M30 Powered 1974 BMW Bavaria 5-Speed
This 1974 BMW Bavaria in Amazon Green over tan leather and cloth houndstooth inserts, E3 four-door, shows 58,940 miles on the odometer, but the total mileage is unknown; the chassis showed 121,020 miles at the time of the 2009 engine conversion. Power comes from a 1987 M30B34 3.4L inline-six with Bosch Motronic fuel injection in place of the original Solex carburetors, driving the rear wheels through a Getrag five-speed. Air conditioning is fitted with a Sanden compressor and Flexilite fan; Euro bumpers, Bosch driving lights, 3.0Si-spec vented front rotors with rebuilt calipers, and a new front-to-back exhaust are also present. The car does show various door dings and paint flaws. The car was purchased new in Washington state in 1974; subsequent registrations show California, Georgia in 2014, and North Carolina in 2016, with accompanying records indicating approximately five owners from new. A Driver's Choice award from the 2010 So Cal Vintage Meet is on file. For sale by dealer in Wichita, Kansas.
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NOT AVAILABLEFOR PRE-1981
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SALE INFORMATION
Price $40,000.00 Opening Price: $48,500.00
NOT AVAILABLEFOR PRE-1981
ESTIMATE SHIPPING COST
Enter your zip code or city to the left to calculate your estimated shipping cost.
VEHICLE DETAILS
OVERVIEW
The E3 was BMW's first purpose-built executive sedan — designed to challenge Mercedes-Benz in the large-car segment while keeping the company's driver-focused brief intact. It ran from 1968 to 1977 and preceded the 3/5/7 naming structure. In the US, "Bavaria" was the name BMW of North America gave the lighter, more sporting configuration — fewer standard features than the European 3.0S, less weight as a result — and it is the Bavaria specification that has attracted the most consistent collector attention within the E3 range. Well-sorted examples have seen steady appreciation as the E3's reputation as a legitimate period driver's car has grown. The M30 inline-six that powered it went on to appear in the E9 coupes, the E12, the E23, and the E24 through 1994 — a 26-year production run across six named model families that keeps parts availability and specialist knowledge broadly accessible for current owners.
EXTERIOR
Euro bumpers are fitted front and rear in place of the stock US units, and front side markers are removed for a cleaner profile. Bosch yellow driving lights are installed and wired through a BMW switch; front hood rain vents, stainless steel wiper arms with new blades, and a passenger door mirror matching the driver's side are also fitted. Additional exterior views are in the gallery. The passenger side of the hood shows misalignment, and the body has some paint imperfections and door dings.
INTERIOR
The seats were reupholstered with cloth houndstooth inserts and Pearl Beige vinyl sourced from World Upholstery, with front door pockets recovered in matching vinyl and under-dash panels finished in black vinyl. The clock was converted to a quartz movement and no longer drains the battery. A three-spoke drilled sport steering wheel with a BMW roundel center sits on the column; the Getrag five-speed gets a matching BMW roundel shift knob with a black leather boot. Air conditioning was retrofitted in July 2010 with a Sanden compressor, large cross-flow condenser, Flexilite fan with controller, and custom hose mounts with o-ring seals.
MECHANICAL
A 1987 3.4L (M30) inline-six sourced from an E28 535i, converted with Bosch Motronic fuel injection, a manual-transmission E28 wiring harness, and a Getrag five-speed, keeps the same engine family as the original Bavaria; Pacific Motorsports in Portland serviced and commissioned the car following the conversion in 2009, and an Ireland Engineering ECU chip was added in March 2010. Front brakes were upgraded to 3.0Si/CSi/CSL-spec vented rotors with calipers rebuilt using a 2002ti conversion kit, new pistons, seals, and stainless brake hoses throughout, with parts sourced from Walloth u Nesch in Germany. Bilstein shocks and H&R springs are fitted; the power steering pump was rebuilt and the clutch slave cylinder replaced. A full brake overhaul followed in 2016 at Joyner's BMW in Asheville; calipers were rebuilt, rotors and pads replaced; the Bosch fuel pump was replaced in 2018, and valve adjustment confirmed good. All six injectors, fuel hoses, spark plugs, and rear transmission seals were replaced at Buckhead Motor Works in Sandy Springs in March 2020. A receipt in 2025 shows maintenance and the removal and installation of the propeller shaft.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
Modifications
- Engine swap to 3.4L I6 M30B34 gen
- AC R134a Conversion
- Getrag 5-Speed Transmission
- Blaupunkt Stereo Head Unit w/ Bluetooth
Recent Work
- Full brake system overhaul completed in 2016
- Power steering system corrected to proper specification in 2018 with installation of a Porsche 944 100-bar pump
- Bosch fuel pump replaced in 2018
- Valve adjustment performed in 2018; inspection found no worn valvetrain components
- Comprehensive fuel and ignition service completed by Buckhead Motor Works (Sandy Springs, GA) in March 2020
- Transmission service completed in March 2020
- 2025 Propeller shaft removal and repair.
- 2025 Oil Change
Notable Features
- Driver's Choice 2010 So Cal Vintage Meet
Ownership History
The car was purchased new in Washington state in 1974. Subsequent registrations show ownership in California, Georgia in 2014, and North Carolina in 2016. The car is believed to have had 5 owners according to the records accompanying it.
Additional Notes
A comprehensive service history and restoration journal tracing ownership to Seattle are included in the sale, along with service records from Pacific Motorsports, Joyner's BMW Specialists, German Motor Works of Asheville, and Buckhead Motor Works covering 2009 through 2020. A clean title is in the seller's name. Service records are on file from Pacific Motorsports in Portland, Joyner's BMW Specialists in Asheville, and Buckhead Motor Works in Sandy Springs, covering work from 2009 through 2020. A clean title is in the seller's name.
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