Another new shark owner... (Pictures inside.)

[TopsyCrett]

Sup guys, I'm new here, and new to the BMW scene. I just recently picked up a 1988' 635csi and I couldn't be happier. It truly is different from any car I have been in. This car is my first car actually, I am currently a high school student. Don't be fooled though, I was introduced to the car scene waaaay earlier than most kids are.... I've been on a couple car forums for 4+ years now lmao. So I guess you can say everyone's 'Ricer' stage was a lonngg time ago for me. Almost everyone in my family is a car enthusiast so naturally, I would follow. Please, don't be worried. I will not turn this into a trendy hella flush drift car, I concider this car to be way classier and it deserves more than that :lol3

If you want to know about the history of the car, by all means do so. Here is my build diary: deleted link, going to make another one.
She ain't perfect, but the entire suspension setup is going to be overhauled (Including Bilstein Sport dampers paired with H&R sport springs, still trying to find polyutherane bushings). I plan on keeping her as clean as can be, and as of now I am working on getting her back to 100%. Suspension is rather tired atm.

160,xxx km's (99,xxx miles) and she pulls hard. She is off the road right now, winter is coming up so it is in storage. Few paint blemishes and a rust spot that is just starting. It has been in storage for 10 years, in a heated garage. Such an amazing find, he is your typical rich guy and bought it a couple months old off his family friend in 88'. Wanted to get rid of her because he is leaving to Korea for vacation for 2 months and wanted to keep his other 3 BMW's and audis in his garage :lol3 How did I find it? he works next door to my dad. Wasn't on craigslist or anything.

I'll keep you guys posted.

Suspension, Period correct wheels, Bodywork and Change anything that needs to be refreshed are the plans at the moment.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6104/6245409560_dc799d9554_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6220/6245410474_79b4f13c86_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6244889797_48e9f5e3c4_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6215/6244891909_c2c779b230_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6114/6245414572_d0850184c2_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6105/6245415776_635e904064_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6120/6244895539_bfbfd58e61_b.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6176/6244897019_6d3084dccb_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6107/6245419742_92e750cf05_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6048/6245420638_d38004b611_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6245421298_18f5c25568_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6106/6244900401_8e824be2cf_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/6197043578_d66074d8a6_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6024/6196535453_cb854e0407_b.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6129/6197047790_78626a79bc_b.jpg

Cheers, Lorenzo.

[BoldUlysses]

Welcome! That's a very nice 6er you have there. Still running the stock TRXs, too.

I've never seen an '88-'89 E24 without the dash knee-pad, either. Interesting. You also seem to have that rarest of 6er features: A non-cracked dash.

You seem to have your head on straight as far as modifications, too. Avoid talking about HIDs, Angel Eyes, CAIs, fart can mufflers, etc, and you'll be in good company here. :)

[TopsyCrett]

Thanks! I forgot to mention a family friend has BBS RK's and Type 5's for me in California, nothing different but Type 5's are sexy lol.

I guess I'll start by asking, how can I prevent the non-cracked dash from cracking? :lol3 also the knee-pad... I'll look into that. Happen to have any pictures of one?

ps. I see you are on MPV club haha. You can peep my dads 00' MPV dd in the background of a few of the pics lmao. Been learning to drive on that while the e24 is in storage for winter.

[BoldUlysses]

The only real way is to cover it. BavAuto makes a nice fitted cloth cover that you can leave on 90% of the time and pull off when you want to "see and be seen," so to speak. Otherwise, Aerospace 303 seems to be the protectant of choice.

Here's a typical '88-'89 interior:

http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/plugins/PostviaEmail/images/1989_BMW_635csi_Big_Coupe_Black_For_Sale_Interior_ resize.jpg

Note the big, puffy, ugly kneepad and "shoebox" airbag wheel, neither of which you have.

Yep, the MPV's the family hauler. Been a great car.

[TopsyCrett]

Oh yeah I noticed that, I just thought it was because I had an M-sport package or something like that, since I have the M-sport wheel and electric sport seats. I know a guy who works at BavAuto so hopefully I can get some discount for the dash cover and suspension components lol.

[stoner]

Nice car! The only drawback I see is the ZF slush box but other than that, nice score? You CAN prevent an existing crack from travelling further but preventing them from showing up at all is going to be difficult. You can get your dash recovered or, if the cracks aren't bad you can drill a hole, 1/8" or smaller maybe 3/32", at each end of the crack and it will prevent it from growing. Welcome to the Shark Club. Shark Club T-shirts anyone?
Regards,

Dwight

[TopsyCrett]

Thanks, funny you mention that. This car was everything I was not looking for in my first car haha. I was hoping for a manual sedan, I was pretty close to buying a 2007 Accord V6 6 speed but then this popped up. I do plan on dailying a 00' Civic sedan (manual) or something like that, so I use the e24 less.

