Original engine?

Pafagt

Pafagt

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Hello, my name is Pablo Fernández, I’ve been looking for a coupe for a while and I have now a couple of candidates. One of them is a CSi registered in the Netherlands as a CS but the owner claims the engine is original to the car. How can I know if the engine is really original to the car? I’ve heard that many cars We’re registered as CS even if they were CSi, is this correct?
thank you very much for any help, hopefully I can be participating more in Jp this forum as the owner of a coupe in the future.

Pablo
 
Hi Pablo,

Good luck with your search. There is a stamp on the drivers side bell-housing (LHD cars) which should match the vin tag located just behind the passenger suspension turret.

Hope this helps,

Mo

...I should also add the vin tag should read CS (there are no CSi vin tags that I know of)
 
Thank you very much Mo, I can’t seem to find the spot, I’ll ask the owner tomorrow see if he can take a picture. Is there a way to tell if it’s a CSi with the VIN number?
 
Hi Pablo,

At the back of the engine above the starter I think is where it should be. For CSi I think they all start with 226xxxx (the last digits being the sequence of car from 1 till final production ~8000 units)

-Mo
 
Thank you again Mo, have not seen the engine stamping yet but the VIN starts with 221 so I’m assuming it’s probably a 3.0 CS car with a swapped CSi engine.
 
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Pafagt said:
Thank you again Mo, have not seen the engine stamping yet but the VIN starts with 221 so I’m assuming it’s probably a 3.0 CS car with a swapped CSi engine.
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I think so...You will find one with a little patience :cool:
 
It helps to have a flashlight. Look mid-center and back of the engine by the firewall/windshield. Down about a foot past some hoses...you'll find a flat spot where the number stamp is. You might need to wipe it down with a rag; it might be covered over with dirt/soot; shine the flashlight at different angles. There are threads on this site that show photos as well. Good luck
 
Just checked the numbers and the car is definitely a CS with a very good CSi engine but not original to it . My question now is if the car is healthy and a good driver, how much would it affect its value not to have its original engine? Thanks for your comments..!
 
Pafagt said:
Just checked the numbers and the car is definitely a CS with a very good CSi engine but not original to it . My question now is if the car is healthy and a good driver, how much would it affect its value not to have its original engine? Thanks for your comments..!
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I'm new to the E9 world - as a full disclosure. In any event, seems non-matching engine number BMW E9s do not affect the value as much as say Porsche. You can check sites like Bring a Trailer and Hagerty Valuation. You'll see results for E9 with matching numbers and without going for about the same price - assuming equal in overall condition.
 
If the car started as a csi and they put a carb motor in it, that would reduce the value of the car. But since this is the opposite, it may even enhance the value. Just make sur it starts, runs, and drives well, and if it does, don't mess with the injection system. Servicing the original fuel injection system is not something too many folks have much experience with.
 
Pafagt said:
Hello, my name is Pablo Fernández, I’ve been looking for a coupe for a while and I have now a couple of candidates. One of them is a CSi registered in the Netherlands as a CS but the owner claims the engine is original to the car. How can I know if the engine is really original to the car? I’ve heard that many cars We’re registered as CS even if they were CSi, is this correct?
thank you very much for any help, hopefully I can be participating more in Jp this forum as the owner of a coupe in the future.

Pablo
Click to expand...
Can you share a picture of the engine bay?
 
Thank you very much for your comments. here are a couple of pictures of the engine.
 

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If it has little to no rust -- I would just buy it. I think you are focusing on original engine to help determine the value which on a rust-free (or rust limited) e9 would be considerably higher than non-number matching.

That is my opinion of course but an original car is priceless. One that has work can be worth more or less but that has a price....depends who did the work and other factors of course.

-Mo
 
The VIN starts with 221 and registration shows it as a 71. What would be the differences in the engine bay with a latter car? Car was purchased by owner in 85 and restored in 2005-06
 
Well 221xxxx is an early carb 3.0CS but I see two holes in each front fender along the gutter where BMW added plastic plugs in 9/73 supposedly to add rust proofing in them.
 
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