Date:
Sun, 25 Jan 1998
From: Arne Berglund <e21graymarket@home.net>
Subject: 323i questions
Here are some answers to you questions:
The 1981323i Euro I have has dual exhaust
Standard on all e21 323i's.
two gas tanks,
Standard on all e21s, unless you have the Alpina extended tank in the trunk.
BMW/Recaro seats,
Came on many, but not all 323i's (not mine and I'm jealous).
a Momo steering wheel,
definately not stock.
"heavy duty" Bilstein shocks
definately not stock, but a common upgrade.
an Alpina Mahogany Gearshift knob.
definately not stock.
I will soon be in the market for a So Cal or Washington (I am in British Columbia) 320/323 Body, mine has too much rust to deal with, so will a regular old 320 body accept the dual exhaust and the dual gas tank for example?
Yes you can put your running gear in a 320i body, with reservations. All mechanical parts and subframes must be swapped. Because of the US bumpers, the cutout for the dual exhaust must be done locally. It's a big conversion, rather involved. Engine, cooling system, injection, exhaust, rear suspension, brakes, differential, transmission, gauges, front struts, front subframe, and wiring. All these parts are different and need to be changed. If you're not much of a mechanic, it will be a monumental task.
BTW, the car came with 2 volumes of the BMW Repair Manual (Blue Binder), if anyone needs some info from it. Cannot supply pictures, no scanner.
If those are the repair manual for e21 323i's and you ever decide to sell one let me know.
Arne Berglund
1981 323i
1992 K75RT
Date: Sun,
25 Jan 1998 21:09:34 -0800
From: "Jack Roberts" <j.b.roberts@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: 81 323i stock or custom
Mark, it sounds to me like your 323i is a mix of stock and aftermarket parts. All E21 323i's have dual exhaust. These are the only BMWs I can think of that have dual exhaust exiting on either side at the rear of the car. As for dual gas tanks it depends on what you mean. All E21 models have two gas tanks located below the rear seat that are joined by a rather large pipe/hose. Alpina, however, offered an auxiliary gas tank that is designed to be located in the trunk above the rear axle. This tank can be installed in any E21. BMW offered optional "sport" seats manufactured by Recaro that were available in several model E21s. Some of BMW's optional "sport" steering wheels were manufactured by Momo but I'm not sure if they made them all. In general, if the manufacturer's name is most prominent on the product then it is aftermarket. If BMW's name is most prominent and the manufacturer's is understated, then it was probably installed as an option at the factory. Original equipment shocks on E21s were made by Boge so your Bilsteins are aftermarket. As is the Alpina gearshift knob, obviously.
Aside from the obvious engine/drivetrain components, the major differences between the 323i and a USA 320i body are the front cross member, front struts/brakes, radiator and frame, engine wiring harness, tachometer, and rear trailing arms/brakes. It's very straightforward to move these parts from your 323i to a 320i body--only time consuming. BTW, I would rather have a West Coast 320i body than a 323i body unless it was imported new.
I've seen too many Euro models here in California that spent their first few years in Germany and are now falling prey to the "tin worm".
Cheers,
Jack
81 323i
78 Alpina B6
Date: Tue,
27 Jan 1998
From: Arne Berglund <e21graymarket@home.net>
Subject: Rust in euro cars
BTW, I would rather have a West Coast 320i body than a 323i body unless it was imported new. I've seen too many Euro models here in California that spent their first few years in Germany and are now falling prey to the "tin worm".
I agree 100%. Here in Oregon, we have no rust problems to speak of. (Yes, it rains a lot, but no road salt.) When I was searching for a 323i, every one I looked at or talked to the owner about was rusty. The only one that wasn't was the one I ended up buying. And it was imported when new. One of the cars I considered was a very nice one US owner car. The same guy had owned it here in Oregon since 1985. When I found the rust in the shock towers (first spot it shows, generally) he was agast! He said that he had garaged it during most of the rainy seasons just so it wouldn't rust. I too blame this on the first few years in Europe and salt. Due to some smog exemptions that used to be available, many 323i's were imported after they were 5 years old, and those 5 years in the salt seem to have had their effect by now.
Arne Berglund
"The BMW E21 GrayMarket Registry"
http://members.home.net/e21graymarket/