Help on Pricing an 1984 M6

[spank]

hi guys I just bought a 1981 635 CSI now a 1984 M6 has come up and may be a great deal.

1984 121,000 miles
Motor has huge leak down so assume its bad but you can drive it.
The clutch is shot and needs to be replaces.
Individual has been driving it on a daily basis until the clutch went out.

What would you pay for a restoration project M6?

Thanks

Spank

[jhfutch]

Clutch is easy $500 for parts, not bad if you do it yourself.

The motor is what you should be worried about, with leakdown problems it could just need a Valve adjustment or a rebuild. It'll cost ~$2500 and up for a rebuild and that's doing it yourself. If the head is cracked, a new head is $7k from a dealer, but you can find good used ones in junkyards for less.

If the body, paint, suspension, interior and everything else is top notch then $10k would not be a bad price if your looking for a car to work on yourself.

But if the engine is shot and the clutch is out chances are the owner hasn't been taking that good of care of everything else the car. A worn out M6 that needs alot of work is only worth about $2 - $4k.

How much is he asking?

[spank]

He wants $2,000 plus the price of a clutch job if he has to do it. He said the car pulls and runs good. He even told me of the problems he knew of and they were really minor. I wonder if the valves are what the problem is? Can you find used M6 motors?

Would you do $2,000? Or have them do the clutch job, test drive it then pay the 2k plus the clutch job?

He has put money into the car on various stuff. He said he has over $7,000 into the car since he took posession. He took possession from the original owner at 70k. Had a 100k services and said all was fine.

May be a great opportunity who knows.

Thats why I am here on the forum asking for help.

Thanks

Allan

[Mr Project]

Well, if the motor is hosed, it would be silly to pay for a clutch job since it would be very easy to DIY while the engine is out being replaced/rebuilt.

[jcsomerset]

Euro S38 motors have their own sets of issues.

1: they had single coil valve springs, prone to breaking after time.

2: they had single row timing chain, prone to breaking after time.

Upgrades consist of twin coil valve springs (as in the american S38 M6 motor) and double row timing chain (again, as in the US M6 motor)

Have these 2 things been done? IF not - you need to do it.

Rebuilds on S38 engines are about 8K minimum; less if you buy the parts and do it yourself.

I just had a clutch job done by a reputable serviceman - 1135 and change. PArts and labor, resurfaced flywheel and new guibo to boot. so about 1000 for a clutch, sans flywheel work and if your guibo is good. My guy charges 80 an hour i consider it a deal.

CAr runs like top now though- Money well spent. IMO

[spank]

Just brought the 85 M635 home. Drove it from Reno to Boise NO PROBLEMS, no smoke very smooth. I am willing to bet the valves are way out of adjustment. Car runs great and idles fine but not as good as it should. Now I have to find where to get the valve cover gaskets, sounds like spark plug gaskets? (never heard of that before).

Will upgrade the intake, exhaust and do the exhaust gear and better cam bolt. The car does not have near the power of my 635 CSI, however there are lots of upgrades to the CSI and the new one is as stock as it can be.

For $2,000 I got a steal of a deal.

Allan

[jcsomerset]

The car does not have near the power of my 635 CSI,



Allan


Are you sure it's an M motor? if it drove W/ no probs, etc smoke, etc; then it should have pulled a bit harder W/ 286 HP....that's stock.

your 81 635 if euro :edited in: If it's an 89 M50 that's a what? 2.5 liter?.

even still - 24 valves + 3.5 ltr+ euro exhaust headers > 24 valves + 2.5 ltr + mods

[Makr]

$2,000 - and you drove it home. Nice. I'm not too far away if you get tired of it. :)

[spank]

Are you sure it's an M motor? if it drove W/ no probs, etc smoke, etc; then it should have pulled a bit harder W/ 286 HP....that's stock.

your 81 635 if euro :edited in: If it's an 89 M50 that's a what? 2.5 liter?.

even still - 24 valves + 3.5 ltr+ euro exhaust headers > 24 valves + 2.5 ltr + mods

Yes it's an M motor. Twin overhead cam 24 valve etc. It is completly stock except for a dinan chip. Except for the chip this car is so stock it still uses a stock air filter, same size tires as original 205-60-16.

My 635 is faster but it has been stripped of all the US stuff and is as light as they came from Europe.

Schreik cam, bigger valves, titanium valve springs, head ported and matched to the intake and exhaust by Paul Ladue. All that plus an Aluminum flywheel, not to mention all the race suspension, sloted brake roters, braided brake lines etc.

To compare the two is like this. The M is a nice comfortable cruiser, the 635 is a street racer. You can hear it in the sound, feel it in the cornering and acceleration and notice it in the braking.

However where do I go to get parts for the M635? That is what I want to build and I will sell the 635CSI to someone that wants a great hi performance car, over 100 mph in 3rd.

Allan

However I think the M can beat it if it was modded to the same extent.

[jcsomerset]

If the M has a Cat - perhaps it's clogged - anywhere close to good engine running it should beat the pants off of your 2.5 M50..

