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1986 635 Cs i - SinBin since 2020...


Crispian_J_Hotson

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Now, after thinking long and hard I have decided to try and part with this thing. The Great* BMW 635CSi. I bought this car from some dark shady place in Hackney and everything told me to walk away but in true shitter style I handed over the cash and drove it home. That was about 6 years ago.

 

The plan was for it to be a rolling project but behind the scenes it was far worse than it looked and the bridge was looming. I took some weeks off work and tore it to pieces after taking it to fail an MOT. This showed me what I needed to do to get it legal after about 20 years of fudging it's way through life on bent tickets.

 

Work done and it was used pretty much daily but it was a ticking time bomb waiting for all those 1980's parts to expire. Most of them did and were replaced accordingly. It's broke down twice. Once was a loose earth to the battery which was probably my fault and was so obvious that no one found it and the second time the main relay gave out.

 

This car was my pride and joy and nothing would keep it from moving.

 

post-24545-0-55368800-1535554047_thumb.jpg

 

^ In it's prime*

 

It's got plenty of character. It has a mind boggling electrical problem to do with the interior electrics which when I bought it involved having to remove the interior fuse under the bonnet to shut the engine down, and likewise the opposite to start it... not handy when refulling so I bunged a switch inside. It's now a safety feature.

It's got a little knock when selecting reverse, it's always done it which tells me it's working.

 

The bonnet, I removed no less than 12 coats of paint as it was chipping like a china plate. It is now in grey epoxy but the air flow meter blowing up dented it a little bit. Thanks.

 

No BMW alarm anymore. The previous owner had this removed as it was thought to be causing the starting issues. The BMW wiring expert* consequently buggered up the cars electrics resulting in the above.

 

ABS is disconnected as it was working at random. Never used ABS, don't know what it's for so it's left disconnected

 

Heater valve has always been knackered. Blows fast hot only so that's never been looked at as it is considered to be working.

 

I can live with these problems but then it developed more sinister issues:

 

1) The rear half shaft undone itself but not completely

2) the boot lock failed to work and had to be drilled out

3) ignition issues resulting in 3 distributor caps.

4) Air flow meter exploded one fine morning resulting in a total Motronic system check and overhaul where needed.

5) The starter motor stopped starting the motor which was an absolute A hole to change.

6) The most recent, the brakes all lock on when the engine gets hot.

7) The fuel pressure regulator needs to be replaced. The car runs great on it but it can be improved. It causes a minor on/ off surge on fast straights in the summer.

 

Problems I've caused.

 

1) The ride height is too low

 

Due to a complete career shift I had to give up my unit which was where miracles took place and weekly inspections and repairs could be done. The car was pressed into daily service, 100 miles a day for a few months or so until the brake problem became apparent, on the A14, in heavy traffic. Terribly embarrassing. 

 

My career is very demanding and since May last year this car has been sat. I have no time usually and I hate seeing the thing stuck outside and it hates me for leaving it there. I have managed to get some time to do bits and have started to replace stuff on the master cylinder, pressure sphere ect but I don't know if this is the cure... which will just give me the arsehole if it isn't. I have also detected that the bulkhead seals and possibly the windscreen is letting water by. I removed the carpets and hey presto... I have some welding to do.

 

So what's the future for it? 

 

I don't like it anymore... it's beaten me down and without my unit, working on it is hard work (I also own a Land rover...) I have come to realise after a year or so that I can't afford the time and aggro with it anymore and I think that it's best to move it on. BUT I DON'T WANT TO!

 

So, I'm am continuing to repair the mysterious brake issue in a bid to fix it and I'm going to weld er up and continue to try seek some enjoyment out of it like the good old days but in the meantime it's like having an anchor around my neck so if it sells, it sells.

 

The good bits...

 

1) The car is fast. Hit that sport switch and boot it. Nothing falls off and you stay in the same lane. Gives plenty of modernz a run for their money. That engine will gowan and on, it's been serviced when it's been due with only the best oil and proper plugs, compression tested too. I put a pipercross in it but thought it was shit so reverted to the standard filter.

