| Bill in MN |
Posted
Tuesday, Oct 17th 5:36pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 33
Minnesota USA
1988 735, 1986 535 turbo, 1981 Baur 323i |
I am to a point with the Baur in which I need to make a decision as to how I complete the project. The bodywork is done and its about ready to go to the paint shop. It's time to start on the mechanicals and this is where I'm stuck.
My dilema is whether I keep it totally original and turn it into a driveable show car or modify it. If it were a "run of the mill" 323 this would be a no brainer but given the fact its a Baur changes things.
There are several options out there, all of them with some merit. I could go through the 2.3 K Jet motor and put it back in, build up the eta "i" Motronic motor sitting in parts on the shelf or turbo either motor. The question I have is would the car be wrecked by throwing tasteful mods at it and turn it into a "sleeper" or go for originality? It's turning into one of those "as long as I'm there" kind of things. If I go mod, now's the time to further beef things up to take more power/torque and procure suspension items.
I'm a newcomer to e21's. What's the forseeable future for this thing in terms of collectablilty? This isn't to be confused with value. The thing will never really be worth a pile of money but the fact that it's a pretty rare car does mean something to me.
Thoughts?? |
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| chupchup |
Posted
Tuesday, Oct 17th 7:45pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 99
Singapore
320m20 |
i think it is really what YOU want. If you are thinking of making loads of profit in years to come beacuse of age or limited numbers (and Baurs are fairly limited just 1000+ units) then I think u ar gonna be very disappointed. E21s goat a long long way to go and it may not make it there.
Sadly the general preception is that there is the 2002, then came the E30.... no one (well not many) knows much or anything about the E21.
We are a limited die hard lot here. |
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| Bill in MN |
Posted
Tuesday, Oct 17th 8:57pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 34
Minnesota USA
1988 735, 1986 535 turbo, 1981 Baur 323i |
I've no illusion that the car is now or will ever be worth anything. It's kind of sad, really. The more I get into the project the more I realize what a great car these things are. Very much underrated! |
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| BarryA |
Posted
Tuesday, Oct 17th 10:03pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 176
Sacramento CA
81 320 |
Wouldn't necessary count on the Baur neverbeing worth anything - 10 years ago, 2002's were nearly free, and 40 years ago, you could buy a nice 356 Speedster for $1000 or less. I suspect that the market will catch up with cars like Baurs and 323s sooner or later, at least to some degree.
Given that they're fairly rare, I'd personally be a bit reluctant to make major mod's to an otherwise solid original car, but there shouldn't be any need to keep it completely restoration-stock, either. There's a lot that can be done without cutting a car up - springs, wheels, 2.5 or 2.7 Motronic motor, exhaust, Recaros, etc, all of which can be easily returned to original as long as the correct parts are saved.
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| myersport |
Posted
Wednesday, Oct 18th 1:46am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 184
east tennessee
'82 320iS. '91 327iC |
Tasteful and somewhat period correct mods and upgrades are always acceptable with our cars, except for original Alpina, Hartge, and similar cars, which are best left as they are. My opinion only.
--Dennis |
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| chupchup |
Posted
Wednesday, Oct 18th 7:46pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 100
Singapore
320m20 |
for me my modding days are pretty much over and I didn't go the extreem due to limited $$$$$ and over here the law frowns on such mods. The coppers won't hesitate stuffing u in the cell if they even suspect your car is modded.
For me now, I will keep a Baur original, and seriously with "missing parts" of the body, the car really don't like extreem mods. I will also probably keep a car with history in the original condition. Only with a car in sorry state will I do some serious mods.
I was offered an original rear spoiler for my 320/6,but I didn't take it as I was not keen to drill holes on my boot lid.
Thats just me. |
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