BMW530MLE

Luis Malhou

///Member
by the way Adi or anyone else. Looking for two flat BMW badges(not the curved type for the bootlid) to fit E12. Neat condition. New type is a smooth glazed type. Or does anyone know who can restore these badges?

Anybody got a new brake bottle for this car or clean one, check pic of the dirty engine, top right hand corner . After receiving a new water tank in pristine new white plastic from Mobile Tradition my still usable yellowish brake fluid resovoir looks a little sad:bawling:
Also washer fluid bottle would be welcome..lol

Anbody also got a wood gearknob reflecting the dogleg gearshifts?

Thanks

For those venturing into restoration here is alittle breakdown of costs, bearing in mind that most of the work/labour or more accuratly stripping and reassembly is done by me and so no calculation included.
Original cost of car, back licence fees etc R12500

Spray job including repair of rust (cutout and new steel replacment), sandblast and undercarriage ceramic anti stonechip paint R40000, Car supplied to company in full strip down
4 doors R2500
Spare body shell for spares R1500
Engine Spares: new rings, big ends, mains, oil pump,full gasket set, water pump, sensor housing, seals, sensors, R5500
Head Engineering, 2 valve replacements, skim, clean, valve stem seals, guides, R2500. The re-assembly and valve clearances done by good friend of mine for free
Suspension bushes, new front shocks, sandblasting, re-spray and re-powder coat, Tie rod ends, steering arm, R3000, strip and re-assmble myself
LSD Diff, new bearing and seals R550, Re-assembly by proffessional R850
Water Tank-R800
3 MAIN Hoses from BMW R900
Carburettor overhauls Super Carb JHB (Frank) R1800
Rebuild a radiator with new CORE from BEHR.. To new!! R1800
Refurbish magnesium rims- R2250
New Tyres: R3500
Norbrake to refurbish, front calipers, rear calipers, 2 x boosters, Brake MASTER, Clutch master and slave. R3800
New Fr and Rear Pads plus new brake and clutch Hoses R2000
Front grill, Kidney and rear lights kindly donated by Ulli from www.e12.de website :excited: THANK YOU

Glavanising, Nickelpalting and so forth of various parts- R550
Re-crome rear bumper R1800

Front spolier remake with help from Alec at EVO Motorsport Budgeting 3-4grand.. hoping its less.

steering wheel recover, re-upholster seats, rooflining, carpets Budget R12000

eVEN THE ABOVE SCARES ME AND SHOULD PUT anybody off restoring LOL. I think im going to go drown my sorrows now :thinking::bawling:
 

Adi

///Member
Luis, pm me exact details of your car, might be able to get badges and bottle for you from the UK.....have a shipment coming in shortly!

Can help you with steering wheel recover as well have a excellent person there
 

Luis Malhou

///Member
Thanks to Leeway panelbeaters, you guys did a great job. Anybody need a dedicated team to help with restoration of bodies.. give them a call. Leon and Wayne



LuisMahou
BMW 530MLE is finally sprayed.

LuisMahou


LuisMahou


 

Sith

New member
Really nice, and yes, looks like they did a great job:clap: Luis, just had a thought, I am sure you are taking plenty pics of this restoration, so now is the perfect opportunity to photograph all the body sections with the drilled "swiss cheese" holes that are unique to the MLE...just for reference purposes, you know...and for me:)
 

moranor@axis

///Member
Official Advertiser
if you dont find another badge i can restore it for you :) i did a Ferrari badge once... all I need is the badge and some good pics of what it should look like :)
 

Adi

///Member
checking might be able to get new, have a contact overseas for these bits and pieces. Body looking great...hate to be the one having to put all the bits and pieces back now!
 

Luis Malhou

///Member
Sorry havent kept people upto date.

Re-assembly going well so far.

Suspension, brake system, harness, endercarriage piping all completed. Rear doors fully assembled, glass work is a bitch!!. Front doors almost assembled. Steering is in.

Waiting for my rims to come back from repair shop, sent back after first time shoddy job. If it doesnt come back right second time round I have already warned company I will take my rims elsewhere and they aint gonna be paid. Some people just dont have pride in their work no more.

