When it comes to E9 BMWs, buying a project-grade specimen really isn’t the way to go unless it’s free or has zero rust. Rarely, do those two paths come together, and while a finished car will cost you a fair amount of cash, it’s still likely the smarter option against restoring your typical project, which almost always has cancer. This 1974 3.0CS coupe is a stunning survivor, wearing original Jadegrun paint and benefiting from a lifetime of maintenance and recent interior restoration. The seller notes he has an appointment scheduled to convert the factory automatic to a manual but is selling the car before this appointment to fund the purchase of a Mustang 428CJ Fastback. Find this BMW in the Barn Finds Classifieds or here on eBay where bidding is over $30,000 with no reserve.

As someone who spent many years chasing classic BMWs, the E9 was always the proverbial unicorn or the diamond in the crown. Enthusiasts love the E9 for its striking looks, pillarless design, and relative ease of maintenance ownership due to the robust inline-six drivetrain. The trouble is, these cars are extremely prone to rusting out in areas of the bodywork that are essential to maintaining structural rigidity. If you want to experience shock and awe, look at a neglected E9 that’s been exposed to weather and see how pervasive the rust becomes in short order. There are entire restoration shops devoted to servicing the E9, so that should tell you something about the vulnerabilities of the model.

Fortunately, this example has none of those issues. The seller’s description is exactly what you want to see when considering owning an E9, as the features he prioritizes in the listing reflects what every car shopper should be looking for when seeking a BMW coupe of this vintage and style. While the exterior hasn’t been touched, some sensible big-ticket upgrades have been tackled inside, including a rebuilt automatic transmission and recently-completed interior refresh to the tune of $18,000 for both new upholstery and fresh rubber seals. The fact that the automatic was rebuilt even with the prospect of a manual conversion looming goes to show you that this E9 resided in a blank-check household when it comes to upkeep.

The seller doesn’t go into great detail about the history of the engine, but these are fairly stout drivetrains and generally the least of your concerns when restoring an E9. But with a car like this – that has clearly been lavished with care and attention – the mention of a healthy stack of maintenance records is generally all you need to feel comfortable that no shortcuts were taken. The seller does mention a new exhaust, brakes, and general tune-up, along with other fixes like new window motors and an R134A conversion. The seller is including a set of European-market bumpers to replace the clunky U.S. units, and that along with a manual swap and some upgraded OEM wheels would take this survivor E9 to the next level in a heartbeat. Perhaps buying an example like this will be an even smarter option given the automatic may keep bidding down a touch – or is that just wishful thinking?