bigcoupe.com

Hello,

I'm new to the group and would appreciate your collective wisdom as I evaluate this car for purchase. She has been "sunbathing" for a few years and not driven for the past 3.5 years. She also has a "rebuilt" title from 1987 with no other history of theft, fire, flood or apparent damage in the structure of the vehicle. Give it to me straight….she sure does catch my eye even in her shabby clothes.

Doc

1985 M635CSi

1985 M635CSi

The spot seen on the edge of the trunk lid is the only place I can find any corrosion and it appears to originate from under the spoiler. We've look the underside over pretty thoroughly and she hasn't been driven in harsh environments as we can see.

Any and all comments welcome…no thin skin here…let me have your thoughts "in the raw".

Doc

Two more of the engine compartment

Sorry…I posted the same picture twice in the previous post.

Body shot

Interior

Certainly has some potential, and the rusty trunklid wouldn't bother me. Any 6-series trunk lid will interchange, and since the car need paint anyway . . . An M635 wouldn't have that spoiler, though, as that's the later M-Tech version, as on the M6. An original, correct spoiler may be hard to source and $$, but the M-Tech spoiler isn't a huge value killer.

Main concern would be the engine, and of when the proper maintenance/upgrades have been done to the valves/timing chain. Have you done a compression/leakdown test?

Some non-original parts in the interior; the door panels and shift console. They shouldn't be the leather-covered pieces, which are likely from a newer US-version M6/L6. Easy to source and replace. I see a few small cracks in the dash, but it doesn't look too bad. A restored dash from Just Dashes is ~$2k (and the labor is on you). Front seats are also non-original, from a later car.

Those original TRX wheels may have some value as original pieces, but the replacement tires are crap and $$$. Cheaper and better to use wheels from a different model and modern tires.

With the increasing value of M635's, and limited supply, I'd say it's a car to buy, if you have the time/space/$ to restore it properly. The value will be in a car that's done properly and with original parts.

Interesting engine rocker cover. Having Google'd BMW Rocker Covers, esp. E24's, I cannot find another picture that looks like the one fitted to this engine. Clearly it fits the head but just looks odd, esp. with the plug wires located at the top and strange position of the oil filler cap.

Thanks for all the observations and comments. I'm hoping to spend more time this weekend looking over the car. Keep the thoughts coming…they are all appreciated.

Doc

I agree with "whiskeydry". The cover is not correct, no 'M POWER" in stamping
Looks like it fits ok, but why was it changed?

Also, no glove box and wires hanging.

If you get it for a very competitive price, maybe.

It could be with paint job, my respray was $8500, closing in on

15 to 18 thou plus buying cost. So we're looking at around

23 thou. I'd look for a better sorted car in that price range.

You'll pay about the same price in the long run but without

the aggravation that comes with not knowing what the hell's goin' on.

Just my 3 cents.

Oh- I just remembered it has a rebuilt title and not running for a while,

changed my mind----stay away.

Thanks "86"…we've got the glove box out working on relays while we struggle to find a ground to get this baby to start.

Doc

I think the first thing I would do is look up the original build sheet from the chassis number to determine how and when this car started life, and what it would take to put it back to that original condition.

Agreed about the rocker cover; it's the fifth different cam cover I've seen for M88/S38B34 engines.

The first was the M88/1 and M88/2 E26/1 engine covers with no filler cap and a 'BMW Motorsport' script.

The second was on the very first, possibly pre-production models, 1984 M635CSi cars and shows a roundel then 'BMW' lettering on the upper edge but now of course with a filler cap, also on the upper edge.

The third is the production M635CSi and E28 M5 cars and has a BMW roundel and 'MPower' lettering.

The fourth is the U.S. M6 S38B34 engine which had no roundel but 'BMW MPower' lettering.

The fifth is this one, with just 'BMW' lettering, a strange space and a filler cap, all on the lower edge.

Doc,
post the VIN.

How handy are you with a wrench? These ///M cars get super expensive quick. Even small jobs are costly if you go to a garage. What ever your restoration estimate is, triple it and you'll be in the right ball park.

Here's the spec sheet:



Too bad the buffalo-nutria leather is gone.

So what is your best estimate on this engine….even though the spec sheet says S38 I've heard from others that say that seems to be what is listed for all these cars. What other method (other than rocker box cover) can I use to identify the M88 vs. S38 engine?

Doc

There be mice in your muffler

You are correct in that the build sheets for M635s and M6s both list the Engine type as S38. To check what engine is fitted use a mirror to look at the head, under the cooling pipe, at the front of the engine. Look for M88/3 in the casting as per this photo:

As this car was an early EUR M635 it should have an M88/3. But this engine looks a bit modified to me.
As already stated the rocker cover is unlike every other M88 or S38. Never saw this one before. The fuel distribution line is also different. The regulator normaly attachs directly to the distribution line. The cover for the injector cables is normaly a black plastic piece. This looks like a rusty metal one.
The most noticeable point is the ignition distribution. It's twisted towards the fan. Normaly the connections are parallel to the cover and not to the hood. This should lead to wrong time if you don't mix the igniton cables.
Also the exhaust looks like an 635 one. The M635 is more squared and not round. So it fits better between spare wheel and fuel tank.

Here's the big Question!

What are they asking for it?

$5500-$7500 is probably what its worth as is.

Since it....

- Salvage title
- Does not run
- Has some rust
- Interior is not original
- Does have nice BBS (if not TRX) wheels
- Needs everything

think that Odometer is correct? 49K on it? or does the carfax show otherwise... That may change things it it only has 49K an can be verifed

A good paint job and an engine refresh (timing chain etc) would probably cost about $12k on this car.

Just my .02

Thanks for sharing your pictures. It looks like the car is a Frankenstein - M6. The front spoiler is a standard Euro model, not M-Tech as should be. Disappointed to not see the Buffalo Nutria interiors as stated in the spec sheet. It really is rare to find them these days. This car will need LOTS of work and LOTS of $$$. IMHO, I would pass on this one.

Honestly, I always say to buy the most expensive 6-series or M6-series that "you can afford". It is ALWAYS better to spend your money in the beginning on a really nice example. Realistically, by the time you spend all your time and money on fixing up someone elses problem project, you will be at the price point for a really nice example. I'm upset that I didn't lock in on a nice M635csi sooner as I watch supply and demand do its thing with the excellent examples. Damn It!

the thrill of finding one, is certainly exciting. As other board members have mentioned, restoring this M635 will require deep pockets. If you do decide on it, once it is running, should perform a cylinder compression test- the head gaskets on these engines tend to blow up quietly and discreetly. Good luck!

Roku35 wrote: Honestly, I always say to buy the most expensive 6-series or M6-series that "you can afford". It is ALWAYS better to spend your money in the beginning on a really nice example. Realistically, by the time you spend all your time and money on fixing up someone elses problem project, you will be at the price point for a really nice example. I'm upset that I didn't lock in on a nice M635csi sooner as I watch supply and demand do its thing with the excellent examples. Damn It!

I can't say how much I agree with this, although I learned it by accident. Two years ago when I bought my first E24 the plan was to buy a rough car and build it to my liking. But after looking at several cheap cars @$3K-$4500, I came across a really nice one @$8200 (ask was $9K). It just didn't make any financial sense to pass on the nice one, as the previous owner had over $15K in recent receipts for parts and labor on that car, all that was left for me to do was some minor detailing. I feel lucky to have sound this car, but I think they're still out there, if one has some patience.