but I was driving on the freeway last night and I think the highway ratio is pretty good. Sitting around 2400 rpm and guessing 75mph (speedo does not work yet). So, 2.93 could be nice?

Another thing I am wondering about that I dont think would be too popular is that I am thinking I should just toss my open 2.93 in. This will let me know if I like the 2.93 and I am feeling like that LSD I have now is pushing me thru turns. I wonder if I would like the open rear more? Seems like since I am not drifting my turns but I do like to take turns at speed that it could be better with an open diff? Its also super tempting because I dont have to search out that LSD rear and I could just toss this in for basically the cost of gear oil. Just thinking out loud I suppose...

[Fruttolo]

And I just have to ask....

You guys that don't like 17s, are you millennials? Do you guys wear those tight girl pants and dress like hipsters?

Dunno, I usually wear baggy pants and oversize sweaters but here is photo evidence so you can check



@DawsonLiri 's pants actually pretty hipster-ish if you ask me

On a serious note, my point against big wheels on old cars is, if you don't tuck them hard the body is gonna be far from the ground and I like my old rides slammed if you enjoy them tho that's all that matters, opinions are like assholes y'know

[gnmzl]

And I just have to ask....

You guys that don't like 17s, are you millennials? Do you guys wear those tight girl pants and dress like hipsters?

Literally laughed out loud

Love what you did to that car, love the outcome and most importantly, love that your hard work paid off and the car surpassed your expectations. That is the best part of this build.
Drive the shit out of that car.

You can get a 2.93 LSD out of a 325es or a 525es. < Not sure how the e28 "supereta" was sold in the US, but basically an E30 or E28 with a m20b27 and an LSD will have a 2.93 gears in it. E30s 325es before September 1985 should have 2.79 though.

[Erik D_lux]

And I just have to ask....

You guys that don't like 17s, are you millennials? Do you guys wear those tight girl pants and dress like hipsters?

[Erik D_lux]

Yeah, to each their own. I ***** my 15s. They looked way too small imo. I don't think I have seen a e21 that I thought was super cool that didn't run 17s except a couple that look cool on 13s.

Yeah, I will weigh it as soon as I get a shot. I think it has to be really close to stock

[Fruttolo]

Really cool to know it works well, I too am not a fan of those wheels as I think they look too modern for the e21 (and also like 15s on them), but to each their own, still a cool oem+ choice.
I'd be curious about how much the complete car weights, any chances it's gonna be weighted?

[Erik D_lux]

Man... getting your expectations met is great.

Surpassed is euphoric. Keep the content coming on this. Build was fast and heavy, would be nice to see as much content of you driving it and enjoying it.

For sure! Thanks man!

Much more to come on this build but I am going to slow it down a bit. My family and I have taken a beating and I need to be a Dad again and treat myself better. Now that I have a running car, I will relax and build the rest slow. I really just needed this car to drive, it was making me crazy.

[Miroteknik]

Its a running and driving car at this point! I got it running on Saturday and I have spent as much time driving it as I can. The amount of pleasure is overwhelming.

I really couldnt be a bit more stoked over this car. I would say 95% of the time when I look forward to anything, its usually a let down or not as good as I imagine. Well, this car is nothing like it. I had HUGE expectations and it not only met them but it surpassed them! I have no idea why this car brings so much pleasure but it does. Its my dream car and I feel very lucky to have something like this in my life.

The car drives like a brand new car. The transmission and motor run amazing! I love how smooth the transmission shifts.

Its got a good amount of power for sure but its not super crazy. I feel like the power and light weight that this motor brings to this car is absolutely perfect. I am really satisfied with it and I cant explain how fun it is to drive. I would highly suggest this swap to anybody with a E21.

I am going to have to switch out to a 2.93 rear diff, like I first planned. The 3.23 that I have now are just too deep. I am at 3k rpm half way thru the stop light in first gear and when I am in 6th gear, I am about 3k at 80mph. Hopefully a 2.93 will be perfect. Now I just have to remember where I can get an LSD with that ratio... I forgot what they were found in...

The front suspension is amazing! This car drives so much better now! Before, I had to rely on my shock valving to stop some of the sway side to side. Now, I can soften up the valving a touch for a better ride and then stiffen up the sway bar. Huge improvement and I couldnt be happier with it. I look forward to having fun tuning it.

Oh, alternator problem was that I had to bring in switched 12v to the brown wire but I also complicated it because I didnt know you had to have your output hooked up to a 12v source also. I thought you would have output with nothing hooked up so I probably bought a brand new alternator for no reason. Bummer.

