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Hello there. I posted here recently about my desire to obtain a BMW that I found. Well, it has been obtain-Ed, and this is where my tale begins. Care to join me? I don't bite. A friend of mine, whom I do most of my automotive tomfoolery called me one day and asked if I savvy'd a hunt in a pasture or three for a few Isettas and some random nonsense. I told him I savvy'd just fine and away we went. I just so happened it was a fairly dreary day, but when we arrived, all that changed. In his pasture, two football fields from the road was a field full of cars and the making of a home made castle/barn, but that's a story for another day. He had plenty of cool stuff however, and I enjoyed looking at it all.
I think you get the point. The gentleman has a lot of cool project cars floating around, but none he really wanted to get rid of. He mentions off handledly that he has a "new" BMW that needs a new home, as he can no longer work the clutch comfortably. Im of course interested, and he walks us around the side of his barn, and out back. There I find her. Looking lost and forelorn.
Well hello there pretty. How are you? The gentleman explained that he had the car for quite sometime, but quit driving it years ago when his advanced age and bad hips made it no longer comfortable. Being a sucker for cheap random cars that catch my fancy, and being an admitted fan of BMWs for years, I inquired further, and he let me take a look.
In all fairness he admitted that while it was "running when parked" he had been unable to start it last time he tried and observed several chewed wires. Fairly disheartening but I'm kinda handy and this aint my first "old car in a pasture" rodeo. So we make a deal, with him offering it to me very very cheaply, and offering me to use his barn to fiddle with the wiring first, and if I couldn't get it to start, offering a full refund. What do I have to lose? So I made arrangements to return on the weekend when the weather was nicer to work on it.
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Welcome back! When we last left our intrepid explorer, he was purchasing a (possibly) money pit of a BMW on a whim, and for no reason! Lets catch back up to him now, working in the daylight.
Pretty quickly I notice a buncho wiring chewed. So out comes the handy soldering iron and away I go.
I think you get the point. At the end of a couple hours of chasing wires, soldering, and repeating, I finally ran out of wires to fix. During this time the elderly man told me a story about every single one of his cars, and It was a grand time. I hope im as awesome as this guy when im in my mid 70's. So with no more wires to fix, it was time to test her out. I anxiously put the key in and when i turned it the dash lit right up! Pushed in the clutch, and BOOM she fired right off! She idled rough at first and smoothed out quickly, considering the gas is probably still old. Im honestly not sure who was more happy, me or the man. He laughed and clapped like a kid a Christmas.
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Vehicle information
VIN WBADD532XVBV51643 Type code DD53 Type 528I (USA) E series E39 () Series 5 Type LIM Steering LL Doors 4 Engine M52 Displacement 2.80 Power 142 Drive HECK Transmission MECH Colour CANYONROT METALLIC (343) Upholstery STANDARDLEDER/BEIGE E36 SANDBEIGE E (N6SN) Prod.date 1996-11-25
S248 Steering wheel heater S292 BMW light alloy wheel, cross spoke 29 S403 Glass roof, electrical S459 Seat adjuster, electric, with memory S465 Through-loading system S494 Seat heating driver/passenger S640 Preparation f tel.installation universal S677 HiFi System Professional DSP S694 Provisions for BMW 6 CD changer S773 Fine wood trim S818 Battery master switch S925 Dummy-SALAPA
S260 Side airbag for driver/passenger S302 Alarm system S354 Green windscreen, green shade band S411 Window lifts,electric,front/rear S423 Floor mats, velours S441 Smoker package S473 Armrest front S520 Fog lights S534 Automatic air conditioning S540 Cruise control S550 On-board computer S645 BMW US Radio S850 Dummy-SALAPA S853 Language version English S961 SPECIAL MOTOR S992 Control of number-plate attachment
Last edited by AircoolerKirk; 04-19-2017 at 05:56 PM.
Member
So with the car running, the display lights up and i can see how many miles she has for the first time. Seems like a whole lot, but I dont know much about these cars. Should I be concerned?
Its still much too marshy for me to get my truck and trailer into his pasture to get the car out completely, so I backed it back into the sun, letting the car move under its own power for the first time in several years. I think I heard a family of pissed of displaced mice run away, but I care not for them!
While running, I noticed the check engine light didnt go off, so I got my bluetooth code reader from the truck and plugged it in. This is what I got. Im not sure what might be more chewed wires and what might be real issues. Feel free to weigh in on anything you like, with suggestions, kudos or comments. I literally have never owned a BMW and anything I know Ill be reading, lurking and learning here trying to get up to speed. I already love this thing and i have driven three feet.
Ill be taking actual possession of the car Thursday, and I have honestly learned a ton already. I see that people worry about these being reliable, but this doesnt have to be my daily driver for a while so I can go through it as slow as i want. Well until next time Constant Reader, I'm off to the belly of the forum to do some research.
Member
Great story,congrats on getting it running. You need to start a thread in the E39 section.Some good people there to help you on your way.
Member
Thanks! Maybe I should see if a moderator could move it. I wasnt sure where to post.
#buttstuff2k14
BMW CCA Member
Very cool! I love rescue stories like these
Member
Where is this place at? I sure like to see it.
Where are you hurting?
Member
Congrats Man! You were able to bring the dead back to live.
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