e39 528i for my grandson

[e30topdown]

I don't even know how to start complimenting you.

All the love and work you put into sourcing the car, getting it back up to spec, your long journey to deliver it to a young man who had no idea he was getting a car (and an amazing first car at that) to your story telling and impeccable commentary, is just brilliant. Sadly I never got to work on or enjoy cars with my dad or grandfather, so I am a bit envious.

Thanks for the read!

Thanks very much, Spyke. I am humbled by your words. So glad you took the journey with me.

[e30topdown]

That's very true. There's a reason why my father and I only buy BMW's now. Haha, it's an addiction.

I have four BMWs in my driveway that attest to that!

[Ajcanadian]

3 in our haha! Two E39's and one is an E70. My father and I are on a hunt for another E39. This time a little powerful, well a lot an M5. A 00 Avus Blue M5. Who knows when I'll find that car.

[amancuso]

6th Street, ah the memories. :-D... I did the same thing with an e36 318ti and 328i I bought. The 328i took the cake though as it needed inner and outer rear passenger side fenders cut out and rewelded due to extreme rust and bad repair job about 10 yrs ago. It also needed the battery well to be cut out and new metal fabricated.

Here's the 318ti.
Brought it home:


After a some mechanical work, repaint, wheels, fogs and lower skirts.



My 328i required lots of suspension work, valve cover gaskets, and brakes all-around. Also it needed rust repair on the rear quarter. The rest of the car was rust free.
As brought home:



Finished:



Always a labour (and expense) of love <3

[e30topdown]

Nicely done, Al!

[badwayz]

Great time line and such a wonderful gift for you to handle for your grandson. I did the same kind of thing for my daughter and it meant the world to her.

[e30topdown]

Great time line and such a wonderful gift for you to handle for your grandson. I did the same kind of thing for my daughter and it meant the world to her.

Thanks! Jonathan was very appreciative and it was very worthwhile on my end.

[dxxxiiii]

Congrats and thank you for the great read. Hopefully we will soon have an update from Jonathan on this forum.
My father in law infected me with bimmer bug 25 years ago with his black over cardinal shark 635 CSI.
I have since resurrected a Craigslist e28 533i into a daily driver. The wife's infected by virtue of her e92 touring, and my next will be a e39 540i DD.
I really dunno what the future holds tho, I haven't seen much come out of Munich that gets my blood pumping since the e39s, e46s, the clownshoe, and maybe the later z4s.
Still the Ultimate DRIVING Machine?
Hmmm.
We shall see.
Thanks again tho! Jonathan's got a great Pap!


Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[e30topdown]

Thank you for your kind words, dxxxiiii.

I agree. The only new BMW I'd consider right now would be a 228i with the suspension and track package with a manual tranny. But it still has all the computers...a big concern for me.

i just bought a 2000 328i e46 (m52tu) that has a cracked head. I'm putting in a non-tu m52 motor that I got from a CCA buddy. The newest BMW I own is a 2001 Z3 coupe. As long as I can still use my Carsoft v12 on it, I trust that I can work on it myself.