DoubleJC's E34 M5 Build Thread: an AUTO-biography

[doubleJC]

Hey everyone!
Just wanted to get another build thread started! This time it's one of my dream cars ever since owning an E34 (see my Sclywag build thread)

It's my new-to-me 1991 E34 M5 that I had acquired on May 31st, 2019.

Here's a little back story about procuring the car:

• January 22,2019: I purchased a cheap 1998 E39 528i 5 speed with black interior and a full E39 M5 rear end.
Unfortunately, the PO had removed the VF supercharger kit from it. My plans were to daily this little rust bucket.

• March 17th, 2019: I had ambivalently sold the Sclywag to another BMW enthusiast from Wisconsin after some weeks of negotiating. His plans were to take all the rare goodies and put it into his own 540/6 E34 Touring. I was apprehensive at first, but I'd rather not see my wagon roll down the local highway and have it built below my standards. I was then at peace to know that it was truly an end to the chapter.

• March 20th, 2019: I took the earnings from the wagon and brought my dad, younger brother, and his friend for a road trip to a town 20 minutes west from Spartanburg, SC. We drove down for a genuine 2003 E39 540i/6 M-Sport with 217,302 miles! It had all the workings done that one could ask for! From a professional paint job, to the dreaded timing guides, and a plethora of maintenance services (all done in the owner's indy BMW shop).
- I was elated! Long story short, after buying the car, each one of us took a turn to drive back. It took us a whopping total of 24.5 hours roundtrip! The plan was to swap out the M5 rear end and black interior from my hooptie 528i!

High mileage cars don't scare us.

- Mileage can fool many others out there. I have seen examples of low mileage cars that had weathered outside, leaked oils and fluids from dry rotted seals, and with terrible shimmies at speed all due to negligent owners. Juxtapose this next to a higher mileage exampled (ie: this M-Sport), it had driven like a dream. It had no issues at any speed, nor leaked of any fluid. It was well taken care of and had many more miles to go in its life. /rant

• May 15th, 2019: Now comes the story of the E34 M5. One night, I was curious to see if I could find any local E34 M5s around the Chicagoland area, and alas! There was one listed FS on Facebook market place by a good guy named Richard. Him and I talked for a while trying to piece things together about this M and its history. After convincing myself that wanted this car, nay, NEEDED this car, I bartered off both E39s!

- I loved driving the M-Sport! It had done everything incredibly well: it was quiet, comfortable, sounded good, and fairly fast given its age. But it lacked character that I've grown so accustomed to. The E39 was TOO good of a car as silly as that may sound. At this point, I truly realized that I missed being in an E34.

- Granted, after selling the wagon, I promised myself I would not go back into an E34 chassis unless it was a special one. And a special one this was indeed.

• May 31st, 2019: My brother and his friend accompanied me up to Milwaukee, WI, where Richard and I decided to meet (as it was equidistant from our homes). After introductions, him and I shared the same passions about BMWs and our stories with them.

- A little while later, I had found myself with the keys, the title, and some paperwork to this glorious 1991 E34 M5:

(These photos were taken by the PO, in his local listing)


(At the time of this post, I have address and switched out the eBay tail lights for some OEM units!)

Nevertheless, onto the car!

• It's a September of '90 production car. It's Glansschwarz or "Jet Black" (668) over black Nappa leather (0226). Unfortunately, it did not come with the 2+2 / "Breadbox" rear seats as it's a late '91 model year.

- Additionally, the paint intrigued me. According to the PO, the car had never been repainted before. I am inclined to believe him as there are a few spots of imperfections and light scratching from the very thin Stage 1 paint. Granted, it still shines up well! But whatÂ’s interesting about it is that its totally black without the lower contrast paint (graphite silver) for the bumper lips and side skirts. There is no indication on the VIN decoder that this was a deleted or opted option.

• The M had been tastefully modified (except the tail lights) and it was definitely driven and loved by the previous owners before me.

• The car had 218,420 miles when I got it! But don't let that fool you. It has been maintained and looked after! A few miles on the way back home, I gained major confidence in the car to get me back without any hiccups!

• Now for the maintenance history of the car:

- The entire S38 cooling system with new belts had been replaced 116 miles (6 months) prior to my ownership by BMW
- The entire drivetrain had been rejuvenated from transmission back with new seals, gaskets, bushings, and fluids 2,090 miles prior to my ownership by a specialized
independent BMW Shop: EP3 Motorsports here in Illinois
- The entire front steering, suspension, and rear subframe components have been replaced with OEM or aftermarket items 1-2 years before my ownership (Casey Automotive)
- Fuel system items such as the FPR, filter, and lines have been addressed 3,720 miles before me (Casey Automotive)
- The differential was rebuilt with new friction plates, input and output seals, gaskets, and fluids 11,415 miles prior (Casey Automotive)
- Steering box (replaced with a refurb'd M5 unit) and fuel injection serviced 12,336 miles or 4 years prior to my ownership (Casey Automotive)

All of these services had been done by reputable shops with invoice and service history records.
Although I have yet to go to my local BMW dealership and request a full service history in order to fill in the blanks and share its story.

• The M also came with a handful of goodies similar to those that I had for my old wagon:

• Exterior:

- E34 specific M-Parallels (18x8 and 18x9)
- E34 Aero mirrors A.K.A "are those E36 M3 mirrors, bro?!" (genuine late model M5 units)
- Larger welded exhaust tips from stock
- Smoked Smiley Crosshair headlights (Depo units with Morimoto LEDs)
- Smoked turn signals (replaced with ambers front and rear)
- Smoked eBay tail lights (binned)
- 30% window tints (though, I'm more of a fan of the fishbowl look. This is to show off the interior; but it's nothing special yet, so this'll stay for now)
- Blacked kidney grilles (which I'll replace with the chrome ones as I want it to give it a nice contrast and match the chrome window trims and the lips of the BBS and ACS wheels I have)

• Interior:

- Condor Speed Shop shift boot "M-Tech" pattern
- Condor Speed Shop "tall-knob" shifter (I have since replaced it with a ZHP knob)
- Kenwood head unit (matched orange LED of course)
- 2x open air Kicker 12" subwoofers custom mounted on the rear deck-lid with a custom grille piece (very 90's and actually sounds very nice! Bass fills the lows quite well; not as thumpy as closed box unit but has enough kick to it.)

