Tech Forum : Weight of a Baur E21?

MayanArch

Posted Monday, Mar 31st 6:01am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1523

Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978

Anyone know the weight of a Baur E21? I cant find it listed on any of the books or web sites.

If not, any ideas where I could weigh mine? Truck weight stations?

Maybe? No? Against the law?

g323

Posted Friday, Apr 4th 1:23pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 243

California
323i 1982

garbage dump or metal recycling station where they weigh the car before and after entering the facility... do they do it like this in the US?

jdench

Posted Saturday, Apr 5th 12:13am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 198

Sussex, UK
1979 E21 323i, 1998 E36 323i touring

Try your local friendly grain silo, the scales are good to the nearest oz!

MayanArch

Posted Saturday, Apr 5th 8:48pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1526

Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978

Nope, they dont weigh the garbage at the dump here.

I am in Miami, Florida........nearest grain silo is probably in Oklahoma.......equal to half the distance between Miami and the UK!!! Do they weigh oranges? hmmmmm....

MayanArch

Posted Saturday, Apr 5th 8:54pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

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Post nr. 1527

Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978

The reason is that an E21 is rated at 1100 kg....or 2400 lbs. I figure that a Baur may be 200 to 300 lbs less?

I want to figure out what the horsepower to weight ratio is.

jdench

Posted Thursday, Apr 10th 3:34pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 199

Sussex, UK
1979 E21 323i, 1998 E36 323i touring

I know there is one in Eden, KS

Have you tried asking BMW? Convertibles are normally heavier, due to the extra bracing etc. I don't know if your baur will have this. They do weigh oranges, but the scales are the same as apple ones (which I use) and only go up to about 400kg. Have you got a Inspection stop for trucks nearby, sorry can't remember the proper name for them, I last worked in the US in '04

But a truck weigh scales would be your best bet, unless you buy a set of Vehicle scales like these http://www.hstscales.co.uk/viewproducts.asp?catid=25
But this seems a bit expensive for just one use!

MayanArch

Posted Sunday, Apr 13th 1:08am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

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Post nr. 1529

Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978

I am going to try a truck weigh station at my own peril. I think it is illegal, but I want to let the novelty of the car do the speaking. It turns eyes.

BMW doesnt know a thing about these.....and have largely forgotten about the E21 altogether. Any part you want is a special order. No dealerships even carry the part.

To tell you the truth, I wouldnt even trust my car to the mechanics. These new mechanics are as lost with our cars as we would be trying to fix one of those new 8 Cyl M3s.

A Baur is a novel idea. It doesnt need the extra reinforcement of a full convertible. A full convertible is a very vulnerable and haphazard structure. It literally cuts away the parts that hold the car together at the weak points: the door holes.

melloh

Posted Sunday, Apr 13th 8:52am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 655

California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is

I've casually read others use the truck weigh stations. I gues it depends on the time of day (not busy) and the mood of the person running it at the time. I too would like to do the same to see how much weight I've been able to shed versus stocks someday.

As for mechanics, I have had the good experience where most BMW shops will tell me they don't have anyone who knows the old bimmers or that I have to wait for 'the old guy' (b/c he happened to only work a couple days/week).

MayanArch

Posted Saturday, Apr 19th 3:13pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

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Post nr. 1538

Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978

Question about Horespower to Weight ratios: Our cars only weigh 2,300 pounds according to BMW. I estimate a Baur to weigh about 300 pounds less.

If you can coax 200HP out of a stroker.....that leaves the HP/LB ratio at 200/2,000. Thats the ratio of an E36 M3.

Does that mean that a stroker E21 either lightened or as a Baur will be as fast as an E36 M3??????

BruceH

Posted Saturday, Apr 19th 8:22pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1164

Atlanta, GA USA
81 323 Baur, 85 745

A 323 is 2503 lbs. Go here http://tinyurl.com/47yfw5 for specifics. My guess is that the Baur is slightly lighter without the rear glass.

MayanArch

Posted Saturday, Apr 19th 9:37pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

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Post nr. 1540

Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978

JEREMY WALTON's BMW 3-SERIES COLLECTOR GUIDE:

An E21 323i weighs 1190 Kg = 2623 Lbs.
An E21 320/6 weighs 1090 kg = 2403 Lbs
An E30 325i weights 1048 lbs = 2301 Lbs

Sounds like the mechanical fuel injection, dual exhaust, and rear calipers weigh a 100lbs more!

My Baur is a mix of all three. I am wondering where it is at.

I guess you would need to know how much the rear window, rear window steel frame, and missing steel of the roof/sunroof would weigh...and then add the weight of the convertible mechanisms.

I added: soundproofing, more speakers, and amp.

Took away: used lighter carpeting, no center resonator, used lighter 325is rear calipers, used lighter 325is fuel management.

I think the BavAuto headers are lighter than the cast headers.

Posted Sunday, Apr 20th 7:13am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

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Post nr. 58

NY, USA
82 528e2i 84 320i/4 80 320i

I think the e21 Gray Market website or some other site had this chart http://www.hyakushiki.net/spec_c~1.gif

There it shows the 323i being 2447lbs. Who knows which is right. And only 2301lbs for a 325i? wow.

For US spec e30s I've seen numbers like...
early 318i 2396lbs
early 325e 2690lbs
325i 2800+

MayanArch

Posted Sunday, Apr 20th 2:39pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1541

Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978

TJ wrote:

The E30 was known for accomplishing the feat of being lighter than its predecessor, despite added features. It is still today the lightest body made by BMW.

Bill in MN

Posted Friday, May 9th 12:18am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 197

Minnesota USA
1988 735, 1986 535 turbo, 1981 Baur 323i

OK, I weighed today at an official scale. I can take a pic of the slip if anyone feels the need to see it.

With a full tank and only my phone sitting in the console my '81 Baur came in at 2520. There are lots of mechanical things I've done to the car but none have really affected the weight in any way.

melloh

Posted Friday, May 9th 3:44am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 661

California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is

Nice. Any ideas what that puts the 1.8L @? How much lighter is the 4cyl engine? 5o lbs?

BruceH

Posted Friday, May 9th 3:30pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1171

Atlanta, GA USA
81 323 Baur, 85 745

I'm not buying the 2301 for the e30.

chupchup

Posted Sunday, May 11th 6:53pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 276

Singapore
320m20

E30 325i

I assume 4drs:
Manual 1125kg/2481lb
auto 1145kg/2525lb

convertiable
Manual 1255kg/2767lb
auto 1275kg/2811lb

Bill in MN

Posted Sunday, May 11th 10:24pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 198

Minnesota USA
1988 735, 1986 535 turbo, 1981 Baur 323i

I'm not so sure the 4cyl is much lighter than the M20. An M10 is 2/3 of an M30 and the M30 is a fair amount heavier than the M20. I'd say it's got to be close to a wash.

This is guesswork since I don't have the hard numbers in front of me.

Posted Monday, May 12th 8:33am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 60

NY, USA
82 528e2i 84 320i/4 80 320i

I think the M10 is a good 80lbs lighter than the M20. I've had both out of the car and had to move them around, there's a noticable difference.