Before everything was painted, the fenders were rolled and pulled. "It looks more Euro with the aggressive fenders and poked wheels," he explained.
"The paint was a mess when I got it," he told us. So the fresh coat along with the new parts gave this E30 the makeover it deserved.
The right set of wheels would follow next, and ESM Wheels would deliver on the project. "We knew there was a market for four-lug, low-offset wheels, so we worked with overseas manufacturers to create our own designs," Ary revealed. The wheel used here was the 16x9" ESM 002, which shares similarities to the BBS RS.
It's a one-piece cast aluminum wheel. "They're made to be cost-effective, nice quality and everybody can afford them," he explained.
Because Ary's fenders were pulled, he used wheel spacers to push the rims out. For most E30 applications, his wheels bolt on without modification - there are 11 ESM designs from 15-18" in colors such as silver, black, flat black and gunmetal.
Ary thought lowering the car would be just as easy, but it was an enormous headache: "We had to do it four times to get it right," he remembered. "The car wouldn't go low enough."
First, he tried an Eibach Pro kit. He even cut two coils from the springs to see if it would be low enough. Then he installed coilovers in the front but that didn't work either. Eventually, he shortened the struts and used a shorter Porsche damper to get the front to sit right.
The rear suspension used a tiny 5" spring from Eibach, matched to Bilstein HD shocks. Ary was happy to report that all four tires are now resting in the fenders.
The interior followed, with Momo seats taking center stage in black cloth with silver piping. Ary then reupholstered the rear seats himself to match. The harnesses were from G-Force, which were anchored to a NRG roll-bar that was color-matched to the car.
Last but not least was the engine. Ary wanted to keep the car as a daily cruiser, so power wasn't a priority. This was the reason he stuck with the 101hp, 103 lb-ft 1.8 liter M10 four-cylinder. Minor upgrades were made to improve throttle response, such as a cold-air intake, 2002 headers and cat-less exhaust. "It has enough torque for a daily driver," he said, "but the purpose of the car was to be different. I've never seen a modified TC Baur in the US, so I wanted to build something you'd see on the streets in Germany. And since I run European license plates, the car looks as if it's from there."
Through the resources of his own businesses, Ary has created a hardcore Euro flavor for this 318i. It's not the fastest car on the street, but it does look great topless.
Tech Spec
1984 BMW TC BAUR 318i
Owner: Ary Minassian
Location: Northridge, CA
Occupation: Owner of Euro Stop USA,
DTMFiberWerks, ESM Wheels
Engine: 1.8 liter M10 four-cylinder with cold-air intake, 2002 headers, custom downpipe to 2.25" Euro Stop exhaust
Drivetrain: four-speed manual with Z3 short-shift kit
Brakes: 20AE 12.3" front rotors, stock rear, painted calipers all round
Suspension: custom coilovers with shortened struts and Porsche Bilstein dampers, Eibach springs, adjustable front camber plates, polished stainless strut bars front and rear
Wheels & Tires: 16x9" ESM 002 wheels, 5mm front and 10mm rear spacers, 215/45R R16 Falken Azenis tires
Exterior: DTMFiberWerkz front bumper with carbon splitter, side skirts, rear valance, carbon hood and trunk, M-Tech 1 spoiler with carbon inserts, DTM-style mirrors, eyelids, smoked Euro head- and tail lights, pulled fenders, shaved side markers, resprayed OE Delphin grey paint
Interior: Momo seats, steering wheel, shifter and e-brake handle, color-matched NRG harness bar for G-Force four-point harnesses, rear seats upholstered to match fronts
Contact: www.eurostopusa.com, www.dtmfiberwerkz.com, www.esmwheels.com
 |  16x9" ESM Wheels with plenty...  16x9" ESM Wheels with plenty of poke |  M10 motor puts out just over...  M10 motor puts out just over 100hp with Ary's mods, but this Cabrio was meant for cruising |