Project E34 535i Restoration

[Bogracer]

It still needs a few cosmetic things doing, but I always like to start with the mechanics. I saw quite a few 'shiny horrors' with expensive Alpina or Hartge wheels etc but the brakes, steering and suspension were shot.

I will get some photographs for you!

[Bogracer]

Can anyone recommend a supercharger or turbo kit for this car?

All part of the 'sleeper' plan.

[Bogracer]

Yes, you are probably right and this is not a cheap thing to do. It's not exactly slow as it is!
The car handles, steers and stops beautifully and perhaps deserves more power. There is just something cool about Superchargers.

I might be tempted to sell the car later in the year, if I can find the right buyer i.e a mature enthusiast who wants a car that's mechanically 'fresh'. Or a part exchange for a car that needs mechanical sympathy and love, a manual 635CSi perhaps. It's the pleasure of restoring cars properly that I enjoy.

Meanwhile I am really enjoying the car and I am planning a tour around Europe in May.

Thanks for the hints, tips and opinions.

bmthnick1981 said:

Zwolf said:

Bogracer said:

Can anyone recommend a supercharger or turbo kit for this car?

All part of the 'sleeper' plan.

I agree with Zwolf, best leaving the car naturally aspirated. As nature intended and all that.

[Bogracer]

[Bogracer]

OK, I'll leave it alone as an origional and rare manual 535i specimen.
The detailing work begins to make it look as good at it drives, really worth the effort, it already good, mostly grime in the engine bay. Something to keep me busy over the summer.

If anyone spots a grey parcel shelf as the one in the car is crinkly? Might recover. Also a rev counter/speedo unit as the paint on one of the dials has faded, weirdly. Only noticble backlit at night.

OCD and car restoration are most compatible!

Thanks for your support!

[Bogracer]

O.K support and encouragement team, what shall I restore next????

I am thinking a manual 635CSI any year, if I can find a good enough example that needs a good refresh. Keep your ears and eyes open, original and un-messed with.

Regards,
James

[Bogracer]

Robatr0n said:

Great work, it looks fantastic!

If I had the time I'd love to give my E34 540i the same treatment.

I think it's worth it, getting very scarce now – and I think they are appreciated in good condition as they are very useable with ABS and other mod cons. Compare it to the eye watering depreciation on a new car?

1st stop, cooling system
2nd stop suspension and brakes

Cheers,
James

[Bogracer]

Robatr0n said:

Just out of interest, do you restore cars for customers or do you buy cars to restore them for the sake of enjoyment and sell them on afterwards?

Well mechanically the old girl isn't too bad but ideally I would need to attend to the small bit of rust on the driver's side door. I can't seem to find any other areas of rust on the car and overall it does seem fairly solid. It also has the added bonus of a LSD and manual gearbox.

Just for fun to deal with my OCD, enjoy for a while until it's perfect then look for the next project tend to be the way it goes. A 540i Manual is a rare thing indeed.

Naturally if I can recover some of my costs the wife is happier me starting the next project!!!

[Bogracer]

Johnboy Mac said:

bmthnick1981 said:

This should be the next project;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-M6-M635-OWNED-20-YEA...

Nice cars but the potential to be a money pit is all to common. I'd worry about rust and the engine, especially the possibility & expense of a top end o/haul. Still, I won't say no in an ideal world.

I love them, but hugely expensive to restore properly.
I was considering an E34 M5, ditto - the 535i is simpler and tougher the parts being more garden variety.
I am tempted if the main mechanics are still strong and the main body is still good.

You could spend £15,000 to a nice job all being well.

[Bogracer]

Yep, no MOT, lots of nasty rot, no leather, you have got to be really keen.
If it was £1000, maybe - there are much better starting points out there. Unless you are an able bodywork guy. You need to see it in the flesh and on some ramps.

I have looked at loads of M6's which on the surface look good, nice and shiney, nice interiors, Alpina wheel etc, but need a total refresh. Somthing decent its £10k. Allow £7,000 for a refresh, peace of mind stuff in a 150mph car!

Or just buy a nice 635csi and sort it properly.

I have always wondered if 535d engine would fit in 6???

