1975 Pastell Blau 2.5 CS

[Andy the aussie]

Hi all, thought I would start with an introduction but, well, the sign in name pretty much covers it

This is long overdue but its time to share / document / justify this cars little journey from loved to left and loved again,

Before I get into "The Story" here she is - at least at the point where I got involved.

Please Ignore the 3.0 badge on the boot, that is incorrect , and if anyone has a spare 2.5 boot badge they are willing to part with please let me know !

 

[Andy the aussie]

So my part of the story starts many years ago with me as a twenty something year old in London,
where for a short but enjoyable time I was let loose on the streets with an E30 M3 Evo ,
great fun for me, but on occasion downright dangerous for other road users (I'll assume when looking back we all have some moments that we are not particularly proud of)
Unfortunately that car was sold on for reasons even less sensible and I always said that one day I would have one again. ( not an Evo, that ship has sailed)
So
A couple of years ago I started searching, not so many M3's In Australia and when they are its big money, so I was watching the internet like a hawk in the US, I wasn't scared of importing as I've been there done that a few times, I eventually found one at the right price (a project) but in Canada, in Montreal.
A deal was done and the deal included the owner storing the car for me for a while as I knew the shipping would be pricey from there and I wanted to find something else to buy,import and flip to bring down my shipping cost....

While trawling Canada online for something ;
A. not too expensive
B. Easy to sell here
to share a container with the M3 I find an E9...

Shit... Ive always wanted an E9 , (not a CSL , Thats yet another sailing ship )

All of a sudden I'm considering two bucket list cars at the same time and both hefty projects !

I know its crazy, my Wife tells me I'm crazy (regularly), my friends tell me I'm crazy....

But I just cant resist and just like that.....

 

[CSteve]

So my part of the story starts many years ago with me as a twenty something year old in London,
where for a short but enjoyable time I was let loose on the streets with an E30 M3 Evo ,
great fun for me, but on occasion downright dangerous for other road users (I'll assume when looking back we all have some moments that we are not particularly proud of)
Unfortunately that car was sold on for reasons even less sensible and I always said that one day I would have one again. ( not an Evo, that ship has sailed)
So
A couple of years ago I started searching, not so many M3's In Australia and when they are its big money, so I was watching the internet like a hawk in the US, I wasn't scared of importing as I've been there done that a few times, I eventually found one at the right price (a project) but in Canada, in Montreal.
A deal was done and the deal included the owner storing the car for me for a while as I knew the shipping would be pricey from there and I wanted to find something else to buy,import and flip to bring down my shipping cost....

While trawling Canada online for something ;
A. not too expensive
B. Easy to sell here
to share a container with the M3 I find an E9...

Shit... Ive always wanted an E9 , (not a CSL , Thats yet another ship )

All of a sudden I'm considering two bucket list cars at the same time and both hefty projects !

I know its crazy, my Wife tells me I'm crazy (regularly), my friends tell me I'm crazy....

But I just cant resist and just like that.....

View attachment 89669

So my part of the story starts many years ago with me as a twenty something year old in London,
where for a short but enjoyable time I was let loose on the streets with an E30 M3 Evo ,
great fun for me, but on occasion downright dangerous for other road users (I'll assume when looking back we all have some moments that we are not particularly proud of)
Unfortunately that car was sold on for reasons even less sensible and I always said that one day I would have one again. ( not an Evo, that ship has sailed)
So
A couple of years ago I started searching, not so many M3's In Australia and when they are its big money, so I was watching the internet like a hawk in the US, I wasn't scared of importing as I've been there done that a few times, I eventually found one at the right price (a project) but in Canada, in Montreal.
A deal was done and the deal included the owner storing the car for me for a while as I knew the shipping would be pricey from there and I wanted to find something else to buy,import and flip to bring down my shipping cost....

While trawling Canada online for something ;
A. not too expensive
B. Easy to sell here
to share a container with the M3 I find an E9...

Shit... Ive always wanted an E9 , (not a CSL , Thats yet another ship )

All of a sudden I'm considering two bucket list cars at the same time and both hefty projects !

I know its crazy, my Wife tells me I'm crazy (regularly), my friends tell me I'm crazy....

But I just cant resist and just like that.....

View attachment 89669

Yes, we are possessed!

Great finds, Hundreds of happy hours ahead for you.

Steve

 

[Andy the aussie]

As for old baby blau here, his story starts on 30th May 1975 when he rolls off the production line and is quickly delivered to Autohaus Muller in Dusseldorf on the 10th of June, 10 days later Dr Otto Kuttner takes delivery and sets off in his new ride...
He's back at Mullers 3 weeks later for the 1000km inspection and continues on from there.
By Late 1980 its got 75,000km under the belt and has its last service in Germany.

Not Sure yet on the timings next but the car and family migrates to Ontario, Canada sometime in the eighties and changes hands from Otto to his son who then eventually passes away in 2013 and leaves the car to his son.....

not much happens with the car from there on for a while until Otto's Grandson decides that the required restoration and classic car ownership is just not for him...

Not long after that an Aussie guy throws in a late bid on an eBay auction and much to his surprise wins !

 

[CSteve]

As for old baby blau here, his story starts in Dusseldorf on the 20th June 1975 at Autohaus Muller, when Dr Otto Kuttner takes delivery and sets off in his new ride...
He's back at Mullers 3 weeks later for the 1000km inspection and continues on from there.
By Late 1980 its got 75,00km under the belt and has its last service in Germany.

