Serious mold issue?

[930chas]

Hey all. I went and looked at a local '73 cs today. It has been sitting in a garage for over 20 years. One issue I never considered was mold. This car has it by the bucket loads. The interior smells like a quick trip to the emergency room. I have attached a photo album that I am still in the process of putting together and there are some shots of the mold issues in there..sorry couldn't figure out how to post specific photos on the site. I went into this project thinking my main concern would be rust, but I don't know now. Can any experts on here advise if that is even treatable without tearing the whole interior out? Thanks much for any thoughts.
http://s201.photobucket.com/user/930chas/library/1973 BMW CS

 

[sfdon]

I'd be more worried about all that undercoating sprayed like butter on the bottom of the car.

 

[CookeD]

Hard to say anything about the mold without seeing it, but it doesn't look that bad to me. Remember that the floomats are essentially the front and rear carpet, and that the rear seats just pull out. The fronts come out easily enough, leaving door panels and the dash - Each of which are pretty well ventilated, so I'd say what you see is what you get on those.

As a positive, that appears to be a car that someone drove, repaired as necessary, and then just stopped driving. From the looks of the engine bay and suspension, it hasn't been taken apart before, or restored by an amateur, and nothing is missing. That fact alone makes that a very attractive car to either sort out and drive as-is, or an even better restoration candidate.

The "updated" brake reservoir is kinda weird, and makes me wonder what's operating the clutch...?

Best advice - Have fun with it, and make sure it stops before it goes.

 

[dave v. in nc]

mold

I agree with the above comments...Anything shown in the pictures with mold can be cleaned...and then repeat with Lysol, or other similar product, or it will come back. Ask me how I know...
Except for the picture #7 (I think..) of the rust, and the bubbles #2, looks like a pretty good car, as mentioned. Good luck.

 

[brea]

Marine Spray Nine

Hey all. I went and looked at a local '73 cs today. It has been sitting in a garage for over 20 years. One issue I never considered was mold. This car has it by the bucket loads. The interior smells like a quick trip to the emergency room. I have attached a photo album that I am still in the process of putting together and there are some shots of the mold issues in there..sorry couldn't figure out how to post specific photos on the site. I went into this project thinking my main concern would be rust, but I don't know now. Can any experts on here advise if that is even treatable without tearing the whole interior out? Thanks much for any thoughts.
http://s201.photobucket.com/user/930chas/library/1973 BMW CS

You should try using Marine Spray Nine and it will end your mold issue and it also happens to be a very good overall cleaner but be careful on using it on the carpet as it may bleach some of the color out if you leave it on too long without rinsing it out completely with water.

http://www.spraynine.com/product/marine-spray-nine-664

 

[Stan]

That surface mold will wipe right off. Spray it with a solution of a capful of bleach in a gallon of water. Carpets can be removed and cleaned. Seats can be aired out in the sun.
The car looks pretty good.
Please get the VIN and add it to the www.e9-driven.com registry

 

[930chas]

Thank you much for the thoughts. Truly are much appreciated. I honestly haven't decided if I will purchase the car yet. Both passenger and driver's side floor boards have rust issues (yet really the rest of the car appears to be relatively rust free), and as mentioned by a previous poster the sprayed undercoating bothers me. But the car does seem to be pretty much original and in generally good shape.

Also, Stan, I will add the vin # to the registry.

 

[Stan]

Questions,

Where is the car located?
If you pass on it, post the seller info.
Has the car been give a pre-purchase inspection by a local professional?
And, of course, price.

Stan

 

[930chas]

Questions,

Where is the car located?
If you pass on it, post the seller info.
Has the car been give a pre-purchase inspection by a local professional?
And, of course, price.

Stan

Stan, I will definitely share all the specifics if I decide to pass on it. I would like to see the car go to a good home either way. It is a shame to see it sitting, and I feel bad for the seller's situation. It was his deceased brother in law's car and he is in the awkward position of trying to sell it. Price currently is a little high I believe given its condition. Supposed to be taking a local professional out tomorrow to look it over. Also posted more pictures to that album if you are curious.