This car has character. I wouldn't be getting the same compliments and the thumbs up at stoplights if I drove a newer Accord :lol3 This car has really made me appreciate BMW's. Mike Burroughs 6 series was probably the 1st Shark that I ever saw. I never thought I would own one.

[stoner]

I don't care what year the accord is, it will never hold a candle to a BMW's tail pipe. Wise decision, if you like to work on cars that is. It's more like a marriage than just an ownership. You will get out of it what you put into it. And that anology came after some White Widow and 4 Heinekens.
Regards,

Dwight

[Bert Poliakoff]

Oh yeah I noticed that, I just thought it was because I had an M-sport package or something like that, since I have the M-sport wheel and electric sport seats. I know a guy who works at BavAuto so hopefully I can get some discount for the dash cover and suspension components lol.

The car is beautiful. Your seat are comfort seats, not sport seats. As clean as it is, that wouldn't bother me.

[TopsyCrett]

The car is beautiful. Your seat are comfort seats, not sport seats. As clean as it is, that wouldn't bother me.

Thank you sir. I plan on getting her even cleaner :thumbup:


I don't care what year the accord is, it will never hold a candle to a BMW's tail pipe.

Having an Accord in the family my whole life, and just in general loving Honda's most of my life (I love all cars... I am just really into Honda's)...


... I agree. Except for the lower end 3 series lol. Feels weird saying that.

[stoner]

Nothing wrong with Honda's mind you but they are just built for the other half of the population or should I say 90%, if you enjoy your 1-1/2 story house, 2.5 kids with 1.5 baths and picket fence that is. Or, if you like the robotically induced design and manufacture then, yah, Honda's are great! But... if you enjoy one of the last 'Hand Built' and most mechanically advanced, and still asthetically pleasing, automobile's of their day then, you buy a 6er my friend. Oh,... and the looks and thumbs up ain't too bad either, if you can get used to it that is.
Regards,

Dwight

[TopsyCrett]

Nothing wrong with Honda's mind you but they are just built for the other half of the population or should I say 90%, if you enjoy your 1-1/2 story house, 2.5 kids with 1.5 baths and picket fence that is. Or, if you like the robotically induced design and manufacture then, yah, Honda's are great! But... if you enjoy one of the last 'Hand Built' and most mechanically advanced, and still asthetically pleasing, automobile's of their day then, you buy a 6er my friend. Oh,... and the looks and thumbs up ain't too bad either, if you can get used to it that is.
Regards,

Dwight

Hahaha yeah yeah, lurking around these forums and Bigcoupe really changed my mind. After viewing the car, I fell in love hahahaha.

[stoner]

Hahaha yeah yeah, lurking around these forums and Bigcoupe really changed my mind. After viewing the car, I fell in love hahahaha.

Sucker born every minute my Canadian cousin. Welcome to the family!
I'm not too far from you. Look at the NorthWest topic on Bimmerforums and maybe you can attend some local drives also, pacific northwest BMWCCA has some events including the PNBMWCCA Concourse during August and I'm sure you know about the e30 Picnic don't you? It's only the largest e30 gathering In, The World! Happens in June I believe. Go there even if you DON'T have an e30, I do. Get involved and enjoy the ride of ownership!
Regards,

Dwight

[TopsyCrett]

When its back on the road in spring I will try my best to attend meets. My dad wants to attend the next Bimmerfest in Cali I think, so I can pickup the BBS's and meet with all his old street racing friends when he was in the Philippines 100's of years ago lol. They all own E30's now.

[stoner]

When its back on the road in spring I will try my best to attend meets. My dad wants to attend the next Bimmerfest in Cali I think, so I can pickup the BBS's and meet with all his old street racing friends when he was in the Philippines 100's of years ago lol. They all own E30's now.

Can't blame them. That was their first exposure to BMW's nost likely. I'm sure some drive 2002's because they have a little more 'WOW!' factor for classic bimmer lovers. I understand why your dad loves e30's. He must be my age or a little younger. I'm 46. I fell in love with my old girlfriends's M6 back in 90'. That's why I love these cars today! It wasn't the woman that made the car, the car made the woman.
Regards,

Dwight

PS; Get to work, spring will be here before you know it!

