June 28, 2012...This was not a day to be forgotten for a while. Let me preface all this by saying I am not a rich kid, but I am a very hard worker. Supporting my girlfriend and myself on one paycheck for the last year+ has been a constant struggle. I have been dreaming of owning a second BMW for a couple years here. I randomly jump on Craigslist a couple times a week to see what's up for sale, and luckily July presented a nice opportunity. Three paychecks in a month instead of the usual two? Hell. Yes. 
So, I began to comb CL a little more frequently, knowing I would have to jump quickly.
Found a vague posting for a black '87 e30 coupe, but the photos looked pretty good. The ad stated the couple who owned the e30 just got another car (making three), so they had no real use for this one. The lady who posted the ad had her work and cell phone listed, so I gave her a ring at work as fast as I could dial. She answered saying she had just come back from vacation and had been overwhelmed by the response she had gotten for the car. At $900, I could understand why; this was the ever-increasingly elusive running e30 for under a grand!!! Ran through the usual questions and everything seemed in order. I immediately offered an even thousand if I could be the first one to look at her, and she agreed. Sweet!
Took her about 5 days to arrange a meeting, and honestly by day three I was getting pretty bummed out, losing hope that this would ever happen. But then on the fifth day, I got a text saying if I was still interested, come on by. In a flash I replied, grabbed my girlfriend and smashed through the canyon in the e36.
The couple selling the car turned out to be extremely nice. After chatting about the car, we went for a quick test drive. Feels pretty good for it's age, awesome! I get out, and my girlfriend switches with me. She pulls the seat all the way up (she's a shorty) and realizes she can't engage the clutch... in fact she has to be sitting on the absolute forward-most part of the seat to do so. We both have a laugh, and I do my best to keep her pushed all the way forward so she can still drive it. She likes it, but she's concerned since part of the reason I am getting the car is so she has something to drive.
Once we came back and decided to take the car anyways, I walked up the hill where my car was parked to grab the cash I had hidden away. I rolled Veronica (my e36) down the hill and parked about 150 feet from the e30. The second I get out and start to walk back up to the hill, the husband comes jogging down going "No no no... You gotta show me what you have there." I pop open the hood and swing the doors all open for him, and offered the driver's seat up. While he sat there looking around in utter disbelief, I explained that she was hand-built and what I had done thus far... I could tell he was really impressed for some reason, so I offered him a spin and boy you should have seen his face light up! There was a nice strip of 2 lane road that ran along the freeway, so I waited until there were no cars, eased into 1st and swung around the median. Glanced at him, he was ready, so I rolled the gas pedal to the floor, took it to redline and then made fast work of 2nd and 3rd, settling into a cruise in 4th. He was incredibly giddy, and grinning from ear to ear. Just loving it.
He turned to me and said "I know I don't know you, but I am really proud of you man." Somewhat taken off guard, I said thank you... He went on to ask us to be guests at a barbecue soon, and also a car show coming up. They apparently run a non-profit that helps homeless and veterans get into housing. I did not refuse either! After dropping him off at his place, I had a feeling we gave that man one of the most exciting afternoons he's had in a very long time.
I called my best friend who works about a mile away as a motorcycle tech, so he could drive the car back home for me. Luckily he had just gotten off minutes before, so it was perfect timing. The car stalled a couple times, but I could tell it was nothing major. It wanted to start every single time, so we figured we would stop and get some premium in the tank. Pull into the first gas station we see and go to fill her up. NO GAS CAP!!! Ugh... Okay this is easy; plastic bag, rubber band, and poke a small hole in it. On our way again, going back through the canyon and I can tell from behind that she's running perfect. Win! My girlfriend and I are bullshitting, and she stumbles upon a name for her. The cracked dash, and coming from a somewhat ghetto area she goes "I got it! Her name should be Le-ah!" (Pronounced: Le Dasha) "The dash ain't silent bitch, can't you read?!" We bust up laughing. It fit perfectly, so now she is named and we're not even home yet.
We got Le-ah home without any problems at all, and so the story begins...
My buddy Joe driving, it had just stalled again...
Trying to get Le-ah back home by greggdrake, on Flickr
Fresh gas, and a McGyver'd gas cap
Le-ah's journey begins by greggdrake, on Flickr
Home!
