Although the new BMW design philosophy has garnered heavily polarized opinions from the enthusiasts all around the globe, the yesteryear Bimmers were generally liked by all. Not only were they beautiful in terms of aesthetics, but they also checked the box when it came to features and creature comforts, and of course, the performance.

However, that doesn’t mean the models were not customized and modified by the owners. Here’s one such example – a 1986 E30 325Es – that has received cosmetic surgeries and a heart transplant, and it can be yours for $42,000. Tempting?

What’s Different About This Example?

This two-door black beauty has been transformed from a classy sedan to a performance monster. The changes are more than subtle on the outside.

The bumper is an aftermarket unit as well and features fog lamps. Fortunately, the round headlights remain as it is to remind you that this is still a BMW E30. It rides on steel wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson 16.5x31 tires at the back. The rear end is old-school with the breadbox taillights, a slightly stepped-out bumper, and the BMW logo.

The black leather is original and even the door panels look stock. The leather-wrapped “Grant” steering wheel looks sweet with the BMW center cap. A JVC CD Player, which is also Bluetooth-compatible, is in place for your media needs, but I doubt anyone would use it much as the grunt from the mill will be the driver’s choice of music. The rear seats are taken off and replaced with a roll cage and a tubbed rear end. All-in-all, the cabin of this 1986 3 Series is still quite old-school. Sunroof, power windows, and updated automatic speedometer, odometer, and other gauges wind up the list for the cabin features.

German Car, American Heart

Under the hood, this E30 is a completely different animal. The original engine is swapped in favor of a small-block Chevy 350, which is a 5.7-liter, V-8 engine.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed Borg Warner Super T-10 manual gearbox. The owner has made a lot of mechanical changes, and they include:

-* Heavy-Duty Rear Brakes

-* BMW Front Brakes

-* Four-Link Adjustable Suspension

-* Narrow Ford 9” Rear

-* Koni Adjustable Shocks

-* Strange Axles

-* Pete Jackson Gear Drive

-* World Product Iron Heads

-* Steel Crank

-* Edelbrock Tunnel Ram

-* MSD Ignition System

-* RAM Clutch

-* Hurst Shifter

-* FlowTech Headers

-* Upgraded Suspension Includes: Rack and Pinion, Control Arms, Tie Rods

Final Thoughts

This 1986 BMW 3 Series looks fantastic and is a very unique example. The owner notes that despite all the changes, this car is completely street legal. It has 2,500 miles on the odometer, but that could be the clicks clocked after the engine swap. The car is available for sale in Barto, Pennsylvania and the owner is asking for $42,800.

1986 BMW E30 325Es Dimensions