 

[E911]

Mold?

That's the least of your concerns on this one. This appears to be another coupe that once the paint is removed you find out how little car is left.

 

[HB Chris]

You know the rust is pretty bad when it rots through the rocker cover. Never seen that before.

 

[CookeD]

I think you take what you can get as there isn't a great inventory out there of cars to choose from, espeicially if it's local.

I would think the biggest concern is getting a good deal, and considering metal repair withinin the overall project budget. A 40 y/o car it's been sitting for 20 years, it's going to need a lot of love.

 

[dave v. in nc]

mold

After seeing the added pictures, I will back off my original "looks pretty good", and downgrade to "I hope its very well priced for what it is..." As the Knight guarding the holy grail said to Indiana Jones, "choose wisely..."

 

['69 2800cs]

I agree this car will need a LOT of rust repair. The rocker cover is funny-those outer pieces are riveted on and cosmetic...they will often be unrusted, and the structural rocker behind is gone. I too, have never seen one rusted through.

The surface rust on the inner fenders near the strut tops...push on that and it will go through. Peel back those tar pads, push on those rust bubbles-same thing. Dime sized bubbles will open up to holes you can put your hand in.

Floors I am less worried about, because at least you can get to them easily. It appears complete sections have been replaced and the rust is back. For the floors to be that bad the hidden areas must be bad too.

 

[930chas]

Hahaha...dave v. in nc that cracked me up. Thanks much for all the comments. Appreciate the shared knowledge from all the experts on this forum. I asked the seller if he was more negotiable on price, but as of now he is firm at $15k. That is more then what I want to spend for this car.

 

[dang]

You know the rust is pretty bad when it rots through the rocker cover. Never seen that before.

I believe this hole....

Is this hole with some help...

 

[Bwana]

Thank you much for the thoughts. Truly are much appreciated. I honestly haven't decided if I will purchase the car yet. Both passenger and driver's side floor boards have rust issues (yet really the rest of the car appears to be relatively rust free), and as mentioned by a previous poster the sprayed undercoating bothers me. But the car does seem to be pretty much original and in generally good shape.

Also, Stan, I will add the vin # to the registry.

Turn the front wheels full left and right and reach up into the "hell hole" at the upper back of the fender well. My car had minor rust and seemed to be pretty clean but I was astonished at the amout of sand/dirt piled into the hole on both sides. Also, look in the area behind the fuses, this is where the rust comes thru.

 

[wkohler]

I believe this hole....

Is this hole with some help...

I agree but I don't see anything poking through that hole. The '72 I looked at last month had so much rust that the rocker covers weren't covering much anymore.

 

[Tierfreund]

as much as e9 prices have rightly gone up recently. That is by now where near a 15k car.
This is a serious project car, maybe even a car that needs to be parted.

You need either 20k in bodywork and another 6k in paint and 6k in interior work and then still have to take it apart and put it back together before you can start the mechanicals...

The question of how to get rid of the mold without takin the interior out is, sorry to say, very naive.

1. you not only have to take the interior out but you´ll probably have to throw quite a bit of it away and refabricate it. Mold is very detrimental to your health, you should not be driving a car with it. The carpets and hard sufaces may be salveagable but the leater and seat stuffing will very likely need replacing as will the headliner etc...

2. you´ll have to take the interior and everything else out anyway to transfer it to a new body. Or have the current one dipped in acid only to find nothin but holes left and then start a weldathon.

that thing is a goner. Maybe let it sit for another 20 years until prices have risen so much that a restauration becomes viable (this car is not much more than a VIN at the moment).

 

[Nicad]

I was offered a straight and free 4 door Mercedes 280 recently that was so riddled with mold I couldn't imagine dealing with it. Probably a lot lest rust than this car too. I now have the grill and headlights and hubcaps . That car appears to be rotten. At 15k you will be losing money unless Coupes start selling for HUGE money.