An engineer’s joy
Your very comprehensive Buyer’s guide for the E30 3 Series (August) reminded me of my time spent happily working on these and other BMWS during the 1980s and ’90s. Although my own business was restoring and maintaining older cars, my neighbour was a BMW specialist and would farm out work to me when he was overstretched.
I would get the bigger jobs such as clutch and head-gasket replacement and, although it wasn’t much fun lugging ’boxes around on my own, working on those engines was a delight. Little things impressed, such as the oh-so-clever tappet adjusters, of which Bugatti would surely have approved. The later twin-cam ‘sixes’, with Vanos variable valve timing on both camshafts, were something of a challenge to get right. It required the workshop door to be locked, the phone off the hook, the radio switched off, and to concentrate like you’ve never concentrated before.
A smooth-running engine that told you all was well was enormously satisfying, not to mention a tremendous relief! After that, a short road test was my reward. Jeremy Chataway
Garboldisham, Norfolk