M5 For Sale Soon on BaT - Two Year Restoration of a Barn Find
Posted: Sep 22, 2023 3:39 PM
This is a heads-up that within a few weeks I will be posting my '88 M5 for auction on BaT. It has gone through a complete restoration, short of an engine rebuild. I am a former Pebble Beach Concours judge and would now rate this car concours ready – exterior and interior rating at least 96 points.
I discovered this car in a garage North of the SF Bay area where it had been parked in 2004. When found, it showed no body rust or damage visible anywhere and the leather, carpets and trunk upholstery were close to perfect, but the dash had multiple cracks. It showed in remarkably good condition overall for its 245,000 miles. The PO had installed oversize E31 850csi front rotors and calipers and the front lowered by 1/2" with oversized adjustable sway bars. The self leveling system had been removed and Bilsteins installed. The PO also installed a 300W ten speaker sound system (Boston Acoustics) with two trunk mounted 15" Fosgate speakers, which have been replaced with new units and crossovers.
Just before the car was parked in 2004, the service records show that it got a new in-tank fuel pump and pump relays, all new water and air hoses, new power steering hoses, a new prop shaft, new clutch and flywheel, rear main seal, and a new starter motor. The prior year the parts replacement included the front control arm bushings, rear sub frame mounts and new motor, transmission and differential mounts.
It has now gone through a complete restoration with a new paint job, new Continental radio, detailing of the engine room, new front rotors, new tires, dry-ice blasting of the undercarriage revealing no leaks or body rust, new parcel shelf upholstery, and installation of the Holy Grail Labs blade fuse kit. The car just came home from a complete evaluation by Bavarian Professionals in Berkeley, CA to repair minor electrical gremlins, install the new windshield with OEM rubber, install the new French stitched German vinyl dash cover, new belts, do a valve adjustment and hot compression test (210,210,205,185,195,215) and replace various suspension bushings and rod ends. The tool kit is complete and rust free. The wheels have been newly restored with Wurth factory silver and the car has all new wheel and body badges. When the valve cover and plenum were removed for the valve adjustment and painting, we noted that the inside of the valve cover, and the valve tray, were pristine with none of the usual old yellow oil shellac. This, and the compression test, leads us to believe that the head was rebuilt before the car was parked, but do not have a confirming invoice.
We have the complete service records up to 2004. I will soon be photographing the car and will post pictures before the BaT listing.
I discovered this car in a garage North of the SF Bay area where it had been parked in 2004. When found, it showed no body rust or damage visible anywhere and the leather, carpets and trunk upholstery were close to perfect, but the dash had multiple cracks. It showed in remarkably good condition overall for its 245,000 miles. The PO had installed oversize E31 850csi front rotors and calipers and the front lowered by 1/2" with oversized adjustable sway bars. The self leveling system had been removed and Bilsteins installed. The PO also installed a 300W ten speaker sound system (Boston Acoustics) with two trunk mounted 15" Fosgate speakers, which have been replaced with new units and crossovers.
Just before the car was parked in 2004, the service records show that it got a new in-tank fuel pump and pump relays, all new water and air hoses, new power steering hoses, a new prop shaft, new clutch and flywheel, rear main seal, and a new starter motor. The prior year the parts replacement included the front control arm bushings, rear sub frame mounts and new motor, transmission and differential mounts.
It has now gone through a complete restoration with a new paint job, new Continental radio, detailing of the engine room, new front rotors, new tires, dry-ice blasting of the undercarriage revealing no leaks or body rust, new parcel shelf upholstery, and installation of the Holy Grail Labs blade fuse kit. The car just came home from a complete evaluation by Bavarian Professionals in Berkeley, CA to repair minor electrical gremlins, install the new windshield with OEM rubber, install the new French stitched German vinyl dash cover, new belts, do a valve adjustment and hot compression test (210,210,205,185,195,215) and replace various suspension bushings and rod ends. The tool kit is complete and rust free. The wheels have been newly restored with Wurth factory silver and the car has all new wheel and body badges. When the valve cover and plenum were removed for the valve adjustment and painting, we noted that the inside of the valve cover, and the valve tray, were pristine with none of the usual old yellow oil shellac. This, and the compression test, leads us to believe that the head was rebuilt before the car was parked, but do not have a confirming invoice.
We have the complete service records up to 2004. I will soon be photographing the car and will post pictures before the BaT listing.