• Drivetrain & suspension:

- Racing Dynamics front strut brace
- Racing Dynamics front and rear sway bars
- E31 850CSI 4-pot Brembo front brakes w/ HPS pads
- Stainless steel braided brake lines on all 4 corners
- Bilstein shocks w/ Eibach lowering springs (although new; these will be replaced for MOAR LOW - bring on the hate!)
- Spherical bearings for the control arms (Bimmerworld & Turner Motorsport kits)
- Polyurethane rear subframe mounts with poly dog bones

What about my opinions?

The suspension:
- Almost devoid of any body roll on cornering! I couldn't believe how flat it would corner with just shock and spring setup with a strut brace and beefy sway bars!
- It cornered more flat and tighter than a friend's E34 S50 swapped sedan with 16k/14k BC Racing coilovers.

The brakes:
- Tight and güüd! Confidence inspiring with the Brembos, great pads, and SS lines!

The S38:
- I've driven an E34 M5 around 5 years ago (2015) and it seemed a bit lethargic and tired to me (at much lesser miles than mine) at the time; granted it was fun wringing it out to 7,200RPMs.
- But this time around, this car felt way more healthy and definitely gives you that OOMPH after 3,700RPMs all that way to its redline! It really wanted you to use all the revs and it's INTOXICATING!

Do I have future goals & plans for this? Heck yes!

- There are quite a bit I would love to do with the car. By virtue of the car being tastefully modded and driven; I shall do the same under my care and ownership and will always remain that way.

It's no garage queen or show pony; but it is a driver's car.

- Keeping it 100% original is not the best option for me as that is not to my taste; there are plenty more low mileage, pristine examples out there for Purists to drool over.

- Admittedly, as I write this post, I have been sourcing some OEM parts that the car did not come with. I believe that having the original parts on the side is highly important to showcase that on the event that one day (I or another owner) may be able to bring the car back to its stock form.

• Exterior: elephant ears or aero wing mirrors?

- Overall, I envision the car to be much lower on KW or Ground Control coilovers, with classic period-correct wheels and a bit more aggressive aero.

- There are a few options I would love to have in regards to the wheels:
1) Use my current 18" BBS Style 5's (I think they fit the E34 much better than the incredibly common 17" counterparts)
1) Rock my 18" AC Schnitzer (ACS) Type 2 Rennsport 3 piece wheels
2) Try to source my all-time dream wheels: 18" Hartge Type C "splits" 3 piece wheels,
3) Custom make 18" stepped lip M-System wheels with the Turbine & Throwing Star covers for versatility.

- I also plan to make the car look more aggressive:
- The rear will have the ACS rear wing I sourced coupled with the E30 M3 Evo gurney flap to be install on a spare trunk. The aggressiveness of the rear should compliment the front with an M-Sport bumper fitted with a custom lip mounted beneath it (nothing too extreme but will give it that extra edge). The M-Sport bumper has a more aggressive, lower, and pointed lip than the M5's.

- As for lighting:
- I'd keep my smoked smiley crosshairs but would pair them with clear (non-smoked) turn signals and rear tail lights to complete the monochromatic theme I'm going after. The brakes would be painted gold, like the new carbon-ceramic brake upgrade on the newer M's, to offset all of the black exterior and add a hit of flair and bling!

- They would look great behind the 3 piece wheels!

- The black exterior with the smoked head lights, clear turn signals, chrome accents for the window trims, kidney grilles, and wheel lips, with gold brake calipers should tie it all together.

Understated and classic, but means business!

• Interior: it may go 2 directions:

1) Keep it all black:
- Add the 2+2 seating or "Breadbox" rear seats
- Install late model door cards with my Birdseye maple wood trim (graphite)
- I would also retrofit the Euro driver's side "pistol box" / glovebox with an early model passenger side glove box with provisions for a wood trim (this is a very minor detail but fits the lines of the interior and door cutouts better: I could show you in photos later).

- As for the steering wheel, my plan is to fit:
- an Italvolanti DTM Formel Indy steerring wheel re-wrapped in alcantara with Tri-Color stitching
or
- an M-Tech II 370mm wheel re-wrapped, thickened, in either Nappa or alcantara with Tri-Color stitching.
- The leather would suit a more classic and luxurious take on the theme. The alcantara will have a more race-inspired motif.

- The Tri-Color stitching should give the interior a bit of pop! The e-brake and shift boot would also be replaced with Nappa or alcantara to compliment the wheel.

- At this point you may be thinking, it's going to be a lot of black! But the combination of the satin leather finish, the matte texture of alcantara, and the gloss wood trim will compliment each other nicely. There's a fine combination of a few different materials to keep the interior looking interesting to those with a keen eye.

2) Source a complete M-Confetti: M-Hurricane interior in the dark "Amaretta suede" alcantara: (Just like atl530/Justin's Interior here, see post 398).
- If this were to happen, I would be more inclined with the Italvolanti steering wheel in alcantara with matching boots.

- Either way, the headliner and pillars (stock black) will be rewrapped in black alcantara as well as the rear parcel shelf.
- As for the shift knob it will either be:
- an illuminated ZHP knob
or
- the elusive BMW golf ball shift knob (this would be used if I source the Italvolanti steering wheel).

- The golf knob with the Indy Formel wheel would suit a more race-inspired theme with the car especially with the more aggressive front M-Sport bumper and ACS wing with the gurney flap.

- Additionally, I would include a metal pedal kit (either from PedalHaus or Turner Motorsports, or elsewhere). An in-car phone would be a cool novelty item but would like to retrofit an Arduino for custom controls. Lastly, I'd like the center console casette tape holder. I had this holder before and I gutted it so it becomes a little cubby that has a cover. A neat little trick I've done back in the day!

- Engine: am I ready to Burn My Wallet?
- Oh the mighty S38. I have been torn to boost it to no-end or keep it N/A.

1) At this moment in time, I'd like to keep a balanced car to drive. T have the satisfaction of using all the revs without being too ludicrous on the streets with unusable power (WOW am I really saying this coming from a turbo wagon?!)

- My goal is to get 350WHP from the S38. An N/A S38 has the potential to go up to 315WHP with a better flowing exhaust system, cams, intake, and a tune (see Anri's work on Youtube here!)

- I think that a modest 315-350WHP in today's standard will keep the car's balance for the backroads.