[Bogracer]

My preference is manual cars, really

[Bogracer]

Zwolf said:

For free? With the provisor I restore it?

[Bogracer]

Zwolf said:

bmthnick1981 said:

The Calypso Red one as shown in the photos with my old e38 740il. Belongs to my house mate but its in need of some mechanical fettling and seeing as he bought it cheaply as a short term car I'm not sure he is going to be minded to pump the requisite ££ into it. I think it's into the garage tomorrow for a view on what it needs spending on it to put it straight and I think he will form a view shortly thereafter.

Ah, then no - I don't need two in that state

Also, popped the E36 in for a pre-MoT check today and it's decided to land a sizeable bill of bork upon me (I'll post it up in £1-5k barges for people's amusement).

That car's needed for daily use, so the Seven resto has just taken a back seat for another 3-4 months, as has thoughts of updating it to an E46 325/8/30i Touring by the end of the year.

It's just the way it goes sometimes very sad, but hey that's economics. They get to a point at which even good cars are brought to break up and splatter across Ebay by breakers – to make a tidy profit. My 535i, which was a really good car was heading in that direction believe it or not because of the good rust free bodywork and low mileage engine and gearbox. You treble your money in parts. Hence my dash to Glasgow on a rescue mission. From an economic point of view not worth it. Feel good factor - well it's put a smile on my face.

So, I might consider doing a donated car if it not too bad

Ebay is a double edged sword.

[Bogracer]

It's been an adventure, I am making a short film about the ongoing experience.

[Bogracer]

As a testimony to how good the E34 535i is I can make this statement.
I have driven pretty much every genre of BMW, Porsche and many great Ferrari's 550's, F40s which is a great privilage.
The BMW 535i is one of the overlooked M30 engined greats, if you can find a good manual car - grab it. The car was designed to be undeniably the top dog in its day. Magazines always write about M cars, which I love with a passion. The 535i deserves more press. But then the values go up!

Apparently one of the EVO guys has brought, and wrote about the 535i? Missed the artical?

Was it worth me spending £10,000 on a restoration? I have no regrets yet.

[Bogracer]

While I am in the pub, writing tips the 318iS e30 is a great thing, if sorted.

[Bogracer]

olly22n said:

they seem to have disapeered in the last 18 months.

PH has a total of 10 in the classifieds, 3 of those sold.

I think quite a few end up in Europe on the drag strips, drift and racing circuits with big turbos. Apparently there is a bit of an E34 cult following according to one of the tuning companies I deal with. Running reliable 600BHP!!!! Naturally the engine internals have been modified to cope. There are some incredible cars on YouTube.

[Bogracer]

tdm34 said:

If this is priced right then a contender?
needs wings etc

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C292047#

Looking by the wear on the pedals, interior it's done at least 200,000 miles. Exterior rot means there is lots of hidden rot, dull paint says this car has not spent much of its life in a garage.
No service history, no MOT, neglect on an M6 is wallet emptying. Exhaust system is expensive – everything is expensive on an M6 as many parts are only available from BMW.

If it's very very cheap it's just about worth doing. Needs carefully assessing.

Most are broken for parts at this level.

[Bogracer]

Pissed off. When cold the car has what sounds like a crank bearing noise, literally as soon as car is run for 1 min and temperature rises it goes away - pop quiz how long will the engine last?

Got a 3000 mile Euro Russia Road Trip next week? so no time to rebuild bottom end, mechanic opinion it will last - m30 experts?

[Bogracer]

I was surprised, as the mileage is only 98,000. I believe that these engines, and seen the evidence that these M30 are incredibly tough. I trust my mechanic, he said 'it sound like' rather 'it is' and he would rather tell me than not tell me, after having the car on the ramps. He also said to leave it and investigate it when I get back, start the car and let the oil pressure and some temperature get into the engine just for 30 seconds and the noise goes away.

What else could it be?

I try and record the noise and put it on YouTube for you opinion.

It does sound a little noisy when stone cold, it's a mass of noise though, old pulleys, ancillary and belt noise which then goes away once the car is warm. I have had cars in the past when the culprit was an alternator bearing. The 328i cabriolet I fettled previously was the same.

I have been looking forward to this charity rally for months.