2) Decent HT leads

3) Auto box had some work years ago totaling £1500! What?

4) Most (about 85%) of the bushes are polybushes. Trailing arms need doing although there is no play with the current rubbery ones.

5) Most 'messed about and lashed up by previous owner' stuff has been changed out.

6) Rear tyres (cooper) are recent but I'm not happy with their performance in the wet pulling away as they can smoke and lose it like fcuk. The car suits dunlop sports well but I kept getting irrepairable punctures which gets expensive. The fronts are sports but are worn. Spare is original rim and tyre (good luck using that).

7) Leather is in good nik with no rips. Drivers bolster is worn obviously but tarts up ok.

8) Underside is well alright. I have pictures of all the bits that I done to it.

9) Body paint is totally and utterly fucked because patina (shit paint job, laquer peel and fading). Ideally needs some panel rust dealing with and a blow over. I like it as it is... Looks street Yo.

10) Heaps of paperwork, receipts, MOT'S, plans of action and diag test results all in a lever arch binder. Can get pictures on file too.

 

The bits it'll ideally need soon:

 

1) New suspension. You'll get the hump with the lowness. Working on it sucks.

2) The sills have only another couple of years in them at a push.

3) Brake backing plates. I've repaired them. The backs are holding out ok but the fronts are gonna vanish

4) doors seals, sunroof seal

5) back light seals and chrome. It's all fucked and can't be fixed.

6) I'm putting on new front brakes as they got fried

7) Probably a power steering pump as it whines sometimes when cold

 

To make it ACE:

 

1) All of the above but decent parts are becoming an absolute joke to get hold of. Walloth are catering more for these now but the 635 has been largely left out of the club.

 

Here are some pictures took today after pushing it out of hibernation...

 

post-24545-0-24200000-1535557559_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-97198200-1535557599_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-76754000-1535557621_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-25745600-1535557640_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-63023500-1535557658_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-66176000-1535557675_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-42694900-1535557722_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-81511400-1535557749_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-79563000-1535557785_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-19038800-1535557806_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-95322500-1535557822_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-37907300-1535557838_thumb.jpg

 

So there... I've been honest, buy it for £NOT FORCED STALE and put me out of my misery. However, as I do want to sell it don't want to sell it, as I fix the thing and get it back on the road, the price will reflect that and probably will end up not being for sale.

 

Location: Cambs

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That seems very cheap....

It will cost nearly that much at today's prices to put it right; the paint will be the majority of the cost, followed by reversion to standard springs and dampers (Bilsteins, if possible). Then you'll have a ten grand car, so ye will.

 

The dipped beam lenses don't look too good either, and E24 headlights were never anything to write home about. I converted to ellipsoid projector lenses - they were better than nothing.

 

post-23014-0-66431400-1535580020_thumb.jpg

 

post-23014-0-88432800-1535580091_thumb.jpg

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It will cost nearly that much at today's prices to put it right; the paint will be the majority of the cost, followed by reversion to standard springs and dampers (Bilsteins, if possible). Then you'll have a ten grand car, so ye will.

The dipped beam lenses don't look too good either, and E24 headlights were never anything to write home about. I converted to ellipsoid projector lenses - they were better than nothing.

good ones are well over that over here. It’s a great rolling project for someone.
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Like so many cars, I'm glad I had one when they were just fairly recent secondhand cars. I bought a beautiful Alpine white one from BCA Blackbushe in 1995 that turned out to be the one Tom Jones had new in 1983. It was absolutely mint, dead straight and sat on new Avon Turbospeeds, blue leather and air con. It was £1800 and had already has the wings replaced. I can't think who I sold it to, or the reg number.

 

Fast forward to 2015 and I spent three weeks swearing at a mate's D reg 628CSi Auto - recon gearbox, ABS trigger rings, brake booster, welding new front spring cups on and all the other shit that goes with E24's now.  I wouldn't give you 50p for one now but that goes for a lot of old cars!

