While some would argue a BMW M3 E30 should remain as close to its original condition as possible given the model’s importance, others see things differently. Take for example this cream sports sedan, which has gone through a full array of changes, inside and out and especially underneath the hood. By far the most striking modification is the Pandem body kit with tacked-on fender flares for a more muscular profile.
It rides on OZ Futura wheels with a custom Öhlins coilover suspension and has brakes borrowed from a Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32). Other mods include a side-exit exhaust and a stripped-out cabin with two seats featuring harnesses, a roll cage, and a Nardi steering wheel. You’ll also notice a digital instrument cluster has replaced the analog dials while some of the surfaces have been wrapped in Alcantara.
The pièce de résistance is unquestionably the S65 engine borrowed from a newer M3, specifically the E92. The naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V8 revs to over 8,000 rpm in a car with little to no sound-deadening material, so it’s exceptionally loud. Channeling the power to the rear axle is a six-speed manual gearbox also taken from an E92 M3. We’re being told the drivetrain originates from a car originally sold in Japan.
The owner says he put his prized possession on a dyno last week and found out it was making 353 horsepower at the wheels. It revs to a screaming 8,500 rpm, but getting the M3 E30 to where it is today wasn’t easy. Chad Burdette, the man behind the CB Media channel on YouTube has had the car for about a year and encountered many technical issues, mainly related to wiring and the variable valve timing system (VANOS). In the early days of the build, it was producing a measly 200-wheel horsepower, so it has come a long way since then.
Toward the end of the video, the amped-up M3 E30 is being put through its paces in Thailand at the Patong Speedway. Let’s just say the owner is quite happy with the outcome of his project car.
Source: CB Media / YouTube
