Just bought 1988 325ix, questions!

[BM-DUB07]

hello my name is justin i am just bought a 325ix from a local dealer. the car runs awesome, and it has only 87,000 mi its a nice car (except it needs a paint job!) but i had a few questions about it.
1) i have heard about people switching hubs with e36 models, i believe it was somewhere on one of these forums actually, but i was curious about how you would do that (im not much of a mechanic and i am learning as i go!), and if it woudl be suggested to do so

2)the bumpers do need replacing, does anyone know any good websites where i could find some?

3)The sunroof handle turns but doesnt do anything, do i have to buy a whole new one or is this a common problem that is fixable yourself?

4) i am confused about angel eye headlights-does angel eye refer to the circular shape of the headlights which mine has, or is it referring to the bright ring around some lights?

by the way this forum looks great, i look forward to talking to everyone! thanx for the help

 

[echothreezero]

The rear is easy - get the entire rear assembly (trailing arm, hubs etc) from an e36 ti model (318ti or 323ti) or from a z3 and it will bolt right up to the e30 subframe as they are the same with the exception of bigger disc brakes and 5-stud hubs. non-ti e36 trailing arms don't work as they are different and 316ti models have drums.

The front is harder. you can use e36 struts but they put your suspension geometry out so you'll need eccentric strut mounts or different control arms. You can just swap hubs but it is not straight forward and some mods are required to make them fit. e28 hubs are another option. Search the net and look around for how-to's. They are there.

Sunroof handle I don't know - I have only had cars with electric sunroofs. Pull it apart and have a look. It is possible to convert a manual sunroof to electric as my neighbour did this about three weeks ago, but he said it was a shitty job and wouldn't recommend it - not straightforward apparently.

Angel eye headlights are the ones with the ring-shaped light when they are turned on. No e30 came with them from the factory but kits (many of dubious quality) are available to convert your e30.

 

[BM-DUB07]

Thanx a lot for the help! Hopefully in no time i'll have my bmw looking good as new!