View attachment 89705


Not Sure yet on the timings next but the car and family migrates to Ontario, Canada sometime in the eighties and changes hands from Otto to his son who then eventually passes away in 2013 and leaves the car to his son.....

not much happens with the car from there on for a while until Otto's Grandson decides that the required restoration and classic car ownership is just not for him...

Not long after that an Aussie guy throws in a late bid on an eBay auction and much to his surprise wins !

Great story. And what a surprise!

 

[JMinPDX]

Pastel Blue e9 coupe is a rare find. I believe that color was only available 1975-77. I've seen 2002's, e12's & e21's in Pastel but I don't recall ever seeing an e9.
Its a great color when it shines.
Both car are worthy projects. Welcome and Good Luck!

 

[Andy the aussie]

Pastel Blue e9 coupe is a rare find. I believe that color was only available 1975-77. I've seen 2002's, e12's & e21's in Pastel but I don't recall ever seeing an e9.
Its a great color when it shines.
Both car are worthy projects. Welcome and Good Luck!

Thanks JMin,
I'm thinking from my research it must surely be one of the rarest ?

I've found a couple of pics online since buying the car which I think are Pastell but I've seen shots of Fjord cars where the light does not catch the metallic and they look Pastell and then in the next pic with a different angle they are obviously Fjord.

Here is a couple think I think are Pastell but I'm not 100% sure.

My original E9 desires were all based on a silver or black car with a 3.5 on webers, 5 speed, lowered on alpinas, red leather interior etc etc ,
The standard period acceptable restomod.....

So an unloved 2.5CS in a weird colour seemed like a good donor..

Then after buying it and once it arrived home in Australia a few things dawned on me about this car,
Such a rare original Colour
Such an original unmolested numbers matching car - I learnt this even more as I've stripped it down (VIN/chassis stamp/block/head numbers all line up)
The cars one family owner history and original paperwork.
The rareness of a 2.5 CSA - 244 built.

As times moved on I've felt more and more compelled to keep it as close to 100% original as I can

 

[HB Chris]

The US never got any e9 75 models so you don’t see Pastel here except in the 2002s.

 

[CSteve]

The US never got any e9 75 models so you don’t see Pastel here except in the 2002s.

Chris, our 75 CSi Barn Find(rusted beyond hope) had a 75 title. But don't know if it was 75 build or...? The only history we had was a story from the owner that the car had rolled while in his family's possession. It was shipped back to Germany where it was restored to original. Your thoughts? Steve

 

[HB Chris]

Chris, our 75 CSi Barn Find(rusted beyond hope) had a 75 title. But don't know if it was 75 build or...? The only history we had was a story from the owner that the car had rolled while in his family's possession. It was shipped back to Germany where it was restored to original. Your thoughts? Steve

Steve, They built CSis and 2.5CSs into 1975, just none were built to US spec for Hoffman.

 

[Markos]

Here is a couple think I think are Pastell but I'm not 100% sure.

Those both look like Fjord to me. There are a few rare colors and I would say that this is certainly one of them. I’m fascinated by rare colors.

Anyway here are a few pics posted of a pastel blue coupe.

A good example....

of French lights on this coupe :) Guess the million dollar question is what's that color? -Mo [Broken External Image]:http://www.bmwoldschool.eu/ressources/image/13594

e9coupe.com

 

[Andy the aussie]

Some pics from when I bought it from the family......

I was educated enough at the time to know what level of disaster those brown stains on the fenders would equate to....

But not that the 3.0 badge was incorrect, the grandson was adamant that the boot badge had never been changed but the VIN numbers state otherwise.
To start with I was freaking out that it was not what I thought I was buying but I soon settled on a view that the 500cc lower engine size
was balanced out by the less common model / colour etc

The small sticker above the LH tail light is an Autohouse Muller logo from sometime in the 70's

Unoriginal things I spotted on the car at this stage were;

Fuel Filter
Airhorns
That weird lock above the LH indicator

and one that I missed and am really annoyed about...... Im sure you E9 eagle eyes will get it straight away

while your at it anything else out of place ?

The Blaupunkt radio Cassette player - 1975 ? looks more 80's to me, I'm assuming that may have been an upgrade, I've got it out currently but haven't had a good look yet.

 

[Andy the aussie]

Here she is on the way to the ship in Montreal

 

[Andy the aussie]

Then once in Sunny OZ it was time to put the awesome sunshade that I found in the boot up

 

[Andy the aussie]

then on to assessment time.....
where to start ???

 

[HonaloochieBoogie]

Being a UNC graduate, that looks like Carolina blue to me. I’m fascinated with the rare colors on these. Love my Polaris, but it’s probably the most common color.

 

[craterface]

then on to assessment time.....
where to start ???

View attachment 104624

Front fenders are going to need to come off one way or the other.
I think CS-werk.de has a 2.5 badge

 

[Andy the aussie]

Being a UNC graduate, that looks like Carolina blue to me. I’m fascinated with the rare colors on these. Love my Polaris, but it’s probably the most common color.

yes the whole rare versus common colour argument is one I've had with myself over and over....

 

[Andy the aussie]

Front fenders are going to need to come off one way or the other.
I think CS-werk.de has a 2.5 badge

oh yes.........

 

[Andy the aussie]

And with just a little digging all was revealed.... no surprise really