It seems there’s been a rash of BMW E9 coupes coming up for sale lately, as this is the third one I’ve written up in little over a month. The E9 has long been a coveted BMW and one that has a strong value trajectory; however, whenever I see the same model popping up for sale multiple times, all in project-grade condition, it makes me wonder if there’s an indication that the winds of changing are blowing. The car shown here is a desirable 3.0CS with the preferred 4-speed manual gearbox, and the condition – while rough – isn’t terrible. Find this 1972 BMW 3.0CS here on craigslist listed for $15,000. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Zappenduster for the find.
The seller notes that he is believed to be the third owner, and that the car has been in the St. Louis, MO for many years (note that it is listed o on the Boston Craigslist page.) The car was originally Polaris Silver with a Pacific Blue interior, which is a very nice combination. It is also a factory A/C car, and all of those system components remain installed. The seller notes that the interior was removed but will come with the car and that some pieces are in better condition than others. The taillights were removed for use on another car, along with some rear end trim, so it seems this E9 may have been destined to become a parts rig at one time.
And the seller even goes so far to admit that he will consider parting it out if there are no offers to buy it whole and the money makes sense to strip it down. Of course, this would be an absolute shame, as even with the rust issues, this 3.0CS remains in very restorable condition. The extent of the rust is not discussed, but we can clearly see it in the fenders, the trunk lid, and a few other spots. The real danger zone with these is when the corrosion enters into the strut towers and other reinforcement points, at which time you’re in for a restoration well into the five-figure range. The typical wear areas like the wood trim on the dash will also need replacement.
The engine is intact and appears to be in reasonably good order. The BMW will come with both the original Zeniths and a set of Webers. The seller notes that it was running when parked and received a new fuel pump many years ago that has barely any miles on it. Also encouraging to see is a small library of books and shop manuals, the blue binder sort, which are typically covered by true enthusiasts who do their own wrenching; in other words, you don’t tend to acquire those by accident. The asking price is reasonable if the rust isn’t terminal, but even if there’s more to repair than we can see in the photos, this E9 still seems too complete to chop up for parts.
The ’72s are a few years away from ’76, 77 when the Germans discovered zinc dipping chassis capability. Posche, BMW,VW all had been producing rust buckets for years and jumped at the chance to change their history. Anyone want to guess what the underside of this car looks like?
There is a rule of thumb when considering purchasing an E9.
Multiply any visible rust by 300%, as they dissolve from the inside out.
When the front wings show as poorly, the firewall is typically toast.
This is best a parts car.
You’re absolutely right, except that in this case you want to multiply buy about 400%. Look at the one interior shot of the right door.. Water has been leaking down the frame rail and that means that probably the firewall and the door jam are shot. Now that these are getting more pricey, crappier ones are candidates for restoration. Unfortunately this one isn’t. The, rocker panels, bottom of the B pillar and the firewall are likely shot along with the top of the strut area. Most of the replacement pieces can be bought but not cheap when you add them all up. If you wanted to part it out there likely isn’t $15k in parts in there.
A “rash” of E9s is right. This car has terminal psoriasis. I guess if a person really wants one, they’ll pay the high price the owner is asking.
These were truly beautiful cars, emphasis in this case however on were. The worst mistake one can make with classic car purchase is mistaking what it “was” (remembering the torched Shelby Mustang I think I recall seeing last year) for what it “is”. This was no doubt spectacular once upon a time but, unfortunately happily ever after has passed and what remains is just junk like any other rotted hulk regardless of what it used to be. Kudos to the seller for trying to distract us with those gorgeous rims though. 😉
So, the owner is offering $15,000 to whomever shows up to drag this poor sad thing off their property?
Seriously, this is just criminal.
Seems like a rush for the exits with these. I am guessing that they are reaching the point where they are on the edge of still having some kind of value while almost at the point of rusting into the ground and people are trying to get some money before that expiration date.
Nice SAAB next to it maybe.
While I agree that it is likely a parts car and that the price looks high, let’s at least give kudos to the seller for being knowledgeable and fairly honest about the condition. I’d bet this seller is good to talk to for anyone who is interested so in my book this ad is already better than 95% of what you see on Craigslist. (“I have an old car pulled from a field. I don’t know what it is, but I’m sure it’s very valuable”)
A few more rust holes and you’d be down to 3.0 CSL weight.