Here's the longer origin story:
The wife and I had to move recently as our kids are getting older and we needed some good schools to send them too. Schools the preferably didn't have gang graffiti in the kindergartens. We checked out this house and loved it. True to car guy form I was looking in backyards at everyone's cars. I saw some newer sedans and the obligatory SUV's and minivans. The house right across the street had a a E30 covered in leaves with semi-filled tires. It looked like it hadn't run in years. Next to it was parked a 97 540i.
After the typical crazyness that comes with buying a house which included a foundation strengthening, some old coal mine mitigation, and an off/on again sale we purchased the home. We were moving in and the wife half of the couple came over to say hello. We talked about some other crap and then I asked about the important stuff.
"So..what's the deal on that old BMW you have in the backyard?"
"That's my kids. They won't let us sell it. They could care less about the other one."
"Well, if you ever want to sell it just let me know."
Then, like a true hunter, I stalked my prey and waited. That BMW had slumbered long enough. With a new race track opening within an hour of my town I knew I had to secure a new steed and quick so I'd be ready for spring.
I'd done the Miata thing so it was time to change up. I'd missed out on a sweet deal for an asking price of $2k on a 190k mile 93 300ZX. I know that's a ton of miles but the price for my area was low and it required only some new tires, some brake work, and had a rust spot the size of a silver dollar over the passenger rear wheel arch. That aside, it all worked. The t-tops were tight, the AC was cold, the stereo sounded great, and the shop selling it had maintenance records back to 09. I test drove the car and thought on it for 4 hours too long. Poof. Gone. That car spun the tires pretty easily when I gunned it away from a stop sign on the test drive. It was a real runner. I had alread researched a twin turbo swap too.
I was talking to the husband half a month or so later. The conversation was:
"You guys selling that 3 series back there?"
"No, the kids are all about it. Both my boys drove it. I'd sell that 540 though."
"Is it an auto?"
"Nope, both are manual."
"Well..let me know what you want so we can talk."
Nothing more was said for another month. I chalked it up to reluctant sellers and nostalgia thinking they'd never let those cars go. Maybe a momento of having their boys at home? Either way, I had enough to worry about without taking on a car project. My kids are awesome in the way they make things that are mundane fun again. Remember how fun it was to play rock, paper, scissors? I don't either. I did again once I taught it to my son. So yeah, not much time for car projects these days.
Fast forward two months more and I'm out to breakfast with the family. After keeping the kids from throwing eggs at each other and trying to shovel my food in before they both decide to wrestle under the table I see an email from my craig's list alert. It's from the "1986-1990 BMW+manual search". PING! It's a 3 series, the very 325is you see above. I notice the body is straight from the pics and the interior is rough. I'm checking the pics and realize it's the neighbors car! The ad even has a link to the 540i and some other G-bodies they have.
I sent an email back saying "Hey! It's your neighbor. How about I come home after breakfast and check this out?" They responded in the affirmative so I rushed the family home because breakfast vs an E30 find?! You know the answer.
After getting home and sorting the kids and wife I walk across the street to check it out. True enough, it was used by the guy's kids in high school. They graduated high school and college and left the BMW behind. It was last inspected in 2014 so it wasn't dormant for too long.
I asked "Does it run?"
The PO said "Oh yeah. It won't brake well and the clutch slave is leaking so it won't drive." It looked like it had sat under the tree so long that it was going to grow roots.
After a jump the M20 started right up. "How long has it been sitting?"
"I haven't started it since last February."
I was impressed. Then it started squirting fuel on the firewall from one of the injector hoses. The PO goes "Oh, let me tighten that up a bit." He then takes a screw driver and clamps down the worm clamp and it stops. He then tells me about they repainted the car and a limb fell on it and dented the door a bit. He said the AC doesn't work but the sunroof does and the drivers window.
He was asking $1200. I said "How about $1k?" As I said that I was eyeballing the long option list it had, had secured the two remaining basketweave wheels in the basement in the deal, and noted the rust free undercarriage and body. I also remembered I planned to be their across the street neighbors until they moved or my kids graduated college. I thought making a fair deal was a better strategy than gutting the guy over the car.
"Sure. You want to push it across the street now?"
..and so it was sold...
If anyone is interested the 540i is right here.. Manual trans genitalman's express.
~~~~~~
The latest on the rehab is that the clutch slave has permanently bonded to the clutch line. I gave it a good go today while I was sick but then decided to ship it off to the local indie mechanic. I also need them to price out what is required for a safety inspection so this bill may be hefty.
