Potential Project/Beater...thoughts appreciated

nealf

nealf

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Gladwyne, PA
I can buy this car really cheap. I drove it yesterday, it runs and drives reall well. Originally a California car. The big hole in the passenger quarter is the worst of it. The frame rails and floors are perfect. Bone stock except for a Crane XR 700 and the bottlecaps...I just want a beater to add to my collection and to hone my bodywork skills...

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Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks

nf

'73 '02
'70 2800CS
 
Well it certainely meets the definition of beater.You wouldn't have to worry about it getting dinged-up parking around Philly.I say go for it.Lot's of Bavaria parts cars around.I know of one in Lancaster and I even got some parts sittin around.Good luck.
 
I think I have an old "bavaria" chrome piece for the trunk if you buy it and want to dress it up. I have a few misc trim parts lying around as well. Ebay is also full of "E3" stuff.

On a more serious note, you can usually find a decent E3 for around $4500. If this one is really cheap and drives well then it could be fun to piddle with and like Paul says, you'd never have to worry about it in a parking lot :p

If all else fails, you can always part it out and probably get more the drive train than you paid for the car. :shock:
 
beater

Well, there goes the neighborhood! Good for you. Crappy enough to hone some skills, good enough that if it comes together, great. If not, not much to lose, and you will have gained many valuable trade skills if the day job doesn't work out. As my Romainian Volvo mechanic says, "Joke". Have some fun, but remember what you bought it for. Paging Mr. Malc. Mr. Malc? dave v. in nc
 
Beater

I would go quick(wink, wink) and cheap while maintaining it as as rolling resto. So you don't end up with another project 3 years down the road, make sure you get aggressive on the rust with grinding, chemical etch, primer and filler. Some may recommend por15 as well. Looks like you're in for a little bit of welding as well. If it's as sound as you say, then the $350 cost of a mig welder(you know you need one, anyway) might be tough to justify with the boss. Removing lights and trim will uncover more nastiness, but remove as much as you can in order to get at it all. Bite off the work in small doses ending up finishing the prep in the area you're working on each time so you can continue to drive it. once completed, then you're ready for MAACO!!! Have some fun- go ceylon, I don't think I've ever seen an e3 that color. My .02...Good Luck!
 
My thoughts are unless he is paying YOU to take this off his hands then walk away and look for a better project. At least with a beater coupe you have a lot more potential for a project. Even if you were to restore it what could you get for it?
 
Re: beater

Well, there goes the neighborhood! Good for you. Crappy enough to hone some skills, good enough that if it comes together, great. If not, not much to lose, and you will have gained many valuable trade skills if the day job doesn't work out. As my Romainian Volvo mechanic says, "Joke". Have some fun, but remember what you bought it for. Paging Mr. Malc. Mr. Malc? dave v. in nc
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Unfortunately I am at my peak scrap quota according to Mrs Malc so It couldn't come and live in Scotland. :lol:
To answer the original question though. You say it's pretty solid so It a good basis to learn on without going to the total strip and build level.
I think it's good that a Bav is being "saved" they are very rare now in the UK and I guess unloved which is a shame as they were a good car in thier day
Malc
 
I like the fact that the owner put new tires and updated wheels on it... well, when baby needs a new pair of shoes...

If you have the room for it, I think it'd be fun to "hone." In my neighborhood parking spaces in garages are running $200-300 a month, so you're lucky to have the room for a beater!
 
Malc et al., had it right

Wife had a Bav that, even with the rebuilt auto trans, could run the ass off my coupe. I suspect the single PO had high-comp pistons and maybe a bit of cam... but it got 13 mpg.

Look, it'll never be worth the sum of what you pay for it, plus the time, energy and money you'll put into it. Thus you will never be ahead. Still, there are worse things to spend money on.

3F Rule: if it flies, floats or fornicates, it's cheaper to rent.
 
I owned and drove Bavarias through much of the 80's and 90's, and found them to be wonderful cars. Passengers in the back seat would marvel at the room, and the trunks are enormous. So, I'm voting "yes".

My Bavarias were a little, uh, cleaner, but then that was a decade ago. I guess we have all aged a bit.
 
I say go for it! I agree with the people who say you'll never make money on it but they're missing the point, "making money on it" is not what its about. The stripping down, refurbishing and rebuilding is what it is all about, then standing back when its all done and saying to yourself "I did that" its a fantastic feeling that a cheque book cant buy you.
 
I would run for the hills on that one.

There are better Bav's to be had as a starting point for a resto.

Shawn
 
Shawn said:
I would run for the hills on that one.

There are better Bav's to be had as a starting point for a resto.

Shawn
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Not to mention, why are all the worst resto projects GREEN with beige interior?
 
Save the Bavs!!

Recently I finished a major refurbishment of a then 67,000 original mile Bav--

Drove and displayed it at Cars 'n Coffee yesterday--cruises in the early morning nicely at 90--all original paint, exterior, interior, carpets, and trim with slightly enhanced mechanicals and later ZF transmission from a 528i--drives great and is solid as a rock

Was admired by a number of serious car people--including a large GM Dealer I have known for 30+ years (previously VW, Nissan, Saab and others during his long auto career) and another who has one of the finest collection of the real Chrysler 300's (four of them), an Imperial hard-top and one of four surviving Chrysler New Yorker station wagons from 1956--these guys admire its condition, appearance and authenticity--all this in the presence of many rare, beautiful and some very costly new and old collectibles, some of which desierving of museum status.

I vote to presrve the Bav!!
 
I'm a Bav fan and former owner, so I'd say if the price is good, go for it. When you say "really cheap", do you mean free? That's cheap for a Bav. I got mine for $300, it was cosmetically about a 7, mechanically all it needed was a drive shaft and center bearing.
 
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