"Rufant" (rufant2)
11/05/2016 at 22:35 • Filed to: None
12
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"Rufant" (rufant2)
11/05/2016 at 22:35 • Filed to: None | 12
| 28 |
According to the old me, I’m meant to be selling this car...
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I made a half hearted effort earlier in the year, but to be honest it’s spent most of the Australian winter mothballed under it’s car cover. While I’ve been !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . I recently had to move it away for a weekend, and realised I had totally forgot how much I like driving it. Time to take it out for some exercise!
After a wet and wild winter it seems we are now firmly into spring here in South Australia, the hills are looking fantastic, and contain some driving roads par excellence. I live on the coast so this means a half hour slog across the north of the city, travelling due east. The sun battling the early morning cloud.
Eventually you break free of the suburbs, the main arterial road becomes a twisting sinew of bumpy and broken tarmac that winds and weaves it’s way skywards.
Having been driving the Cruiser and various other front wheel drive modern machines, the 6er requires some re-calibration. Control weights so heavy, most people think something is broken when they first drive it. Nothing about it allows you to be lazy, if you want to press on. I actually had a few goes round a deserted industrial estate on the way here, to familiarise myself with its on limit behaviour, I ease myself in, not pushing too hard early on, just enjoying the tactility of actually having to DRIVE.
These roads are 2nd and 3rd gear territory, in-line on the, oh so 80's, dog leg gear gearshift.
The pedal spacing is good for heel and toe. It doesn’t change direction like a modern performance car, you sort of ‘pour’ it into the bend. Once settled through, it has prodigious front end grip. Now, through literally the seat of your pants, you can feel exactly how much power you can feed to the rear wheels, the chassis squirming and communicating as you walk the line of grip and slip.
Oh, you thought the 6 series was some sort of Boulevard cruiser? Not this one. Originally a UK car, it comes with the full fat Euro spec M30, high compression, no emisions restrictions, no catalytic convertor, not even a 02 sensor (freaked me out when I first had it, I thought someone had removed it, I had never seen a EFi car without one). It is urgent in a way few cars are, let alone GT’s. When I was originally looking to buy one I drove an automatic Australian spec, 635CSi, quite a different kettle of fish.
Coupled with the uprated bushes for most of the suspension and importantly the rear subframe, a solid base makes a far more responsive chassis. Eibach/Bilstein suspension and a host of other detail changes, turns this into a proper driving machine.
Against modern machinery it is not particuarly fast outright. Of course though that is not the point. It’s not really what the performance is, it is how it goes about it, is it enginging at 5/10ths? Absolutely. Is it a challenge to drive above 7/10ths? Absolutely. Disillusioned with modern performance cars? Get yourself a classic.
Any local rev heads reading this will recognise my route. Grand Junction Road, through Houghton, Chain of Ponds, Tippet Road round the back of the resevoir, Cudlee Creek, Fox Creek and turn round and repeat. If you want to drive fast in the hills, early morning is the best in my opinion, while the traffic is sparse and cool air provides a punchier power delivery.
I’m keyed into the E24 now, up the commitment, more speed on the way into bends. Bit of a slide into the fast well sighted bends, bit more on the way out once you can see nothing is coming. The big six soaring through the revs, reeling in the next corner, and the corners just keep coming. What are the roads like in this part of the world? Not bad...
As I head out into the steeper parts of the hills.
Not all the roads have survived the storms we had this winter.
Anyway, that’s pretty much the turn around point for this BLAT. The sun is starting to poke through the trees and the roads are getting busier. Time to cruise back, take a few photographs on the way.
A quick stop at the Cudlee Creek Cafe, a well known haunt for drivers and riders, there is normally something worth looking at here.
I quite liked the current Cayman, certainly over the current 911. Right up until I saw one parked up with an actual 911, now it just looks ugly and bloated.
A few more pics.
I retraced my earlier route, back past the resevoir.
Then back through the villages and the spring blooms.
Then tumble back down the hill to the city fringe.
Better head for home. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is on the TV!
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Rufant
> Rufant
11/05/2016 at 22:49 |
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Speaking of hot German metal.
