I Had to Cut the Front End Off My BMW E30…

In this video I start one of the biggest jobs on my BMW E30 build — cutting the damaged front chassis legs off and preparing the car for a replacement front end.

After the crash damage, the only real option was to drill out spot welds, peel the factory panels apart, and remove as much of the twisted front structure as possible without hacking it apart, so the replacement front clip can be fitted as close to factory as possible.

In this episode you’ll see:
-Removing seam sealer to expose factory spot welds
-Drilling out spot welds correctly without thinning the metal
-Cutting off the front chassis legs in a controlled way
-Removing the subframe to assess damage properly
-Preparing the car for jigging and front-end alignment
-Working around 30-year-old BMW panel construction

The aim is to make this front end slot back on cleanly, rather than just chopping and welding blindly. This is proper old-school body and chassis repair — slow, methodical, and very dusty.

This is all part of my BMW E30 LS swap build, but before any V8 power goes in, the shell needs to be right.

If you enjoy proper workshop builds, fabrication, crash repair, and E30 content, consider subscribing — there’s a lot more to come.

00:00 – The Plan: Cutting the Front of the E30
Explaining why the front end has to come off and the factory-style approach

01:15 – Stripping Seam Sealer to Find Spot Welds
Wire wheeling, prep work, and exposing the factory welds

03:30 – Drilling Out Spot Welds (Slow & Careful)
Method, tools, and working out the best approach as I go

06:10 – Can Any of This Be Saved?
Assessing panels and deciding what’s reusable vs scrap

08:40 – Chassis Leg Damage Assessment
Finding kinks, debating cut lines, and planning next moves

11:30 – Decision Time: Where to Cut the Chassis
Final call on what’s staying and what’s coming off

14:50 – Subframe & Suspension Removal
Dropping the subframe to get access and avoid damage

18:20 – Things Get Sketchy (Car Stability Issues)
Axle stand scare and making the car safe again

20:10 – End of Day Progress & Jig Planning
What’s removed, what’s next, and collecting material for the jig

22:10 – Problem: I’ve Run Out of Welding Gas
Why progress pauses and adapting the plan

24:30 – Chassis Rail Strategy Without a Jig
Thinking through alignment, subframe mounts, and options

27:10 – Day Two: Cutting the Other Chassis Leg
Same job, better tools — reciprocating saw comes out

29:30 – Faster Cuts, Same Commitment
Why this side went quicker and cleaner

31:40 – Drilling Spot Welds (Other Side)
Repeating the process and cleaning everything up

34:40 – Stopping Point & Next Steps
What’s left to do, prep work, and waiting on welding gas

36:20 – End Result: Front Chassis Legs Removed
Where the car stands now and what’s coming next