Paul's Folly: A Great White North Restoration

[Markos]

Thanks Markos, your grasp of the internet marketplace and value of all things e9 is astounding.

Aww shucks! My attention should be devoted elsewhere but it's a way for me to enjoy the hobby without getting my hands dirty.

The armrests and the ashtrays are black (shouldn't they be blue?) The armrests are kind of hanging off the panel a bit. Haven't even tried to tighten up anything though. Could just be a loose bolt?

I would try tightening them up first. There are some screws visible on the underside of the armrest and one under the chrome caps up top. Early e24 armrests fit but they had a (rather nice looking IMO) chrome backing plate between the armrest and the door panel. I've assumed that the parts are identical but I suppose it's feasible that they are slightly off. Maybe that is what you area dealing with. I'm picking up a set of tan e24 arm rests to go with the map pockets that I mentioned, so I'll compare and contrast. I'd actually like to install those chrome backing plates on my car. I think they look sharp. I'm also snagging the aluminum strips from the door.

Early E24 door panel:

Also, I have quite a few blue arm rests and my target car will be black. If I have a decent pair perhaps we can trade. I also have the blue inserts for the ashtrays, and would much prefer black. If the chrome on your ashtrays is in good shape, I'd say swap the inserts. There are little tabs that hold them in place. Lastly, I need to hang onto mine but you are missing the little caps for the manual mirror adjusters.

I found the map pockets in a box that came with the car. Looks like someone tried another type of vinyl on them, so they don't match.
The vinyl panels are also just plain-Jane. The fish-scaley bit is missing off the top.

PM me on this one when you intend to address...

Ahh, I now see there was supposed to be the chrome trim between the vinyl seam on the sides.

There aren't a lot of people parting out seats so this one will be hard to find. I'll eventually turn two sets of fronts into one, but not for some time. I know that my aluminum strips are pretty thrashed on my project car. If you want to try something cheap and easy to replicate the look, consider using chrome edging trim. I haven't tried this myself but I was thinking about this as an option to make e24 seats look more like e9 seats.

I wish I had a better way to search ebay! I search under e9, but get a lot of crap for e9x etc. Is there a secret way to exclude the models you don't want?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6ft-Chrome-...cle-Gas-Tank-Fenders-Windshield-/300784970952

Your 3d printed face plate is amazing Markos. It was already on my list for Santa.

I should have the final iteration done in time for the holidays. Find yoruself a nice radio before opening pandora's box however.

 

[twistinglane]

About ebay searches. If you want to exclude things just put a minus sign in front of them.
Searching for "bmw e9 -e9x" should eliminate the latter. You can put in a lot of elimination terms if want. Also of course choose the item category -auto parts- you want.
But I'm not saying you will find a lot of rare but reasonably priced items!!

 

[Gary Knox]

Paul,

I 'may' have some of the pieces you need for the seats. I should know for sure in a few weeks.
If I have them, it will be the pieces for the backrest leather (cover plates and the knobs perhaps), and the chrome pieces that go around the backside upholstery.

Please contact me around early January if you are interested.

Gary-

 

[sfdon]

https://www.wallothnesch.com/blende...hrom-wird-2x-pro-auto-benoetigt-52-06-00.html

 

[Ohmess]

I'd actually like to install those chrome backing plates on my car. I think they look sharp. I'm also snagging the aluminum strips from the door.

Early E24 door panel:

The Bavs had three backing plates, behind the long horizontal arm, behind the elbow and at the top. I have the long plate and the elbow plate on my car; got them from Gary Knox. I would have to drill into the wood trim on the door to install the top one, which I have not done (but might).

 

[HB Chris]

Weren't those trims on the 3.0Si and not all bavs? Certainly on e24.

 

[Mauler]

Aww shucks! My attention should be devoted elsewhere but it's a way for me to enjoy the hobby without getting my hands dirty.



