The E21 3 Series never quite got the fame it deserved. Consider it the original E36; a wee bit underappreciated and largely outshined by the cars that came after it. The E30 – which came after the E21 – is considered one of the best driving cars on the planet. And has been since it debuted in the mid-80s. That puts the E21 in an awkward position, despite being the true origin of the 3 Series nameplate. At the Radwood UK 2024, held in Chatham, one man decided to change that by going all-out on his self-described “waiting to be crushed” E21 3 Series.
Andrew Tidy has assembled quite the mix of parts to ensure his E21 3 Series is one of a kind. He picked the car up for 50 pounds, an astoundingly low sum, while it was waiting to be crushed. So, he took the car home, and started tinkering. Of course, that was four years ago. He paints a pretty regular picture when he spoke with Hagerty UK: “When it rained, it was pushed into the garage, and when the sun come out, and it was pulled out, and I’d work on it.” He didn’t even have any power tools.
How’s it Drive?
Well, let’s not bury the lead. Tidy says his little E21 could run “mid-to-low 11s” in a quarter-mile drag, in ideal conditions. The little 2.0-liter four has been removed in favor of a 500-horsepower small-block Chevy V8, which is why he’s dubbed his car the “355.” It bolts right up to a TH350 transmission, and a tubbed rear fits wider drag tires and a trimmed Ford nine-inch axle. These modifications – and an astute attention to detail – led the judges to proclaim the E21 as “The RADest Car of 2024.”
Perhaps the coolest thing about the car is that Tidy apparently drives it quite a bit. In that same interview, Tidy talks about the cars newfound glory. “I use it quite a lot, it’s MOTd and taxed. I even took my daughter to her school prom in it.” You can read more about the car and its owner – and view pictures – at the Hagerty UK article.
