Butler's E34 M5 Barn Find Restoration

[TimeMachinE30]

Looking at the wheel well, I think you missed a spot. :D


Looks great. The door pull gaskets were screaming at me in the earlier photos. Good work.

[Butler]

I absolutely love all the work your doing, great stuff! However, those bushings will fail pretty soon. You can mitigate the failure by bolting them in, yet leaving the bolt loose. Once you have weight on the car and the suspension at it's normal ride height then tighten the bolts. Often people tighten them while the front struts are unloaded (drooping). This puts huge twist on the bushings once the car is back on the ground and immediately or pre-maturely fail the bushings.

To fix this weak point on the front of the E23/28/34/31/24/32 the spherical bushings from mooshead and others means you won't have to fight this failure point ever again!

Yes, I'm in the loop on the bolting procedure. I wanted to go for the MHE product but I can't justify the extra money at this point. I have so many other things that need my attention (and money) before upgrading to high end products. My goal is to bring the car back to ground zero and then deciding where to focus in on.

[phenryiv1]

I Love this car but it is screaming for some more stately wheels. I know that the wheels are period correct but there are other period correct wheels that would do so much for the overall appearance without looking (too) out of place.

That said, great car with a cool story behind it.

[pandaboo911]

I Love this car but it is screaming for some more stately wheels. I know that the wheels are period correct but there are other period correct wheels that would do so much for the overall appearance without looking (too) out of place.

That said, great car with a cool story behind it.

+1 put some fat 19s on there
E46 CSL wheels!

[2mAn]

Just rocking the wheels without the turbines is a big improvement, also are you going to completely clean off the pin striping?

[kronus]

those bushings will fail pretty soon. You can mitigate the failure by bolting them in, yet leaving the bolt loose. Once you have weight on the car and the suspension at it's normal ride height then tighten the bolts. Often people tighten them while the front struts are unloaded (drooping). This puts huge twist on the bushings once the car is back on the ground and immediately or pre-maturely fail the bushings.

i.e. install them correctly and they won't fail prematurely. pre-loading OE-style bushings that locate swivel points is a required part of the installation process, be it front links or trailing arms.


agreed on running the wheels naked. nice find!

[Butler]

19's!?! What!? No way. lol

Just rocking the wheels without the turbines is a big improvement, also are you going to completely clean off the pin striping?

Idk what to do with the pin stripe.. I thought it would come off with the porter cable but its stronger than I anticipated. Rubbing compound would prob do the trick, yea?


I really like the turbines actually! I would like to have a set of Throwing stars to switch em out with down the road. Or a set of RC300s but thats prob a ways out ;D

[doorman]

19's!?! What!? No way. lol




Idk what to do with the pin stripe.. I thought it would come off with the porter cable but its stronger than I anticipated. Rubbing compound would prob do the trick, yea?


I really like the turbines actually! I would like to have a set of Throwing stars to switch em out with down the road. Or a set of RC300s but thats prob a ways out ;D

Heat gun on low and pick it off.
My polisher didn't touch my pinstripe either.

[fiveightandten]

Amazing work. I love seeing cars come back from the dead like this. You did a fantastic job cleaning her up. That pinstripe is screaming to come off. It's grunt work, but will be worth the effort for sure.

Keep it up!

[E30NJ]

I'm in love! Excellent story! Looks so much better. Subscribed.

[CorvallisBMW]

Is that an MSport 335D I see in the background??

[Butler]

Is that an MSport 335D I see in the background??

Nope, just an 335i :devil: Didn't we already go over this? Jump back a few pages - I posted pics for you. Even better, lets meet up and I'll introduce you to the cars.

Also, I've been slowy buy surely reading through your build thread. OMG, you are a crazy man. I'll post when I get caught up to current times.

Amazing work. I love seeing cars come back from the dead like this. You did a fantastic job cleaning her up. That pinstripe is screaming to come off. It's grunt work, but will be worth the effort for sure.

Keep it up!

Another Nick! Thanks. I'm glad you think so! Its been a fucking lot of work.

I'm in love! Excellent story! Looks so much better. Subscribed.

Thanks dude

[CorvallisBMW]

Nope, just an 335i :devil: Didn't we already go over this? Jump back a few pages - I posted pics for you. Even better, lets meet up and I'll introduce you to the cars.

Also, I've been slowy buy surely reading through your build thread. OMG, you are a crazy man. I'll post when I get caught up to current times.

I see that now, somehow I missed it :)

I was hoping to make it along on the drive you posted a few pages back but it'll have to wait till the next one. It'd be great to meet in person!

[jhaurimn]

Fuck yes. Love to see builds like this. Sometimes some serious cleaning goes a LONG way. Keep it up!

[Eric]

i.e. install them correctly and they won't fail prematurely. pre-loading OE-style bushings that locate swivel points is a required part of the installation process, be it front links or trailing arms.


agreed on running the wheels naked. nice find!

Installed correctly my green 750il bushings lasted 8k.

I did see a year of autoxing though... https://youtu.be/qcLDhmbJaOI