For car enthusiasts, few things are more enjoyable than bringing back to life a vehicle that had been standing still for years. Such was the case for this BMW E36, which is now back on the road after an eight-year hiatus. YouTuber StanceWorks has been documenting his build, and in his latest episode, he finally finished it.
There is far more to this E36 than the S54 swap as the third-generation 3 Series has been thoroughly restored. The car looks impressively clean, albeit some might find the rear spoiler a bit too much. It also happens to have a Porsche front brake swap from a 996-generation 911 and an E36 M3 rear setup.
The only time it was driven in eight years was for an oil change five years ago, so a new one was in order. Borrowed from a 1995 M3, the fuel pump had to be adapted because the plugs didn’t fit. Then there were some miscellaneous items fitted to the 1993 325i, such as door mouldings, window trim, and fresh BMW roundels.
The E36 Build Is Now Complete
In previous episodes, the E36 finished in Granite Silver Metallic was restomodded with custom LED taillights some purists would scoff at. However, the owner ultimately changed his mind and put OEM amber clusters. As you can tell, the car was fully resprayed and fitted with a Momo body-hugging driver’s seat. Speaking of the interior, it was reupholstered as the last step to complete the build.
The car rides on period-correct HRE wheels flanking chunky side skirts borrowed from the M3 for a sportier look. From installing new door handles, a custom steering wheel to a front splitter, and even a fire extinguisher, the E36 has been overhauled. It even had rear window louvers at one point, but the owner had a change of heart as they made the car too flashy.
The end result is nothing short of amazing, and based on the owner’s enthusiasm, it was well worth the wait.
Source: StanceWorks / YouTube
