WTB Nice 3.0CSi

[LonestarZ]

Hey guys, I'm looking for a coupe and need your help....

I am in the market to buy a nice 3.0 CSi coupe. I’ve been checking the forum postings and most of the regular car sites and even some shady postings on craigslist, just haven’t the time to keep checking. I figure the best one for me is probably sitting in somebody’s garage, but the owner is unsure if they want to sell. Maybe they need a little motivation and the right opportunity? Anybody out there sitting on the sidelines thinking about selling?
Looking to spend around US $25,000 and can make a cash purchase as soon as I find the right one. Of course, I am not close to concours territory yet, but am looking for the nicest driver I can find for the money. If you have a car, or know where one is, that meets most or all criteria below, please contact me. For now, I am looking to find one in the States so I don’t have to import. BTW, this car will be for my personal use, I am not a dealer and I will not flip it. You can either PM me or send me an email at: [email protected].

Must haves:
3.0 CSi, LHD, 1971-1973 in very good condition
Paint and body work should already be done, any visible rust issues addressed.
US DOT side reflectors removed, amber and red or very least the amber.
Working A/C (hey its hot in Texas)
Photos: lots, high res, showing the good, the bad and the ugly. Let face it, pictures will help sell your car. If you don’t have pictures please be prepared to take many. Post them up on Picasa or Photobucket so you just have to email a link. A lot of pictures will ensure I do not to take any un-necessary trips and save you wasted time when I get there.

Preferences: (things I would like to have, but I am flexible for the right car)
Semi unmolested interior:
5 spd. Trans. conversion
Cooling fan conversion
New leather is OK but all seat material must match.
No sunroof
No speakers in the kick panels or doors
Documentation, as far back as I can get it. If you’ve done any mods, I would like to know what was done, when it was done and who did it.

Additional consideration: If you have a car that is in really good shape except for the interior I could still be interested as long as the body color would go with a blue leather interior. I have a coupe with an excellent interior I could use as a donor. In this case, ultimately I would need all issues with the body/paint taken care of already and the drive train and suspension to be in good shape. Just let me know what you have.

Thanks in advance for all your help.
Dennis,

 

[blumax]

Lonestar aka Dennis--suggest rethinking your budget--

to meet your suggested price for the CSi in the condition you are specifying--best think $40+ as the day of $25K for the Coupe described has passed--unless a fire sale occurs--not a frequent happening.

I'm sure you are aware the vast majority of CSi's were sans A/C vs US spec models, the vast majority of which were fitted with A/C.

My response is based on nearly 40 years of continuous quality Coupe ownership, 500,000+ miles of seat time driving them--and having handled 25 or so quality CS's and CSi placements for other California owners.

Murray

 

[rsporsche]

coupe values

Murray,

not trying to pick an argument with you, but there have been at least 10 very nice drivers (no visible rust) in very nice condition (not concours but with tasteful mods) that have sold this year for between $22k and $30k. maybe your understanding of what he is describing is more like some of the extremely nice coupes (not your basic drivers car) that have sold for $45k +/- 5k ... such as Peter's ceylon, the polaris in the midwest (bought for $28k + sold for $46k) and a few others. i wish the market had risen that much this year ... but i don't think so. sure the true concours car (or jabberjaw) - would be way up there.

for $40k, i might sell my car ... well maybe not.

cheers,
scott

 

[d-ace]

I would say Murray is on track here maybe even on the very light side with $$$ amount. Those are some pretty specific demands Dennis has requested. A three-year window, a 3.0 Euro spec injected coupe also 5-speed trans. Plus just the statement “rust issues addressed and corrected by reputable shop” if I remember correctly the coupe called “jabberjaw” was estimated on ebay as said “Then in the early 1990’s the car is said to have received a complete restoration rumored to have cost in the neighborhood of $100,000.00.” Then we saw how much the undercarriage was rusted and it was said it was addressed plus re-painted, that cost big $$$ too. With all the “Must haves: and Preferences:” sounds more like someone ordering a new car from a dealer. I would say with the converted North American CS “jabberjaw” selling at more than $60K and recently bought Monterey CSL at $159K (no restoration) I would double Murray’s estimate to
$80K + with those demands.

