1986 M535i

On the flip side it feels like a lot of cash for an end point that still needs lots of work.

Do it once, do it properly, or forever be chasing your tail...? If £35k is "done", then that isn't that far off of £25k.
 
dLockers said:
On the flip side it feels like a lot of cash for an end point that still needs lots of work.

Do it once, do it properly, or forever be chasing your tail...? If £35k is "done", then that isn't that far off of £25k.
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the second quote looks more down to earth, however are either quote fixed? i can see a quote of 35k spiralling.

you need to sit down with either garage and have a face to face discussion . decide levels of work and have definite break points. ie points where you can call a halt should money become a problem.
if it was me i always like to work from a solid base , so body corrosion first as this can easily explode cost wise.

point is .if you have a good mechanical side, you can work down, if the body is sound , you can work up , electrical is niether here nor there ( being a ret auto electrician helps) interior is last.
to me there is no point in spending money of electrical and mechanical if the body is going to cost silly money to repair, unless you are so attached that money is no object.
so from the second quote it sounds as if they are going to be looking at the electrical system , and mechanical to get the vehicle starting and running ,this alone could involve many hours of cleaning and repairing looms etc (rodents nest may be connected to non starting and electrical gremlins and they could most likely have chewed through a loom or two and stopped countless circuits). this again is a job which if you wanted to get your hands dirty you could probably tackle yourself (finding the damage and then replacing wires colour for colour till repaired, its not hard just time consuming and of course if paying a garage costly).

.
 
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i would suggest
1/ work out a price for corrosion and bodywork
2/ if happy get that done
3/ bring it home and sort electrical and interior
4 spend time on mechanical or out source later if neccesary
5/ enjoy it
dont tie yourself to a total cost and find in 12 months time you cant pay the bill or have to borrow. again dont know you finances but if you just want it done then you pay what it costs.
 
Yes I was thinking about saying let's start with chassis and bodywork. That makes the most sense to me, as even pristine engines need something to hold them off the ground.
 
DampCat said:
Yes I was thinking about saying let's start with chassis and bodywork. That makes the most sense to me, as even pristine engines need something to hold them off the ground.
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Although I suppose he's thinking if the car isn't mechanically/electrically sound it might not be worth doing, and it's best to find out before sinking all that money into chassis.

Hnnnnnng.
 
gc123 said:
the second quote looks more down to earth, however are either quote fixed? i can see a quote of 35k spiralling.

you need to sit down with either garage and have a face to face discussion . decide levels of work and have definite break points. ie points where you can call a halt should money become a problem.
if it was me i always like to work from a solid base , so body corrosion first as this can easily explode cost wise.

point is .if you have a good mechanical side, you can work down, if the body is sound , you can work up , electrical is niether here nor there ( being a ret auto electrician helps) interior is last.
to me there is no point in spending money of electrical and mechanical if the body is going to cost silly money to repair, unless you are so attached that money is no object.
so from the second quote it sounds as if they are going to be looking at the electrical system , and mechanical to get the vehicle starting and running ,this alone could involve many hours of cleaning and repairing looms etc (rodents nest may be connected to non starting and electrical gremlins and they could most likely have chewed through a loom or two and stopped countless circuits). this again is a job which if you wanted to get your hands dirty you could probably tackle yourself (finding the damage and then replacing wires colour for colour till repaired, its not hard just time consuming and of course if paying a garage costly).

.
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Totally agree. Ripping out the interior and giving it a steam clean, sorting out wiring etc. - all DIY'able.

Getting it taken as far back to chassis as possible and cleaning up underneath, fixing rust etc - not easy.

Even sorting out the engine would be a doddle compared to the body work and structural chassis stuff.
 
DampCat said:
Although I suppose he's thinking if the car isn't mechanically/electrically sound it might not be worth doing, and it's best to find out before sinking all that money into chassis.

Hnnnnnng.
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I'd say anything mechanical and electrical can be "easily" fixed though. If the shell/body is naff, you are screwed.
 
Ok. I've slept on it.

Im going to call and pull the trigger on the bodywork. I'm relatively confident my 25k will cover the welding and panel repairs, and probably some of the mechanical issues (given that calipers and master cylinder etc appear to be new (ish)). I will leave off the painting and interior for now until I have a better idea of what the final cost will be, because I can do those things further down the line.

I have, in theory, infinite budget if I spread it out over a long enough timeline. I ought to prioritise, however, those costs that will increase. That means parts specific to this car, which become harder to find every year, etc.

I will assume that I will need to spend the additional money, but I'll see how far I can get for the 25 first.
 
As long as you're aware that you're unlikely to ever get that money back out of this car and are spending it for your love of the car and its sentimental value, then the limit is as far as your budget goes.
 
Diddums said:
As long as you're aware that you're unlikely to ever get that money back out of this car and are spending it for your love of the car and its sentimental value, then the limit is as far as your budget goes.
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Oh, God yeah these top out at like £20k. I'm already 6k in, so it'll be probably 40k when all said and done.

Mainly I just think about what a shame it would be to just let it go and crumble away. I feel a sort of responsibility to do it, especially given my history with this particular one.

Plus it's either this or half an Emira :D
 
I've been working on a rough plan based on what I've learned in the last 12 months scouring through E28 forums and videos. These are the mechanical bits I want to either replace or ensure are refurbed.

+Engine
Adjustable Tappets
Oil spray bar banjo bolts
Viscous fan coupling
Fuel pump and DME relay
Crank position sensors

+Transmission
Dream scenario, swap to manual dogleg if the auto box is shafted.
Or if staying with Auto:
ECU and connections
Propshaft, front runner coupling, centre bearing

+Brakes
Upgrade to E34 M5 rears, E31 840i Fronts, E32 7er Master Cylinder

OR if keeping stock (which I might since they're recent replacements):
Hydraulic servo
Brake hoses
Rear hub trigger rings

+Suspension
New arms and polybushes
Front strut lower spring cup
Rear axle beam bushes
Pitman arms
Steering box and mounting brackets
 
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Nice motor and project.

Sorry if its answered elsewhere but does it turn over by hand or on the starter motor?

I would get the body / rust sorted by a pro the rest could be done at leisure by yourself.
 
It turns over off the key, it also starts though fuel pump doesn't seem to be pumping, despite being newer than the rest of the engine. Obviously I've only run it for a few seconds because of this but enough to get an idea.
 
Had a great chat with the lead mechanic this weekend. All very reassuring.

The electrics and wiring all seems to be working, which is good. I'll be able to update bits as we go but it's good to know the base is solid.

The fuel pump is now also working, but the pre pump isn't. One has been ordered from BMW but it was, obviously, not cheap. Once this arrives we'll be able to, hopefully, get the car moving under its own steam.

I decided to go this route because the amount of welding isn't going to change. The chassis is always going to need doing, but if the motor is shot then finding a replacement would be prohibitive to the project continuing. Also, I'm pretty much in for a penny at this point. Sod it.

On the subject of the chassis, he said that it's never been worked on, which is good. No need to unpick someone else's work. The car appears to be remarkably original throughout (blessing or curse?).

Brake calipers, discs and the master cylinder all appear to be "new" all round. They would have been fitted circa 2004 but will have done 0 miles. That's good news also.

If the engine runs good, the next big expensive question will be the transmission.

I should have some pics to post up soon which will be nice.
 
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