2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the 3 Series, but this is far from an original E21. BMW topped the inaugural 3er lineup with the 323i, which made 141 horsepower from a 2.3-liter engine. Back then, the badges on the trunk actually reflected the engine’s displacement, something that’s not so common now. In this case, the “355” lives up to its name by packing a 355-cubic-inch Chevy small-block V8. Yes, that means a 5.7-liter monster crammed under the hood.
We first heard about this Frankenstein E21 when it made a splash at last year’s Radwood UK. A new video shows the street-legal drag car with meaty 325-mm rear tires and General Motors’ TH350 transmission. Stripped down to the bare essentials, it weighs practically nothing. With around 500 horsepower going to the rear wheels, about three and a half times more than the most potent first-gen 3 Series ever sold by BMW, it must be an absolute hoot to drive.
In an interview with Hagerty, Andrew Tidy recalls paying just £50 for this 1983 3 Series, which was on the verge of being scrapped. Having owned it for more than a decade, it’s safe to say the “355” is his pride and joy, and for good reason. Even if unorthodox engine swaps aren’t your thing, it’s hard not to appreciate how impeccably built it is.
Beyond the Chevy V8, the build incorporates much more: a cut-down Ford nine-inch rear axle, adjustable gas coilovers, and a mostly original dashboard adapted to fit custom gauges and a full roll cage. Now strictly a two-seater, the E21’s interior houses a pair of carbon bucket seats and little else.
Although capable of running the quarter mile in around 12 seconds, the “355” remains surprisingly civilized on public roads. BMW eventually put V8s in the M3 E46 GTR and later in the E90. However, there’s something undeniably captivating about eight cylinders of American muscle living inside a much older E21.
Video: Motor Addicts / YouTube