Man... getting your expectations met is great.

Surpassed is euphoric. Keep the content coming on this. Build was fast and heavy, would be nice to see as much content of you driving it and enjoying it.

[Erik D_lux]

Great updates!

Not a fan of the wheels (nor the size) but let us seen how they looks mounted!

I think youre out of your damn mind! I love these wheels and I think 17's are so, so perfect on the E21. I really dislike anything smaller.

[Erik D_lux]

Its a running and driving car at this point! I got it running on Saturday and I have spent as much time driving it as I can. The amount of pleasure is overwhelming.

I really couldnt be a bit more stoked over this car. I would say 95% of the time when I look forward to anything, its usually a let down or not as good as I imagine. Well, this car is nothing like it. I had HUGE expectations and it not only met them but it surpassed them! I have no idea why this car brings so much pleasure but it does. Its my dream car and I feel very lucky to have something like this in my life.

The car drives like a brand new car. The transmission and motor run amazing! I love how smooth the transmission shifts.

Its got a good amount of power for sure but its not super crazy. I feel like the power and light weight that this motor brings to this car is absolutely perfect. I am really satisfied with it and I cant explain how fun it is to drive. I would highly suggest this swap to anybody with a E21.

I am going to have to switch out to a 2.93 rear diff, like I first planned. The 3.23 that I have now are just too deep. I am at 3k rpm half way thru the stop light in first gear and when I am in 6th gear, I am about 3k at 80mph. Hopefully a 2.93 will be perfect. Now I just have to remember where I can get an LSD with that ratio... I forgot what they were found in...

The front suspension is amazing! This car drives so much better now! Before, I had to rely on my shock valving to stop some of the sway side to side. Now, I can soften up the valving a touch for a better ride and then stiffen up the sway bar. Huge improvement and I couldnt be happier with it. I look forward to having fun tuning it.

Oh, alternator problem was that I had to bring in switched 12v to the brown wire but I also complicated it because I didnt know you had to have your output hooked up to a 12v source also. I thought you would have output with nothing hooked up so I probably bought a brand new alternator for no reason. Bummer.

[Erik D_lux]

I thought I would just keep things simple and run the stock valance. The more I thought about it, and looked at pictures, it was undeniable that the BBS front air dam looks way better. I couldnt go without so installed it went.



I also installed the front Euro bumper. I didnt want to use the Euro mounts though so I made mounts that go from the Euro bumper to the US location. I love how they turned out. Light and simple. I will be selling these soon along with my rear Euro bumper mounts, I just need to refine them a bit before they are good enough to send out to the public.





Found this engraved in my front bumper when I was cleaning it up. Kyle Schneider, you Schneiders are always thinking youre #1



I got a skid plate mounted up. I was not sure how I was going to feel about it. I didnt know how much protection it would offer. I decided to make a decent amount of space between the motor and plate to give me a good buffer. Yeah, it takes even more ground clearance away but it really makes me feel better knowing I have that room.

[DawsonLiri]

Great updates!

Not a fan of the wheels (nor the size) but let us seen how they looks mounted!

[Erik D_lux]

Hopefully you can forgive me on the lack of pictures on this update. I am too focused on getting this thing on the road so not too many were taken.

I got the front end all done and assembled. Man, its so nice to have everything adjustable unlike the rear end. Track width, wheel base and camber are all easily adjustable. This makes it so you can put everything exactly where you want. Zero compromises!

The only things I have left before this hits the road are:

Rear caliper, mine has zero flow. I have one on order but it wont be here until Monday so I will tear the one I have apart here and see if I can shake it loose.

Alternator is not charging. I dont know if its the ECU not sending a signal or the alternator itself. The alternator is brand new. I tried hooking up 12v to both inputs and I still have no output. I ordered a new one and it should be here today. Lesson learned, buy alternators and starters from local places so you can return them easily. I bought mine from Carid.com and it would take about a week to get a replacement. $250 mistake learned...

Need to make and install a motor skid plate

Need to make and install euro front bumper mounts

As you can see, not too much to do. I hope to drive it Saturday!

Here are a couple shots of the front end while assembling it.

I decided to put a bend in the sway bar arms instead of running those weird extension deals. The aluminum arms did crack and stress. One was bad enough that I welded it. Hopefully they hold, I think they will but if they do not, I will order steel versions and bend those.




Overall shot of the front end with no brakes





Overall shot of the front end with brakes and sway bar arms installed

[k1405]

damn. sick build