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Nice find!
That fuel door mechanism is cheap at the dealer (at least it was a few years back when I had an e34) - GLW the restorationLeave a comment:
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Wow. Nice score, buddy. My friend saw this car downtown a few years ago and left a note to no avail. Glad it went to a deserving home.
I know where an M3 with a similar story is sitting. They told me it'll go to their grandkids someday. Yeah, right. Time to go stick some cash in their face.Leave a comment:
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Butler's E34 M5 Barn Find Restoration
Hey nerds!
I'm back. Theres a decent story with this car, here it goes -
My wife and I moved to Portland a couple years ago. We would go exploring either on foot or just driving around getting to know our new city. Of course (and probably just like a lot of you guys) I'm permanently on the look out for BMWs out of pure habit. So in an upscale neighborhood near where we were renting, while out exploring, I notice an E34 M5 sitting in front of a house. It was clear that this car had not moved in a long time. It was filthy and there was piles of leaves and gunk gathered behind each wheel.
I noted the car again months later while cruising through the neighborhood. The car hadn't moved an inch. The gears start turning and I say to myself "I wish I could be one of those guys that grabs something like this"... We were saving to purchase a house and our current rental house at the time had a really weird small drive way on a steep hill. Life goes on. And really, what was I going to do? Knock on the door and make some stranger an offer? Yea right.
Flash forward to Thanksgiving 2014 - after a night at the gym I couldn't stop thinking about the idea of another E30 or something project like that I could obsess over and throw money at. "Ah, yeah... that M5", I thought. "I should go drive by it and see if its still there". Sure enough, there she was in the dark. still had not moved an inch. I leave my car running and get out to look at the M5.. There I am-- 10PM, wet hair, in sweat pants and a hoodie looking like a creepy motherfucker, when bam! The porch light comes on and screen door swings open! Oh great... here comes the owner! Greeeeeat timing. I look like a thief snooping around in the damn yard.
The guy is nice enough but says I'm not looking to sell the car. Hes going to fix it up this summer.. blah blah blah. 
I give him my card and ask him to let me know if he changes his mind. Through out 2015 I drive by the car numerous times - almost hoping to see that the car is gone or at least in a new spot - Nope. September 2015 we finally find a house to buy and life gets busy as hell.
Current time - This week 2016, I get a wild hair up my ass and take the long way home from work... just to see if that god damn M5 is still there. Sure as shit, it hasn't fucking moved. Now there is moss growing all over it and its covered in leaves. :( BUT guess who is outside in the front lawn AND guess who is still in his work clothes looking like a decent human being. Yep. So I'm feeling bold. I park in his driveway and hop out with a giant grin on my face, introduce myself and we start taking about the car. He remembers me from that thanksgiving night and we laugh about it! Things are going good. After an hour or so he finally admits to me that he would be willing to sell it. He'd like a few days to think it over, which gave me time to talk my wife into it!!! Perfect! So we arranged to meet again on Saturday and try to get it started. This was the longest week ever! Saturday couldn't come quick enough holy crap! The owner was an 65-70 year old guy and very attached to the car. He didn't want to sell it but also wasn't driving it any more. He bought a new S4 and was focused on that, even with a history of owning a brand new 2002tii way back in the day. The M5 was the second BMW he owned.
Well, long story even longer- we met today, topped off all the fluids and the car fired up with no hesitation! 2 years of sitting like it was nothing. FUCK YES. We signed the papers and I drove it home. Yes, I'm calling this a barn find because yard find doesn't sound cool.
CLIF NOTES:
Noticed an M5 sitting being neglected near my house. Talked to the owner in 2014, no dice. Talked to him again this week and we made a deal. Stoked.
1991 M5
S38B36
196,000 miles
Clean title
2 owner car. First owner was the sales manger for Palo Alto BMW. Sold it to 2nd owner with 12k miles in 1992.
Serviced most of its life at the Dinan headquaters in Mountain View, Ca.
Sterling silver metallic
(Light?) silver grey interior
Non heated seats
6 cd changer
Here are the pics!
M5_barnfind by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-2 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-3 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-4 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-5 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-7 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-8 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-9 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-10 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-12 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-13 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-14 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-15 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-28 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-16 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
M5_barnfind-18 by Nick Butler, on Flickr
So there she is. My first M5 and my second M car I've owned. Surprising the interior actually smells good. The motor pulls without hesitation, no lights on the dash, no leaks detected from its resting spot for the last 2 years. Needs tires, suspension and I'll get the fluids changed as quick as I can. She will definitely need some attention, which I'll document here. tomorrow starts the cleaning process.
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