- I plan to use my MegaSquirt2 PnP (MS2PnP) system so I could have open trumpets and really hear that ITB induction noise that everyone loves!
- I'd like to pair this with the SuperSprint long-tube headers with the full system leading to an Eisenmann Race muffler with the addition of a slightly more aggressive cam from the stock 264 duration.

- The MegaSquirt would also let me use a more contemporary coil-on-plug (COP) system instead of the outdated dizzy one. I'd also add a cam sensor as well (just like the S38B38s). The MegaSquirt would also give me the ability to tune for better AFRs (fuel economy or power), use ethanol fuel, launch control, no-lift shifts (if I wanted to), and much more.

- Furthermore, I would like to retrofit my Volvo e-fan, install a full aluminum radiator, lower temp. fan switch, lower temp. thermostat, and delete the heavy mechanical secondary air pump (SAP) system.

- I would also replace the A/C lines and condenser from the M30 as it will raise the condenser to the stock M30 placement on the S38 block. This will keep it from hanging too low from the ground.

2) Now, if I were to boost it... then I would have no choice but to spend upwards of $15-20k on a fully built motor capable of 1,000HP! But if I wanted that, I'd boost a stroked out M52 instead and buy a spare E34. But I'd like to spend my money on other things in life too haha!

Plus I want this car to have a certain character...

I'd like the car to have a Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde persona:

- Where you could go on a pleasant Sunday morning cruise or out on a Saturday evening date where the car would be tame, amiable to drive, and comfortable for the passenger to ride in, to a more visceral, engaging, and gratifying drive with a step on the accelerator pedal!

- I hope to have the driver have a moment of "non compos mentis" or lunacy, as thrill and excitement go down their spine and raise the hairs on the back of their neck as they smash on the go-pedal all the way to 7,600 RPMs! I want the driver to feel and hear what it would have been like behind a wheel of an M88 powered Procar back in BMW's heyday in the Gruppe 5 series.

- If you've made it this far in the read; thank you! I hope you've gained insight on the type of build I would love this to become!

Regards,
John

[Red Shirt KRT]

Not a ton of m5 build threads on here, thanks for sharing excited to see it! It’s my dream car too and I hope to pick one up in a few years.

[Neubauten]

Looking forward to see that! We don't see so many E34 recently, even M5board is quiet...

[T444E]

Not a ton of m5 build threads on here, thanks for sharing excited to see it! It’s my dream car too and I hope to pick one up in a few years.

This. Hope to see progress

[doubleJC]

Not a ton of m5 build threads on here, thanks for sharing excited to see it! It’s my dream car too and I hope to pick one up in a few years.

Looking forward to see that! We don't see so many E34 recently, even M5board is quiet...

This. Hope to see progress

Thanks for the support you guys! Finally just finished up editing my first post!
It's a little dense but I hope its a good read for those truly interested in the project with some time to spare!
It should cover the back story, basics about the car, and what my plans are.

Regards,
John

[motorokr718]

im only here because your instagram story said so

[doubleJC]

im only here because your instagram story said so

Hey! I guess it worked!

Here's the 1^st update on the build y'all:

I finally got around to editing and uploading my "walk-around" video of the M. So here's an embedded link for you all!
Hopefully you could see the condition of the car when I got it.

I also included more photos below!

June 6th, 2019
Mileage: 218,667 miles.

I cleaned up the interior a bit and changed or added a few stuff around!

Here's the "Tall knob" from Condor Speed Shop.


Swapped over to the ZHP knob.
It feels better to me and looks mighty proper!
Can never go wrong with it!
Now it's time to find an E60 SSK though.



Y'all meet Benjamin, the BMW Bear that my friends got for me years ago!
(from the Sclywag days)
He's still chuggin' along rides!



Here's a trunk shot prior to cleaning.
Emptied out the tool kit and you could see the two 12" open-air subs here.
(At the time of this posting, I've swapped out the amp for a larger Infinity unit)



and I spy...


Yes, you saw correctly! My car came with the rare blue rag!
How cool is that? I never would've thought it would survive all these years.
It's definitely been used before though. There are some oil markings from checking the dipstick
(I have since washed the rag and it looks much better now- I've added a spare microfiber cloth to use instead)



Peek-a-boo!
Unfortunately, the car didn't come with the original M-Systems.
(But that changed recently! Stay tuned for that update!)



Clean as a whistle.
I should double check the prod. date on that tire. I wouldn't be surprised if it has never been touched




Old school First-Aid Kit. No thank you.
I have yet to source another one that is placed under the passenger seat!
Gosh I was dumb not to take it out of the wagon prior to selling!



O.G. BMW wrench vs. newer ones.
The tool kit was mostly complete with 6 out of the 9 (not counting the triangle and cloth).
I noticed that the original wrenches have this polished finished at the ends of the wrenches (left). They feel a little beefier too.
I wouldn't at all be surprised if BMW cheaped out after the batches they used for the E34.
The other wrench (right) came from junkyard E36/E39s.



Here's the complete kit! Even with the Road Triangle!
The blue rag not pictured since it was being washed.


Bracket mounted.


OEM Fire Extinguisher that I got for the wagon. Had to keep it!
More of a novelty item since it's long expired but hey, it looks... FIRE!
Not to worry, I keep a real one by the passenger seat just in case. God forbid.



Last bit of today's update:
A rare rear view mirror!
It totally updates the look and feel of the car.
It has provisions for auto-dimming, the digital compass, garage door opener buttons, and the "clown nose" for the security system
This worked in my '94 Touring as it came pre-wired with the harness tucked into the sunroof switch panel.
I have sourced a pigtail a little after this photo and am just waiting to wire it up along with the OEM keyless entry system that I kept.

Well, that about does it this time around guys!

Thanks for tuning in!

Regards,
John

[SpecRaceM5]

Looks great! If by some chance I don't end up shipping my car to Germany, I will keep you in mind for my Hartge's. I must say though, bringing my car "back home" is a dream that I am not likely to stray from.

[doubleJC]

Looks great! If by some chance I don't end up shipping my car to Germany, I will keep you in mind for my Hartge's. I must say though, bringing my car "back home" is a dream that I am not likely to stray from.

Wow Spec, if that were to ever happen, I'll be more than happy to take care of them and that seriously would mean the world to me!
But I would rather have a friend fulfill their dream of reuniting with their car overseas as well. I really do wish the best of luck with that endeavor though.