 

[rsporsche]

d-ace, you are starting at the wrong point. it says "nice" 3.0csi ... not perfect, but in very good condition. he admits not being anywhere near concours territory.

my point is that this is doable. my guess is that if you had a 3.5 fi conversion, he would consider it. you're thinking fully or previously fully restored cars ... and you would be right on target. but thats not what i read in his post. he wants a NICE coupe ... didn't ask for a flawless coupe ... the best he can buy for his budget of $25k.

i did this earlier this year ... so i know its possible. mine is a 2800cs w/ a 3.5 fi conversion w/ a 5 speed conversion, no sunroof, reasonable interior, no speakers in the door panels, modernized a/c, amber sidelights removed, paint work done + no apparent rust. is mine a euro csi - no ...

must haves -
3.0csi in very good condition

paint work should have been done ... as we discussed earlier ... find one that hasn't been painted. rust issues must be dealt with ... that could also mean that it didn't have to be dealt with ...

amber side lights removed - many cars have done that ... not a tough one, especially when it was repainted.

working a/c - previously discussed, didn't come on euro cars, but many have been added.

PREFERENCES:
semi unmolested interior - check, not perfect ... but not half done, or wrongly done ...

5 speed - check, a common mod.
no sunroof - check
no speakers in door panels - checkand the option if your car doesn't have a great interior + the color works w/ his blue interior.so d-ace's car isn't the right fit here. blumax isn't for sale, neither is mine ... but there have been several others that would have fit the bill.

 

[LonestarZ]

Murray, thank you for your comments and insight. I fully respect your opinion as you are a legend in the coupe world and I am a big fan. Would love to sit down and chat with you about these cars sometime. Compared to your knowledge of these cars I am just a pre-school kid, albeit a fast learner. From what I read on this forum, additions of A/C and 5 speed gearboxes are quite common.

d-ace. You are a legend too, nobody can do a restoration like you, we all know that. And yes you should have sold your car to Michael Douglas. $80K+ for a driver quality coupe? Seriously? Shoot, if we all value our coupes like you do my 73 CS is worth around $30K. Send me a check and I’ll be happy to ship you a car! Like you always say, “I’m just a guy trying to sell a car.” So give others the same kind of respect that you demand and give me a break, I’m just a guy trying to buy a car! And why shouldn’t I be particular in what I am looking for? It gives a prospective buyer insight on what I am looking for. How would they know otherwise? Your comments are not helpful.

I have to agree with Scott here. All you have to do is scan back through the last five or so pages to read the for sale posts. Just recently I watched the black/tan 73 CSi sell on ebay for $15,600. The baikal blue/black 72 CSi with Alpina parts in New York sold for under $22k. These cars were not all perfect, but had the 5 speed and A/C and were nice drivers. Of course, the concours cars you see are $35-45K and I would love to have one. These beauties are not in my budget, as I have stated. I do not expect everything to be perfect on the car I buy. Thank you Scott your comments are very helpful.

I guess I should rephrase my “rust issues” statement to read ‘all “visible” rust issues’. Yes I know all coupes have rust and it is only a matter of time before the cancer bubbles through everyone’s expensive paint job no matter where it was done.

I don’t think my must haves are out of line here. Is my price range? Do I need to up my price range for a nice CSi driver?

 

[Nicad]

Bring your new CSi to Canada for some proper rustproofing. You'd be surprised how well the light oily stuff works. Keeping your car rust free is a Religion for CDN car buffs.

