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Romeo, wherefore art thou...
A long dry spell set in BMW-wise. I had a Company car, a big job and big responsibilities. No time for messing with cars. In fact, I went almost 20 years with no BMW. Where DOES the time go? They got to be "Yuppie" cars, and I lived in Texas. Pick-up trucks it was for me! Just the same, I DID look at a few of the new E-30 styles, but they were too pricey, I thought. A move to North Carolina near good-ol’ Cousin Edwin ended the drought. He had just what I needed, and this one’s no junker. But it had been, and the price was right.

Enter, stage right…
I had driven to my new home in the Big Bad Blue Dodge Van (these things are GREAT!), but it was just too big for the new daily commute. He had this ’77 320 that he had pieced together, and unfinished, had grown tired of and neglected it. It needed to be finished, driven, and waxed and, and, and….Loved. A tough job, but someone has to do it. Hey, let ME! A few weeks later, I bought it from him. That was six years ago. He had done an excellent job continuing a project someone else had started, re-building a "total". There are parts from perhaps 20 cars in the building of this car, and the engine is an EDWIN SPECIAL, not at all in the books. The engine block started out as a 1600 (remember those?) that got a 2-liter crankshaft, and was bored out to accept pistons from a BMW six-cylinder, giving about 1930 cc. This gives the motor a high compression ratio that makes a very good engine when everything else is coordinated, as it is. It must have a diet of 91 octane or better. The 320 i normally is fitted with fuel injection, but this one has a large Webber 2bbl. carb on it. The stock fuel injection cannot support engine modifications very well. There’s a better than stock Korman K-300 Camshaft and all the goodies, too. It runs VERY well, and has the looks to go with it. It is lowered 1.5" with Suspension Techniques parts, Bilstein shocks and has Zender front and rear spoiler and fairings. I have added a 5-speed which makes this car very nice on the highway, and it regularly gives me 30-32 MPG.

It sure was nice to get back into a BMW, and this car fills the bill beautifully. It compares closely to a 2002, but is heavier and more rigidly built. Many parts interchange. Unfortunately for enthusiasts when introduced the engine was not upgraded except for fuel injection. It was and felt under-powered due to the added weight. Later versions were further hindered by a reduction in displacement to 1.8 liters. Redesigned fuel injection only helped a little. This softened the enthusiasm by enthusiasts. Known as E-21’s, they are very good cars, but not very popular. A decent one can be bought very cheaply. There are variants of the design that were only offered in Europe but have found their way to the US. The high point was a fuel injected 2.3 liter six-cylinder version with heavier duty suspension components and disc brakes on the rear (as well as the front). This one was designated as a 323 (still an E-21).  Many people say this version is the best BMW ever built. I dunno, the new ones are awesome!

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