For those of us in our 30s, it’s time to face facts. Restoring an E36-generation BMW M3 in 2025 is about the same time gap as restoring a 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle would have been when the E36 was still available new. For a certain subset of enthusiasts, the E36 is still considered a modern car that can be reliably pushed into daily driver duty without a second’s hesitation, while the Chevelle is a relic from yesteryear. Built between 1992 and 1999, even the newest E36 M3 is 26 years old now, so it’s not all that surprising to see one in dire need of rehabbing, despite reminding me of my own aging bones and eventual mortality. The folks at StanceWorks dragged this $8,000 decrepit M3 out of its hiding place and set about putting it right again, and the finished result is truly stunning.
While Mike at StanceWorks may best be known these days for his ridiculous Ferrari project cars, he’s got a long history in the BMW community, and knows these E36s like the back of his hand. The cars are new enough to have modern amenities like fuel injection and anti-lock braking, but old enough that they’re still somewhat easy to work on yourself, making them great throwback rad-era machines. Fortunately, being a southern California car, this particular car isn’t facing any rust, and the trim and seals all appear intact, so this was largely a cosmetic restoration. The video glosses over some of the other work the car needed, as an evident engine grenading necessitated a replacement, but it’s still a fun watch for a quick rehab in just 20 minutes of YouTube time.
How to completely revamp an E36 M3
While this M3 didn’t look great when the project began, it just goes to show that a car is completely revitalized with a good set of wheels, the right ride height, and a good paint job. In this case the car was wrapped, but they went with a super high end wrap that makes the car look like it was painted. And purple is a great color for a BMW, for any car really, so the result was truly stunning. Going with a nice three-piece set of period-correct five-spoke AC Schnitzer wheels really set the project off for me. This is an incredible build that most Euro enthusiasts would be ecstatic to drive, and it didn’t take all that much work or effort to make it look totally sick.