My BMW M535i

[80quattro]

I bought this E28 earlier this summer with the intention of turning it from a reasonably nice car into something a little nicer, hopefully without needing too much extra cash outlay or time thrown at it.





Despite the interior being very presentable, it seems to be a mixmatch of this car and another, as originally the entire interior was a dull pea green colour A previous owner has since ditched this, replacing seats, carpet, doorcards, lower dash trim and centre console with light beige, I suspect from an E28 SE with sports interior.

The rear parcel shelf, dashtop, door caps and original mats remain in pea green *shudder*.

First job is to get rid of the cream and replace it with black, hopefully over the weekend.

[80quattro]

Yes, its a dogleg manual. Despite it apparently being more fragile than the conventional 5 speed, it seems to operate as it should. Took a little getting used to, but the car pulls away nicely in second anyway.

I should be posting a few more pics this evening/tomorrow of my interior transplant. Might initially go for a light and dark combo to see what it looks like, as I have a full dark interior if I need it.

[80quattro]

Unfortunately, my camera died today, hence the awful phone pics.

So, old interior out


New front seats in


New rear seat in


I also replaced the old green door cappings, rear parcel shelf, and door cards/handles etc. I decided to run with the beige lower dash and beige carpet for the time being, as I think it works quite well with the black, and helps to prevent it looking like the black hole of Calcutta.

I also removed the very poorly fitted Clarion head unit to discover most of the centre console fixings are mangled, so it looks like I'll need to get some parts together prior to fitting a retro Alpine or Blaupunkt tape head unit with CD changer.

Next, I hope to track down a black dashtop in good nick.

[80quattro]

Hi Pingy, thanks for the info and taking the time to upload the photos. The chap I bought the car from did tell me it was based north of the border for some time, and used for shows. Unfortunately, its previous owner did let the car go a little, and it since had both front wings replaced, one of which is missing the plastic wheel arch extension - £100 from BMW each ! As with most older cars, there's a few things to do improve the standard of the car.

I'll message your contact via eBay and see if he responds....

[80quattro]

[quote=B17NNS]Lovely. Prefer the original wheels the car came with though.[/

It would have originally had the standard 535i Mtec metric alloys on it, I suspect. I have experience of these on a E28 535i SE. Tyre availablity is expensive, and limited. Shame the car parted company with the BBS's it had at one time !

If it had the complete green interior, I would have kept it that way. I'd have never replaced the missing green trim, as it is so rare. As it happened, I located the complete black interior, so it was a no brainer really.

[80quattro]

soxboy said:

80quattro said:

I also removed the very poorly fitted Clarion head unit to discover most of the centre console fixings are mangled, so it looks like I'll need to get some parts together prior to fitting a retro Alpine or Blaupunkt tape head unit.

Must be the Clarion unit, been swearing at mine this afternoon whilst trying to remove it in my Golf Mk2 prior to fitting a retro Blaupunkt I've just sourced on fleabay.

I've decided to get a older Alpine or Blaupunkt cassette head unit with a matched CD changer I'll probably mount in the boot. Whilst changing the rear seats over, I discovered a nice deep space under the rear seat base, prefect for an amp to fit, so my audio plans may get a little more creative!

[80quattro]

Just ordered a nice slightly retro Alpine cassette head unit and CD changer, so it looks like seats out again soon, and commence install. Upon stripping out the old Clarion head unit that a previous owner had fitted, was an unsightly wiring mess, with a broken dash mounting plate. I'll soon be on the phone to my local BMW dealer to see if they still stock them, or to a BMW breaker.

Unfortunately, progress with the car will be a slow burner over the next couple of months as I have a 330i and 320d to get MOT'd and serviced, and the 535i taxed! Plus Christmas to save for etc etc, Grr.

[80quattro]

I didn't expect to have chance to do much to my car until slightly later into the year, however, I've taxed it today, and had it out for a little post autumn lay up shakedown. The central locking and one of the front indicators had decided to pack up, so I managed to fix both items this afternoon.

I've also picked up a nice modified ECU, that allegedly gives +30bhp (I really can't personally see how a different map on a low tech n/a engine would give this improvement), so I'll fit it in the next few days.



I also have a BMW kidney grille being prepped by a local paint sprayer, and painted black. I'm undecided whether to use it yet, so I'll probably upload a couple of pics to see what PH'ers think.

I've also now collected some ICE to fit into it:

Alpine TDM7545R feather touch cassette head unit
Alpine CHMS601 CD changer
Alpine V12 MRVF307 4 channel Amp
JBL 10" subwoofer in enclosure

The car already has a pair of Kenwood 6x9's in the rear parcel shelf, and some Kenwood tweeters in the front footwells. I'll probably use the head unit to power the tweeters, and bridge the amp for the sub and 6x9's. I'm quite inexperience with car audio, so just a case of having a play and see what it sounds like.

[80quattro]

I made a little unexpected progress today, as the change in weather meant it was no longer completely covered in snow. First up, which grille to I stick with? Chrome or black ?





Both rubbish phone photos again.

Also, pulled out the dodgy alternator, and replaced it with a nice nickel plated one:



Although, the heavens opened just as I was bolting it up, so I scuttled indoors to find a nice plate of chilli con carne waiting for me. Game over due to bad light after that. Should get a little bit of time midweek to finish that, then the ECU goes in. I can then move it to a friends storage, and we'll start on the audio.

[80quattro]

St John Smythe said:

B17NNS said:

Lovely. Prefer the original wheels the car came with though.

Definitely! OP - see if you can find a set

I had a set on a previous 535iSE, with very good Avon Turbospeeds. I changed them to E34 BBS wheels, and couldn't give the originals away. I ended up taking a set of 5 to the local tip. I hate 'em. Awful. Grim.

[80quattro]

Been a while since I could do much with the car what with weather, work and darkness.

I got chance to tidy up the centre console, fit an Alpine headunit, and an amp and sub into the boot. Not to everyone's taste I know, but I quite like a nice audio system. Just have some cables and the boot area to tidy up over the weekend.





Oh, and I popped the Superchips ecu in. Hopefully get chance to see if its altered the feel of the drive. It would be nice for a small midrange torque improvement, and rev limiter removal. Might cancel out the extra weight I've slung into the car with the audio

Edited by 80quattro on Friday 15th March 23:45

[80quattro]

benjj said:

Sorry for the bump but I'm looking for an E28 M535i and have just read your thread, top work

Love the white and the leather really looks better. Terrific looking car.

No worries ! Not much happened to my car recently, just been getting some miles on it through late summer, and enjoying it.

Most M535i's seem to sprout up on Ebay. Quite a few ambitiously priced IMHO.