525E - Restore, break or sell as is
Discussion
As per the title really, I have a 1985 525E in Zinnober Red (or it was 
) that's been standing for 4.5 years and is in desperate need of something doing with it.
I've partly stripped it, and about 18 months ago did a bit of welding on the battery box and inner front wing. There's quite a bit of welding left to do, including the passenger footwell and both cills. However, the worst area of rust is in one of the main chassis rails just by the front anti-roll bar location, which I think requires the engine and box out to get to it.
I've kind of lost interest in it, more so since I've got into bikes instead, and am just wondering what's the best thing to do with it.
It's never going to be a show stopper, or worth a great deal, even if fully restored, despite there not being many of them left now.
My initial thoughts were to strip out the interior, fit a roll cage, manual gearbox, 525i cylinder head and possibly a turbo, and just go and have fun with it on track days and the like. Obviously suspension and brakes would get attention too.
The snag, simply, is time and money, both of which I don't have enough of to commit to doing this. I don't really wish to break the car, and I suspect there's not a great deal of value in the parts anyway, expect perhaps doors/bonnet/boot, engine block, and dash top which is in great condition.
Any other ideas would be gratefully received.
) that's been standing for 4.5 years and is in desperate need of something doing with it.I've partly stripped it, and about 18 months ago did a bit of welding on the battery box and inner front wing. There's quite a bit of welding left to do, including the passenger footwell and both cills. However, the worst area of rust is in one of the main chassis rails just by the front anti-roll bar location, which I think requires the engine and box out to get to it.
I've kind of lost interest in it, more so since I've got into bikes instead, and am just wondering what's the best thing to do with it.
It's never going to be a show stopper, or worth a great deal, even if fully restored, despite there not being many of them left now.
My initial thoughts were to strip out the interior, fit a roll cage, manual gearbox, 525i cylinder head and possibly a turbo, and just go and have fun with it on track days and the like. Obviously suspension and brakes would get attention too.
The snag, simply, is time and money, both of which I don't have enough of to commit to doing this. I don't really wish to break the car, and I suspect there's not a great deal of value in the parts anyway, expect perhaps doors/bonnet/boot, engine block, and dash top which is in great condition.
Any other ideas would be gratefully received.
. That's what I was intending to do with it, but am struggling with motivation.Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff