Maytag: The Alpine '87 529i

[cek]

This the life-thread for Maytag, my $2000 '87 POS 528e Alpine on Beige Automatic which has slowly become a very special 529i 5-speed Alpine on Black.



History

• Alpine White on Anthracite (was Pearl Beige)
• Built July, 1986; 1st sold in Dallas
• 2nd owner shipped to LA (@87k) Jan 1994, moved to Seattle Aug 2012
• I purchased (3rd owner) November 16, 2013 at 202,305 miles
• Currently at about 215,000 miles (September 2020)

Engine & Drivetrain

• Converted to 5-Speed from Auto
• Personally built M20B27 high-compression (9.5:1) motor
• Bored “40 over” to 86mm
• Wisco custom pistons, based on C&D Performance’s Pro3 design
• Max-speeding 130mm h-beam rods
• 885 head with 3-sided valve grind
• Stock camshaft
• Cometic 0.086”, 86mm bore MLS Head Gasket
• ARP studs
• 325i injectors
• 380 ECU (stock)
• Exhaust: stock 87 Eta
• Dyno: 146 hp / 16t3 ft-lbs torque (at wheels)
• 13lbs flywheel
• Z3 shifter
• 3.25 LSD
• TRE-340 255 LPH single in-tank fuel pump

Wheels & Brakes

• 740iL calipers, ATE rotors, Akebono ceramic pads, stainless hoses
• BBS RS005 (16x7 ET11) (F) RS 006 (16x8 ET24 (R)
• Michelin Pilot Exalto 225/50R16 (F) 205/55R16 (R)

Suspension

• M5 3.0 turn steering box
• Spax S003057 Springs + Bilstein Performance Pro B8 (Sport, 6-perch) shocks
• Ireland Engineering front adjustable camber kit
• Ireland Engineering adjustable rear toe/camber kits
• Powerflex rear sub-frame bushings
• Moosehead Upper Control Arms
• Lemforder Aluminum Lower Control Arms
• Stock 528e sway bars (19mm F and 15.5mm R)

Interior, & Other

• E28 Sport Seats
• Porsche 2AC Blue/Green “Tartan” Fabric (from Lakewell.com)
• Custom installed 2-port USB power plugs
• Hard-wired Valentine 1 radar detector
• Blackvue DR750S-2CH Dash Cam
• Keinzle MCR1016BT head unit, stock speakers

Flickr Album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ckindel/a ... 7747352243

The progression:

November 2013:






December 2013:


Summer 2015:


Now (Summer 2020):








Read the first page of this thread and you'll see how this story starts.

Go to this post on the the 2nd page to see how it continues: http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=12 ... c&start=25

=====================================
Original 1st post:
I'm getting close to the point where I will pull the B34 out of Vlad and put the B35 in. Because it is my first time it will not go smoothly and will take longer than I plan. I plan on it taking a few weekends.

So maybe it will take 90 days.

What do I drive to work in the meantime?

That got me thinking. What interesting car could I find for something like $2500-5000 that I would have a high-probability of being able to resell after 90 days and maybe 2000 miles to recover the outlay minus tax & insurance?

Some rough requirements in priority order:

1. Has to be bullet-proof reliable with no initial work for at least 90 days (2000 miles) (I want ALL my wrench time to be dedicated to the B35 project).
2. Reasonable winter car (no convertibles, no slammed Integras)
3. No larger than an E28
4. Fun to drive (manual, sporty, nimble)
5. Interesting (offbeat, rare, ugly, cute, etc...)

Cosmetic condition is not important.

I poked around on http://www.carsforsale.com using a price-range of $2000-5000 and found stuff like these:





Let's just say that these miss the mark although the Caddy & Aztek would be hilarious.

What would you suggest? I'm semi-serious about this, so please be semi-serious in your responses and try to keep it on topic.

[cek]

See, THIS is what I'm talking about:

http://www.carsforsale.com/used_cars_fo ... 3287003_26

[grahamular]

'93 VW Eurovan 5-sp.

1. Even a $2500 example should get you through 90 days…I paid $1200 for mine 4 years ago and have only needed to replace the starter.

2. With winter tires, it has been unstoppable in moderate snow. Should still do very well even with all-seasons.

3. It is only 4" longer then an e28 but has more cargo room then a Suburban!

4. With a manual, it's very fun to drive…almost unbelievably so. Slow(ish), but fun…

5. Yes

-Graham

mine:

[tsmall07]

See, THIS is what I'm talking about:

http://www.carsforsale.com/used_cars_fo ... 3287003_26

That looks like a pretty stinkin nice car for $2k.

[cek]

See, THIS is what I'm talking about:

http://www.carsforsale.com/used_cars_fo ... 3287003_26

That looks like a pretty stinkin nice car for $2k.