 

[d-ace]

No big deal Dennis, I was just going off what Murray was explaining and maybe said it the wrong way, it way a long list. Anyhow good luck you never can tell.
By the way Michael Douglas when into a big divorce at that time in California, things changed when hundreds and hundreds of millions of $$$ are involved real quick.
And about the restoration thing. Just take a nice coupe into the restoration shop of your choice and get a quote for ground up restoration all seam and closed compartments rust removed and you will understand my $80K quote.

rsporsche
You do have a way of twisting words around, strange. The only thing I will say is “NO THANKS” on a “w/ a 3.5 fi conversion”. Never have been into going American HOT ROD on a CSI coupe, modify CS, CSI BMW’s? My group would have screamed murder of a BMW on that one. Why not just put a 635csi 3.5-liter head on the original block. That’s what BMW did in 1978 with the first year of the Euro 635CSI.
Anyhow have fun……..

 

[rsporsche]

Dennis, i think you can find a really nice coupe for between 22k + 30k, with all that you want. it might not be quick, it took me 6 to 8 months ... but coupeguy found me a great car at a reasonable price. am i doing some things to it ... you bet. is it a concours car - no. is it a great 40 year old driver in very nice condition - absolutely. good luck in your search and let us know how we can help you.

d-ace ... i won't get into a personal attacks here ... don't really think i was twisting any words. the fact is, LonestarZ got what i said ... and that's who i was letting know that his aspirations are achievable.

american hotrod ... a coupe w/ a 3.5l fuel injected bmw engine in a coupe. please ... how many of those are in this group. i think a lot. and by the way, i am old enough to remember when bmw introduced the 6 series ... and the 2800cs, and first joined bmwcca in '79 ... so i'm not sure who "your" group is.

cheers,
scott

 

[61porsche]

Dennis,

I don't know what all your present coupe needs, but I'm willing to help. I'm sure that if you want a nice driver, that anything's possible within reason; just set the priorities. Last I knew , you wanted the carbs rebuilt- How's a hundred bucks for both; you buy the kits to get you started off to get that puppy humming? You'll feel a lot better with a little wind in your hair.

Unless there's something seriously wrong, I would think that a resto of the one you have is better or cheaper than starting over and you can have it the way you want. ( There a 5 speed in Pasadena, and an M90 with a 5 speed trans in Corpus right now.)

We're fortunate that where we live where labor is pretty cheap compared to other locations. If you just can't find the time, I can help out.

 

[Arde]

Here is one: http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/bmw/3.0csi/1221150.html

Need to add the A/C and remove a couple of speakers from doors, not sure if it is a 5-speed but I am sure it has at least 4 speeds, so we are 80% there.
Extra points for blue interior, BBS, and red screwdriver on a very complete toolbox.

My finder's fee is 3% of the transaction, payable in US denominated instruments.

Glad to have helped.

A.

 

[HB Chris]

Added to the Registry in February by David Porter of Maryland. Interesting placement of seat belt retractors.

 

[Arde]

Added to the Registry in February by David Porter of Maryland. Interesting placement of seat belt retractors.

In that case noblesse oblige that I waive my finder's fee.

 

[d-ace]

Not to just be the reality check on this board but you would thank me if you bought the Hemmings CSI. Watch closely these re-painted coupes just looking at the photo’s I see rust holes like this in the attachment. Could you image what you would see with a Borescope in the rocker compartment? Here is one like we used for $97, I suggest you buy one and anyone looking for a coupe>> http://www.google.com/products/cata...uwJYTuX4PLLRiAKUvo3HCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CHcQ8wIwAg#

One important suggestion, stay with looking for a good rust free body. Motor, trans to body restoration extremely cheap. You can find a 3.5 liter Motor and 5-speed trans for the cost of a new OEM BMW nose clip for one of these coupes.

 

[blumax]

Adding to above--

Note generous use of bondo or filler around upper strut mount and adjoining webbing near hole that d-ace points out.

Be very careful--this car likely has serious rust issues that have been poorly addressed and some BIG ISSUES are very likely just covered up.