[oxen]

nice catch , treat her good now :)

[Van6er]

Wow. Hey, welcome Neighbour!!! I'm a fellow Vancouverite! I can't believe I've finally found someone locally on this Forum! I've seen a couple of sixers around town on the odd occasion, but have yet to see another 88-89.
I have the exact same car as yours and was originally the same colour. Except mine was repainted platinum silver over a decade ago and has a manual transmission. It use to belong to my Dad who bought it brand new back in '88. I was there with him when he purchased it. Now he's passed it on to me and I've had it for the last 3 years.
I too will be placing it in storage soon for the winter months as I have done so since I've owned it.
Welcome to the forum and I can say you've definitely come to the right place to find out anything and everything about our sharks. I've done a few DIY jobs on the car but just the odd small ones here and there as these guys on here have helped me out tremendously more times than I can recall.
Congrats on your purchase and we'll definitely have to meet sometime!

Anthony

[vickumar]

As soon as I saw the rain on the car I had this feeling, so I scrolled up to check where you live... yep! thats vancouver rain!

thats a great car to own during high school! congrats!

[carsnplanes]

The car is beautiful. Your seat are comfort seats, not sport seats. As clean as it is, that wouldn't bother me.

Bert, his seats are certainly the sport seats. See pic number 8 of his photos on his first post.. See the side bolsters and the adjustable knee bolster from the sport seats.
BoldUlysses showed a pic of a "typical" 88 interior a few posts down to show the knee crash pad. That one did have the comfort seats.

[JohnLM6]

Very Nice Car! World bumpers, too. I read your build thread and like your path. May I suggest a set on 25/19 sway bars, these babies have a pretty good whale roll. Welcome to the madness.

[TopsyCrett]

Can't blame them. That was their first exposure to BMW's nost likely. I'm sure some drive 2002's because they have a little more 'WOW!' factor for classic bimmer lovers. I understand why your dad loves e30's. He must be my age or a little younger. I'm 46. I fell in love with my old girlfriends's M6 back in 90'. That's why I love these cars today! It wasn't the woman that made the car, the car made the woman.
Regards,

Dwight

PS; Get to work, spring will be here before you know it!

Oh its not my dad that loves E30’s, my dads buddies all love E30’s :P I guess that is also the reason my dad really approved of the 6er right away, just to have a bigger beast than them hahahaha, since back in the day he always drove the underdog car when they all entered in rally’s back in the day.
Right now I’ve just been cleaning the shit outta her! Cleaned the bay, waxed the exterior and I’m gonna get started on the inside.


nice catch , treat her good now :)

That’s the plan sir. :thumbup:


Wow. Hey, welcome Neighbour!!! I'm a fellow Vancouverite! I can't believe I've finally found someone locally on this Forum! I've seen a couple of sixers around town on the odd occasion, but have yet to see another 88-89.
I have the exact same car as yours and was originally the same colour. Except mine was repainted platinum silver over a decade ago and has a manual transmission. It use to belong to my Dad who bought it brand new back in '88. I was there with him when he purchased it. Now he's passed it on to me and I've had it for the last 3 years.
I too will be placing it in storage soon for the winter months as I have done so since I've owned it.
Welcome to the forum and I can say you've definitely come to the right place to find out anything and everything about our sharks. I've done a few DIY jobs on the car but just the odd small ones here and there as these guys on here have helped me out tremendously more times than I can recall.
Congrats on your purchase and we'll definitely have to meet sometime!

Anthony

Definitely, I’m stoked to come out the meets in the spring/summer. I only have my L though so my dads going to have to come along hahahaha.


As soon as I saw the rain on the car I had this feeling, so I scrolled up to check where you live... yep! thats vancouver rain!

thats a great car to own during high school! congrats!

Hahaha, thank you sir.


Very Nice Car! World bumpers, too. I read your build thread and like your path. May I suggest a set on 25/19 sway bars, these babies have a pretty good whale roll. Welcome to the madness.

Yup, sway bars are definitely in the future. Once I get back to work in the summer I can start adding the extra performance goods, but for now a higher performance suspension setup and basic suspension maintenance, As well as all engine/transmission maintenance.

[BMarshallW]

Welcome! Great buy! Color is awesome too! looks good!

[ShapeShifter]

Heated sport seats at that...
Very nice.
Enjoy!