I would try tightening them up first. There are some screws visible on the underside of the armrest and one under the chrome caps up top. Early e24 armrests fit but they had a (rather nice looking IMO) chrome backing plate between the armrest and the door panel. I've assumed that the parts are identical but I suppose it's feasible that they are slightly off. Maybe that is what you area dealing with. I'm picking up a set of tan e24 arm rests to go with the map pockets that I mentioned, so I'll compare and contrast. I'd actually like to install those chrome backing plates on my car. I think they look sharp. I'm also snagging the aluminum strips from the door.

Early E24 door panel:

Also, I have quite a few blue arm rests and my target car will be black. If I have a decent pair perhaps we can trade. I also have the blue inserts for the ashtrays, and would much prefer black. If the chrome on your ashtrays is in good shape, I'd say swap the inserts. There are little tabs that hold them in place. Lastly, I need to hang onto mine but you are missing the little caps for the manual mirror adjusters.



PM me on this one when you intend to address...



There aren't a lot of people parting out seats so this one will be hard to find. I'll eventually turn two sets of fronts into one, but not for some time. I know that my aluminum strips are pretty thrashed on my project car. If you want to try something cheap and easy to replicate the look, consider using chrome edging trim. I haven't tried this myself but I was thinking about this as an option to make e24 seats look more like e9 seats.




http://www.ebay.com/itm/6ft-Chrome-...cle-Gas-Tank-Fenders-Windshield-/300784970952



I should have the final iteration done in time for the holidays. Find yoruself a nice radio before opening pandora's box however.

Thanks Markos. I hope we can both get something from the armrest and ashtray swap!
Santa Koopman has offered to help find some of the missing bits. I'm very grateful.
I'll keep the chrome edge protection in mind.

 

[Mauler]

About ebay searches. If you want to exclude things just put a minus sign in front of them.
Searching for "bmw e9 -e9x" should eliminate the latter. You can put in a lot of elimination terms if want. Also of course choose the item category -auto parts- you want.
But I'm not saying you will find a lot of rare but reasonably priced items!!

I'm such a block-head. I've been scrolling through 847 results from a generic E9 search for days!
I was telling the Boss how much more free time I'd have now that I found the car. I was doubling it looking for parts!

Thanks for your tips. Markos supplied some too. My kids will get to see their father again...

 

[Mauler]

https://www.wallothnesch.com/blende...hrom-wird-2x-pro-auto-benoetigt-52-06-00.html

Thanks Don. If you think the conversion from Canadian to US dollars was bad, try Canadian to Euros!
But if you can't afford to play with the big boys, don't get in the game I guess...
I have seen that site mentioned a lot. I've bookmarked it.

 

[Mauler]

Paul,

I 'may' have some of the pieces you need for the seats. I should know for sure in a few weeks.
If I have them, it will be the pieces for the backrest leather (cover plates and the knobs perhaps), and the chrome pieces that go around the backside upholstery.

Please contact me around early January if you are interested.

Gary-

Here's hoping!
Thanks Gary.

 

[Koopman]

Hello Gang,

This will likely be slowly meandering thread on the restoration of a '74 3.0 CS that I picked up from California this past fall. I'm new to e9's and don't fancy myself handy with a wrench ( failing on both aspects of Red Green's quote "if women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy" ), so the results should be interesting.

The ad:
View attachment 21635

Looks great doesn't it?!
Well that was at the car's peak in 2014. Wasn't used much since that picture, sat around and got flabby, or maybe I'm confusing what happened to me when we had kids...

It received the papal blessing from none other that sfdon, who said it had good potential. (Just like my grade school teachers would say when they were trying to be nice to my parents about my school performance.) Anyhoo, I didn't grow up to become a criminal, so Don's advice was well taken, and I purchased the car.

My son and I smuggled it across the border one weekend and I managed to get it licenced in BC with only a few hiccups, none that were insurmountable. The plan is to buff it up a bit and keep it going as a driver. Being born with all thumbs and living in the frozen tundra will limit what I can do, but ignorance is bliss.

Driving a 40+ car is a new experience for me. Being raised on fuel injection, the whole choke thing takes some getting used to. It seems to start cold fairly well and driving is fine. However it tends to stall when slowing down at lights, leaving me wondering why I never learned to heel-toe. I've overshot the stop line once or twice when I stall her and lose the power braking, but no harm done yet. The idle will return slowly and she can sit at a light once it has returned, it's just losing those rpm's on the way to stopping and wondering if they will completely go, or if they will return to a slow idle that is a bit disconcerting. So likely first order will be a idle adjustment!

