So, i have a thread regarding my trip in itself, but this isn't about the trip. This is about the car!
I do need to go through an update the thread on the trip but i will get to that as i want to go into much more detail on that thread about the places and the roads and i don't want it to get muddled up.
This thread is about the journey of this car, the build and basically the documentation of its life.
When i initially told people i planned on flying from London to California, picking up an old BMW and exploring america over 3 months, doing circa 10,000 miles everyone doubted the car i had chosen. Everyone said it wouldn't make it, i should just get a rental or something newer. But that's not me, that's not what this trip is about.
So this trip had been something I dreamt of for years and years and we figured if we didn't do this soon, then we never would. In-fact, this trip was actually my honeymoon.
So every road trip plan must come with an overview of the route.
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
Now, we originally planned on finishing our trip in Boston, but as our time came towards the end we was seeing it was stupid cold in Boston, the car at this point was getting tired, i wasn't sure if i wanted to risk driving it all the way up there so we decided after Tennessee we would do a U-turn and finish back in Florida where we could enjoy a final couple of weeks in the sunshine before heading back to grey, dark, cold, miserable England.
The car in question was actually purchased from a member on here.
1984 325e coupe. White, Black leather interior, odo stopped working but guesstimated at 280k on the clock and it was a manual.
I was actually looking for an early model "e" car with the diving board bumpers. A LOT of people would have and did think this car will never complete this trip, even the original owner was sceptical. but i figured fuck it! lets just give it a try and see where we go.
I ended up getting the car for a bargain price of $1,000 which is around £700. I had my friend who lived local to the car in NorCal go collect it for me ready for my arrival. He purchased the car on 01 July 2018 and i was planned to land in NorCal on 05 September 2018 so we had a few months to figure out if anything needed doing to the car.
The car had a ton of maintenance recently done to it which was good!! new tyres, timing belt and water pump, all new cooling system and so on and so on.
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
This was really the only photo i really could see of the car from the CL add.
The other side of the car had a Bronzit door and front fender, these had to be addressed so i managed to find a white door and a pair of white fenders which we could fit onto the car so i had them collected, the door was fitted prior to my arrival but the fenders where located down closer to LA so we fitted these around week 3 of my trip (but we will get to that)
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
The car came with a few misc parts chucked into the trunk. one of which was this IS front air dam, i really wish i still had it but we will get into that later on.
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
My friend Chris who collected the fenders for me was able to give them a clean up to see what we was working with. Unfortunately the passenger side fender (which was the main one we needed) was quite badly damaged by years of being in the sun. Regardless, it wasn't Bronzit so i wasn't too bothered.
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
When my friend collected the car he was able to take photos of the interior for me. Bonus, the car had sports seats from a convertible in pretty damn good condition at that too.
not sure what was going on with the carpet which some of you may see
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
The car was parked up on my friends farm with his Dinnan e36 M3 sedan which is super clean!!
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on Flickr
And this is where the car sat until my arrival in September.
I do need to go through an update the thread on the trip but i will get to that as i want to go into much more detail on that thread about the places and the roads and i don't want it to get muddled up.
This thread is about the journey of this car, the build and basically the documentation of its life.
When i initially told people i planned on flying from London to California, picking up an old BMW and exploring america over 3 months, doing circa 10,000 miles everyone doubted the car i had chosen. Everyone said it wouldn't make it, i should just get a rental or something newer. But that's not me, that's not what this trip is about.
So this trip had been something I dreamt of for years and years and we figured if we didn't do this soon, then we never would. In-fact, this trip was actually my honeymoon.
So every road trip plan must come with an overview of the route.
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrNow, we originally planned on finishing our trip in Boston, but as our time came towards the end we was seeing it was stupid cold in Boston, the car at this point was getting tired, i wasn't sure if i wanted to risk driving it all the way up there so we decided after Tennessee we would do a U-turn and finish back in Florida where we could enjoy a final couple of weeks in the sunshine before heading back to grey, dark, cold, miserable England.
The car in question was actually purchased from a member on here.
1984 325e coupe. White, Black leather interior, odo stopped working but guesstimated at 280k on the clock and it was a manual.
I was actually looking for an early model "e" car with the diving board bumpers. A LOT of people would have and did think this car will never complete this trip, even the original owner was sceptical. but i figured fuck it! lets just give it a try and see where we go.
I ended up getting the car for a bargain price of $1,000 which is around £700. I had my friend who lived local to the car in NorCal go collect it for me ready for my arrival. He purchased the car on 01 July 2018 and i was planned to land in NorCal on 05 September 2018 so we had a few months to figure out if anything needed doing to the car.
The car had a ton of maintenance recently done to it which was good!! new tyres, timing belt and water pump, all new cooling system and so on and so on.
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrThis was really the only photo i really could see of the car from the CL add.
The other side of the car had a Bronzit door and front fender, these had to be addressed so i managed to find a white door and a pair of white fenders which we could fit onto the car so i had them collected, the door was fitted prior to my arrival but the fenders where located down closer to LA so we fitted these around week 3 of my trip (but we will get to that)
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrUntitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrUntitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrThe car came with a few misc parts chucked into the trunk. one of which was this IS front air dam, i really wish i still had it but we will get into that later on.
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrMy friend Chris who collected the fenders for me was able to give them a clean up to see what we was working with. Unfortunately the passenger side fender (which was the main one we needed) was quite badly damaged by years of being in the sun. Regardless, it wasn't Bronzit so i wasn't too bothered.
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrWhen my friend collected the car he was able to take photos of the interior for me. Bonus, the car had sports seats from a convertible in pretty damn good condition at that too.
not sure what was going on with the carpet which some of you may see
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrUntitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrUntitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrUntitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrThe car was parked up on my friends farm with his Dinnan e36 M3 sedan which is super clean!!
Untitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrUntitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrUntitled by Ben Walsh, on FlickrAnd this is where the car sat until my arrival in September.
but i had an idea on what i was getting into, the wife not so happy with the purchase. Thankfully she got on board with the car and fell in love with it.
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