[LarryM]

Congrats on what looks like a great car. You're lucky to be in a family of car enthusiasts who have evidently steered you in the right direction. As someone who never had that luxury, I ruined a couple of very nice cars when I was about your age. :rolleyes

I lived in the Seattle area for 10 years before moving to SoCal, and purchased my 6er just before moving. It's an original PNW car. The PO didn't use a dash cover at all and my interior's literally like new. Believe me, the LAST thing you have to worry about up there is a cracked dash.

[TopsyCrett]

Thanks guys, this seems like a really nice community! really puts off the typical dbag BMW owner sterotype.... but just in my experience those guys usually drive E36's and E46's :lol3

[Lapis 635 Euro]

Welcome and beautiful shark! I also am lucky enough to have an uncracked dash but I attribute it to the ugly carpet cover the prior owner was smart enough to use for many years. It's both a blessing and a curse but it's the only way to stave off the paranoia of the sun getting to your unblemished dash!

[Gunz635]

Car looks great and clean, i really like the color :)

[Bert Poliakoff]

Bert, his seats are certainly the sport seats. See pic number 8 of his photos on his first post.. See the side bolsters and the adjustable knee bolster from the sport seats.
BoldUlysses showed a pic of a "typical" 88 interior a few posts down to show the knee crash pad. That one did have the comfort seats.

:embarrasm:embarrasm:embarrasm Jody, you got that right. I looked at the wrong picture

[PRJKTGRMN]

beautiful six! welcome :)

[TopsyCrett]

Thanks guys.

[Roku35]

160,xxx km's (99,xxx miles) and she pulls hard. .

Kilometers. Does this mean this is a 1989 Euro Spec E24? Cool. Great color. Very niiiiiiiice.

[Van6er]

Kilometers. Does this mean this is a 1989 Euro Spec E24? Cool. Great color. Very niiiiiiiice.

It might be in Kilometers if the car is a Canadian version.
This has me wondering, as I have a 1988 Canadian 635 CSI. What are the differences between a Euro , Canadian and US sixer? I know my car has no drivers airbag like the US versions or the knee pad under the dash.
Just curious.

[maxg765]

It might be in Kilometers if the car is a Canadian version.
This has me wondering, as I have a 1988 Canadian 635 CSI. What are the differences between a Euro , Canadian and US sixer? I know my car has no drivers airbag like the US versions or the knee pad under the dash.
Just curious.

Hello

Nice example.

The Canadian cars are essentially the same as the US cars on the mechanical front.

The differences I know of are:
No drivers air bag - like the Euro
No rear AC cooler - like the Euro
No full leather interior - Like the Euro
The doors are not clad in leather - like the Euro
The dash is not covered in leather - like the Euro

I am pretty sure all the emissions restrictions are also on the Canadian cars just like the US.

Canada also had some other colors which I believe the US did not. At least for the M6 this was the case. Canada got it in white and metallic salmon silver.

Max

[Lavalamp]

Car looks great. As for the suspension I might be able to help out, I replaced every bit on my car with merle parts and bilstein sports and kmac plates/bearing about 5k miles before I stopped driving it, now I'm parting it out. I'll give you a good deal!

[Van6er]

Hello

Nice example.

The Canadian cars are essentially the same as the US cars on the mechanical front.

The differences I know of are:
No drivers air bag - like the Euro
No rear AC cooler - like the Euro
No full leather interior - Like the Euro
The doors are not clad in leather - like the Euro
The dash is not covered in leather - like the Euro

I am pretty sure all the emissions restrictions are also on the Canadian cars just like the US.

Canada also had some other colors which I believe the US did not. At least for the M6 this was the case. Canada got it in white and metallic salmon silver.

Max

Thanks for the info!
I always wondered why the airbag was not standard on all the late sixes worldwide.

[TopsyCrett]

Car looks great. As for the suspension I might be able to help out, I replaced every bit on my car with merle parts and bilstein sports and kmac plates/bearing about 5k miles before I stopped driving it, now I'm parting it out. I'll give you a good deal!

I plan on going with new parts but I'll hit you up if I need anything! How much did it cost you approx. to refresh all the suspension parts? I'm still waiting on a quote from a local shop..

[Lavalamp]

I think it cost me about $2000 in parts but that could have included an oil pan I bought at the same time. I replaced everything but the sway bars, put about 5k miles on the car since then. I also have brand new LCAs or some kind of control arms anyways because I went with the M5 ones instead of stock ones.

edit: I did everything myself so not sure how much labor would be, but I'm sure it won't be cheap. I expect your estimate to be in the $4-5k range, but it'll depend on how extensive your "refreshment" is.