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I love these, I always wanted one when I was growing up and they were fairly commonplace. 

 

Alas, the day I passed the driving test was probably the same day they became bonafide all-the-money classics. See E30 325i for more details.

 

That said, even if you had to put £5k into this one to get it in top shape, I'd rather be £10k in to a tip-top E24 than £10k into a three year old Astra or something. 

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God I want this ......... I looked at a 5K 628 over here - it was absolutely fucked....... the guy was a loon and it was literally hanging on by a thread. I doubt it ever made it off the lichen covered patch of tarmac he'd dumped it on god knows when before....... 

Need to rethink fleet..... see what'll work.

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Matey's 628CSi was £360 in 2015. It was metallic Cirrus blue with cloth, excellent wings, solid underneath but a shagged autobox, soft brake pedal, rotten front struts, ASBS light on and an utterly wankered front valance. I charged him about £1500 to put it right and although it drove well (no 55 mph shimmy) he got bored quickly and sold it for about £3500. 

 

It's worth about 5k at the moment. 

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Nice looking 628. Welp, I tinkered today putting stuff back on and after 14 months of standing idle it started up. Almost under it's own steam... that's some battery, but it didn't have enough clout to keep it going. Chucked on some leads and it ran right away. I have movies of which I will upload tonight, bearing in mind that it's been standing so there's some shite to burn off and it also sprang an immediate fuel leak from that bastard pipe which runs from the fuel rail to the cold start valve. It's an absolute arsehole to change and the Halfords emergency fuel pipe which was nearly two years old had perished. That's the third time I've had to go and do that stinking job. I actually said to my missis... "I fucking hate this car".

 

As it is confirmed as a runner the price has altered slightly to a shitters £5500 no offers. It is a good price and takes into consideration as discussed above the costs required to get it up to standard. However, if I still have it when it comes back from the MOT sometime soon, the price will further increase quite substantially. Alternatively, if I finish the brakes tomorrow and they bind up again then I think I'll call it a day, admit defeat and leave it alone as it is.

 

The sunroof works but the seal is trash and it needs a rear light bulb which I'll do for MOT because I robbed it for the landrover!

 

EDIT: Some further pics from today including the stuff I put back in, assembled and filled up... lined out in red.

 

post-24545-0-05182300-1535661623_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-65719900-1535661640_thumb.jpg

 

post-24545-0-15532100-1535661668_thumb.jpg

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Video 1: Cold idle warm up. Note the videos sound is very tinny. The clicking from the engine is the injectors, NOT the top end! The valve gear has all been adjusted correctly. Also, remember it hasn't run since May last year so gawd knows whats seeped into the bores. I imagine that the flames are excessive fuel from trying to start it on the weak battery and despite the blue looking smoke, it doesn't use oil or smoke like that when in full service, speaking of which... the oilservice light on the dash doesn't reset...sometimes...or not... or goes out when it likes.

 

 

Video 2: Off cold idle, same session and checking for flames :-D :

 

 

Video 3: Reasonably hot:

 

 

I'd rev the nuts out of it but it's not the done thing with an auto that hasn't moved yet. It clearly needs a good run out but... it's a runner!

 

P.S. The fuel gauge does work... there's not much fuel in it!

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 SNIP~ to put it right and although it drove well (no 55 mph shimmy) 

 

It's worth a mention that these cars suffer from worn inner bushes on the front suspension that causes this shimmy, braking with this issue is also a delight. Fortunately the bushes on mine are tightly packed poly bushes!

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It's worth a mention that these cars suffer from worn inner bushes on the front suspension that causes this shimmy, braking with this issue is also a delight. Fortunately the bushes on mine are tightly packed poly bushes!

Meyle E32 750iL heavy duty control arm bushes will also work - I used those - and are a little more forgiving than poly ones.

