1973 Going to sell

[pickman]

A few birds eye photos of my 73E9. Its basically like new with a white interior. I have installed sheepskin over the seats as I prefer. 3.5 L engine 5 speed, SS exhaust all new rubber everything bushings, weatherstrips. Has 38 mm weber carbs new brake calipers, tires, AC rebuilt with new compressor (Works great). Included original 3.0L engine, transmission, bell housing drive shaft other original parts.

The current advice is to sell at auction. Since completing the assembly have driven less than 1000 miles. There is a complete history of every step during the rebuild including most of the receipts for parts.

Has new headlights, wired for battery to be relocated under rear seat.

Let me know the forum advice on best way to sell not looking for the absolute top dollar but a good home. There are hundreds of phots and files.

This car is sorted in my heated garage always up on a hoist covered.

 

[floridabmx]

beautiful car

 

[boonies]

Great looking car! As discussed in a different thread, Bring-a-Trailer is a well known marketplace that will likely give you the widest audience for the sale.

Looking at the condition, I suspect your coupe will do very well there, but the key is having quality pictures (hire a photographer if you don't feel confident getting high quality pictures yourself). I think @CSteve mentioned a target of around 200+ photos, with videos to be added in along the auction for cold start, driving,, exhaust sound, etc.

Good luck with you sale!

 

[BMW Pete]

Good luck with your sale.

It all depends on price; if the price is appealing, maybe somebody here will be interested. If the objective is to see what the market will do, then one of the major internet auction sites is your best bet.

There will be lots of good advice here, but the only one I might suggest is to remove the words "like new" from your vocabulary, unless you have skin and a protective suit like the guys in "Hurt Locker."

 

[Dick Steinkamp]

It is a beautiful car in great colors.

I'd ditch the steering wheel for something more neutral.

 

[e9Leveque]

I agree with all of the comments above, including (and especially) the steering wheel. It was the first thing that jumped out at me as feeling out of place. Great looking car. I would scan every single receipt for work done and include it. Even if you did all of the work yourself, having receipts for the part items shows that you ordered the right part, etc. Better pictures will really make or break the decision, my bet is that if the car really looks good inside and out, no rust, all of those upgrades, that you could sell it to a forum member here for $80k, maybe a bit more. It might get more at BaT but you are then als paying fees, having to monitor the auction, pay for professional photos, etc. Remember that the purchaser also needs to pay a fee, so there’s a benefit to a direct sale.
Here’s what I would suggest - take the car down off the lift this weekend, take about 50 nice photos with your phone or digital camera, including all of the spots you know everyone here is going to ask about (glovebox, rockers, etc), make a list of the work done by you and others with some slightly better detail than just “ss exhaust” (ie from where - W&N, CoupeKing, etc?) along with the years that work was done. How old is that 3.5l engine, what 5-speed is it, etc?
The extra engine and old parts are worth more to a forum member than someone who is looking for a turnkey car - they aren’t going to know what to do with that. For myself, this would have been a car I would have strongly been interested in, but a good friend of mine who is looking at these or a 2002 has no mechanical knowledge and some of these extras aren’t going to be worth much to him.
Decide what you want to see back to you in your bank account. $80k for example sold to someone here is 80k. Look into BaT fees so that you understand that a car selling for $100k (as this theoretically, but unlikely could) may mean only $82k back to you after paying for proefessional photos, seller fees, etc. If the number you want back to you is well north of that, I’m going to say you’ll have a hard time. Understand as well that you can offer it on BaT with a reserve of, let’s say $90k, but if it’s not met then there is a little bit of a sense from buyers that when it gets relisted the seller may have unrealistic expectations.

 

[HB Chris]

BaT charges the seller only $99, buyer pays 5%.

 

[pickman]

I can get a lot of photos and add. I couldn’t have completed the car without the help of everyone on this forum. The photos show exactly the car as I purchased. If I could realize 85 to 87K ish That would be OK. I loved the car and decided to make it faster and better drive with 5 speed. Kept all the original parts in the case someone may want it back in original state. I doubt I could scan all the receipts there are hundreds as virtually 90 % of the car is new. I started this 30 years ago my plan got blown up when my youngest son developed cancer. We supported him through his struggles and surgeries until he passed. Once beyond that I completed the build.

 

[e9Leveque]

I’m sorry to hear of the loss of your son and I completely understand that in the grand scheme of things this car has now become something that isn’t needed in your life right now. I think if you take some additions photos and put them up here there will be someone interested, it’s a beautiful looking car.

 

[pickman]

Underside photos

 

[HB Chris]

You can spread the receipts out like a fan to show them, no need to do each individually.

 

[pickman]

This represents 1/4 of the invoices plus a saved all the tags and wrappers from the purchase parts it’s a full box

 

[pickman]

If anyone is interested I have complete files on many of the items worked on starting in 2018 when I picked the work back up.

 

[pickman]

The 3.5 L engine I purchased used as an injected version was from a 535 had about 60K miles. I purchased it back in 1999 and I slowly completely refurbished. It then sat on an engine stand until 2019 when I installed it. I have three sets of carburetors, original Zenith, set of rebuilt Weber's with liquid chokes 32/36? And the set on the car 38mm Weber with electric chokes all three are functional. I had a lot of issues with the Carb. sealing to the manifold which is well documented on the forum. Finally got all new everything under the Carbs solved all issues.

Additionally I made front bumper brackets to mimic the 1972 look as I think the 73 sticks out too far and the boat anchor 73 brackets are still in my collection of parts.

BTW the original 3L engine was rebuilt twice by me. First time just all new seals second time a retaining clip came off one piston wrist pin and scored the cylinder. I had the block bored and sleeved so it is actually a bit over 3.0L everything was put new on this rebuild.

 

[pickman]

BaT charges the seller only $99, buyer pays 5%.

Chris you have been and are a good moderator. I would like to sell my E9 your advice is well received.

 

[coupesport]

Best of luck and this beautiful car will do great.

One little thing, and I may be mistaken, it looks like the rubbers on your front bumber over riders are upside down. Gotta have that right in the pictures.

 

[rsporsche]

One little thing, and I may be mistaken, it looks like the rubbers on your front bumber over riders are upside down. Gotta have that right in the pictures.

actually they are correct for a 73 USA coupe - 5 mph bumpers 'dagmars'

 

[ccr2002]

I agree that steering wheel isn’t right in the e9 but I had one in my tii in high school and loved it! Am getting an alpina one just like it for my alpina 323i. It’s a cool wheel. Same about the sheepskin seat covers. Most don’t seem to like them but I do and loved them on the tii in the 80s. So comfortable.

Was white the original interior color? Are the door panels leather? I think the car looks great. What wood is that?

 

[afeustel]

This is a beautiful car.

Great cars will always get great money on BaT. Market may seem soft but that’s mostly for imposters.

Looking forward to seeing this car go to a great home. It’s times like this I wish I had fewer cars in the garage…

 

[rsporsche]

This is a beautiful car.

Looking forward to seeing this car go to a great home. It’s times like this I wish I had fewer cars in the garage…

... or a bigger garage