1989 635csi - A Hero Car

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yodman
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2016 2:18 pm
Location: Flint, Michigan
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Re: 1989 635csi - A Hero Car

Post by yodman »

So, the selector rod broke last night while I was fiddling under the car trying to find what was wrong with my shifter!

Last week Thursday I was driving home from work and suddenly it seemed as though my right-left limits had greatly increased. I could hit both sides of the console but couldn't get 5th or reverse without some luck!

Got it up on jackstands last night and ordered new everything for the shifter, which I will replace since I am in there and it looks like it's never been done.

The car has a UUC SSK, but really it's just the handle that I can tell. I noticed that the pivot arm bushing at the rear, mounted to the chassis bracket, is installed incorrectly. There are two tabs that it's supposed to hang on, and then the locknut on the backside to attach it. It's not on the tabs, so it has way more ability to pivot downwards and ruin the bushing. Too bad I won't get the new one until Monday, but I will get it installed.

Today, however, my new DSSR and pivot arm front bushing will arrive so I can get those installed. It's gonna be a whole new car, and maybe my third gear synchro will be salvageable! Just gotta hope Turner sent me the correct one... I've heard stories of them having varying lengths, and that it's possible my car needs one from an E36, though I bought one for the late 635/M6 & early E34 535s.

Then I gotta chase down the nasty oil leak I have. Believe it to be oil pan and duck gasket on valve cover rear.
1989 BMW 635csi - Betty White - AWII/Natur - M30 5M - 117k - 18" Style 37s
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tschultz
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Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 10:54 pm
Location: Colorado
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Re: 1989 635csi - A Hero Car

Post by tschultz »

Oil leaks aren't fun!
http://www.Drive4Corners.com
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'79 635CSi Revival
'80 635CSi
'83 633CSi Callaway Turbo continued as 1988 535is Turbo
SOLD: '81 635CSi/A
yodman
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2016 2:18 pm
Location: Flint, Michigan
Contact:

Re: 1989 635csi - A Hero Car

Post by yodman »

Reached a point recently where I thought I had lost love for the car with all of its small issues nipping away at my patience, but I overcame it with some research.

I've found my car to be 1 of 61 US delivered manual 1989 coupes! That's 50 times the rarity of the next rarest vehicle I have. Pretty exciting stuff!

I've affirmed that it will be a staple of my collection from now on.

Learned also that Bob Lutz (Former Executive at GM, Chrysler, and Ford, as well as VP of sales at BMW in Munich in the early 70s) had a hand in the design of our cars. Not so much as actually designing it himself, but being the reason that our roof lines are the height and shape that they are. Originally, the E24 concept was shown as an E9 (pillarless) with a raised roofline for easier ingress/egress, and Bob didn't like it a bit. The redesign, with the pillar addition, became the car we are obsessed over today.

I've also had great consideration of what I will do to it in the future. It will see a turbocharger and full engine overhaul. It will also likely get some fresh upholstery further down the road, but the paint color will change much sooner.

I am debating switching from the current AWII to Zinnoberrot, as I've always wanted another Zinno after my E28 crapped out and I had to sell it.

My debacle is that I cannot decide if I want to paint it with real paint, or if I want to have the car professionally sprayed with Autoflex (read: fancy PlastiDip) as I have done with another car in my stable. The stuff is resilient, protective of the paint underneath, flexible, sandable, buffable, and waxable, as real paint. It's slightly lower cost than the paint, and allows me to swap back if I like, simply by peeling.

I'm not interested in doing this cheaply like a yuppie. I wouldn't think of it. If it sounds that way, put that out of your mind. I would also have the engine out at this time and would have it painted, either in Zinno to match real paint, or in black to contrast the outside surface.

My car was painted two summers ago, quite nicely, but the shade of the paint appears off. Only way I will know is to get it next to another AWII car, and I haven't even seen a BMW of this vintage in white.

It's been a fair few months. She will be going into hibernation in late November, I'm sure.

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1989 BMW 635csi - Betty White - AWII/Natur - M30 5M - 117k - 18" Style 37s
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yodman
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2016 2:18 pm
Location: Flint, Michigan
Contact:

Re: 1989 635csi - A Hero Car

Post by yodman »

Well, it's been a rough, long winter here in Michigan, but I think it's finally giving up the ghost. Decided it was time to get my 6er back on the road, after a close encounter with selling her. When someone actually called me up wanting to buy the car, it got too real, and I knew she had to stay as a staple of my collection. Glad I came to that conclusion, because her first drives between last night and this morning reminded me just how nice she is to drive.

She still needs some things, but I will take care of them over the next few months. Mainly, an oil leak originating from the oil pan and valve cover gaskets, and a massive need for a valve adjustment. That will be followed with engine mounts, trans mounts, and trans and rear diff fluid.

Glad to be back! Gotta re-learn a bit. I've been stuck on my new VW Vanagon project, as well as my Mustang project for a few months, and kinda forgotten about BMW stuff. Picture of said basket case van and Mustang below.

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1989 BMW 635csi - Betty White - AWII/Natur - M30 5M - 117k - 18" Style 37s
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