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There's a someone around the corner from me with this C reg BMW M635 CSi rusting on his driveway non moved for a couple of years now, mot history doesn't look too bad either, wonder if it's worth buying if they are worth money now?7a5ede17918a9c87a1450d3989dece10.jpg

Judging by the tape around the sunroof, I suspect the roof skin is fecked.

 

A working M635CSi won't see much change out of £25,000+, but the single-row timing chain and tensioner on that M88/3 engine needs doing every 100,000 miles and that is a ££££ job.

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Five and a half bags. FFS. I sold my 633 for £350 and my 635 for £600 - and that was a dogleg manual too.

 

Mind you I sold my E12 for £1200 and that would be worth 5x that only 5 years later.

It runs in my family. One of my Uncles had a Dino 246GTS which he struggled to sell in the mid-1990s. Not much demand for them in Malaysia. Eventually he managed to flog it for the equivalent of forty grand. Not too many years after, values of Dinos started to climb towards stratospheric.

 

That same car today would command nearer 300 grand. He wasn't happy.

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Matey's 628CSi was £360 in 2015. It was metallic Cirrus blue with cloth, excellent wings, solid underneath but a shagged autobox, soft brake pedal, rotten front struts, ASBS light on and an utterly wankered front valance. I charged him about £1500 to put it right and although it drove well (no 55 mph shimmy) he got bored quickly and sold it for about £3500.

 

It's worth about 5k at the moment.

In 1992, I had a 518i, the registration number was D659 HWU. Must have came from the same dealer.
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Now, after thinking long and hard I have decided to try and part with this thing. The Great* BMW 635CSi. I bought this car from some dark shady place in Hackney and everything told me to walk away but in true shitter style I handed over the cash and drove it home. That was about 6 years ago.

 

The plan was for it to be a rolling project but behind the scenes it was far worse than it looked and the bridge was looming. I took some weeks off work and tore it to pieces after taking it to fail an MOT. This showed me what I needed to do to get it legal after about 20 years of fudging it's way through life on bent tickets.

 

Work done and it was used pretty much daily but it was a ticking time bomb waiting for all those 1980's parts to expire. Most of them did and were replaced accordingly. It's broke down twice. Once was a loose earth to the battery which was probably my fault and was so obvious that no one found it and the second time the main relay gave out.

 

This car was my pride and joy and nothing would keep it from moving.

 

attachicon.gifmodified1.jpg

 

^ In it's prime*

 

It's got plenty of character. It has a mind boggling electrical problem to do with the interior electrics which when I bought it involved having to remove the interior fuse under the bonnet to shut the engine down, and likewise the opposite to start it... not handy when refulling so I bunged a switch inside. It's now a safety feature.

It's got a little knock when selecting reverse, it's always done it which tells me it's working.

 

The bonnet, I removed no less than 12 coats of paint as it was chipping like a china plate. It is now in grey epoxy but the air flow meter blowing up dented it a little bit. Thanks.

 

No BMW alarm anymore. The previous owner had this removed as it was thought to be causing the starting issues. The BMW wiring expert* consequently buggered up the cars electrics resulting in the above.

 

ABS is disconnected as it was working at random. Never used ABS, don't know what it's for so it's left disconnected

 

Heater valve has always been knackered. Blows fast hot only so that's never been looked at as it is considered to be working.

 

I can live with these problems but then it developed more sinister issues:

 

1) The rear half shaft undone itself but not completely

2) the boot lock failed to work and had to be drilled out

3) ignition issues resulting in 3 distributor caps.

4) Air flow meter exploded one fine morning resulting in a total Motronic system check and overhaul where needed.

5) The starter motor stopped starting the motor which was an absolute A hole to change.

6) The most recent, the brakes all lock on when the engine gets hot.

7) The fuel pressure regulator needs to be replaced. The car runs great on it but it can be improved. It causes a minor on/ off surge on fast straights in the summer.

 

Problems I've caused.

