Rusty But Trusty

For children of the 1980s, BMW’s E23 7-series holds a special place. While the complexity of an older luxury car does intimidate many buyers, it has elegant styling that, depending on your perspective, is either a big-boy E12 5-series, or a 4-door E24 6-series (speaking of great ideas, BMW should make a 4-door 6-series. Wait, what?). And as a counterpoint to our earlier Mercedes 380SE, this 1984 BMW 745i with 5-speed conversion is an attractive prospect, available for $3750 in the unusually-named Zelienople in western Pennsylvania.

The absence of massive bumpers does wonders to lighten up the styling of many a European car, and this one is no exception. It’s had a hit to the front at some point that was repaired, and evidence of the repair is documented in the seller’s photos. The trim shows some sun exposure, and there’s a chip in the spoiler, but considering the reasonable price, these issues are to be expected. While the wheels are a modern upgrade, the black finish with polished lip suits the car’s color scheme well.

The engine is said to be strong, and with a 5-speed conversion, updated turbo, rising-rate fuel pressure regulator and aftermarket wastegate, this should be even more intimidating in your rear-view than the Mercedes. The ECU has been re-chipped to permit the 5-speed swap, and as such, retains its knock sensor. While it’s not fair to expect as much in its current condition, an old dyno sheet shows 300rwhp, or far more than even an M6! The car is apparently missing some parts, and the non-functional HVAC and some wiring hackery also account for the lower price. That said, the car still includes retrofitted German switchgear, a partial tool kit, integrated first aid kit, and the original TRX spare (use the spare and you’ll probably need the first aid kit soon after!).

The seller says the interior is badly worn, and the dash is severely cracked, but from a dry-state perspective, the damage is not unusual. The car was originally equipped with cloth, which is unusual since they normally came with the buffalo-hide executive interior. The current leather seats have seen better days, but perhaps some cleaning and conditioning would help bring them back to functional condition since there are no major visible tears. Rear seats are not currently installed, and the debris visible in some pictures is apparently dried out seat stuffing.

Yikes, someone needs a bath! As you can see, the bumper is slightly bent, but does not appear to be beyond repair. There is some rust on the car, but no visible perforation, and the underbody shots in the seller’s PPI slideshow indicate mostly solid floors. The lip spoiler is a neat 1980s touch, and the relocation of the BMW badge recalls earlier models. If you’re interested in this rare version of a 7-series, contact us and we’ll put you through to the seller. And if you have a submission, either of a car you own or have found for sale, we’d love to know about it!

Tags: 745i, BMW, Feature, german, sedan, submission

This entry was posted on October 11, 2013 at 5:00 am and is filed under Feature, Submission. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.