New to the E24 - Euro 635csi

[TGreene]

Hello E24ers. I have been driving E34s for almost seven years now. I started with my Dad's 535i 5-Speed and now have a '95 525i 5-Speed DD and a '91 M5 project. As most of you do I am sure, I was browsing craigslist the other day and I saw an ad for an '81 Euro 635csi. I went to see it.

According to the seller, it was his father's car who rear ended somebody else while reaching for his brick car-phone on the American Legion Bridge in 1997. They decided that they would do the body work themselves. They bought a 633 for parts to start it and they never finished. The car has been in pieces for fifteen years.

Sold!

It came with a few sets of wheels including some open lug 16'' Alpinas so I went for it.

VIN: WBA53310005590293

You will see that the car is very rough. It was being prepared to be towed away after settling of the father's estate, so tons of parts from both this car and apparently the 633 were piled in the cabin.

My plan is to sort through the junk, sell off what I can to fund the project, and to try and get it running. I will reassess and make plans once I have it running. In the meantime, can anyone ID the fiberglass body kit?

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/44704740.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/d44561f3.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/baca4bde.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/ca84871b.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/cf21af6b.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/3bc112f5.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/d27cd3a2.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/462c7874.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/8447450e.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/a6bb925b.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/7606b708.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/141cdb09.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/b018c528.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/239aae2b.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l637/trevorcgreene/1903b396.jpg

Wish me luck!

Trevor

[AHenry014]

wow dude. such a cool car!! gonna be fun to sort through. wish we lived near eachother. id love to dig into it with ya. have fun with it!

[Sneezy]

You are a madman, which is why I love you so.

Subscribed.

[Steve547i]

Love that spoiler. You should throw an s38 in it.

[TGreene]

Love that spoiler. You should throw an s38 in it.

I was thinking OBD1 M62 with M60 heads and timing chains =p

[BeLiQ]

Amazing!

[barry8108]

I would try to get it running with the engine it has. Makes it worth more and being a euro the engine has more HP than a U.S. engine. Curious why they stripped out the interior. E24's are different than e34's and it's better to keep them stock, you do not see a lot of modded ones

[euroshark]

An M60 would be awesome.

It looks like you got some interesting bits with this car... I spy a Getrag 262 4 speed, a 260/5 5 speed, an E9 air dam and a what look like genuine Alpinas. Very cool!

[Freshbread]

Interesting how it has the rear upper bumper coverings on an 81.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=5371&mospid=47199&btnr=51_0796&hg=51&fg=20
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/v/j/0.png

[TGreene]

I would try to get it running with the engine it has. Makes it worth more and being a euro the engine has more HP than a U.S. engine. Curious why they stripped out the interior. E24's are different than e34's and it's better to keep them stock, you do not see a lot of modded ones


I have the Recaro seats. They were left outside the car so I took them back and have them in the garage ready to be cleaned. I don't want them to get damaged during all the work that I will be doing.

I think I may likely run into wiring problems. Maybe the mice have chewed through something. Who knows. My plans all depend upon the condition of the car once I get it cleaned up and have a better idea and also upon whether or not I can get the engine to run.

I can see this going the way of a somewhat comprehensive restoration, or a rat-rod if I encounter a bit of rust and want to mess around with it rather than part it out.


An M60 would be awesome.

It looks like you got some interesting bits with this car... I spy a Getrag 262 4 speed, a 260/5 5 speed, an E9 air dam and a what look like genuine Alpinas. Very cool!

Is that an E9 air dam that I pulled out of the cabin and let rest over the engine bay?

It has a bit of parts from the 633. I will have to sort through it all.

I prefer the lumpy idle of an older, cammed I6. I love the S38 in my M5. If there are engine harness issues or other catastrophic engine failure issues with the engine in there now, I can't think of a better bang for the buck than an M60. They lack character IMO, but they sure do make a car move.

[e24uard]

Motronic distributor and L-Jet intake manifold?

[TJC1]

Welcome to the group Trevor!

You'll find a wealth of info on this forum and folks who are extremely helpful.

By the way, the front end bits you sold me for the Touring are working out just fine...thanks.

[ShapeShifter]

I don't know what to say Trevor?? Hopefully the bug has bit. From the looks of it, I think you might be better parting it, make a few bucks and buy something a little more rest to drive.

