New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to do a quick intro with some pics now that I finally got myself an e28.
The car has just over 150k and is a nice example in my opinion with zero rust.
It is automatic, unfortunately. First order of business is to manual swap. I'd love to put in a G265/6 if anyone has one they'd like to sell or if you know of a parts car with that trans in it. It would be ideal to have a donor car so I don't have to source everything else that goes into the swap. if anyone knows of one in the Northeast let me know!
On to the pics:
Just wanted to do a quick intro with some pics now that I finally got myself an e28.
The car has just over 150k and is a nice example in my opinion with zero rust.
It is automatic, unfortunately. First order of business is to manual swap. I'd love to put in a G265/6 if anyone has one they'd like to sell or if you know of a parts car with that trans in it. It would be ideal to have a donor car so I don't have to source everything else that goes into the swap. if anyone knows of one in the Northeast let me know!
On to the pics:
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Wow! The car looks great. Perfect color combination. Too bad about the driver's side bolster wear, but otherwise a great find. So hard to find a 535, especially an "is" in this nick these days. Where did you locate it?
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
150K? Amazing. My long gone Alpine White '85 had 175K on it when I bought it in '99. And I thought that was lowish. Looks sweet!
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Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
nice ride.
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Thanks guys. I got the car from a nice gentleman in Connecticut. He had it listed on Craigslist.
I offered to trade him my 94 Toyota pickup that was in very good condition with low miles, we ended up making a deal and both walked away happy. Probably the best car transaction I’ve had yet.
I offered to trade him my 94 Toyota pickup that was in very good condition with low miles, we ended up making a deal and both walked away happy. Probably the best car transaction I’ve had yet.
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Wow its in great shape! Welcome to the club.
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Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
What a beautiful start!
Besides the 3 pedal conversion-Please keep it original down to the bumpers!
Besides the 3 pedal conversion-Please keep it original down to the bumpers!
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Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Congrats, nice score! Looks to be in wonderful shape - do my eyes deceive me or is that a mint dashboard?
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Welcome to the fold! Your car looks very nice.
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
You are correct. I am very thankful for thisalkalineom3n wrote: ↑Sep 17, 2021 11:40 AM Congrats, nice score! Looks to be in wonderful shape - do my eyes deceive me or is that a mint dashboard?
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Wow; looks like a great find. Alpine white over red is one of my favorite color combos. Rust-free and a crack-free dash to boot!
Regarding the manual swap, take your time looking and waiting for the right parts and/or parts car to come along. Scour all the forums regularly, plus FB and CL; you never know what you'll find. A 265/6 would be ideal, but the "correct" tranny for your car is actually a 260/6, which is cheaper and more readily available. When you do the swap, I'd recommend replacing all normal-wear items (clutch, shifter bushings, soft hydraulic lines, seals in the tranny, clutch master and slave cylinders, guibo, etc.) with new parts so you don't have to keep "going back in there" to replace things later.
Congrats on a wonderful buy!
Edit: For example here's somebody on another forum selling manual swap parts for an E24. (No affiliation) I don't think ALL the parts will work on an E28; for example I believe the pedal box is different. The single most important thing is to obtain a known-good transmission!
https://bigcoupe.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=32655
Regarding the manual swap, take your time looking and waiting for the right parts and/or parts car to come along. Scour all the forums regularly, plus FB and CL; you never know what you'll find. A 265/6 would be ideal, but the "correct" tranny for your car is actually a 260/6, which is cheaper and more readily available. When you do the swap, I'd recommend replacing all normal-wear items (clutch, shifter bushings, soft hydraulic lines, seals in the tranny, clutch master and slave cylinders, guibo, etc.) with new parts so you don't have to keep "going back in there" to replace things later.
Congrats on a wonderful buy!
Edit: For example here's somebody on another forum selling manual swap parts for an E24. (No affiliation) I don't think ALL the parts will work on an E28; for example I believe the pedal box is different. The single most important thing is to obtain a known-good transmission!
https://bigcoupe.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=32655
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Thank you!LarryM wrote: ↑Sep 17, 2021 9:29 PM Wow; looks like a great find. Alpine white over red is one of my favorite color combos. Rust-free and a crack-free dash to boot!
Regarding the manual swap, take your time looking and waiting for the right parts and/or parts car to come along. Scour all the forums regularly, plus FB and CL; you never know what you'll find. A 265/6 would be ideal, but the "correct" tranny for your car is actually a 260/6, which is cheaper and more readily available. When you do the swap, I'd recommend replacing all normal-wear items (clutch, shifter bushings, soft hydraulic lines, seals in the tranny, clutch master and slave cylinders, guibo, etc.) with new parts so you don't have to keep "going back in there" to replace things later.
Congrats on a wonderful buy!
