A 1989 BMW 325iX rebuilt for a 65th birthday
A stripped E30 shell, repaired rust, a rebuilt M20 and a recovered Recaro cabin: the story of a 325iX built as a birthday present for its builder’s father.
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A birthday present with a long future
The builder identified this 1989 BMW 325iX as a present for his father’s 65th birthday, finished to his father’s preferences. The account follows the car from collection and disassembly through body repairs, mechanical work and the completed cabin. It is a personal restoration with custom details, rather than a claim of factory-original specification.
Repairing the shell before the paint
The car was stripped for body repairs. The sequence shows corroded areas opened up, replacement rear-quarter and rear-panel work, primer and repainting. The engine bay was painted separately before the engine returned. A new windshield and replacement window motors and regulators were also reported. These are structural and refinishing stages, not a wash or paint-correction comparison.
A rebuilt M20 and serviced replacement driveline
The builder reported a complete M20 rebuild, including a replacement cylinder head with valves and springs, crank seals, oil and fuel pumps, hoses, seals and cooling-system components. The removed engine and assembled replacement-stage engine are photographed. The transmission, transfer case and rear differential were replaced with low-mileage units and serviced; the account does not describe those three units as rebuilt. AMS Autowerks and Diego Azevedo are credited for drivetrain work and the custom stainless exhaust.
From a stripped cabin to Recaro and wood
The interior sequence includes the exposed dashboard and wiring, floor sound-deadening work, recovered Recaro front seats and matching rear seating. The completed cabin combines the patterned upholstery with wood dashboard trim, a matching shift knob and a leather-and-wood steering wheel. These details reflect the recipient’s taste and should not be presented as a factory trim specification.
The work underneath
The reported chassis work includes control arms and bushings, Bilstein dampers, H&R springs, sway-bar links, rebuilt front brake calipers, replacement discs and pads, stainless brake hoses and replacement underbody brake lines. The underbody photograph documents the assembled underside and exhaust; it is not a workshop procedure or a torque specification.
One completed car, with its own point of view
The finished photographs show the dark body, gold wheels and side graphics together with the completed interior. The builder reported roughly 650 miles after the engine rebuild. The photographs establish the completed presentation; the mileage remains the builder’s report.
More from the workshop
The source also includes a workshop scene showing other cars and a photograph of the build documentation. These are supporting context: the other cars are not presented as this 325iX, and the paperwork is not independently verified.