Of course there is the fun of rebuilding a car, but that could take years.

I'm gonna be in Great Falls, Va. Saturday morning with my 6 for car and coffee if you want to drive up.

[Mikem635csi]

Hello E24ers. I have been driving E34s for almost seven years now. I started with my Dad's 535i 5-Speed and now have a '95 525i 5-Speed DD and a '91 M5 project. As most of you do I am sure, I was browsing craigslist the other day and I saw an ad for an '81 Euro 635csi. I went to see it.

According to the seller, it was his father's car who rear ended somebody else while reaching for his brick car-phone on the American Legion Bridge in 1997. They decided that they would do the body work themselves. They bought a 633 for parts to start it and they never finished. The car has been in pieces for fifteen years.

Sold!

It came with a few sets of wheels including some open lug 16'' Alpinas so I went for it.

VIN: WBA53310005590293

You will see that the car is very rough. It was being prepared to be towed away after settling of the father's estate, so tons of parts from both this car and apparently the 633 were piled in the cabin.

My plan is to sort through the junk, sell off what I can to fund the project, and to try and get it running. I will reassess and make plans once I have it running. In the meantime, can anyone ID the fiberglass body kit?



Wish me luck!

Trevor

Hey Trevor- so you're the guy that beat me to it! I had spoken to the owner of this car (Larry?) and he asked me to call him back the next day since someone was coming to look at it that day....

Was looking to buy the seats and some other random parts for my 85' M635 but he was not too open to parting it out...

anyhooo, good luck and have fun. I am in Alexandria...where are you?

[Mike323i]

He beat a few people to that one (me and one other buddy among them)!

Yes, that looks like it might be an E9/E3 front air dam.

Have to say, it also looks like it might be terminally rusty (check the front inner fenders, and my conjecture below).

Regarding the later style rear on this, I was guessing that the car was probably rusty and repainted/restored once already many years ago, before the accident, and got modernized to the later style with that body kit. Pure conjecture though, just based on how nice the paint looks, the oddity of the later style body kit, and how readily early cars rust.

In any event, good score, and congrats on beating us all to it!

[TGreene]

I don't know what to say Trevor?? Hopefully the bug has bit. From the looks of it, I think you might be better parting it, make a few bucks and buy something a little more rest to drive.

Of course there is the fun of rebuilding a car, but that could take years.

I'm gonna be in Great Falls, Va. Saturday morning with my 6 for car and coffee if you want to drive up.

I have been meaning to make it there for a long time. It is only a few miles away. The HG on the 525i blew the other day after an overheating, so of the four cars I own right now only the project M5 is on the road, hah!

I will give you a call if I can make it.


Hey Trevor- so you're the guy that beat me to it! I had spoken to the owner of this car (Larry?) and he asked me to call him back the next day since someone was coming to look at it that day....

Was looking to buy the seats and some other random parts for my 85' M635 but he was not too open to parting it out...

anyhooo, good luck and have fun. I am in Alexandria...where are you?

I am in Reston. Maybe if this bad boy is too rusted you will end up with the seats after all :rofl:


He beat a few people to that one (me and one other buddy among them)!

Have to say, it also looks like it might be terminally rusty (check the front inner fenders, and my conjecture below).

Regarding the later style rear on this, I was guessing that the car was probably rusty and repainted/restored once already many years ago, before the accident, and got modernized to the later style with that body kit. Pure conjecture though, just based on how nice the paint looks, the oddity of the later style body kit, and how readily early cars rust.

In any event, good score, and congrats on beating us all to it!

That would make sense. I will have a better idea when it is cleaned out, hosed down, carpets pulled and my head stuck down with a flashlight poking at things.

[ShapeShifter]

Come on out! I'm gonna get there by 7am

[Mikem635csi]

I have been meaning to make it there for a long time. It is only a few miles away. The HG on the 525i blew the other day after an overheating, so of the four cars I own right now only the project M5 is on the road, hah!

I will give you a call if I can make it.



I am in Reston. Maybe if this bad boy is too rusted you will end up with the seats after all :rofl:



That would make sense. I will have a better idea when it is cleaned out, hosed down, carpets pulled and my head stuck down with a flashlight poking at things.

Trevor- let me know about the seats. Been looking for some for some time...