Keep in touch,
John

[doubleJC]

Update #2:

Sharing more stuff about the car and stuff.
Some changes here and there!
Let me know what you think!
(all shot with an iPhone X)

June 27th, 2019
Dad and I had a little photoshoot at my aunt's today. Just felt like sharing this moment while the M's were together.
Who else shares the same passion with their ol' man?

My dad doing his thing; he also got me into photography


///M Family.
But check out his fitment doe!!!
Especially the rears. It's hard to see from here but it's flush AF!

July 3rd, 2019
Found a set of incredibly rare 18" BBS Style 5's with authentic red/gold 3D BBS center caps up in Milwaukee, WI!
I had to pick them up the next day! I haven't found another set since.

My grandpa's trusty E53 X5 3.0 does the job!
Bimmers quite literally run in the family


*DROOL*
Wheel Specs are as follows:
18x8 et 20
18x9 et 22
The faces have been redone in this textured powder coat and the faces have been polished.



Before
E34 Specific M-Parallels


After
18" BBS Style 5's

Which do y'all prefer?!
I'll post more photos of the new setup later. But I think the 18s fit the E34 much better than the 17" counterparts.
They don't end up looking too small due to the multi-piece design.
(18" multi-piece wheels end up looking like 17" wheels to me when you focus in on the faces due to their inherit split design)
Plus, M Parallels, classic as they are, they're dime a dozen. These would've made them my THIRD set that I've owned.
It's time for something new.

July 17th, 2019
I received a care package from a fellow Bf.c member on Facebook.
He was incredibly kind to hook me up with a set of OE tail lights, side markers and other misc. pieces!
Time to swap them out!

Yay, parts!



Before
Smoked turn signals


After
Amber turn signals
I think they're much better; ambers give it a nice pop and contrast.
The all black facia loses too much detail for my liking.
Now I have to get chrome Kidney Grilles!


Before
eBay garbage units going to the bin!


After
Amber tail lights
SO MUCH BETTER

Cannot wait to get clear turn signal, tail lights, and chrome kidney grilles!

/End of update

Thanks for checking in,
John

[TGreene]

Looking good. Ambers FTW

[doubleJC]

Looking good. Ambers FTW

Thank you TGreene! Ambers do have a special place in my heart, just not on red cars!

Update #3:

Some photos to showcase the new wheel setup + a couple extras
(all shot with an iPhone X)

July 20th, 2019
Took the M to my cousin's wedding along with a special watch. Anyone else like to collect other things besides cars?
Also, I joked around and I asked my grandpa if he would pose in front of the car and sure enough, he did!

PAM005
Any other Paneristis out there?


Everyone, meet Papa Tony!
This man is the person responsible getting all of the boys in the family into cars; starting with my father.
My dad's favorite car of Papa Tony's had to be the '71 Mustang Mach 1

July 21st, 2019
The weather was perfect and some friends wanted to hang out. Undoubtedly took the car out to enjoy some summer fun to my favorite beach down the street from where I live. If anyone is ever in Chicago, you gotta check out Lake Michigan and some other lakefront scenes and I'll be more than happy to show you around!

I also had my friend bring his camera for some practice sessions.
Luckily, I was able to capture some, what I think, were incredible moments.

Who else likes to shoot?
Thought it would be cool to juxtapose these 3 photos in a strip.



Candid moments are the best moments.
Zoom in. Check out their facial expressions! I got a good laugh out of it! Lol



A Perfect Summer.
Isn't this what it's all about?
The car is incredibly special. But what truly makes it all worth while are the friends that surround you and enjoy these moments.
They're not crazy car nerds like we are but they see and understand the passion.
Granted, they still don't get why we throw endless money into these hunks of metal. And that's okay.



The Rarities of the Earth
The temple in the background is 1 of 7 in the world.
It's known as the Bahá'í House of Worship.
It's a must see when in Chicago. It has an incredible presence in the flesh regardless of your creed.
Plus it makes for some astonishing photos!
Plus it's right next to the beach, free of entrance, so might as well spend a day for some picnic and fun with friends and family!

July 26th, 2019
Went to USPS to ship something out to a friend in Lithuania. Couldn't keep my phone in my pocket and had to take a photo.
Spontaneity at its finest. The lighting and reflection just looked too good!

Errand Run to USPS

August 13th, 2019
This has been my go-to spot at school. It's at the end of the row where it meets the walkway.
It lets me park as close or on top of the yellow lines. (And no, the next spot over isn't for disabled people)

Always Gotta Look Back at It.
Who else turns around to admire their car?
Never ceases to put a smile on my face, this thing.

Thanks for tuning in guys!
Hope you liked these photos showcasing the new setup!

Much regards,
John

[JThomp33]

Looks great! If by some chance I don't end up shipping my car to Germany, I will keep you in mind for my Hartge's. I must say though, bringing my car "back home" is a dream that I am not likely to stray from.

I feel you on that. Moved to England a few weeks back and I have every intention of shipping my 540i/6 over at some point

[doubleJC]

Update #4: TRIP TO GEORGIA.

Continuing the storyline here!
My friend Dakota and I decided to take a weekend trip to Georgia (8/15/19 - 8/17/19) for some car parts. Why ship the parts to Chicago when you could meet the faces of these usernames we've grown accustomed to? Might as well make a trip out of it and enjoy each other's companies!
(all shot with an iPhone X)

August 15th, 2019
Momma we made it!

M a r i e t t a , G A .
Dakota and I arrived at Marietta, GA, around 3PM Eastern.


Peek-A-Boo
We were pleasantly greeted by a black E34 peeping through the garage.
Which then forum-member Eric cordially welcomed us in.
We had shoot the shit for a few minutes about ourselves and the car parts we were looking for.

He had sold Dakota a good chunk from his parts car which I also shamelessly picked at.
Who knows when you're going to need the little things, amirite?



Food was absolutely delicious here.


Later that evening, we decided to call another forum-member, ATL530/Justin, for a quick hang.
But not without reason.
I was going to pick up something a little special for myself. Which you'll see below.



Justin's E34 Touring
Driving into his cul-de-sac and seeing this gem in his garage definitely made me miss my old touring.
Made me feel nostalgic.

