My 323i build thread

Hey first post on here but I guess it should've been in the introduction forum. Anyway I've been an enthusiast for the past couple of years but had my bimmer for almost 4 years now. Started over in BimmerForums and learned a lot from the guys over there, going to see if they are on here too

Got my car bone stock from a pretty bad previous owner. Other than major maintenance, repair, and stickers, I did a couple of things to switch it up:



Retrofitted bixenons and put 5000K H1 HIDs in.


Plastidipped grilles matte black.


Traded the box in the trunk for a 10" square kicker in the armrest. Got the idea from someone else and retrofitted one myself, DIY can be found here: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1859670





Got some really nice gloss black pillar covers.


New headlight lenses, what a difference in look and light output at night


Plastidipped OEMs white...


Added a little front bumper lip...


LED tails.


Other small mods:
-Pure white AEs
-Smoked corners
-Plastidipped bumper trim and front bumper grille from the old faded grey look
-CF interior trim
-CF emblems on hood and wheel caps

To Do List:
-Ordered an M3 bumper that is en route
-Coils due sometime this year, please be patient with a student on a budget lol
-Looking for a new set of wheels...
-Planning on wrapping my pillars and door panels in something new
-Long tube CAI





I welcome all advise and suggestions._a_

ok.....

I'm curious to what gage wire you ran for the amp and speaker setup? It looks very thin. How does it sounds?

I'm interested in this DIY but looks as if the sound gains might be minimal consider it's using the whole trunk as an enclosure. I think it might work better with some tweaking.

Also, did you have HID prior to this upgrade? If not where did you buy all the components for the lighting? LMK

Originally Posted by E46er75

I'm curious to what gage wire you ran for the amp and speaker setup? It looks very thin. How does it sounds?

I'm interested in this DIY but looks as if the sound gains might be minimal consider it's using the whole trunk as an enclosure. I think it might work better with some tweaking.

Also, did you have HID prior to this upgrade? If not where did you buy all the components for the lighting? LMK

Not sure what guage the wires are from the amp to the sub but they are indeed thin. I used the thick ones that came with the amp to connect to the battery and the ground, I think that was more important. The fact that the wires are thin to the woofer probably has something to do with why the bass gets a little weaker the higher I increase the volume. The trunk acts like a box and it sounds great to say the least, I keep telling myself to make a video and post it up to show what it sounds like.

My headlights were stock halogen housings and had the original halogen bulbs, not HIDs. I bought the xenon lenses, e46 shrouds, and HID kit off eBay: Morimoto mini h1 projectors, E46 R-style xenon shrouds, and Xentec Slim ballast kit. Straight forward DIY, I used this one: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1753520

Need more pics of the mods, I know better than you know what you did to your car lol!

Originally Posted by Barbaros

Need more pics of the mods, I know better than you know what you did to your car lol!

M3 Trunk Lip.


H&R 20mm spacers courtesy of Barbaros


-Silver sharpie mod to get rid of egg yolk in front corners. That's pretty much it

Just got my 323i a week ago, and i'm currently looking to replace my stock halogens. Would you recommend the morimoto projectors?

Originally Posted by Fallafil

Just got my 323i a week ago, and i'm currently looking to replace my stock halogens. Would you recommend the morimoto projectors?

Yes.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=840919

I definitely recommend them as a replacement for halogen housings. The difference between the projects as to chrome housing in terms of light output is night and day. I followed a DIY from Spoonerdee from Bimmerforums:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1753520

Just buy the Morimoto mini projectors, E46 type shrouds, and any HID kit and you're good to go

definitely start saving up for wheels and a suspension. your on the right track though!

Forgot to update this thread









Found some oil in one of the spark plug wells, doing VGC and maybe VANOS seals next week. M3 bumper should arrive tomorrow and debating whether to spray paint it myself or take it to a shop. Also planning on doing a two-tone wrap for my door panels, I just can't find a place online to buy the fabric from.

Got my M3 bumper installed, painting it this week.



Fitment is spot on:



Got an e90 shark fin to replace the bee sting. Might paint it as well because it's a dull black.



Stay tuned

I liked where you were going in your first couple posts, but now throwing on m3 wheels and bumpers is just typical.

Please don't drive around with it until its painted!

your on a good path! Keep going.

Looks good! Next mod should be a drop!

Looks good! I have a 323i, what was the total amount of money that went into your headlights? (If you don't mind me asking!) I still have stock headlights but am very interested in upgrading (possibly angel eyes).

Interested to see more...keep going

Originally Posted by jdny516

I liked where you were going in your first couple posts, but now throwing on m3 wheels and bumpers is just typical.

It was only a matter of time before I actually did something nice to my car, I've had it for 5 years bone stock and only recently started to upgrade it.

Originally Posted by Toxx

Please don't drive around with it until its painted!

Only to the store and back

Originally Posted by Extreme Dimensions

your on a good path! Keep going.

Originally Posted by 98bimmer

Looks good! Next mod should be a drop!

Thanks guys! Yes a drop is due in the future.

Originally Posted by 2000beamer

Looks good! I have a 323i, what was the total amount of money that went into your headlights? (If you don't mind me asking!) I still have stock headlights but am very interested in upgrading (possibly angel eyes).

Projector retrofit set me back about $140 and the Angel Eyes were $80 off eBay. Absolutely love them.

Originally Posted by ZeeZoo

It was only a matter of time before I actually did something nice to my car, I've had it for 5 years bone stock and only recently started to upgrade it.



Only to the store and back





Thanks guys! Yes a drop is due in the future.



Projector retrofit set me back about $140 and the Angel Eyes were $80 off eBay. Absolutely love them.

They look great!