Sneezy's 540 Adventure

[Sneezy]

So nine months ago I picked this car up from Trevor. At first I was just trying to snag the sport interior for the 525 project but when the engine was found to be good he decided it had too much potential to be parted, and rightly so in my opinion.

Deal made, and he agreed to deliver it to my hometown where we both have family. I sent a set of wheels up with my mother after one of her visits, Trevor drove the car down from DC and was kind enough to swap them on for me. So far so good, but then at the last minute my ride up flaked on me so I had to get a flight for the next day. Now it is a short direct flight but that was close to $500 so I opted for the annoying fly all over the eastern seaboard route that would take seven hours. Bear in mind that it only takes 5.5 hours to drive. So here I go, roll the wife out of bed at five on a Saturday morning (challenging), get to the airport and go through all of the hassle of explaining why I had a large metal thing in my carry on (tag) only to get to the gate and have the flight cancelled just prior to boarding time. Luckily, the airline was willing to book us the direct flight (the $500 one) with another carrier. Win!

I get my sister to pick me up at the airport because SOMEBODY was having car issues and couldn't come fetch me. Her take on the whole affair after staring at the car in her drive for a day was amazement that I was actually considering driving it 300 miles. "Hey, I have a cell phone, my AAA card and $200 cash in my pocket. What could go wrong?"

Walk around the car and it is exactly as Trevor described it, no surprise there. Still, I baby it at first. Windows down, no air, no radio, listening for issues and feeling her out. After 100 miles I said screw it and rolled up the glass, fired up the AC and pushed it up to 85 once I hit the Interstate. The car had some issues, many really, but it was solid. By the time I got home I had decided I was scrapping the 525 and and dumping the good stuff on the 540.

How #GA65339 came to me sans wheels:

























Those are courtesy of the previous owner.

Looks like work, but I wanted one to build myself. It was a good buy. I started work on it the next day.

Okay, thread started. I will update it over the next few days as I remember what I have done to it thus far, and I will gather up some of the few pics I have taken. There have been some wins and some missteps, money wasted and failed ideas. The plan evolves all of the time, based on whims and influences of you guys and gal, but generally what I am shooting for is a nice driver. I like to take what I call carcations which are basically just picking a spot on the map and driving there. That is this cars intended purpose, along with keeping me busy doing something I enjoy. It will never be the sweetest car around, nor the fastest in it's class, but it will be nice and I will have turned 95% of the wrenches myself.

[Leonator134]

Finally! Looking forward to seeing it's progress!

[Sneezy]

I am sorting through the receipts to remember what I have done along the way. It is more than I thought.

[clevertd]

It does exist

[ShapeShifter]

Only 9 months to start the dang thread???
I thought I was a slacker...

Enjoy it!

[gixxerboy63]

Finally! Looking forward to seeing it's progress!

+1.
Subscribed!

[Sneezy]

Only 9 months to start the dang thread???
I thought I was a slacker...

Enjoy it!

Peer pressure.

[bubba966]

Peer pressure.

So this is that 540/6 that Trevor had that got rear ended shortly after he bought it so he sold it (am I remembering that right?)?

[Sneezy]

Correct, sir. Hence the missing rear bumper and dented trunk lid. Now sporting M5 cover and repaired lid. The car came with a good trunk, but I decided to repair the one on the car. When I get around to painting it I may swap them, but for now the M5 filler plate covers the impacted area, so no care

Here is a pic of the carnage.



A friend and I pulled the dent and smoothed it out. Still a bit wavy, but like I said it is hidden by the filler plate.

I got the M5 cover from Trevor as well, come to think of it. In fact, quite a few of the subsequent parts came from him.

I am going to miss you whilst you are out cruising around the seven seas, mate. We had quite a sweet arrangement.

[ShapeShifter]

How about some current pics, what you have done, how much you love or hate the car....
The suspense is killing me....

[Sneezy]

I will get to the work update this weekend. I was going through invoices for parts last night to refresh my memory and now I understand why Mike at thebmwpartstore sent me a Christmas card.

As far as current pics all I can find are some crappy cellphone shots I have sent Trevor over the months. I will post those, but the car is immobile at the moment and covered with a foot of dust. As soon as I can get it rolling again I will get it cleaned up and take some proper shots with a better camera. It's coming along, but miles to go yet.

How do I feel about it? I loved it at about mile 250 bringing it home. I have a weak spot for cars that are on the cusp of being thrown away to start with, and this one was a fuel pressure test from being parted. I can say that I absolutely hate the PS system on it though. HATE. I had it dry and then changed the fluid from Dex to Pentosin and a week later it was leaking with no pressure. No more pussyfooting around and trying to save a buck, I am changing the whole system this time.

[misswin]

about [gosh darn] time, man. seems like my thread lit a fire under your [rear end].

[93FIM5]

Hahaha so happy to see the Sneezy thread! I want to come back to the east coast just to get wings again that was a good time.

[Sneezy]

Beer, boobs and Buffalo sauce? How can that not be good times?

[misswin]

in for that trip.

[5mall5nail5]

zomg sneezy build thread, in.

[TGreene]

It is going to have a very high smart-ass-comment to content ratio.

[Sneezy]

Aye, likely.

[5mall5nail5]

Unlikely. No one is smart in here.

[Sneezy]

Well certainly not I as far as the smart goes but smartass? Now that we already have in spades.

[gixxerboy63]

I think Trevor said "smart-ass"
A difference.

[TGreene]

Well certainly not I as far as the smart goes but smartass? Now that we already have in spades.

Exactly as I had anticipated.

[Sneezy]

Sell me a front E31 wheel. Need spare.

[5mall5nail5]

You're all wrong

[bfp9]

Beer, boobs and Buffalo sauce? How can that not be good times?

Whoa. Yum on all three.

in for that trip.

Cory would also like to stare at/touch some boobies.