They were both similar with the narrow grille, white in color with the black lower contrasts, and the M bumper.
Maybe one day I'll have another.



The Reason for My Drive Down South
Here we have the boys hanging out with some M-Systems and M-Parallels out and about.
Justin's facial expression says it all. I didn't think he wanted to give up his M-Systems to me haha!



The Hunt for Original Parts Continue
As you might have read, my M came with some nice upgraded goodies.
But unfortunately, they did not come with some of the original equipment the car came with from the factory.
So my journey to source original parts was started.

I figured I'd start with the wheels!
Yes I know, the Throwing Stars with the M-System wheels aren't completely period correct as mine's an early M5.
But I figured they're a great start! As my goal is to have both covers to complete the set.
Now... who has Turbines for sale!? hehe

August 16th, 2019
The new day consisted of going on more adventures. We had hiked the tallest mountain Georgia had to offer: Kennesaw Mtn. and of course, we had to get some bomb-ass Southern Soul Food.

Frank's Cajun & Soul Kitchen
This little shack was tucked away behind a Chevron gas station.
It didn't have any fancy signs or any flashy menus.
But what it did have was character.

I'd like to take a moment to talk about Frank's and our experience there with a story.
Because I think anyone visiting GA should definitely visit Frank's.



★ Ruined Luxury Automobiles [over] Total Purists ★
Because Purists.

As we walked up to the small order-window, we had seen a man sitting on a chair to the right.
His name was then called upon as his order was readied.

Dakota and I then came forth. Admitted to the friendly man that we've never been as we were from the north.
He had told us, "well, take your time and ring the bell whenever you're ready,"
I don't think we were completely ready but we rang the bell anyway.
Unsure of what to get, we asked for his opinion. We all reached an accord.
But what struck us was his response,
"If you don't like any of it, you tell me before anyone else. I'm going to make sure y'all are taken care of and have this be fixed.
I ain't putting my name up on this building for no reason,"
My eyes lit up, not realizing that the man behind the glass window was the owner of this stand.
To me, this was a rarity as owners are typically behind the curtain not to be seen.

At this moment, Dakota and I knew that this man took incredible pride in his work.
As he should because this food was, hands-down, the best Southern BBQ I've ever had.
Their cobbler was pretty BOMB.COM too!


GODDAMN WERE WE HAPPY!
I wish I could share taste over text but please, give this place a visit!

But we ended the night meeting another member, Dionte at his home.
Warm and good-natured, he showed us his pad but more importantly, his cars.
He had his E34 535i and 2 E28s sitting on his driveway.


Filling Up Before Hitting the Backroads
I must admit, the man knew his car and the roads he took us on!
Admittedly, I nearly shat myself!

August 17th, 2019
The last and final day in Georgia. We went back to Eric's to load Dakota's trust Honda Pilot. We were mighty impressed that we were able to fit a whole bunch o' crap in the back.
We had the M-Systems, 4 doors, a trunk, and a whole bunch of other parts laying in the back.

S T U F F E D
Packed and ready for home.


But before leaving, we decided to visit Justin one last time to see his infamous "RED E34"



BIG RED
For me, knowing Justin for quite some time on the forums and seeing this car;
it felt as if I had met someone famous.
Everyone knows his red car.
It was a pleasure seeing it in the flesh.



Check out my dream interior! Which it's dubbed as the:
///M-Confetti ™
It'll now be known as such and nothing else.


But of course, it wouldn't be a true BMW hangout without more BMW friends coming along the way!



Photo 4 Smol Butt


Wow, a clean E36 compact?!
It was a pleasure to meet another enthusiast, Justin's friend from South Africa named Robert.


Nice car, Robert
It was a pleasure meeting ya old man and talkin' shit about you know who! LOL


But it's time to conclude this incredible journey down South.
So here's a photo of us Uglies cheesin' near the peak of Kennesaw Mtn.


Glad to have met such an awesome friend because of our cars!

Who else made life-long friendships because of our old and beaten E34s?

A.K.A. because of our:

TRASH TAXIS

Thanks for reading y'all!
Theres more to come!

John

[atl530i]

It was nice seeing you again, John and Dakota. I guess it's my turn to make the drive up, until next time

[moroza]

Definitely with you about mileage being far from the end-all-be-all, and not being scared of a car that's been properly owned, that is, enjoyed and maintained. Sounds like it has a good home.

Hot car! It looks particularly good with the red-center BBS wheels. But you were going for monochromatic, then swapped clears to ambers? I actually kinda like those eBay tails; I'd use them if they fit a Touring.

Why polyurethane dogbones? OE are spherical bearings already.

[doubleJC]

It was nice seeing you again, John and Dakota. I guess it's my turn to make the drive up, until next time

We'll have to plan for a better trip (longer & more worthwhile) for you to really get to explore Chicago! Super down to have you again!

Cheers good sir!

Definitely with you about mileage being far from the end-all-be-all, and not being scared of a car that's been properly owned, that is, enjoyed and maintained. Sounds like it has a good home.

Hot car! It looks particularly good with the red-center BBS wheels. But you were going for monochromatic, then swapped clears to ambers? I actually kinda like those eBay tails; I'd use them if they fit a Touring.

Why polyurethane dogbones? OE are spherical bearings already.

Well, thank you Moroza! Very kind words! I'd like to think the car went to a good home haha.

I couldn't say no to the price I paid for the OE ambers (front & rear) and so I figued it'd be good to just buy them. Especially to have an original set.
Clear DEPOs (front & rear) look very good in person to me and for a very affordable price; so those are next on the list!
I've seen the DEPO clears on my friend ishvisuals'/Ismael's 540 and ATL530's/Justin's 540 and you can't tell them apart from the Hella counterparts (except for the small logos in the corner).

Also, they have the eBay rears specific for the touring! I've seen it on a couple of builds floating around the interwebz!

As for the the dogbones, the PO had installed them so I had no input. But I didn't know the OEs had spherical bearings already! Learned something new today! The polys weren't needed then if that's the case.


Warm regards,
John

[doubleJC]

---

Update #5: New Plates, Who Dis?

A minor update with a small intro to my other hobby!
(all shot with an iPhone X)

August 25th, 2019
After a long awaited 3 months, I finally received my personalized Expanded-Use (EA) Antique plates!

