OK gents, here's the proper intro of my latest and greatest stunt - restoration of a middle-aged classic !!
E28 M5 RHD - one of the magnificent 187 made - this being number 77. Came across it quite by chance, amazing how one thing leads to another thanks to the power of communication these days...
Anyway, registered November 1986, the car has been local to me pretty much all its life (records appear to show it being serviced a couple times near Leeds early in its life), and i am the 5th owner.
1st - none other than the MD of John Clark BMW i.e. Mr. John Clark himself - i knew he had a tasteful habit of always bagging a flagship for a few months when they debuted, turns out he collected the car in Germany and drove it home.
2nd - meantime mystery here, working on establishing the exact details of this, as...
3rd - V5 registration document shows it transferring to a local chap in September 1989. Now, i have had brief contact with this gentleman and he said he bought it from John Clark at a few months old, wondering if the 2nd owner was his company name... intrigue! And the Leeds connection? Anyway, he had it for at least 18 years, until February 2007.
4th - failed MOT on welding apparently, picked up by another local lad who's into M-cars, basically sat in his driveway and did zero miles for the next 2.5 years until...
5th - mad as box-of-frogs moi went and bought it a month ago !!
As mentioned, it's #77, from online records it would appear to be the very last car built in July 1986 before the plant shutdown for August holiday, and then subsequent shift of build to the other plant (that's what i've read, anyone please feel free to help me out here!).
Exterior colour is unconfirmed! Handbook says "blue green metallic" - it looks Delphin/Dolphin to me but note it's stamped as a
Sonderlackierung special order colour. Oh no! Unfortunately no sign of the fabled "build sheet under the seat" - i may pull out the seatback to see if it's there, defo not under the arse bit LOL. It COULD be the lovely Petrol Green/Petrol-Grun as spotted on a couple other cars, funny thing is it changes shade a lot depending on light - dull days it's a bluey grey, bright sunlight it looks much more greeney as seen on the last owners pics threaded elsewhere. Challenge to establish paint code!
Interior is thankfully easier to gauge - Silver Leather - thanks to the code from a dealer-print spec sheet, and this is one of two i think it is that have "Special Leather", as noted elsewhere, basically Highline leather of A-Pillars, full door cards, dash, steering colum, etc, etc. In pretty good nick i must say, some discolouration here and there and a tiny mark or two but for a 23 year old it's lovely. The rear seats are pristine, looks to have barely been sat in.
Cosmetically it's good - minor bubbling on the sunroof, rear arches, one door got a wee bubble, rear tail corner. I know there's some light corrosion in the door undersides and around the front's hinges, and certainly some structural welding required underneath, jack points etc. A lot of surface rust on the suspension parts, but hey we like a challenge don't we!
Mechanically it's looking good - was a tad unenthusiastic to run smoothly at the start, but a couple hours on idle/slow maneuvers now and appears to be loosening up nicely. Had my spanner monkey give the engime a good listen to/look over - timing chain being the concern as always - thankfully no major worries appearing, all fluids clean and not cross-contaminated, and not particularly noisy either, the chain seems quiet enough. Unfortunately the service records are currently incomplete - fully BMW history till 1993/55k miles, then independent till 1996/75k miles then it goes off the radar. I do know the car was looked after by another local independent so i'll enquire at them to see if any light can be shed, turns out the Workshop Manager there is ex-John Clark BMW and likely PDI'd the car when it was new. God i love this puzzle!
Plan -
1) get it up on the ramp next couple weeks and through an MOT to see all that it needs to pass. Defo do the necessary to get the ticket so i can at least get it taxed and useable, want to drive it a little to make sure i want to proceed to...
2) cosmetics of: corrosion patches cleaned up, interior refreshed. Full service and fluids change, any brakes etc sorted out so it's effectively useable daily, and then...
3) a few months later... if nothing major goes POP... will be aiming to do the full underbody drop, blast and repaint/clean/replace everything mechanical, bushes, etc and full Waxoyl or similar to hopefully keep it fresh for another 20 years. Also full mechanical strip - timing chain, possible head cleanup, brakes replaced/upgraded, clutch renewed, etc - in effect all the oily bits given the look over and restored as required. Final cosmetics refreshed e.g. Shadowline, front grilles, badges, wheels refurbed, doors and wings etc if required.
In all, i would LOVE to have this baby back to mint - yet keeping it as original as possible - the car being local and so "well known" to me appeals enormously. Yes, it will cost a fair whack, but hey, it's all for pleasure after all (listen, i'm nearly 40, and the 80s was
Miami Vice so i'm on a retro binge ok, i admit it!)
And to conclude my blether, the initial pics...
Project "RHD #77" - 1st thread !!
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