Watched this last night, again. If you have never seen it, do yourself a favour.
gmctavish needs more space
> Rufant
11/05/2016 at 23:44 |
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Wow that’s a gorgeous E24. Nice writeup, absolutely beautiful car
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Rufant
> gmctavish needs more space
11/05/2016 at 23:48 |
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Cheers mate.
RallyWrench
> Rufant
11/06/2016 at 00:31 |
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Lovely, lovely Sixer and story. I’ve long wanted one, and the Euro 635 is the one to have, short of an M.
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Rufant
> RallyWrench
11/06/2016 at 00:37 |
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Thanks. I’ve often wondered how mine would compare to an M635CSi? My mate has a E46 M3, which is quicker, but not so much as you would think.
Don’t get me wrong though, I would have a proper M635CSi in a heartbeat. Very cool car.
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RallyWrench
> Rufant
11/06/2016 at 00:48 |
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The M’s are a special beast. I’ve had an E28 535 and M5, and that S38 just gave me goosebumps. The base M30 is the better engine all around though, more driveable at low speeds, and much cheaper in the long run. It feels quicker around town than the M cars, they need to be revved a bit to get their best. Amazing, but not so practical. I kick myself for not buying a client’s euro ‘85 635csi when I had the chance.
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Rufant
> RallyWrench
11/06/2016 at 01:07 |
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Agreed on all points. I have an M3 from the same year as the E24. It’s not road legal here till next year but I have driven it on a few tracks, anything that needs flexibility and torque it’s crap, anywhere fast and open where you can keep it up at the top of the rev range, it is a thing of joy.
While I was on the E24 hunt, I came across an ex pilot who was selling his E24 and E28 at the same time. Old chap wanted crazy money (and was interesting to talk to), but it was good to drive them back to back. The E24 feels like a totally different car, despite the similarities in running gear.
In an ideal world I would have the S38, but I think in reality this probably works better. I can drive it hard with no impunity, knowing there is nothing exotic about the nuts and bolts. Also M635 almost never come up for sale now and $$$ when they do.
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RallyWrench
> Rufant
11/06/2016 at 01:02 |
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I’d love to see that M3, that’s another car I kick myself for not buying, I had a line on one for $7k US at one point!
My old 535 now belongs to a coworker and just turned 270k miles with no signs of stopping, and the engine has never been apart. As good as the M88/S38 are, that doesn’t happen. My old M5 had 200k when I sold it, and the head had been off at least once.
Amazing what a difference a bit more focused chassis will make, between the E28 and E24. So similar, but the 6 has a distinct edge.
An interesting aside, a good friend moved down to Sydney a few years ago and took his ‘88 M5 with him, it was quite the process to get it registered there.
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Rufant
> RallyWrench
11/06/2016 at 02:18 |
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Ha, I think we’ve all been there. When I was young I worked with a guy who passed up an AC (Shelby) Cobra as at the time he thought 8k sterling was too rich... I can distinctly remember thinking that I should be buying 205 GTi’s, Saab 900 Turbos, etc, when they were all cheap, I had the foresight just not the cash.
A few more shots of the M3 in the comments of this post.
http://overland.kinja.com/the-changing-face-of-the-australian-4x4-market-1784936138
Safe to say it’s not going on the track again anytime soon.
I found the E24 ‘felt’ so much differerent to a E28. You sit so much lower and the driving enviroment is very different. Having had one and having had to track down some odd spares makes you realise how many of the E24 parts are bespoke.. Even when they look very similar to the sedan, I guess all those small detail changes add up to a car that feels quite distinct (and BMW could charge a hefty premium for).
I think any 6 cyl 535 is a very underated car. Still absolute bargains. I look at them reguarly for a daily, they just seem so much car for the money.
Yes, registration for anything interesting here is a nightmare. The M3 qualifies next year (30 years old), it will probably take me a year to get it ready...
Nauraushaun
> Rufant
11/07/2016 at 04:24 |
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Awesome post. Good area up there!
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Rufant
> Nauraushaun
11/07/2016 at 04:50 |
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Thanks man!
Tim
> Rufant
11/08/2016 at 16:36 |
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I needed that. Palette cleanser for the week right there. I agree, I had a kid yell at me on my way home from work at a light. “I love that car! Mom, it’s a little Porsche, you know the old ones!” I don’t think of it as little until I walk out and see a kia towering over it. They are “right sized”
Love the Caymans, but there is just something that doesn’t do it for me about them....