JOHN
And yes, I did go for JOHN ... lol, I couldn't believe it was still available and had to go for it!
I'll be able to switch out for another custom plate in the future anyway as I've got some ideas for an "M specific" plate. Or would that be too much???

In Illinois, you can apply for the antique vehicle plate once the car reaches 25 years of age. I opted for these EA plates since they allow me to drive the car for a longer duration period unlike its regular Antique plate counterpart.

Cars tagged with this EA plate are only allowed to be driven to and from: auto shows, exhibits, service stations on the months of January - March and then from November to December. I don't mind this restriction as I don't daily the car during winter months anyway!

The car can be driven on any roads, including the highway, without any Antique plate restrictions from April - October.

Cars with Antique plates are also cheaper to re-register here in the state.


I love this angle; aggressive yet sophisticated.
The "L-Shaped" taillights started from the E32 set BMW apart on the road.
But I think that the E34's version really solidified the design.
This styling cue, like the "Hofmeister Kink" can still be seen in the BMWs today.

Motorcycle Season, 2019
Besides dabbling in the automotive world; I've started riding about 3.5 years ago and it as got me HOOKED!
My first was an '82 Suzuki GS1000GL, then a '94 Yamaha FZR600, then a 2005 Honda CBR600RR.

I couldn't recommend riding any more for those that're interested. It's probably the reason why I had gone astray from car culture for a little while.

Especially bringing your bike to Track Days! Much cheaper to run and I think much more fun trying to go around fast. Especially when you get to hang off the bike and get low!

For those reading this and lives in IL., definitely consider taking up a Basic Rider's Safety Course. It's a free course that takes an entire weekend or shorter classes throughout 1 week!
Plus, once completed; you'll be able to get a new license with your M endorsement AND lower your insurance rates because it's a safety driver's course.

Any who, that's my little rant about motorcycling.

Here's my other ride when I'm not in the E34 during those nice summer days!

It's my dream motorcycle ever since I was a kid:

a 2000 Ducati 996 Monoposto

This is actually my second 996. My first one was a '99 monoposto also in yellow, which I had sold prior to this (for many reasons).

This one differs from the '99 model year as it has the grey frame and the 5 spoke Marchesini wheels; which is more aesthetically appealing to me since the grey and yellow compliment each other. The '99 gold frame clashes too much.

This bike came with lots of carbon fiber (CF) goodies which include a CF swing arm cover, ram intake tubes, front fender, and oil cooler cover. It also came with a Fast by Ferraci CF exhaust & ECU chip, upgraded clutch master cylinder, open clutch cover with upgraded pressure plate, Ducati SB rear sets, and many other little things that I was planning on doing to my first 996.

Sometimes its is more economical to buy a different machine with the goodies you want on it already installed!

Like the M5; I’ve started accumulating original paperwork for this bike. I was able to source the factory service manual + a Haynes manual, and the original owner’s manual as well as the original tool kit for the bike!

The Miss & The Mistress
Both of these vehicles are quite the opposites but share some similarities.
One has 2 wheels, the other has 4, correct.

But lets take a defining feature of each: their engines.

The M5 has that lovely S38 under the hood.
It's silky smooth throughout and begs you to use all of its revs!
It wants you to wring it out in order to get the most out of its power.
Plus the sing-song-like sounds of the ITBs never gets old.

What about the Ducati's Desmoquattro's engine?
It has that brute-force, low-end grunt comparable to a crude American V8.
It'll pop the wheel up if you're irresponsible with your wrist.
The motor is brutal, relentless, and unforgiving.
But like the S38, once tucked behind the windscreen at WOT...
You hear that 996 gulp air with its twin ITBs and the sound is just as intoxicating!

The pair as dissimilar as they are, do share some similarities.

Both have a racing heritage under their nameplates.
Their motors are derived from motorsport.
They're also both fairly exclusive.


I'm a 90's Baby with 90's Toys
Just for fun, I had taken the base MSRP of both vehicles from their perspective years and readjusted their value for 2020 today:
(01.20.2020)
Their sums are quite ridiculous!
I needed to have been ballin' back in the day in order to afford these!

BMW M5 base price in 1991: $56,600
After inflation in 2020: $106,242.19

Ducati 996 base price in 2000: $16,495
After inflation in 2020: $30,962.28

That's a grand total of:
$137,204.47
before taxes!

I just couldn't fathom spending all that much on just 2 cars.
Granted, this is around how much we'd be paying for a brand new M5 and the new Panigales anyway.
But maybe one day I'll have F U money.



1 of 175
for the year 2000, yellow in color, with the monoposto (singe seat) tail.



Unpopular opinion: Yellow > Red
I do like red Ducatis.
But only on their newer sports bikes like the Panigale.
They have more interesting lines and shapes (more angular and angry) which plays with the red quite well.
They're very reminiscent of the Ferrari red.

But when it comes to this classic Duc, yellow took my heart.
Not as razor sharp and the fairings are a bit soft around the edges and yet the yellow compliments the bike much better.
(And no, that's not oil. But water after the wash )

Hope you liked this change of pace!

Thanks for your time,
John

[BleedsBlue]

It's good to see an enthusiastic M5 build thread in 2020, anywhere online! Congratulations on the dream car pickup, John. Your excitement is contagious, and reminds me I need to start documenting my new-to-me car (also a May '19 pick-up).

I'm not going to inject too much of this into the thread, but a lot of what you are after with this car aligns nicely with what we're doing at www.angryasssolutions.com. The only area you haven't mentioned that is ripe for the pickin' is weight reduction, which improves these cars in every metric. It's perhaps slightly more affordable than NA S38 building, as well

I'll be watching this thread, keep up the posts!

[dannyzabolotny]

It's good to see an enthusiastic M5 build thread in 2020, anywhere online! Congratulations on the dream car pickup, John. Your excitement is contagious, and reminds me I need to start documenting my new-to-me car (also a May '19 pick-up).

I'm not going to inject too much of this into the thread, but a lot of what you are after with this car aligns nicely with what we're doing at www.angryasssolutions.com. The only area you haven't mentioned that is ripe for the pickin' is weight reduction, which improves these cars in every metric. It's perhaps slightly more affordable than NA S38 building, as well

I'll be watching this thread, keep up the posts!

Agreed, it's lovely to see active build threads on here in 2020. Seems like most people have migrated to the Facebook groups, which are fine for quick questions/casual chatter but crappy for having a nice, detailed maintenance log. I guess that's just how car people are these days, instant gratification and minimal effort past snapping a pic for Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat.

