Barn Find BMW E30 Restored After 30 Years And Gifted To A Fan

The BMW E30 is widely celebrated as one of the most beloved sports sedans of all time. Recently, the team at WD Detailing stumbled upon an extraordinary find: a 1980s BMW 325i that had been parked for 30 years. What began as a meticulous restoration project ended with an emotional surprise for one lucky BMW enthusiast. As far as gift-giving goes, this one comes pretty close to topping the list.

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BMW

Divisions: M
Founded: 1916
Founder: Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto
Headquarters: Munich, Germany
Current CEO: Oliver Zipse
Status: Active
Total Vehicles Sold In 2022: 2,213,795
Revenue In 2022: $122.4 billion

Forgotten Relic Gets A Restoration Project

The story starts in a small garage where a BMW 325i had been sitting untouched for three decades. The car was purchased by its owner at a police auction in the early 1990s and served as a daily driver before being passed down to his son, who parked it when he left for college. For 30 years, the E30 remained hidden, collecting dust and grime, but otherwise in remarkably good condition.

E30 BMW 325i Key Specifications

Engine	2.5-liter inline-6
Power	168 hp
Torque	166 lb-ft
Transmission	5-speed manual
Driveline	RWD

The WD Detailing team encountered the E30 when its owner decided to sell it to fund farm projects. However, extracting the car was no easy feat. Seized wheels and a tight garage space required creative maneuvering with a snatch block to load the car onto a trailer. Once at the shop, the real work began: restoring the E30 to its former glory.

The team immediately noted the challenges of working on the car’s single-stage enamel paint, notorious for being sticky and difficult to polish. Despite these hurdles, the white paint proved forgiving, hiding most scratches and offering a great canvas for restoration. Underneath the years of grime, the E30’s timeless design began to shine once again.

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A Heartwarming Surprise For A BMW Enthusiast

E30 BMW 325i Barn Find Reveal — via WD Detailing YouTube

The restoration process wasn’t just about cleaning the car; it was about preserving the essence of what made the E30 a legend. The interior, remarkably intact after 30 years, was thoroughly cleaned and refurbished, showcasing its original dashboard, five-speed manual gearbox, and an untouched trunk. Even the engine bay received a deep clean, removing rodent nests and rust stains to reveal the iconic 2.5-liter inline-six engine that defined the driving experience of the era.

Gunther Werks BMW M3 E30 With Custom Wheels

Legendary Tuners Gunther Werks Will Remaster The E30 BMW M3

Gunther Werks, the legendary Porsche 911 tuners, are working on a restomod of the iconic BMW M3 E30.

But the real highlight came after the restoration. Chris, a friend of the WD Detailing team, had secretly purchased the car to surprise his girlfriend, Michaela, who had always dreamed of owning an E30. Michaela, a longtime fan of the model, was brought to the shop under the guise of picking up detailing supplies. When the pristine E30 was revealed as her surprise gift, her reaction was pure joy and disbelief. “I can’t breathe; my heart is racing!” she exclaimed, overcome with emotion.

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