V.I.S.I.T. – 1978 BMW 323i in as-new condition

Antti Kautonen

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I don’t think it’s unfair to say this 1978 BMW E21 323i isn’t far from being in as-new condition. Reportedly a Japanese import, it only has a mere 91 000 km on the clock and displays no wear anywhere that I could see.

Spotted on the street, in tender May sunshine, it looked irresistible – and compared to the enormous Ford truck behind it, it looked positively tiny.

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Just how small are those BBS basketweaves? Some CSI enhancing gives the tire size as 185/60R13.

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Shark nose, quad headlight setup, small numberplate, chrome as shiny as ever. Lovely.

I heard the car made it to Japan nearly-new, so it’s not localized in any way but retains all the markings everywhere in German.

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The hockeystick ///M stripe is a favourite. Against the steel blue paintwork it displays beautifully.

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Twin pipes and Bose speakers. The period look is perfect.

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The 323i, with its M20B23 engine and Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection gave 143 hp when new.

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You can see the slight green tint of the color glazing.

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I’m sure the car isn’t cheap in this condition, but it’s likely it will be pampered and cared for in the years to come. For a 35-year-old car it’s absolutely pristine.

[Images: Copyright 2013 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]

About

Antti Kautonen

Antti Kautonen

The resident Finn of Hooniverse. Owns old Peugeots and whatnot, writes long thinkpieces on unloved cars. These two facts might be related.

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12 responses to “V.I.S.I.T. – 1978 BMW 323i in as-new condition”

  1. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    Tell me you took a picture of that F-150, that looks exactly like the one my dad used to have and I'm getting some serious nostalgia going on here.

    Reply
    1. julkinen Avatar
      julkinen

      <img src="http://i.imgur.com/ABGGFIB.jpg&quot; width="700">
      Of course I did!

      Reply
      1. Devin Avatar
        Devin

        I think I might have to change my answer for the QOTD, I am getting seriously tempted to seek one out. This was my dad's, after he decided it would be a good idea to buy a new Ranger, and around when I kind of thought HDR was a tool to be abused.
        <img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2630/3920626098_6332c95cfa.jpg&quot; width="500" height="333" alt="014_5_6">

        Reply
        1. MVEilenstein Avatar
          MVEilenstein

          That's a good-looking rig.

          Reply
      2. MVEilenstein Avatar
        MVEilenstein

        'Merica.

        Reply
  2. David Avatar
    David

    Kudos for that–the seventh generation (1980-86, or "bullnose") F-Series has got to be one of the best-looking models of Ford pickup. Plus it's old enough to have that old-car charm, but new enough to have at least some creature comforts, like A/C, cruise control and FM radio.

    Reply
    1. dukeisduke Avatar
      dukeisduke

      The basic design lasted through 1996, with two interior redesigns along the way, and two front end restyles, along with taillight and tailgate restyles. My '95 was a good truck, a credit to the design, along with the assemblers at the Kansas City (Claycomo, Missouri) plant.

      Reply
  3. Vega Avatar
    Vega

    Such a great E21 and all you guys talk about is a truck. 'Mericans…. *shakes head*

    Reply
    1. Devin Avatar
      Devin

      Definitely not a 'Merican here.

      Reply
    2. dukeisduke Avatar
      dukeisduke

      I dig both. I prefer the Euro E21s, as we got the big bumpers in the US, which required moving the rear license plate up, between the taillights. I'm not a fan of K-Jet (CIS), as I had to suffer for three years with it on my '78 Audi Fox. The Ford SEFI in my '95 F-150 was waaaay more reliable over 17 years, requiring only periodic fuel filter replacements.

      Reply
  4. e46christopher Avatar
    e46christopher

    I'm swooning over the e21.

    Reply
  5. Buickboy92 Avatar
    Buickboy92

    One of my favorite BMWs. Love the E21.

    Reply