[doubleJC]

It's good to see an enthusiastic M5 build thread in 2020, anywhere online! Congratulations on the dream car pickup, John. Your excitement is contagious, and reminds me I need to start documenting my new-to-me car (also a May '19 pick-up).

I'm not going to inject too much of this into the thread, but a lot of what you are after with this car aligns nicely with what we're doing at www.angryasssolutions.com. The only area you haven't mentioned that is ripe for the pickin' is weight reduction, which improves these cars in every metric. It's perhaps slightly more affordable than NA S38 building, as well

I'll be watching this thread, keep up the posts!

Hey Brent,

Just saw your build thread here and had to check it out! I definitely was not disappointed to see what you had picked up! Gorgeous car mate!

Let me tell ya, once I graduate from school and start earning Big Boy money, I'll be buying Angry Ass Solutions products to be used onto my car! I've already made a list my friend haha!

The weight of the car will definitely be skimmed from areas I could afford (exhaust, SAP delete, wheels (?)) but I'm hard-pressed to reduce more weight as I'm airing on the side of a GT car and can't have so much NVH come through the cabin.

I keep quite a bit of "essentials" in the trunk which definitely does not help with the weight situation

Got any ideas of where else the car could lose a few lbs.? Besides the driver? LOL

Agreed, it's lovely to see active build threads on here in 2020. Seems like most people have migrated to the Facebook groups, which are fine for quick questions/casual chatter but crappy for having a nice, detailed maintenance log. I guess that's just how car people are these days, instant gratification and minimal effort past snapping a pic for Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat.

And Danny... you speaketh truth.

Also, you S.O.B! Lol I had just read your old thread about the Red 525/5 and now you have a new one here?! I'd be more annoyed at you for getting rid of your red car but your touring acquisition kinda makes up for it

But congrats on that too man! Keep an eye out for a 6 speed swap! Better yet, an M60b44 hybrid motor to build. Those things are gnarly!
My friend ParkyPine/Yon built one for his HE53 540/6 here. It's a rowdy car for sure haha


Lets keep in touch fellas!

John

[dannyzabolotny]

And Danny... you speaketh truth.

Also, you S.O.B! Lol I had just read your old thread about the Red 525/5 and now you have a new one here?! I'd be more annoyed at you for getting rid of your red car but your touring acquisition kinda makes up for it

But congrats on that too man! Keep an eye out for a 6 speed swap! Better yet, an M60b44 hybrid motor to build. Those things are gnarly!
My friend ParkyPine/Yon built one for his HE53 540/6 here. It's a rowdy car for sure haha


Lets keep in touch fellas!

John

Haha yeah some people thought I was crazy for trading a really nice red 525i/5 for a sorta beat-up 530it, but I'm really happy with what I got. I had been wanting a touring again, particularly one with a V8 for future swap fun, so when this one popped up I just had to have it!

I've already got a Getrag 420g 6-speed + a manual pedalbox at the shop, now I just need to source the flywheel, clutch, linkage, driveshaft, diff, axles, and all the other various pieces that I'd need. The plan is to do a 6-speed swap with a large case rear end swap, so I can just use a factory 540i/6 driveshaft without any modifications. I don't really need an LSD, so I'd be totally cool with the common 2.81/2.91 large case open diff that I can always find in a local junkyard in an automatic 540i.

And you better believe an M60B44 is in the pipeline! No point in just swapping for a common B40, I'm going straight for the gold.

[BleedsBlue]

Hey Brent,

Just saw your build thread here and had to check it out! I definitely was not disappointed to see what you had picked up! Gorgeous car mate!

Let me tell ya, once I graduate from school and start earning Big Boy money, I'll be buying Angry Ass Solutions products to be used onto my car! I've already made a list my friend haha!

The weight of the car will definitely be skimmed from areas I could afford (exhaust, SAP delete, wheels (?)) but I'm hard-pressed to reduce more weight as I'm airing on the side of a GT car and can't have so much NVH come through the cabin.

I keep quite a bit of "essentials" in the trunk which definitely does not help with the weight situation

Got any ideas of where else the car could lose a few lbs.? Besides the driver? LOL

Cheers, John! We will have to motivate each other to document and share progress and joy of ownership.

When you're ready, shoot us an email and we'll do some planning with you! By then, we will have released additional goodies, I'm sure.

Weight is a large focus for us, and Greg (of 93FIM5 fame - still the most famous E34 M5 thread right?!) has the same goal as us - increased performance but not at the expense of reduced comfort or usability. There are a lot of ways to lose weight and maintain civility, but they do increase exponentially in cost (just like S38 tuning!). I'll only talk about current options here, but if you're interested, we can also talk privately (I don't want to muddy your thread) about our future weight-loss plans. They are extensive.

• Wheel and tire (and, brakes!) loss is big due to the obvious unsprung factor
• Exhaust can be big - like 50-100lbs big but if you aren't careful, it'll be too loud or droney for street use. We are developing a few options here
• SAP delete, and full removal of all SLS components/replacing the PS pump with an M30 unit etc are easy
• LI battery (we sell the mount) is expensive but drops 40+ lbs, and we've tested ours through winter street use for years and dozens of thousands of miles. It's more weight reduction than a CF hood!
• Empty the trunk stuff, at least 40lb items like a spare tire
• Replace the front seats! They are superfat. In your case, manual Sport seats might be the ticket, or a street-focused reclining Recaro

Weight reduction is the best! Especially without stripping things and losing comfort.

[doubleJC]

Update #6: Lasting friendships

Hello again fellow Motorheads! Here's another update! This one showcases the end of the season hang outs with some old and new Bimmer enthusiasts.
(all shot with an iPhone X)

August 25th, 2019
Yes, this is the same day I used my vanity plates! Right after, I had gone to a dealership hosted Cars & Coffee with my dad, it was about 20 miles west.

Here I met a couple new E34 friends! The first one I met was Tim, he drove his clean HE53 540/6 M-Sport. That thing sounded GNARLY!
You check check out his IG here: @timminakov
It was also a funny sight seeing him remove an early model black dashboard for me. People definitely gave us the "WTF?" were you doing look haha.

But nonetheless, he was a standup guy!