Edit: For example here's somebody on another forum selling manual swap parts for an E24. (No affiliation) I don't think ALL the parts will work on an E28; for example I believe the pedal box is different. The single most important thing is to obtain a known-good transmission!
https://bigcoupe.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=32655
I totally agree with your advice on replacing said items. I'd love to get my hands on a manual parts car, just to be able to pull misc. parts from when doing the swap.
My brother in law has an s38 and trans out of an e34 M5 that I've been hounding him to sell me. If I can make that happen, my dream car build will start immediately!
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Wow. Just wow. Congratulations on your new E28. When I read your initial note seeking to replace a modern Audi with an E28... two completely different automotive platforms... I was skeptical whether this was the right car for you but I held my tongue. I'm glad I did. Your patience has paid off handily. Welcome to the E28 world. You will not regret it.
It took me four years back in 2010 to find my all-original Time Capsule... so I applaud your patience and persistence. Like you, I decided to compromise. Certain things -- like originality -- were non-negotiable. It had to be original paint throughout, and it had to be rust-free. But I compromised on the transmission because my mechanic in Chicago agreed to convert it. I would never own or drive an automatic, and as it turned out, an E28 with an automatic transmission came to me much less driven than a manual would have been. Mine was owned by a middle-aged couple for 22 years, and it was used carefully barely 4k miles per year... just in time for me to beat the piss out of it.
I removed most parts from my prior (rusting out) E28, but one decision I made was to purchase the transmission new (or reman) from a dealership. It cost me $2300 for the part (they're $3k now), but this car was worth it. To this day, that was a great decision. Hope the M5 drivetrain can happen for you! The only other advice I would offer is to make sure you have a really good welder that understands how to rust-proof an E28. By November 1987, when my E28 was made (1988 528e), BMW's just-in-time manufacturing meant that there was NO rear bracket in the transmission tunnel to hold the shifter because the automatic didn't use it. In earlier years, all E28s on the assembly line had that bracket, whether they needed it or not. I had to Dremel the bracket off my prior E28, my mechanic welded it into place, and re-applied the factory goop to the area. Still looks new 11 years later... he also had to weld the bracket (and rustproof) that holds the hose for the clutch slave cylinder on the frame rail. Welding is above my paygrade, which is one of the biggest reasons why I had a mechanic do the conversion.
Enjoy your new E28!! Hope this helps!
It took me four years back in 2010 to find my all-original Time Capsule... so I applaud your patience and persistence. Like you, I decided to compromise. Certain things -- like originality -- were non-negotiable. It had to be original paint throughout, and it had to be rust-free. But I compromised on the transmission because my mechanic in Chicago agreed to convert it. I would never own or drive an automatic, and as it turned out, an E28 with an automatic transmission came to me much less driven than a manual would have been. Mine was owned by a middle-aged couple for 22 years, and it was used carefully barely 4k miles per year... just in time for me to beat the piss out of it.
I removed most parts from my prior (rusting out) E28, but one decision I made was to purchase the transmission new (or reman) from a dealership. It cost me $2300 for the part (they're $3k now), but this car was worth it. To this day, that was a great decision. Hope the M5 drivetrain can happen for you! The only other advice I would offer is to make sure you have a really good welder that understands how to rust-proof an E28. By November 1987, when my E28 was made (1988 528e), BMW's just-in-time manufacturing meant that there was NO rear bracket in the transmission tunnel to hold the shifter because the automatic didn't use it. In earlier years, all E28s on the assembly line had that bracket, whether they needed it or not. I had to Dremel the bracket off my prior E28, my mechanic welded it into place, and re-applied the factory goop to the area. Still looks new 11 years later... he also had to weld the bracket (and rustproof) that holds the hose for the clutch slave cylinder on the frame rail. Welding is above my paygrade, which is one of the biggest reasons why I had a mechanic do the conversion.
Enjoy your new E28!! Hope this helps!
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
What a beauty! I also picked up a 1988 535is from the great state of Connecticut this year! Could be a cousin of yours! I have been going through it a piece at a time and have found the info on this site indispensable. Luckily mine was manual from the factory, but it sounds like you will enjoy doing the conversion. I have owned a lot of cars, I am not sure if I have ever loved one this quickly. Here are photos of mine, reach out any time!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jy6qeASQvpY1nMAo7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jy6qeASQvpY1nMAo7
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Thanks for the kind words! It definitely took a while to find this one but it was 100% worth the wait. I looked at multiple cars (e28 & e34) that I just couldn't pull the trigger on because the condition wasn't up to the standard I was looking for. You could call me a little particular I guess lol. But, once I saw this one, how nice it was, and a 3 ring binder packed full of maintenance records since new, I said: Yep, this is the one!garageboy wrote: ↑Sep 20, 2021 11:54 AM Wow. Just wow. Congratulations on your new E28. When I read your initial note seeking to replace a modern Audi with an E28... two completely different automotive platforms... I was skeptical whether this was the right car for you but I held my tongue. I'm glad I did. Your patience has paid off handily. Welcome to the E28 world. You will not regret it.
