The reservoir is built in 2 pieces, and they leak pretty easily between the halves if they are bolted down too tightly. The e30 and the e36 use the same part, as do most of the older BMWs if I remember right.
As for the PS delete/rack swap, I have an e36 rack (3.2 turns) with no PS but all of the equipment is still there, just no belt. It will soon all be removed, as I was testing to see how I would like it. The effort really isn't bad unless you are parking, where it sucks. I wonder how hard it would be to rig up a system that uses the electronic clutch on the AC compressor for a selectable PS for those rare times when you need to park...