SA Bridgestone were nice enough to search for tyres through their branches and got me 5 Kuhmo 205/70 14" tires.Lying in Alberton for collection.

Once wheels are on car can go on the ground and I start with engine install and see if I can fire her up. Then gearbox, diff and off it goes to coachworks.

Post some pics again soon.
 

Luis Malhou

///Member
The build continues.
. Turned key and all lights working, interior lights working, dash lighting and all electrics are spot on. Small glitches but nothing a bit of troubleshooting with a multimeter didnt sort out.
Seats came back recovered. look very nice. Carpets in and interior complete except for centre consol.

Motor turns but not started yet but hopefully in the next few days.
Amazingingly found a perfect good dash in Australia, busy with the deal and so a crackless dash to be installed.

Spoiler on the way from Cape Town... should change the face of my car for ever.Then a stripe kiy and it should start looking like a MLE eventually.

Steering wheel at Gerald in JHB and should be ready for next week.

Thanks so far to all those who have helped in any way with this restoration, Adi, Paul (thanks for all the spare freebies..im putting them to good use) and all those others even if just motivation and other help(Sith). Without fanatics these things would never come to fruition:thumbs:

Will post some pics soon for those waiting on an update.

Cheers for now
 

Luis Malhou

///Member
Ahhh the end of another week. After three weeks of battlying to just get spark on my motor..it fired for the first time after 4 years!!!! Lots of swearing, kicking, more swearing, strip, replace, phonecalls.. ripped out hair..we finally traced why no spark on my motor..a big thank you to ECHLIN Parts, brand new dud points set..should have listened to Paul and bought Bosch..which i have now done!!. After a bit more headaches as to why not firing up, a bit of head scratching.. figured out that i put the spark leads as per the direction on the cap. Quick change of plug leads rotation (clockwise on distributor), one turn of the key and she started first time. With only a branch and no exhaust pipe she growls like a monster V8, but soon to be toned down with a exhaust system.. Revs smooth and sounds great..soon off to Paul for his masterful hands to supertune it..

Gearbox and propshaft to go in next, brake and clutch bleeding and should have her on her first tarmac drive by end next week..

Luis
 

Luis Malhou

///Member
So the car started ,now we I need to get it on the tarmac. Installed gearbox on tuesday, crazy job to do single handidly..need to find spare hands:biglol:

Propshaft assembly in, new diff oil, gearbox oil and she shift changes smoothly so gearbox sounds ok.(only part i didnt fully overhaul except for seals and oil) if its not broken,,dont touch it!

Bleed clutch and brakes, no leaks , so seems Norbrake did a good job with the rebuilding of the brake components.

Going to try get her on the road tomorow for a short test run, albeit no windscreen so in this weather..definetly a short run.

Off for a new s/steel exhaust next by a BMW exhaust Guru..Lourens, he was involved in the development of the Alpina systems in the heydays and worked closely building performance exhausts for the Late Great Tony Viana's race cars..so he knows his stuff.

Roof lining next so we can install the windscreens with new chrome trims from BMW germany at a hell of an expensive. Plastic windscreen trims worked out to R2000!! Madness. Then off to Paul for tuning and settings and back to the Panelbeaters for touch-ups and spraying for the front spoiler which I am still modifying to fit and look like the original.

Dash on the way from Australia, hopefully here in 2 weeks.

If all goes smoothly from here the car should be able to make it for the BMW day at Mandela Square end of August.

If I get the car out my garage tomorow I promise to take some pics and update for you guys.

Thanks to all those who have helped and taken my endless phonecalls!, hope to repay the favours one day.

Oh yes ..and after this I start on my 2002TI..next project already waiting in the wings.
 

Luis Malhou

///Member
Would have loved to have been there and also see the other cars.

My car did leave the garage and I took it for a drive around the block. Mechanically all seems ok except brakes very spongy. Need to bleed again and see if they come right. Gearbox leaking from the speedo drive, need to desperatly find one of these.

Will take some pics today as it was very dark when i took it out yesterday.
 
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