1987 E28 BMW 525E **Historic thread revival**

[prc]

Well after I put up a few pics of my mk2 Golf Gti I said I'd do a build thread on my E28. I had wanted one of these for a long time and always kept my eye out for a good one.

I finally came across this one belonging to an elderly gentleman who only used it one a week to go to the shops. I knocked the door and got a on great with the old boy but he wouldn't part with it. He had owned the car for a number of years and before was owned by a doctor in London.

A good while later after keeping in touch I got the call to say I could have the E28. Unfortunately due to ill health he had to stop driving. I scrambled together what cash I had and headed up.

Here it is the day I got it: (excuse some of the crappy phone pics.)



It is a shadowline LUX model but the alloys had been replaced with steels and a few chrome bits added from his previous E28

Got it home, it drove absolutely superb! So smooth and quiet, not a single knock, bang or rumble. My godson had a shot too:







First job was to sort out the light seals and give the boot a good drying out. It also came with 2 little extras:



I knew it needed a set of wheels soonish so I sorted out a set of BBS:







Inside the arches was super clean after a quick once over with some APC and the hose:





So just need to get some tyres for the BBS and we have some cool hoops. The bad weather came so just left the steels on as they had nearly new tyres all round. I went to visit my grandparents over in West Lothian and was there for 3 weeks



The Trooper was the only thing that could get about so the E28 sat for a few weeks.

Got a load of other stuff to upload but the football is about to start so will do it later!

All comments welcome!

[prc]

oooook pics ain't worked.

[dude]

put [ img] before and [ /img] after the links
(wihtout spaces )

[75nut]

If you just click on the "img" code on photobucket" by each pic it will copy the code then you just paste

[prc]

Feb 1, 2011 20:40:37 GMT 75nut said:

If you just click on the "img" code on photobucket" by each pic it will copy the code then you just paste

Thats what i did.

[useless inc]

Nice e28 that.
I had an m535i shadowline last year, which looked exactly the same as yours if not a bit rougher.
I'm also in Ayrshire so I'll need to keep a look out for you (I've got a blue Rover Sd1)

[prc]

Sorted!

[prc]

Feb 1, 2011 20:45:24 GMT useless inc said:

Nice e28 that.
I had an m535i shadowline last year, which looked exactly the same as yours if not a bit rougher.
I'm also in Ayrshire so I'll need to keep a look out for you (I've got a blue Rover Sd1)

I saw some of your posts with the M535i, i used to oggle it when i drove by, i'm just on Deveron Road, up the Muirhood end too. ;D

SD1 looks super mean.

[useless inc]

Feb 1, 2011 20:49:17 GMT prc said:

Feb 1, 2011 20:45:24 GMT useless inc said:

Nice e28 that.
I had an m535i shadowline last year, which looked exactly the same as yours if not a bit rougher.
I'm also in Ayrshire so I'll need to keep a look out for you (I've got a blue Rover Sd1)

I saw some of your posts with the M535i, I used to oggle it when I drove by, i'm just on Deveron Road, up the Muirhood end too. ;D

SD1 looks super mean.

You're REALLY local then. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for you.
My poor old m535i was a bit of stinker, yours looks like a much nicer proposition.
The Rover's so low is scrapes up that drive. It makes my eyes water every time I take it out.

[prc]

I never see it out! That'll be why then!

Yeah i'm really local, stop by anytime for a gander.

[prc]

Next up was MOT time, it failed on a couple of brakes pipes so i decided just to replace them all along with new flexis. Serviced the engine, auto box and rear diff too. Needed an exhaust gasket so did that along with tidying up the bay a bit:





Manifold given a wee coat of PJ1 and some stainless nuts and washers fitted. Next up was the cam cover:





Again refitted with a new gasket and some stainless nuts and washers. I love stainless nuts and bolts! Like a feckin magpie! And here's what we were finished with:





Will do the inlet at some point and tidy up the rest, with the recent weather it would be pointless spending too much time cleaning. So will leave detailing it until the slightly better weather.

As i mentioned before the boot had been a bit damp so smelt terrible and was in need of a right good clean so stripped all the carpet etc out and set to work:

[prc]

The main issue usually with the E28 is rust. Underneath and structurally this one is spot on, nothing even looking crusty under it, it's remarkably good. Jacking points all perfect too and NO signs of a welder being near it.

There are a few cosmetic bits to sort out though, nothing major. Inside the passengers door was the worst bit, I got a replacement rust free in the right colour. Just a slightly different shade but will address that another time. Gave it a quick once over with the DA before I fitted it:





All the arches are spot on apart from one bit of surface on the n/s/r:



Looks worse than it is, metal is all solid so will get a quick rub and some rust proofer for just now.

The previous owner had a small bollard outside his house and had bumped into it a few yrs ago. It slightly twisted the front bumper so ordered another one. But in doing so the bumper scraped the front valance back to bare metal and was left to rust:





New front panel will be here today! ;D Can't wait to get it fitted and looking like new! That all the rust I have to deal with so i'm pretty chuffed.

Thats all the boring stuff out the way, promise my next update will be a lot more interesting!

[prc]

Just a quick update on the E28:

Front panel painted and on, will post some pics.

Made a start to my BBS wheels too:

Before:





During:



Nearly finished!





A quick hit with the felt mop to finish them off now. Then i need to decide on what colour to paint the centres.

Any suggestions???

[b7]

Antracite! Will complement the car perfect. A very nice example of an e28 this. I like a lot!

[useless inc]

Bloody hell those wheels look amazing. I had those on my e28, if only I knew I could get them looking like that.
I saw this idea suggested on tonybmw's e12 thread and quite liked it. You paint the fake spokes that go into the centres black butkeep the centres silver.

[qwerty]

Mar 7, 2011 20:56:41 GMT useless inc said:

Bloody hell those wheels look amazing. I had those on my e28, if only I knew I could get them looking like that.
I saw this idea suggested on tonybmw's e12 thread and quite liked it. You paint the fake spokes that go into the centres black butkeep the centres silver.

That Photo is messing with my eyes

I like the Anthracite idea for the wheel centres.

[prc]

Anthracite is the first colour everyone says! I like the black and grey theme going on with the car. The shadowline makes such a difference to an E28.

I saw that idea on tony's thread actually. Might give it a go on one wheel and see what it looks like.

hopefully get that rim finished this weekend and get on with polishing the rest, then can decide a final colour.

My fingers have nearly healed! ;D

[tonybmw]

Those wheels look amazing keep the centres silver I say
What did you use to polish them

[prc]

Lots of time and wet n dry! up to 1200 grit then a brillo pad. Works a treat and just need a quick finish with a felt mop and some compound to mirror finish.

[prc]

Not had a lot of time to do much with this as i've been busy polishing for other folk.

Got the front panel off, was just need a clean behind there, all really solid with no rot.



New one painted up:



Also finished off that first wheel i had started polishing, just need painted now:



Centre caps are horrid on these wheels tho



Started prepping the car for paint today, small repair on rear arch handled and some more prepping to follow. Looking forward to getting it painted and the new wheels on.

Small update but an update non the less!