My M6 is definately a street racer.. Fast as all hell and scary when you get on it - I go 100+ in 3rd too.

Stock tire size for that car was 245-45ZR/415's It's had the metric rims removed - much to your advantage. So the Valve cover says "BMW M POWER" or something close?

I just have a hard time beleiveing that an M635 W/ 286 stock HP can't keep up with your M50 modded swap.. Even with all your mods - I'm sure it's not 286 at the flywheel. Now - HP to Weight Ratio may say a thing or two there.. however..

Thinking: Dirty INtake valves would hamper pick up - as well as nasty dirty air filter.. Clogged INjectors would do it too. If the engine Runs well otherwise, good Leak down,etc. then I'd bet clogged cat; injectors, Valves, etc. if Big smoke wasn't billowing out of her rear and she idles OK - then she should just need a good cleaning.. Also - See my earlier posts about euro motors - you'll want to get those upgrades done if not already.


Pics - Pics!!!

We want to see..

[spank]

[QUOTE=jcsomerset]If the M has a Cat - perhaps it's clogged - anywhere close to good engine running it should beat the pants off of your 2.5 M50..

My M6 is definately a street racer.. Fast as all hell and scary when you get on it - I go 100+ in 3rd too.

Stock tire size for that car was 245-45ZR/415's It's had the metric rims removed - much to your advantage. So the Valve cover says "BMW M POWER" or something close?

I just have a hard time beleiveing that an M635 W/ 286 stock HP can't keep up with your M50 modded swap.. Even with all your mods - I'm sure it's not 286 at the flywheel. Now - HP to Weight Ratio may say a thing or two there.. however..

Thinking: Dirty INtake valves would hamper pick up - as well as nasty dirty air filter.. Clogged INjectors would do it too. If the engine Runs well otherwise, good Leak down,etc. then I'd bet clogged cat; injectors, Valves, etc. if Big smoke wasn't billowing out of her rear and she idles OK - then she should just need a good cleaning.. Also - See my earlier posts about euro motors - you'll want to get those upgrades done if not already.

Will be having the valves adjusted on the 14th. Again stock as hell other than the dinan chip. Where do you get your parts. I was planning on an K & N filter, exhaust, exhaust cam gear and crank hub upgrade. What would it cost for the upgrades you are speaking of?

I hope my car gets faster because compared to my actual autox car 93 RX7 my M6 even the 635 are slow moving turds.

I would love to have my M be faster, much faster. Do you know how much they weigh? My mazda is 2500 lbs with 380 hp at the wheel.

Thanks

Allan

[jcsomerset]

The euro's weighted less of course than the American models. I'll try to remember to check my walton book tonight.. An RX7's rotory engine is nothing to sneeze at.. is that a turboed model w/ 380 hp? (btw I love the last body's of the rx-7 - really classic look..sad they stopped making them what 93-96?) at 2500lbs your mazda is a good 1000 lbs or so lighter than both the bmw's..

You'd have to rebuild the M motor to 3.8-9 ltr's to get 380 hp off of the crank, but it can and has been done. (you can turbo and the sky's the limit - ask E34biturbo about his S38 project)

For parts I'd check with either Steve haygood or Metric Mechanic. It'll be the cost of the new cams/crank gears/ and the double row timing chain, plus the double coil valve springs, a member of roadfly had it done to his euro M engine for 4G for the head work I believe.

I still want to see pics and if you come across any more euro M cars for 2G please let me know - youve got plenty of cars - it's time to share.. hahah :lol:

[spank]

I will look look on the internet for the names you suggested. I do not care about getting big numbers out of the car just to have it as good as it can be with just a few mods.

My Autox car is a 1993 Mazda RX7 yes its twin turbo. Full race suspension and everything that can be done to make it faster has. I was third in the US last year in the Pro-Solo competition.

The M will be my street car. I would just like to do a few things to make it its best and enjoy the car for what it is.

Where do we get a repair manual from?

Allan.

P.S. You really don't want to see pics it will just make you feel bad.

[jcsomerset]

Pics won't make me feel bad - where there's one car deal to be had - there will always be another.. besides, - I've already got mine- check my cardomain site. (truth betold - the ultimate would be to find an M euro engine W/ the valve/timing upgrades already done and drop it into my car - even though I'm around 300 hp W/ my chip- the euro motors of course were higher compression and hp - but the US M6's had nicer interiors.. and sunroofs. )

I'm thinking about getting an e30 coupe to slowly mod into a tracker/autox car.. did you join the SCCA to do all of that?

www.stevehaygood.com

www.metricmechanic.com

Metric's just engines -

Steve's the whole car.

[spank]

Went to Haywood site, great prices? Metric has lots of stuff.

Yes I joined the SCCA. I have been a member since 1999.

Where do you live? Maybe when I am racing if I am in your neck of the woods you can come out.

Allan

Where do you get your repair manual? Also exactly what is our car? all kinds of designations for bodies, motors, etc and I am not sure what to look at. So what are the designations for our 1985 beast?

If you want to see scary fast you need to go for a ride in my mazda.

Allan