Dare I ask?
Narrow vs. Wide Grilles?



Those that speak it will get it.


​
Fraternal Brothers.

And yes, I fan-girled when I realized that this M5 was parked across Tim's 540!
I had to grab the spot next to him once the other car left.

This M5 was owned by a very nice gentleman named Andrew.


Weird that inanimate objects bring us closer together, huh?
Here you could see us two chatting it up about the cars, ourselves, and what got us into this crazy mess.

Overall, a great chap to meet as well!
Safe to say he'll be joining us for more meet-ups in the future!


Same Same But Different

So many aesthetic choices here.
Which combo would you prefer?

• Solid or contrast painte lowers?
• Chrome or black kidney grilles?
• Amber or clear turn signals?
• Smoked projector lamps or clear non-projector lenses?
• 17" or 18" wheels?
• Black or grey interior?


Wouldn't be a Twinning-M5 Post without an S38 shot, right?
Right.

But for me, the combo has to be:
• Sterling silver lower contrast (instead of the darker graphite silver)
• Chrome grilles (for darker colored cars so it stands out - black kidneys for light/white E34s for contrast)
• Clear turn signals (on everything for that euro flair! but I could go either way as long as ambers are not on red cars: too much clash in color)
• Smoked projector crosshairs (c'mon, it just looks meaner!)
• I could be swayed either (18s that are multi-piece since the face looks a little smaller and 17s if they're monoblocks- so they don't look like 16s when they're multi-piece)
• Black interior > grey


B O O T Y
Ending the day with a booty shot.

August 31st, 2019
Proud to be a member of the High Mileage Society.

219,500 miles.
And it'll only keep climbing! Drive tastefully.

September 2nd, 2019
Labor Day, 2019: after a few phone calls and text messages to friends, this is what happened!

A local club sponsors a car show every Monday evening, Monday Night Car Shows, starting on Memorial Day and ending on Labor Day.
Their season closer and tends to be the biggest car gathering for them for the year. So I decided to gather as many BMW friends that were free that day to attend!

Here's what my street looked like!

The Crew
(Hyperlinked the cars to their perspective owner's Instagram pages! Check them out!)

The lineup consists of:

My BMW E34 M5
Tim's BMW E34 540/6 M-Sport
Dakota's BMW E34 525i S50b30 swap

Brina's BMW E36 M3 built NA
Danny's BMW E36 325/5

BMW E39 525/5

My Dad's BMW E90 M3
My brother, Kyle's BMW E90 335i
^Hit him up for your BMW Tuning needs!^
BMW E90 335i
BMW E92 335i

Maserati GranTurismo Sport
Lexus LS 430
Subaru WRX STI

and there were more friends that couldn't attend :
a Toyota Mk.3 Supra, Lexus GS, another damned E92 335xi, and others.


Posted at the Monday Night Car Show
I had to bring the Duke too!

September 19th, 2019
I always pass by my neighbor's house with a bright red Z3M "Clown Shoe" in their driveway and it was parked on the street! I had to do a mini shoot (people probably thought I was crazy) before I left for work. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to meet the owner; perhaps next time around!

But I'd say my spontaneous stop was worth it. I've always loved the weird and polarizing design of the Z3M.

Lets end the post with some booty-licious pics, shall we?!

A Brick & A Shoe Walk Into A Bar...
This angle really exacerbates the length of the E34.


Mmm.. Dat Rear 3/4 Shot Though
Those arches are to drool over


SHU FOR 2
Need I say more?

Thanks for tuning in yet again!

Plenty more to come!
John

[moroza]

• Wheel and tire (and, brakes!) loss is big due to the obvious unsprung factor
• Exhaust can be big - like 50-100lbs big but if you aren't careful, it'll be too loud or droney for street use. We are developing a few options here
• SAP delete, and full removal of all SLS components/replacing the PS pump with an M30 unit etc are easy
• LI battery (we sell the mount) is expensive but drops 40+ lbs, and we've tested ours through winter street use for years and dozens of thousands of miles. It's more weight reduction than a CF hood!
• Empty the trunk stuff, at least 40lb items like a spare tire
• Replace the front seats! They are superfat. In your case, manual Sport seats might be the ticket, or a street-focused reclining Recaro

Weight reduction is the best! Especially without stripping things and losing comfort.

Not to derail the thread, but this piqued my interest. I appreciate the importance of weight almost as much as that of aero (...which is why I drive a 3470lb .34Cd car, yes... ), and would love to see an E34 with less unsprung weight in particular, partly because of the overlap with a rack conversion. I got a 3880lb 530iT down to a 3750lb 544iT without trying. The biggest loser was the slushbox, but other notables were seats (~30lb difference for the pair), flywheel (~25lb), ASC delete (~20lb), and sunroof delete (~~30?). Some weight ideas that might be feasible for a light industrial facility (that is, not a whole new CF body):
- Billet magnesium diff case
- Alu or CF driveshaft
- CF roof center section
- Front and rear suspension retrofit from something more modern and alu, plus alu or mag subframes if not already part of the conversion. Hell, the steerbox and linkage alone are roughly 20lb over a rack.
- I saw some shop in... Bulgaria? machine a custom block out of solid aluminum billet, for a Mitsubishi Evo with "is that a typo?"-level power. Just how insane of a project for your facilities would an alu S38 lower block be?

So many aesthetic choices here.

Which combo would you prefer?

• Solid or contrast painte lowers?
• Chrome or black kidney grilles?
• Amber or clear turn signals?
• Smoked projector lamps or clear non-projector lenses?
• 17" or 18" wheels?
• Black or grey interior?

1. Tossup, but the contrasting lowers have to match some other color, or it gets too busy.
2. On an E34 with its perfectly-proportioned front, chrome. Even on a murdered-out or white car. Silver might be an exception.
3. Clear hands-down. Or blacked-out like mine (best to start with clear).
4. For function, clear projectors. For form, it's tossup, but smoked add busyness, which may or may not be too much.
5. For function that still looks good, 16 or 17. For pure form... still 17, though some 18 (MPars and MK1) look very right on an E34.
6. Black as long as there are accents (chrome, wood). Lighter grey with large sections of contrast can look good too. Darker grey never looks good inside, IMO. I miss 80's/early 90's Whorehouse Red interiors, too; no US E34 came with Karmesinrot, though it'd be too much if not for the black and wood: