Restomod Donor Car for 1972 E9

Hinemn

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Hey fellow car crazies

I've been sitting on my basket case 1972 3.0 CSi for a few months now trying to decide what to do with it. The car is so bad that the only 2 realistic options are sell as whole or part it out but I see there to be another possible option that may as ambitious as restoring it but with way better results and that is to RestoRod it.

I've made a few internet searches and have come up with a few hits a resorodded E9.
My idea is to transplant the skin onto another much newer BMW and use the drivetrain, suspension, and possibly the interior of the donor car.

The question I have is this, does anybody know of anybody having completed this kind project with the E9 and before I head out and acquire a BMW donor car which would be the best model to use?

Off the top of my head I'm thinking an E36 or E46, by eyeballing the cars look to be of similar size.

IMG_9867.JPGIMG_9805.JPGIMG_9831 Large.jpegIMG_9938 Large.jpegIMG_9813 Large.jpegIMG_0209.JPGThe one E9 Restorod I came across used an E39 chassis which is a 4 door and much larger.
 

Klassic

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The majority of expense is in the body because of the hours and specialist expertise needed to sort it. Mechanicals are very pretty straight forward. The end game is very personal, and subjective, but I get the feeling you are not too concerned about originality, and that can make the mission more affordable to a point. I think to keep the running gear restored and lightly upgraded would be a sound basis. The body / interior can be restored and upgraded, maybe flared fenders. aero kit etc. Engine and gearbox perhaps best stick to a straight 6, the M3 series twin cam from e36/e46 could be a nice restomod upgrade. The "shell over modern" idea has been done successfully before, but it would be a complex and expensive exercise, and I'm not convinced that its the best way forward as you will lose a lot of e9 character IMO. Attached is a restomod albeit in race car form, it runs an M106 (currently being rebuilt after a dyno explosion). I am building another, just the same, but a road going version. Both cars started as a total wrecks, not unlike your car, and realistically beyond an economic resto, so this is the path that suites me best. Hope this gives a bit of an angle,...All the best with your decision making!
IMG20220907190842.jpg
 

bluecoupe30!

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Hmmm, just off the top of my head, this looks like a left turn into the deep end. Just my opinion. E9 projects are difficult enough, but trying to pioneer a re-fit of some newer BMW chassis underneath a sadly rusted E9 body, umm, well, I have to think this will consume many hours, dollars, and trial and error fabrications to make this work. Even at the current price of respectable "for sale" E9s, they must be a quicker and less expensive entry to enjoying the E9 experience. But best of luck whatever route you choose, and keep us informed.
 

nosmonkey

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Unless you have a lot of experience with body swaps and heavy restoration work or very, very deep pockets, this would be dangerous at best. Mechanicals are the easy part, I would look at getting the best possible shell you can and go from there
 

Patton

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Race car shell, Maybe...

Got a buddy that I'm trying to convince to do a race car project at the same time I am doing mine ( see post in this area).
Let me know if you wish to sell the car and pricing information.

Thanks.

RP
404-226-6678
 

Patton

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The majority of expense is in the body because of the hours and specialist expertise needed to sort it. Mechanicals are very pretty straight forward. The end game is very personal, and subjective, but I get the feeling you are not too concerned about originality, and that can make the mission more affordable to a point. I think to keep the running gear restored and lightly upgraded would be a sound basis. The body / interior can be restored and upgraded, maybe flared fenders. aero kit etc. Engine and gearbox perhaps best stick to a straight 6, the M3 series twin cam from e36/e46 could be a nice restomod upgrade. The "shell over modern" idea has been done successfully before, but it would be a complex and expensive exercise, and I'm not convinced that its the best way forward as you will lose a lot of e9 character IMO. Attached is a restomod albeit in race car form, it runs an M106 (currently being rebuilt after a dyno explosion). I am building another, just the same, but a road going version. Both cars started as a total wrecks, not unlike your car, and realistically beyond an economic resto, so this is the path that suites me best. Hope this gives a bit of an angle,...All the best with your decision making! View attachment 148716
Klassic, love that race car!

(Wish my shop was that clean, Imagine the perfection to his e9!)

RP
 

Hinemn

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I'm not sure what you mean by "transplanting the skin". Can you elaborate?
The car is beyond restoration, sorry that's not true you can restore anything if you want to throw an unlimited amount of time, energy, and money at it. This car is beyond restoring back to anything half decent, these cars have value but there are limits. It's also a shame to part it out. I just might venture out and do a Frankenstein Car, take the beauty of the E9 from the rocker panels up and transplant onto another newer BMW maintaining the shape but have a current chassis, drivetrain, suspension, and possibly interior. Late model E36s, E46s or E90 can be had for song these day. There will be a lot of metal work and fabrication involved which would be in restoring as well.
That's the idea in a nutshell at this point.
 

