It's near impossible to discuss European performance vehicles without including the iconic letters B, M and W. The marque has carved out an enviable name for itself in the hearts and minds of North American auto enthusiasts, but ever-increasing levels of performance, technology and sticker-shock means it's possible that BMW's current popularity has captured a larger percentage of the enthusiast's wallet and perhaps less of his heart. The truth is that modern BMWs are faster and handle more precisely than most cars on the road, but whether they're truly better than ever is open to debate, at least among enthusiasts who still remember icons like the 2002Tii and E30 M3.
People like Wayzata, MN resident Stephen Petersen fondly remember the older BMWs that created the company's great name here in the USA. Not only does he remember them, he still owns two - a 1970 2002 and the Cinnabar red 1987 325is you see here. This 3-Series is actually the first BMW Stephen's owned, but he's been a fan since he was young.
As a fan of older cars, Stephen finally broke down and bought a BMW after his son purchased an E36 318is. Dad offered to help out with servicing and repairs, and the time spent on his son's car convinced Stephen he needed one of his own. The boxy shape appealed to him, so it wasn't long before the 325is was in his driveway, ready for massaging. Although he prefers the older BMWs for their appearance, affordability and tuning potential, Stephen readily admits he appreciates the technology of BMW's more recent offerings, especially the M models.
From the beginning, plans for the '87 called for mixing the new with the old, so under the hood resides a 3.2-liter S52 engine out of a '98 E36 M3. In order to make this modern engine compatible with the 20 year-old E30, Stephen converted the management to OBD1. Bear in mind that he did this four years ago, when such swaps were less common. Also consider he did all this himself and you start to understand that our Stephen is no ordinary enthusiast.
Just the epiphany of 240 horses in the lighter E30 chassis would be enough for most, but as we already concluded, there's nothing ordinary regarding Stephen's passion for his project. Inside the S52 cylinder head reside a pair of Schrick 256/264 asymmetric cams, uprated injectors and Turner Motorsport software to ensure there's enough fuel to keep them happy. For good measure, an 8 lb UUC flywheel and E34 M5 clutch have been added to the E36 six-speed transmission, which is stirred by a UUC short shifter.
From the beginning, the 325i was built to be an uncompromising track car. Little regard was given to creature comforts and every effort was made to provide the best mechanical components to get the 3-Series around a racetrack as quickly as possible. These were good handling cars in their day, but were compromised by certain suspension components that made it difficult to achieve truly great handling. Luckily for Stephen, time, BMW, and the aftermarket came to the E30's rescue.
For some of his suspension needs, Stephen again turned to BMW gurus Turner Motorsport. Starting with the basics, he purchased and installed a race-proven TMS J Stock kit, consisting of progressive Group N lowering springs, TMS-exclusive Bilstein shocks and front camber plates.
Looking for better geometry than the stock components could provide, Stephen looked to the E30 M3 for help. He used its aluminum front control arms, front and rear five-lug hubs, and offset bushings. Even the M3 doesn't provide adjustments for rear camber and toe, so Stephen modified the rear subframe for such purposes.