My not a restoration Bav

Bearmw

Bearmw

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Western, MA
I've decided to document some of what I have done and plan on doing since acquiring my 72 4 spd Agave Bav about two years ago. I found it on MA Craigslist after it had been brought here from Missouri several years earlier and basically sat in a mechanics shop barely touched. Eventually the shop and car owner realized it was going to take too much time, money and effort to get the mostly original 117k car back on the road so I negotiated a decent price to have it towed to my home where it has sat ever since. The car has an ok older respray and was filthy with a capital F underneath with 40 plus years thick layer of grease, oil, dirt, brake fluid, and Ziebart coating everywhere. I hadn't been seriously looking to buy an old car and I knew very little about any "old" BMWs ( pre-1985) but somehow the bus wheel, Shepskin seat covers, and all that glass told me this car would make a great driver someday. What did I get myself into?
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It is pretty solid with just a bit of rust around the rear wheel wells and at the front valance. Scraping and wiping of the bottom with a torch and rags has been a test and good workout and allowed me to see what I'm dealing with. The entire drivetrain and suspension is now out and also went through the degreasing process.
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I intend this car to be my sort of take on the early tuner cars with some modern enhancements to further performance in some way. I would like to make most of the upgrades to be semi-stealthish and I'm still in the refurbish, repair, and upgrade stage with tons of work ahead such as actually doing some minor home body work and reassembly without a compressor or welder in a one car garage. Some of the body repair will have to wait for warm weather next year. "Bessie" will have an E28 rear subframe, 3.64 Torsen, 260/6, megasquirt, A/C, battery in trunk, vented front brakes, ST sways, and who knows what else? I apologise in advance for my willingness to take it away from stock but the hotrodder in me can't be controlled lol.
 
Brake booster is out and this is my fuel tank after sealing it with POR-15 and adding a 190 lph pump with baffle.


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A before shot of inside the tank before and after treatment and also a shot of how thick the Ziebart coating was.
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And here is the empty bay and old lump and trans (carbs, etc.) if anyone is interested.
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Even with the 72 casting date that is a very early head that was used on the 2800s as the oil pressure sender is mounted at the bottom of the head and not the top (it is hidden by the chain in the pic). Someone might want that for originality’s sake.
 
I might be interested in the top front cover for the distributor drive gear. Gear and distributor possibly as well.
Just depends what you’re wanting to do with it all.
 
Thanks Al and Mot27 I am considering getting rid of much of the original stuff including the distributor drive,etc. I will make a decision on that in a week or so and let you know.
 
Because I'm going to be using a Gettag 260 from an 86 535i and Z3 diff I decided to tackle the speedo operation issue by using a CableX converter that converts the electronic diff signal into the correct
cable speed for the speedo ( with supplied cable) to function properly. Hopefully it works as advertised.
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Here are the diff mount reinforcement pieces from La Jolla. These look to be well designed and a necessary upgrade.
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Hi, great project

If you will be helplessly looking for some E3 interior parts - let me know. I can check locally here but shipping (custom + tax) can be sick high.
Will you be looking for uncracked dash?

In two weeks I'm going to go to a guy having E3 for parts (he's making one out of two). I would like some parts for E9 project and can look also if you would be interested for E3 specific. Just PM me if looking for something.

Did you stripped the engine by yourself?
Which process/chemistry you've been using to remove all the sound deadening, mud, grease etc?

Nice job! :)
 
I yanked everything out singlehandedly except when pulling the engine I had a helper as a second set of eyes. I lot of the really dirty stuff was removed from the subframe, body, etc. with a putty knife, screw driver, and plumbers torch. Also, wire brushes and some diesel as a degreaser. It took many hours (damn good workout but the smell of melting undercoating is not so good)
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and now the underside although not yet pretty is relatively clean. I will need to do some minimal rust repair and mitigation with the most difficult being the rear wheel arches. I went nuts on the front subframe trying electrolysis for the first time then POR-15 chassis black. The rear subframe I just cleaned and sprayed with etching primer followed by rattle can Rust-Oleum. I had the front strut housings and top hats sand blasted and powder coated. Hand sanded, primer, then Rust-Oleum to the front springs.
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Thanks it is a process to align horse to the rider somehow :cool:

I can't imagine the smell of the melting undercoating - nothing to miss of. ;)

Are you satisfied with the effects of electrolysis?
 
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