I had been hunting for an e12 based e24 for a while. I think that it's definitely worth it if the price is right.
Perhaps some experts can chime in. Here is what I understand. The '81 Euro has the M90 L-Jet engine. The M90 is a pretty spectacular engine with lots of grunt. It should also have a dogleg G265, which sells for about $1,500 used. Mixed opinions on running that ratio on the street but the demand is high for the Trans. One could easily do a trade plus cash if you wanted a traditional G265.
Aside from the amazing power train, the car is e12 based. The front seats should bolt into a coupe, and the rears fit with minor fabrication. This has been my plan for temporary leather while my original seats sit in storage. The armrests should swap, as well as the door pockets. Some of the round push button switches are a match for our cars. The window switches as well. The chrome strips on the door panels should be a match but probably the wrong length. lots of coupe owners need that trim. I've researched this quite a bit and Don says that there are over 100 crossover parts. Sadly, I passed up on a $1,500 euro before I knew what I had. The engine didn't run so perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. I have my own demons to battle in the garage now anyway.
The euro bumpers are in high demand, and may recoupe a decent portion of your purchase price. I believe that you can re-use the brake parts also.