E39 V8 restoration

[jeffbebe 1559]

Nice! ... you must be stoked.

Definitely, enjoying it though it's going to take a while to get it in to as good shape as the 528... But way more fun to drive.

Then being in a 540i under some throttle... So much torque!

Absolutely... Haven't really had a chance to put it through its paces properly yet, it's been pretty shite weather over the two weekends I've had it. Hopefully this weekend I can give it a good thrash.

[M3_Power 636]

Time to update your signature Julian!

Edited June 2, 2013 by M3_Power

[DarinD 8]

Time to update your signature Julian!

This looked mint today, she cleans up well! And Tom... I was actually speechless looking at your CSL, not a fault on it!

[jeffbebe 1559]

Time to update your signature Julian!

Haha... Yeah, I will... I can use the same pic and no one will know.

This looked mint today, she cleans up well! And Tom... I was actually speechless looking at your CSL, not a fault on it!

Thanks Darin. Did we meet today? If we did, sorry I didn't make connection... If not, come and say gidday next time. Which car did you bring?

[DarinD 8]

Thanks Darin. Did we meet today? If we did, sorry I didn't make connection... If not, come and say gidday next time. Which car did you bring?

Don't think so... Not sure either haha. Brought the e36 that was hiding away in the background.

[jeffbebe 1559]

Don't think so... Not sure either haha. Brought the e36 that was hiding away in the background.

Of course... The purple one with the black wheels, right? Liked the colour way more in person. Looked good and not many cars do in bright sunshine!

[vtgts300kw 90]

Good to meet you today. Car is clean, well done on the buy.

[jeffbebe 1559]

Good to meet you today. Car is clean, well done on the buy.

Thanks Kurt. Good to meet you too and really good to see an E30 touring represented. I'm a big of wagons and always aimed for an E39 wagon but virtually impossible to find a V8 and most of the motorsport ones I've seen are pretty expensive so settled for a sedan.

[jeffbebe 1559]

Anyone who had a peek inside mine today probably noticed all the interior trim's been pulled out. It was pretty faded walnut with a fair few nasty cracks in the lacquer. Have been working on the weekend on it to restore it with this as my inspiration, though I'm going for a slightly darker red/maroon and have painted the monitor trim black:

If it works out okay I'll post a little DIY. If it doesn't, I've got some carbon fibre wrap somewhere and will have it looking like the CSLs in no time! haha

Edited June 2, 2013 by jeffbebe

[M3_Power 636]

And Tom... I was actually speechless looking at your CSL, not a fault on it!

Thanks Darin (not sure if I met you either, spoke with quite a few people today and I am terrible with names!!) - The car is actually in 'driving spec' believe it or not, so the good parts weren't actually on the car at the moment ... I better not hijack another one of Julian's threads otherwise I'll be buying him coffee for the remainder of the year haha

Haha... Yeah, I will... I can use the same pic and no one will know.

haha I was about to say you could simply change it with windows paint with a cut and paste function !!!!

^ Love that maroon look you posted!!

Edited June 2, 2013 by M3_Power

[jeffbebe 1559]

I better not hijack another one of Julian's threads otherwise I'll be buying him coffee for the remainder of the year

Hijack away, I enjoyed the coffee!

haha I was about to say you could simply change it with windows paint with a cut and paste function !!!!

Do I look like a Windows paint sorta guy?! Way too sophisticated for me!

^ Love that maroon look you posted!!

Thanks. Last coat went on today and did a quick colour test. Very happy with it and the black monitor board trim looks 100% better... From this:

To this:

Will give the trim a few days to cure then wet sand and cut and polish. Probably won't lacquer as prefer a matte/satin finish unless paint experts on here suggest otherwise.

Edited June 3, 2013 by jeffbebe

[Tristan 338]

Looks really good

Edited June 3, 2013 by Tristan

[Ace Of Spades 51]

Honestly my favorite e39 i've seen to date, looked so good at the meet! In love with those wheels!

[jeffbebe 1559]

Looks really good

Cheers Tristan. Hopefully I can get the finish on the paint looking good when I sand and polish. Want it to look OEM not DIY!

Honestly my favorite e39 i've seen to date, looked so good at the meet! In love with those wheels!

Cheers Sam. Very glad I decided to refurb instead of replace the wheels when they were on my 528. BTW, which was your E30? Not sure if we met, I'm a bit shite with names so apologies if we did!

