1969 2800CS on BAT

73tiiguy

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Seller provided many photos of the rust coming to the surface. Also a strange "driving" video - To me is the motor sounds to be missing a cylinder. Maye a shifted or broken rocker arm making a loud ticking noise (hence the inline 5 noise).

 
Something definitely amiss there... pun intended.

Sounds like valve / rocker noise but I am betting there is much more to it than that.
 
Here's the history of my E9 and what i know of the ticking sound from the engine.

This Euro-spec 1969 BMW 2.8CS is finished in Polaris Metallic over a dark blue fabric interior and is powered by a 2.8-liter inline six with a 4-speed manual transmission. The E9 was imported from Germany in 1991. This E9 has been garaged for the last 21 years. Equipment includes rear power windows, front manual windows, a sunroof, and a driver-side mirror. The interior is complete and in good condition, minus a radio. The front seats have been covered with seat covers for the past 20 years, and the driver’s side shows minor wear in the normal area. The rear seats are in exceptional condition, no one has sat in the back seats in 20 years. The original purchase documents are included. I don’t speak German but it's my understanding that the original owner first purchased a BMW 2000 and then traded it in from this E9. This E9 has not seen rain in 21 years, not even a hand wash. It has a clean Washington State title and comes with the original owner’s manual, and original maintenance logs.


History of the vehicle.

My father purchased this E9 in 1990 when he was stationed in Germany at Hahn AFB from a local German gentleman. I was there when he bought it, I was 14 years old. The US Air Force shipped the E9 to our home state of California. US Specs were added to the E9 in Los Angeles, front and rear side markers. My father drove it from LA to Hill AFB in Utah. My father kept this E9 in the garage and never drove it in the winter, he only drove it on the weekends. My father retired in 1993 and we moved to our hometown in the San Francisco Bay Area. My father passed away in 1997, and this E9 stayed in a garage covered for 14 years. In 2011 I returned home from completing my military service and my mother offered me this E9. I took possession of it and sent it to SF Don’s garage in Oakland California where he worked on it for 2 weeks to get it road-worthy. This E9 moved with us from California to Houston Texas, to Seattle Washington, and back to San Antonio Texas where this E9 is currently in my garage. I have kept the car running and out of the weather. I have always kept it in my garage and only drive it on the weekends. Currently, I have not had time to do anything to this E9. It's been in my garage for the last two years and I start it and drive it around my neighborhood once a month.

I planned to complete a resto-mod, but after COVID-19, having our first baby, and moving around for my job I cannot see a future with it anymore.


The bad.

Being in original condition the paint is showing its age and rust is popping up, including underneath. Since this E9 has been garaged for the last 20 years it's minimal. The speedo stopped working on me about three years ago and I never got around to fixing it. When SF Don worked on the car, he told me there was a ticking sound coming from the engine, from what I remember what he told me was that the small metal pipe that delivers oil to the pistons was slightly crimped which restricted oil and warped something, which is causing the ticking sound. SF Don told me it was ok to drive, and I would have to learn to live with the sound or get it fixed. This E9 received some cosmetic damage when I had it transported from Washington State back to Texas by the transport company. There may be a hole in the muffler that's also causing the engine to sound louder then it should be. I have not looked into it. I do drive it in my neighborhood to get keep everything flowing and it has power, its just loud.

My plan was to retromod it but after starting a family and buying a home i cannot see a future with it. My hope is it goes to a buyer that can appreciate the originality of it and restore it to its original condition.
 
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Neat car and I like the known family heritage.

As an early Euro from Germany, it might have an LSD. I'd look for a faint 'S' stamped on the diff. Early examples' diffs do not have the painted 'S' on the diff. My DEC '69 Austrian delivery had one to my pleasant surprise (11/38 ratio) after cleaning. Manual roll-up front windows and cloth seats are a plus in my book. Also, think the Euro cars are possibly 'lighter' than the US delivery cars. They do not have the added material (sound deadening?) in the doors. My brother and I noticed the significant door weight difference from his US '73 and my Euro '70 during our builds.

It's a project, yes, but being such an early example, it would have my interest if were in the market. Lots of possibilities and early uniqueness here, I'd rock it. ;)

GLWS!
 
Neat car and I like the known family heritage.

As an early Euro from Germany, it might have an LSD. I'd look for a faint 'S' stamped on the diff. Early examples' diffs do not have the painted 'S' on the diff. My DEC '69 Austrian delivery had one to my pleasant surprise (11/38 ratio) after cleaning. Manual roll-up front windows and cloth seats are a plus in my book. Also, think the Euro cars are possibly 'lighter' than the US delivery cars. They do not have the added material (sound deadening?) in the doors. My brother and I noticed the significant door weight difference from his US '73 and my Euro '70 during our builds.

It's a project, yes, but being such an early example, it would have my interest if were in the market. Lots of possibilities and early uniqueness here, I'd rock it. ;)

GLWS!
It is absolutely lighter then a US spec E9.
 
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