I'm sure it literally stinks too. I drove one once and not only did it stink and belch black smoke but it shook like hell. But...

[tsmall07]

https://greasecar.com/products/greaseca ... n-pre-1979

[mooseheadm5]

It is slow as death. It has something like 65 HP.

[tsmall07]

Swap in a cummins 4bt.

[mooseheadm5]

I'd take the Aztek and do a Breaking Bad theme on it and sell it for more money than you paid

[stuartinmn]

I wouldn't worry about the fun and interesting parts - just get something boring and reliable, in the best condition you can find for the money. You won't have to worry about fixing it, and it will be easier to resell.

[cek]

I wouldn't worry about the fun and interesting parts - just get something boring and reliable, in the best condition you can find for the money. You won't have to worry about fixing it, and it will be easier to resell.

How utterly boring. :-)

Unfortunately your advice actually makes the problem harder by widening the field. How would you, if it were really you doing it, take on this task? Walk into a used car place and say "I have $2500 in my pocket, sell me the most boring and reliable car you have on the lot"?

[stuartinmn]

I probably wouldn't go to a used car lot, but I'd be scanning Craigslist for something like a good used Camry or Corolla. Since you're going to be working on your BMW, you don't need a second car that's going to require work as well.

[m4ximusprim3]

"No larger than an e28"
"Good gas mileage"
"$2500"
"Fun to drive"
"Interesting"


Herro Dere!!

[cek]

"No larger than an e28"
"Good gas mileage"
"$2500"
"Fun to drive"
"Interesting"


Herro Dere!!

Actually an e would be awesome. But how do I find a $2500 example in the Seattle area where the $2000 rule doesn't apply?

[m4ximusprim3]

found this on CL in edmonds? Possibly has potential. Recent timing belt, so that's the main hurdle out of the way.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/4190783726.html

[Tammer in Philly]

found this on CL in edmonds? Possibly has potential. Recent timing belt, so that's the main hurdle out of the way.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/4190783726.html

Winner. $2k rule is to get the car baselined for long term use. You can buy almost any running, registered, road-legal E28 and drive it through a winter with no work.

The other thing to do is find a mid-'90s Subaru Legacy.

-tammer

[davintosh]

found this on CL in edmonds? Possibly has potential. Recent timing belt, so that's the main hurdle out of the way.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/4190783726.html

Winner. $2k rule is to get the car baselined for long term use. You can buy almost any running, registered, road-legal E28 and drive it through a winter with no work.

Exactly what I was thinking. I've been working on baselining my eta since 2009, and there have only been a handful of times when it wasn't drivable, and those were mostly my fault. But that's why I also have the e32.

Otherwise, there's that Merc rattlebox... Dang that looks nice, and a 4-speed besides. Careful with that one; it might stick around longer than the 90 days.
It probably would with me, slow or not.

[kzolee]

Time to buy another E28.

[oldskool]

I'd take the Aztek and do a Breaking Bad theme on it and sell it for more money than you paid

That would be awesome. He already has Heisenberg's haircut!

[wkohler]

I'd buy the shit out of that 528e. You could put your RSs on it with snow tires as I'm sure the chrome bottlecaps are too flashy.

[cek]

I'd buy the shit out of that 528e. You could put your RSs on it with snow tires as I'm sure the chrome bottlecaps are too flashy.

And yellow seats!

[waynet1]

Yup. You should be driving that 528e home this weekend.
But, that too may stick around longer than 90 days.

[535is-pa]

found this on CL in edmonds? Possibly has potential. Recent timing belt, so that's the main hurdle out of the way.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/4190783726.html

Winner. $2k rule is to get the car baselined for long term use. You can buy almost any running, registered, road-legal E28 and drive it through a winter with no work.

The other thing to do is find a mid-'90s Subaru Legacy.

-tammer

+1 on the scoobie

an e28 528e is a dead reliable car. its very hard to not be able to get where your going and home in a broken e28, even cars with broken suspensions still are no where near as terrifying as a equally broken honda to drive. owning two e28's you can swap parts around with is a great thing,

[a]

We bought Marina's Bronzit Beige supa e in Wistah . I drove the Grape out , picking up Aaron on the way. The Grape had been handed down to Eliot . On the way out , it handled a bit funny. A check revealed a rotted out RF spring perch and a blown strut. . For some reason it, wasn't rubbing too badly. I didn't care , I was driving the good car on the ride home .

[Acid House]

Another vote for the ETA.

I bought mine under similar circumstances (needing a super cheap DD with some class and be able to travel long distance in it).

I couldn't be happier, and they are quirky but I have been able to iron out most of the small repairs that the PO never figured out on my own (between this site and the Bentley) and now it runs like a top!

Do it!