 

1) The ride height is too low

 

Due to a complete career shift I had to give up my unit which was where miracles took place and weekly inspections and repairs could be done. The car was pressed into daily service, 100 miles a day for a few months or so until the brake problem became apparent, on the A14, in heavy traffic. Terribly embarrassing. 

 

My career is very demanding and since May last year this car has been sat. I have no time usually and I hate seeing the thing stuck outside and it hates me for leaving it there. I have managed to get some time to do bits and have started to replace stuff on the master cylinder, pressure sphere ect but I don't know if this is the cure... which will just give me the arsehole if it isn't. I have also detected that the bulkhead seals and possibly the windscreen is letting water by. I removed the carpets and hey presto... I have some welding to do.

 

So what's the future for it? 

 

I don't like it anymore... it's beaten me down and without my unit, working on it is hard work (I also own a Land rover...) I have come to realise after a year or so that I can't afford the time and aggro with it anymore and I think that it's best to move it on. BUT I DON'T WANT TO!

 

So, I'm am continuing to repair the mysterious brake issue in a bid to fix it and I'm going to weld er up and continue to try seek some enjoyment out of it like the good old days but in the meantime it's like having an anchor around my neck so if it sells, it sells.

 

The good bits...

 

1) The car is fast. Hit that sport switch and boot it. Nothing falls off and you stay in the same lane. Gives plenty of modernz a run for their money. That engine will gowan and on, it's been serviced when it's been due with only the best oil and proper plugs, compression tested too. I put a pipercross in it but thought it was shit so reverted to the standard filter.

2) Decent HT leads

3) Auto box had some work years ago totaling £1500! What?

4) Most (about 85%) of the bushes are polybushes. Trailing arms need doing although there is no play with the current rubbery ones.

5) Most 'messed about and lashed up by previous owner' stuff has been changed out.

6) Rear tyres (cooper) are recent but I'm not happy with their performance in the wet pulling away as they can smoke and lose it like fcuk. The car suits dunlop sports well but I kept getting irrepairable punctures which gets expensive. The fronts are sports but are worn. Spare is original rim and tyre (good luck using that).

7) Leather is in good nik with no rips. Drivers bolster is worn obviously but tarts up ok.

8) Underside is well alright. I have pictures of all the bits that I done to it.

9) Body paint is totally and utterly fucked because patina (shit paint job, laquer peel and fading). Ideally needs some panel rust dealing with and a blow over. I like it as it is... Looks street Yo.

10) Heaps of paperwork, receipts, MOT'S, plans of action and diag test results all in a lever arch binder. Can get pictures on file too.

 

The bits it'll ideally need soon:

 

1) New suspension. You'll get the hump with the lowness. Working on it sucks.

2) The sills have only another couple of years in them at a push.

3) Brake backing plates. I've repaired them. The backs are holding out ok but the fronts are gonna vanish

4) doors seals, sunroof seal

5) back light seals and chrome. It's all fucked and can't be fixed.

6) I'm putting on new front brakes as they got fried

7) Probably a power steering pump as it whines sometimes when cold

 

To make it ACE:

 

1) All of the above but decent parts are becoming an absolute joke to get hold of. Walloth are catering more for these now but the 635 has been largely left out of the club.

 

Here are some pictures took today after pushing it out of hibernation...

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150422963.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150433553.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150448025_HDR.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150504553_HDR.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150517986_HDR.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150531232_HDR.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150603731.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150608631.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150623472_HDR.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150716305_HDR.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150729441_HDR.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20180829_150658414_HDR.jpg

 

So there... I've been honest, buy it for £5500.00 and put me out of my misery. However, as I do want to sell it don't want to sell it, as I fix the thing and get it back on the road, the price will reflect that and probably will end up not being for sale.

 

Location: Cambs

 

 

I do like those. I loved watching spencer for hire in the 80s.

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Wheels off today to do brakes and.... The front leg is fucked and collapsing where the spring seat has corroded. So, that's come off to be rebuilt. Whilst I was at it I took some upskirt shots of the wheel wells. I'll post them in a bit.

 

I have some really nice unrusty ones.

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