Marc-M

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All the cars rot away and most in the same places - so there is lots of panels and advice- mine was just as bed as yours- but 400 hours of metal work is good fun.
My view is - enjoy the process - what else would you be doing on a cold winters night..
 

jmackro

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A few thoughts:

Hinemn said:
I'm thinking an E36 or E46, by eyeballing the cars look to be of similar size.
- "Similar" wouldn't be good enough; the donor car would need to have a wheelbase and track width that was within a couple mm of the e9's

- As others have written, even with good sheet metal, this would be a huge undertaking. Yes, the shows on TV suggest these projects can be completed in a few days, but the reality is far different.

- Whatever you decide to do, enjoy the journey!
 

Dick Steinkamp

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The car is beyond restoration, sorry that's not true you can restore anything if you want to throw an unlimited amount of time, energy, and money at it. This car is beyond restoring back to anything half decent, these cars have value but there are limits. It's also a shame to part it out. I just might venture out and do a Frankenstein Car, take the beauty of the E9 from the rocker panels up and transplant onto another newer BMW maintaining the shape but have a current chassis, drivetrain, suspension, and possibly interior. Late model E36s, E46s or E90 can be had for song these day. There will be a lot of metal work and fabrication involved which would be in restoring as well.
That's the idea in a nutshell at this point.
I guess I still don't understand "transplant the skin". To me, that would mean only the external sheet metal of the E9...the panels that show (hood and deck lids, quarters, front fenders, doors, roof). It would involve removing the "skin" from both the E9 and the donor car, then modifying the remaining unibody of the donor to accept the "skin" from the E9.

If that is the case, you have some very special skills. If not, can you explain your plan in more detail. Thanks.
 

Hinemn

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I assume he means the body of the e9. If that is the case, there doesn't seem to be much skin left to transplant I'm afraid...
You are assuming correctly, I am very early in the decision making process. First order of business is measuring the hell out of the E9 then finding a donor car with similar dimensions then if I find one and I decide to go ahead with it I will still have to convince my wife. lol Just a few hurdles ahead
 

Bejoe16

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I would probably go with an e28 or e28 based e24 as a start. Probably the closest dimensionally. Unless you wanted something a lot more modern.
 

Hinemn

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The majority of expense is in the body because of the hours and specialist expertise needed to sort it. Mechanicals are very pretty straight forward. The end game is very personal, and subjective, but I get the feeling you are not too concerned about originality, and that can make the mission more affordable to a point. I think to keep the running gear restored and lightly upgraded would be a sound basis. The body / interior can be restored and upgraded, maybe flared fenders. aero kit etc. Engine and gearbox perhaps best stick to a straight 6, the M3 series twin cam from e36/e46 could be a nice restomod upgrade. The "shell over modern" idea has been done successfully before, but it would be a complex and expensive exercise, and I'm not convinced that its the best way forward as you will lose a lot of e9 character IMO. Attached is a restomod albeit in race car form, it runs an M106 (currently being rebuilt after a dyno explosion). I am building another, just the same, but a road going version. Both cars started as a total wrecks, not unlike your car, and realistically beyond an economic resto, so this is the path that suites me best. Hope this gives a bit of an angle,...All the best with your decision making! View attachment 148716
very solid advise, thank you. It's a one shot deal, if I part the car out the body will cease to exist forever other than its parts will live on in other E9s if sell as whole the car I'm pretty sure its fate will be the same. If however I can pull off such a project the beautiful, unique and sexy shape of the E9 will live on, maybe not perfectly but better not perfect than gone forever.
 

Markos

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You are assuming correctly, I am very early in the decision making process. First order of business is measuring the hell out of the E9 then finding a donor car with similar dimensions then if I find one and I decide to go ahead with it I will still have to convince my wife. lol Just a few hurdles ahead

I think that the first order of business should actually be to check the VIN on the firewall and post it up here.

The wheels appear to be five hole CSL Alpina, worth around $2,500 in their current state. $3,500 to $4,000 restored. Looks like you have all four but pulled two to get it rolling. Post a closeup of the lug face.

Also the headliner appears to be black (a CSL specific feature). Make sure it isn’t a CSL before you start cutting it up. Not seeing much if any rust on the door skins, which were aluminum on the CSL.

FWIW - I’m just playing out my CSL barn find fantasy, but seriously check. :)

I think @Wes and @tferrer might agree on the wheels at least.


If you were to execute a “body swap” I think an e28 would be far “easier”. They both have the same wheel base. The suspension is very similar (e28 rear nearly identical to e3). They both share the M30 and Getrag 26X drivetrain.

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55A892D9-888B-403E-8B44-5499E00D0141.jpeg
 
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