Le-ah front by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah driver side by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah driver interior by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah passenger side by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah passenger interior by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah rear by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah rear interior by greggdrake, on Flickr
The girls at home 1 by greggdrake, on Flickr
The girls at home 2 by greggdrake, on Flickr
So, I began to comb CL a little more frequently, knowing I would have to jump quickly.Found a vague posting for a black '87 e30 coupe, but the photos looked pretty good. The ad stated the couple who owned the e30 just got another car (making three), so they had no real use for this one. The lady who posted the ad had her work and cell phone listed, so I gave her a ring at work as fast as I could dial. She answered saying she had just come back from vacation and had been overwhelmed by the response she had gotten for the car. At $900, I could understand why; this was the ever-increasingly elusive running e30 for under a grand!!! Ran through the usual questions and everything seemed in order. I immediately offered an even thousand if I could be the first one to look at her, and she agreed. Sweet!
Took her about 5 days to arrange a meeting, and honestly by day three I was getting pretty bummed out, losing hope that this would ever happen. But then on the fifth day, I got a text saying if I was still interested, come on by. In a flash I replied, grabbed my girlfriend and smashed through the canyon in the e36.
The couple selling the car turned out to be extremely nice. After chatting about the car, we went for a quick test drive. Feels pretty good for it's age, awesome! I get out, and my girlfriend switches with me. She pulls the seat all the way up (she's a shorty) and realizes she can't engage the clutch... in fact she has to be sitting on the absolute forward-most part of the seat to do so. We both have a laugh, and I do my best to keep her pushed all the way forward so she can still drive it. She likes it, but she's concerned since part of the reason I am getting the car is so she has something to drive.
Once we came back and decided to take the car anyways, I walked up the hill where my car was parked to grab the cash I had hidden away. I rolled Veronica (my e36) down the hill and parked about 150 feet from the e30. The second I get out and start to walk back up to the hill, the husband comes jogging down going "No no no... You gotta show me what you have there." I pop open the hood and swing the doors all open for him, and offered the driver's seat up. While he sat there looking around in utter disbelief, I explained that she was hand-built and what I had done thus far... I could tell he was really impressed for some reason, so I offered him a spin and boy you should have seen his face light up! There was a nice strip of 2 lane road that ran along the freeway, so I waited until there were no cars, eased into 1st and swung around the median. Glanced at him, he was ready, so I rolled the gas pedal to the floor, took it to redline and then made fast work of 2nd and 3rd, settling into a cruise in 4th. He was incredibly giddy, and grinning from ear to ear. Just loving it.
He turned to me and said "I know I don't know you, but I am really proud of you man." Somewhat taken off guard, I said thank you... He went on to ask us to be guests at a barbecue soon, and also a car show coming up. They apparently run a non-profit that helps homeless and veterans get into housing. I did not refuse either! After dropping him off at his place, I had a feeling we gave that man one of the most exciting afternoons he's had in a very long time.
I called my best friend who works about a mile away as a motorcycle tech, so he could drive the car back home for me. Luckily he had just gotten off minutes before, so it was perfect timing. The car stalled a couple times, but I could tell it was nothing major. It wanted to start every single time, so we figured we would stop and get some premium in the tank. Pull into the first gas station we see and go to fill her up. NO GAS CAP!!! Ugh... Okay this is easy; plastic bag, rubber band, and poke a small hole in it. On our way again, going back through the canyon and I can tell from behind that she's running perfect. Win! My girlfriend and I are bullshitting, and she stumbles upon a name for her. The cracked dash, and coming from a somewhat ghetto area she goes "I got it! Her name should be Le-ah!" (Pronounced: Le Dasha) "The dash ain't silent bitch, can't you read?!" We bust up laughing. It fit perfectly, so now she is named and we're not even home yet.
We got Le-ah home without any problems at all, and so the story begins...My buddy Joe driving, it had just stalled again...
Trying to get Le-ah back home by greggdrake, on Flickr
Fresh gas, and a McGyver'd gas cap
Le-ah's journey begins by greggdrake, on Flickr
Home!
Le-ah front by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah driver side by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah driver interior by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah passenger side by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah passenger interior by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah rear by greggdrake, on Flickr
Le-ah rear interior by greggdrake, on Flickr
The girls at home 1 by greggdrake, on Flickr
The girls at home 2 by greggdrake, on Flickr
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