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Tim
> Rufant
11/08/2016 at 16:37 |
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I love that bimmer. Proper. THAT is what BMW is in my head and always will be. Over brow, 4 menacing eyes looking at you, a small kicked up spoiler. It’s the perfect understated attitude. It’s the “I’m a banker, but I will still F-ing stab you asshole” look.
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Rufant
> Tim
11/09/2016 at 03:24 |
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Mate, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I needed it as well, I just didn’t realise at the time.
I honestly thought my interest in ‘fast’ cars was on the wane. Pretty much nothing modern is appealing to me and seeing those Porches side by side totally re-inforces that.
But this was a great drive, hardcore on the way out, early morning, deserted roads. Just cruised on the way back, waved to the others out doing the same, saw a Lotus Europa! (the old type not the newer one, bloody rare thing). Got back and organised a trip to go and drive Germein Gorge Road, the spectacular peice of tarmac I babbled on about here.
http://overland.kinja.com/a-remarkable-adventure-1786304914
But fast cars this time, not fourbies.
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Rufant
> Tim
11/09/2016 at 03:32 |
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Yeah right size. BMW E30, GC8 Impreza, aircooled 911's, early Miata’s (or current), AW11 MR2, etc, etc. All can be driven hard and are small enough to slide a bit and still stay in your lane, and ‘take a line’ within one lane, plus go for the gaps!
Amusingly, the main English speaking online resource for the E24 is this.
Because it was a big coupe in it’s day. We’ve had 3, 6 footers in it comfortably for 3 days. Of course it’s footprint is about the same as a midsized hatch now.
I think if I can fix the heater fan issue and a couple of other things I might be keeping it. Which complicates other plans...
How did you go with the money tree? Any fruit yet?
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Tim
> Rufant
11/09/2016 at 09:26 |
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The wife and I need to plan a little car trip. We’ve been focused on getting back into the dirt more. I think it’s good for my soul. The car stuff is fun, but since the 911 is a daily driver it’s scary to go out and rally it too much. Not with hearing bad news on Tonto and Goose being at the dealer (HOPEFULLY) just getting that stud replaced. The service manager and I keep missing each others calls, but it worries me that he’s calling instead of the underling saying, come pick it up...
Back to cars. There is something honest about older cars. Silly, because when new they were considered big and lazy, just like the website you posted would suggest. Still, once all of the hype is gone they really do seem like more of a pure vehicle. The size is something I can’t get around about new cars. They are so big it’s just plain hilarious. The US has such odd MPG “Cafe” standards that it rewards building a car with a bigger footprint. It’s mental. It’s gotta change!
Ohh, Europa. Rare to see one, even more to see one running and driving! I would love one of those with a swapped in reliable drivetrain and wiring! ha!
Money tree is dysfunctional, I caught it sneaking into my wallet the other day. What’s wrong with young trees these days???
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Rufant
> Tim
11/09/2016 at 13:48 |
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‘Ohh, Europa. Rare to see one, even more to see one running and driving! I would love one of those with a swapped in reliable drivetrain and wiring! ha!’
Ahem...
http://www.banks-europa.co.uk/cars_home.htm
I’ve always wanted to build a ‘kit-car’ but of course a good one, done properly is like the same as a good used Porsche or Ferrari...
Maybe that’s one of retirement, if that’s still even a thing when I get old.
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Tim
> Rufant
11/09/2016 at 15:19 |
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Oooh lala! Very nice.
Reti... retire..... never heard of it. Sounds impossible.
You could do that, or you could build a Caterham!
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Rufant
> Tim
11/09/2016 at 15:42 |
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I see your Caterham, and I raise you an Ultima.
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Tim
> Rufant
11/09/2016 at 20:00 |
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0-60 in 2.3, paltry. I end this with the...
PUG.
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Rufant
> Tim
11/11/2016 at 01:07 |
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Hey mate, are you interested in getting involved in the google + thing that HHFP set up a while ago? It wasn’t used much at the start but there are some discussions now involving the site that your input as a core contributor would be welcome on.
No pressure, ha ha!
Any update in the 60/80 scenarios?
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Tim
> Rufant
11/11/2016 at 08:44 |
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Is this some sort of dating service! You damn kids and your interwebs.