The car:
View attachment 21636

She has seen better times, but hopefully there will be many more to come. One bad eye, vinyl interior missing a few bits and '74 bumpers, but good structure.

It has a dark blue headliner. Has anyone noticed that before? I've only seen white on other cars, but what do I know.
View attachment 21637

The previous owner was very practical. Did a great job re-upholstering everything, but chose vinyl.
View attachment 21638
Also chose map pocket delete, no door chrome strips and later model door arm rests. Oh well...

The engine bay is messy, but I hope that messy is something I can do!
View attachment 21639

The trunk is also missing a few things, but the journey is part of the fun.

View attachment 21640

I have a malleable plan: spit and polish for now, and in a few years replace engine with 3.5 fuel injection and 5 spd LSD and redo the interior in leather.

Realistically, I'll do what she-whom-must-be-obeyed will allow me to do.

This forum has been a great resource, and I apologise in advance for being such a needy bast*rdo, but the kinship has inspired me to try something new, try and keep my son out of video gaming if not for a few minutes, and hopefully have something we can be proud of for years to come.
Please bear with me...


View attachment 21641

Hi Paul;
The car is beautiful and worth the journey to it's final last small part. My son and I did the same with a 1967 2000CS which took over ten years due to my health issues. I no longer own the car but is still in the family and available to me anytime I want to drive it. I gave the car to my son 8 years ago and still very much involved searching for the last 2 items, a interior rear view mirror and the 2000CS emblem for the trunk lid.
Good Luck with your Journey.
Koopman

 

[mulberryworks]

I wish I had a better way to search ebay! I search under e9, but get a lot of crap for e9x etc. Is there a secret way to exclude the models you don't want?

When searching eBay you can specify the things you don't want to see by leading with a - in front of the term. Like this: E9 seats -vinyl
Unfortunately, it is difficult to search for terms that are two letters long.

Here is a better list of the different ways to refine your search.
http://www.ebay.com/gds/EBAY-Power-Searches-Top-Tricks-/10000000002997063/g.html

It's also good to search for easy misspellings, if you have a specific item you are looking for and it's an easy one to misspell.

Ian

 

[afeustel]

Weren't those trims on the 3.0Si and not all bavs? Certainly on e24.

My Bav did not have those...but I do like them...

 

[Mauler]

First Fabrication!

Had to make a holder for our ugly front license plates in BC.
Bent 1/16 x 1" aluminium into shape with a vise and hammer.
Painted it black to hide all the scars...

I'm no Leonardo deQuincey, but at least I got rid of the zap straps.

 

[Mauler]

Nice looking car! Your stalling might be related to your brake booster. Does it stall when you are stationary in your driveway and you push the brake pedal?

Tested some theories with the stalling.
It's better with new gas.
The car does not stall when the brake is engaged while stationary.

Checking the state of the Webers will be a winter project.

 

[Markos]

I'm no Leonardo deQuincey...

Ha! So perfect. I love this!!!

 

[Honolulu]

I have a suggestion for the stalling: does the clutch release all the way? Might just be a matter of bleeding the clutch slave cylinder.

Also, you should have a one or two power-assisted stops still available after the engine quits, unless there is a vacuum leak that affects the power brake booster.

 

[Bmachine]

Out of curiosity, did the Canadian '74s also get the big US bumpers?

 

[HB Chris]

Out of curiosity, did the Canadian '74s also get the big US bumpers?

Yes, US/NA got same features but Hoffman did not have rights to Canada so those will often have vinyl interiors.

 

[Mauler]

I have a suggestion for the stalling: does the clutch release all the way? Might just be a matter of bleeding the clutch slave cylinder.

Also, you should have a one or two power-assisted stops still available after the engine quits, unless there is a vacuum leak that affects the power brake booster.

Yes the clutch seems to release all the way. I'll check on the clutch slave cylinder though. Thanks for the thought.

Interesting to know about the US and Canadian cars. Thanks Chris.