It took me four years back in 2010 to find my all-original Time Capsule... so I applaud your patience and persistence. Like you, I decided to compromise. Certain things -- like originality -- were non-negotiable. It had to be original paint throughout, and it had to be rust-free. But I compromised on the transmission because my mechanic in Chicago agreed to convert it. I would never own or drive an automatic, and as it turned out, an E28 with an automatic transmission came to me much less driven than a manual would have been. Mine was owned by a middle-aged couple for 22 years, and it was used carefully barely 4k miles per year... just in time for me to beat the piss out of it.
I removed most parts from my prior (rusting out) E28, but one decision I made was to purchase the transmission new (or reman) from a dealership. It cost me $2300 for the part (they're $3k now), but this car was worth it. To this day, that was a great decision. Hope the M5 drivetrain can happen for you! The only other advice I would offer is to make sure you have a really good welder that understands how to rust-proof an E28. By November 1987, when my E28 was made (1988 528e), BMW's just-in-time manufacturing meant that there was NO rear bracket in the transmission tunnel to hold the shifter because the automatic didn't use it. In earlier years, all E28s on the assembly line had that bracket, whether they needed it or not. I had to Dremel the bracket off my prior E28, my mechanic welded it into place, and re-applied the factory goop to the area. Still looks new 11 years later... he also had to weld the bracket (and rustproof) that holds the hose for the clutch slave cylinder on the frame rail. Welding is above my paygrade, which is one of the biggest reasons why I had a mechanic do the conversion.
Enjoy your new E28!! Hope this helps!
Thanks also for the insight on the swap! That will definitely be useful when I dig into it!
Beautiful car!Ripton wrote: ↑Sep 20, 2021 3:09 PM What a beauty! I also picked up a 1988 535is from the great state of Connecticut this year! Could be a cousin of yours! I have been going through it a piece at a time and have found the info on this site indispensable. Luckily mine was manual from the factory, but it sounds like you will enjoy doing the conversion. I have owned a lot of cars, I am not sure if I have ever loved one this quickly. Here are photos of mine, reach out any time!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jy6qeASQvpY1nMAo7
Quick question: Did you put yellow Lamin X over the fog lenses or are those the OEM yellow euro ones?
I've had yellow fogs on pretty much all my cars. I think it looks perfect, especially on classic euros. I'm going back and fourth between putting yellow protective film like lamin x on or going all in and getting the yellow euro Hella ones. There's a set for sale in the parts section for $450, which is a little more than I want to spend on fog lights but, they're brand new and look sooo nice.
My drivers side fog light is cracked as it is. That's a good enough reason to spend $450 on euro fogs, right?
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
OEM but my driver side is cracked too :/
Do your headrests work?
Do your headrests work?
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
They do work! I've gone though pretty much all the electronics on the car and everything seems to work as it should.
Also, what low beams are you running? They look almost HID in the pictures. I need to upgrade my headlights as well. The old sealed beams just don't have the output at night that I'm looking for. Thanks!
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
The lenses are all Hella, and both high/low beams converted to the Morimoto HID system:
https://www.morimotohid.com/buyer-guide ... +BMW+535is
The conversion was done prior, and seems like it may have an issue. I need to turn the switch on and off a few times for BOTH lights to light up, otherwise only one does. No idea why that's happening.
https://www.morimotohid.com/buyer-guide ... +BMW+535is
The conversion was done prior, and seems like it may have an issue. I need to turn the switch on and off a few times for BOTH lights to light up, otherwise only one does. No idea why that's happening.
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Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Lamin-x or Xpel protective yellow film are significantly cheaper & functional. You'll still want to protect you lights if you drop $450 on them.nkemp86 wrote: ↑Sep 20, 2021 9:24 PMI've had yellow fogs on pretty much all my cars. I think it looks perfect, especially on classic euros. I'm going back and fourth between putting yellow protective film like lamin x on or going all in and getting the yellow euro Hella ones. There's a set for sale in the parts section for $450, which is a little more than I want to spend on fog lights but, they're brand new and look sooo nice.
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
word is you can use e30 m3 fog light housings. available from fcp for a decent price with a lifetime warranty
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Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-fo ... 3171375067
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
Will these fit both left and right sides? I thought for some reason that the fog lights on these cars were L&R side specific.BDKawey wrote: ↑Sep 22, 2021 10:36 PMhttps://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-fo ... 3171375067
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-fo ... 3171375067
I bought 2 of these, same side, and a small roll of Laminx. Extremely happy with the purchase, look absolutey fantastic.
I bought 2 of these, same side, and a small roll of Laminx. Extremely happy with the purchase, look absolutey fantastic.
Re: New e28 Owner - 1988 535is
The fogs do come L & R - different part numbers. 63171375049 & 63171375050 If you order them from autohausaz, they show up with the following part numbers: 63171375067 & 63171375068. Just ordered a set for the M5 $125 tax & shipped.