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Tim
> Rufant
11/11/2016 at 08:50 |
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So, I finally joined that btw.
-Goose, the part time kit is great. They “fixed” the threads on the stripped rear driveshaft stud... I’m going to go wheeling one day this weekend to make sure it works and also to make the engine work out a bit. I noticed that the dipstick is about half way between Full and low. I only have 1500 miles on this oil change. It was brimming, if not a bit overfilled when they did the oil change and sealed the drain plug with red tape... To me, that’s already too much. We’ll see.
-Tonto, Stressing. Engine pulled. We are bored out to the max piston you can get for a 2f already, so the plan is to bore/sleeve #6 only. All other cylinders are still showing new spec leak down so we are only going to check them for any items that need replacing. Replacing all bearings. I won’t see the truck until next month at the earliest... son of a
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Rufant
> Tim
11/11/2016 at 15:32 |
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Fug.
Yeah, I would be not cool with that oil consumption either. See how it goes in the bush. I would be asking around for someone good locally who can give you a second opinion if it doesn’t get miraculously better this weekend, just my 2c.
If God can fix the 40 engine to a point where he is happy with it without breaking you financially, then I think that’s definitely the most positive outcome of that situation. Then if you keep it or sell it you should be in a much better position than a pile of bits.
I wonder what on earth happened with cyl 6???
Enjoy the wheelin bud.
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Tim
> Rufant
11/11/2016 at 19:19 |
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Thanks amigo, have a good weekend.
mtdrift
> Rufant
12/13/2016 at 11:30 |
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You know, I never really thought of myself as a “BMW guy”. I definitely respect them, and there are a lot of models (like your E24) that I think are iconic designs, but in the past they never really tickled my fancy.
I also owned an E21 for a short while, and that was an aggressively disappointing car. It was a hateful and shodily constructed pile of sheetmetal, vinyl, and rubber. I ditched it as soon as I could. I do really like my MINI, which, of course is just a BMW underneath it all anyway.
However, in recent years, I feel like I’ve come to appreciate these mid- to late-eighties Bimmer models more and more. A friend of mine inherited a dark blue ‘87 535is with the lsd and all the options from his father, mayyyyybe 80k miles on the clock. It sits on Eibach springs and bars, and even comes with a set of period-correct Borbets that his dad bought back in 1988. It is a magical car to drive - the steering feel, the incredible visibility, the smell of the leather, the sound from the straight-six, just enough pop to have a lot of fun. And, with that tiny drop from the Eibachs, it looks just about perfect. I pester him every chance I get for him to sell it to me, especially because he rarely drives it.... :/
Maybe one of these days.
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Rufant
> mtdrift
12/13/2016 at 14:34 |
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Shame about the E21, I was hoping that was some sort of ‘undiscovered gem’ shame, I like the looks.
As a teenager I had a job working with a local mechanic, who did a lot of 80's/early 90's Bimmers. So many of my first driving experiences were at the wheel of these cars (nearly crashing the first car I got sideways, a customers E30, turns out it wasn’t quite as easy as the magazines made it look...). There was no turning back after that.
535i’s (let alone is’s) are a criminally underated car. So normal, yet serious drivers machines, and great GT’s. I regularly look at E34's as they are still cheap as chips. Unlike your friends E28 which are pretty firm in price now, here anyway.
BMW build quality is not that great. Their oily bits are fine I’ve found, but there is much about the E24 that drives me nuts. It’s a car that was designed in the 70's and they just kept adding shit to it throughout it’s life to keep up with ‘technology’ in the 80's, most of which is now obsolete. Wiring is a nightmare and anything made from plastic hasn’t aged well. It’s a continual rolling list of small issues. On the flip side it looks great and is great to drive, and is appreciating in value so it can stay for now :)
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mtdrift
> Rufant
12/13/2016 at 17:46 |
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Yeah, I’m not really sure if it was indicative of all E21s, but the example I had was pretty terrible - it was an ‘81. I especially fumed over the fuel injection system, which never really worked properly, and the left rear strut tower developed a crack. The paint flaked off in large chunks. It was slow, not terribly great in the twisties, and really pretty charmless. Considering how good my friend’s E28 is, it was not a good car.