[Ace Of Spades 51]

Yeah i was the kid in the geen/blue one haha, honestly wasnt to sure when you put the photos up but in person.... looks so dam good!

[Allanw 1071]

Anyone who had a peek inside mine today probably noticed all the interior trim's been pulled out. It was pretty faded walnut with a fair few nasty cracks in the lacquer. Have been working on the weekend on it to restore it with this as my inspiration, though I'm going for a slightly darker red/maroon and have painted the monitor trim black:

If it works out okay I'll post a little DIY. If it doesn't, I've got some carbon fibre wrap somewhere and will have it looking like the CSLs in no time! haha

HAHA! I was going to take the piss when you posted the thread with the red paint on... I thought it was just the primer I do like that look above though.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY think the wood is hideous, cheap-looking gash. I can't believe people paid money for it! I realise some like it, but I really don't know why

I've seen a few painted body colour, but black would be too dark with all the other black interior probably.

[jeffbebe 1559]

HAHA! I was going to take the piss when you posted the thread with the red paint on... I thought it was just the primer I do like that look above though.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY think the wood is hideous, cheap-looking gash. I can't believe people paid money for it! I realise some like it, but I really don't know why

I've seen a few painted body colour, but black would be too dark with all the other black interior probably.

The red I posted before WAS the primer... but have now done the actual colour and it's looking good (much darker than the pic I posted before).

Personally, I like the wood when it's new... But so few are kept in decent condition, especially in NZ's intense sun. Managed to get a mint set for the 528 from the UK - so no sun damage - but sold it with the car. The wood in the new one was in pretty bad condition and really faded so thought I'd try something new. Also gives me something to do since I'm not that flash at the mechanical side!

Edited June 3, 2013 by jeffbebe

[kiwi535 538]

the e34s 540s had a very very dark wood finish.Almost black.I would have that but i associate wood with Jaguars and Rolls Royces and bentleys.I wouldnt have it.You have a nice job on the cleaning the 540 up.Although the big motors have bigger horsepower numbers its the torque that makes them so much nicer/rewarding to drive.

Edited June 3, 2013 by kiwi535

[Michael. 2313]

I look forward to seeing how the red dash trims turn out.

It will be sure to liven up the interior to be more like the modern era of BMW interiors with such colors.

[jeffbebe 1559]

I think the V8 fans do lock a bit in traffic - the 8's run particularly hot - it helps with their pretty good economy.

It's all been checked and working fine but every now and again - particularly in stop/start traffic - the fan locks up and makes a helluva racket. Sounds like a hovercraft. Anyone come across that before? I suspect an after market fan clutch... Works okay but noisily.

[kiwi535 538]

It's all been checked and working fine but every now and again - particularly in stop/start traffic - the fan locks up and makes a helluva racket. Sounds like a hovercraft. Anyone come across that before? I suspect an after market fan clutch... Works okay but noisily.

thats what they do if the car is a bit hot,the fan locks up until the motor cools down.Thats how they are supposed to work.Someties around town the 535 sounded like a truck,esp somtimes just starting of say in first it sounds like a truck then as you hit second it unlocks. Edited June 4, 2013 by kiwi535

[BM WORLD 1283]

genuine bmw V8 viscous cuts in earlier than a 6cyl type and stronger

also the fan blade is a bigger

Edited June 4, 2013 by Brent HARTGE535i

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

Yep that's normal. Sounds like a vacum cleaner in slow motion.

[Apex 693]

I REALLY REALLY REALLY think the wood is hideous, cheap-looking gash. I can't believe people paid money for it! I realise some like it, but I really don't know why

Because its a 18+ year old car and 18 years ago it was actually quite nice, people were mad for wood, they put it in everything!

The wood was on near all cars, even non SE models, I was a kid but I remember when they were new, the old man had one and the interior was amazing, hell soft plastics were amazing 15 years ago let alone a near useless screen and stupidly placed cup holders.

I'm sure you remember the 90's though, there was a lot worse than wood going on ins terms of styling.

This was an era when other brands were offering this, so the E39 was out of this world!

[Allanw 1071]

This was an era when other brands were offering this, so the E39 was out of this world!

True... That is a picture of a tractor though

I do remember the 90's... Didn't like the wood then either. Even Honda had been doing it since the late 80's... In their old man cars like the Legend. I remember painting it on a few Hondas too.

A nice bit of colour looks great... body colour looks way better than fake looking "wood" though. I really like the picture Jeffbebe showed with the red. Not for my car, but looks cool.