Oh, boy. This is like catnip for someone such as yours truly, who has a panache for attempting to rescue forlorn European classics. This particular car looks like it has been sitting in a private parking garage for some time, and while it’s romantic to think about a foreign diplomat leaving it there and never returning it, I suspect it’s just overflow parking for a car enthusiast with access to a parking garage. The car in question is a 1985 BMW 745i, which is a European-market model that comes with all sorts of desirable upgrades. Find it here on eBay with an opening bid of $1,500 and no reserve.
This is known as an E23-chassis 7-Series, which was a high-end model offered in the early to late 80s before the introduction of the E32 model. The European market got this particularly sporting trim, which took the hearty M30 inline-six and added a turbocharger for a healthy boost in performance. In addition, you got the slim chrome bumpers shown here, along with some different leather and interior options (in some cases – this car appears to have standard leather.) The one difference is up front, where it should have European-market lighting, this car clearly has the standard US setup, which likely occurred after a minor fender bender.
The 745i has the tell-tale signs of being a stalled project car, with what looks like an engine computer of some kind hanging from beneath the steering column and the glovebox ripped out on the passenger side. In fact, the seller discloses he is having issues with the transmission computer, and that the 745i otherwise runs fine; regardless, you’re buying a project. The real jackpot of a project car find would be the 745i with a manual swap already done, or at least with a good donor transmission from a naturally-aspirated E23 with three pedals. Interior-wise, the leather is cracked but the door panels and carpet appear clean.
With the turbocharged setup, the 745i made a respectable 252 horsepower, which was a big number for 1985. And, of course, being a gray market example means you should be dealing with less fiddly emissions equipment and lighter overall curb weight to make that extra scoot feel even more engaging. About the only other things I’d change on this car (outside of getting the transmission computer to work, or just proceeding with the manual conversion) is to lose the rear spoiler on the trunk and swap out the OEM wheels for something more period-correct. The starting bid is reasonable for a rare project like this, but the running issues may still scare away some potential bidders.
Little to do with this car, but along about 1979 my buddy Mike and I stopped by the area German car emporium on a warm spring afternoon after classes. There right in front was a gorgeous 735i in anthracite awaiting delivery. Just being broke college kids we wanted to look at it but feared getting too close and leaving a smudge mark. About then the door to the building opened and we both jumped back wanting to avoid any conflict. Instead the salesman asked if we wanted to look inside, which we did. Wow. We always felt at home looking at their BMWs, Porsche, Audi, Mercedes and VWs. A truly class act dealership.
They were betting that at least one of you was gonna come back once you had money. A few fingerprints on the hardware was cheap advertising.
Same reason they used to let teenaged kids with no shopping agenda loiter in shopping malls.
Absolutely true about cultivating future clients. This store was always a class act.
A “penchant” not a “panache.” Sorry, can’t help myself…
I don’t know … when dealing with 80’s Euro steel it might be more ‘panache’ than penchant…
😄
Are we sure somebody isn’t trying to sell an abandoned car out of a parking garage? I didn’t see any mention of a title but I didn’t look at the ad real close. I always liked the 635csi but the seven series left me cold. Is it a sports car or a luxury car? Make up your mind.
Are we sure somebody isn’t trying to sell an abandoned car out of a parking garage? I didn’t see any mention of a title but I didn’t look at the ad real close. I always liked the 635csi but the seven series left me cold. Is it a sports car or a luxury car? Make up your mind. BTW, we had a couple of Bimmers towed out of their carports after they were abandoned by their owners at the condo where I live. You got to wonder what people are thinking.
They probably couldn’t afford to repair them, or just got tired of the same.
The seller has two other 7 series BMW’s which look to be in the same garage currently listed. It would be a good idea to make sure all of the paperwork is in order.
Steve R
If this car stays under $2K, it “might” be a cool project. I owned a 7 Series for a couple years in the mid-80s and enjoyed it.
This was likely a “gray market” car. Federal rules required a number of mods to be legal for road use, like replacing the km/h speedo with MPH, converting to US-spec sealed beam headlights “Fasten Seat Belt” warning in english, etc. There were a number of companies performing the conversions, and some were not particularly legit….
I have had mixed experience owning several European market cars including a Porsche 928, and Mercedes 500Sec. Some crucial parts, that are not easily interchangeable, may be made from unobtainium.
My bid would depend on how much is in the center tray. Best as I can tell it’s $2.65, but if it gets over $3, I might bid.
Oh, and with the electronics and glove box ripped out, I would bet it was stolen and abandoned. Would love to see a photo from the other side of the column, but my take is we are looking at a stolen and abandoned 745. If that is the case, the Insurance company probably has first claim on it, so any bid might mean squat with a release of lien from them. Just saying.
Best friend bought a new one. Was headed north on I-75 to Atlanta in heavy rain. Lost it on water, crossed the grassy median, spinning…ending up on southbound side, facing oncoming traffic. So what is the worst case scenario? Yep. Semi, pulling a flatbed trlr. loaded with steel….coming at him. Semi jinked to dodge him, but trailer gave him a smack – knocking him back down into the median. He stepped out with sunburn-like burns on face and arms from the airbags. And commenced praying. It wasn’t his tires, as he had owned 2 M3s, a 280 Z and 2 Nobles. Just deep water.
Back in 1985 we did some conversion work on a 745i. Swapped the single stock turbo for twin turbos, installed a water/air intercooler. Heads were ported & flowed. Lower springs with shortened struts & Carrera shocks (strut cartridge), modified rear diff frame, and stiffer sway bars. The plan was to swap the automatic for a 5 speed, but the owner changed his mind. It already had the gold/silver BBS honeycomb wheels. It might depend on year, but the Euro cars are typically lighter than US due to the absence of additional steel channel in the doors for side protection.
Ever seen the movie The Money Pit?
This is the automotive version.
I went on Ebay and chatted with seller. the seller has indicated to me that this vehicle has never been stolen and that the title is clean and present. I indicated to him that people on barn finds were not sure as to the title or why the glove box was ripped out like that. he assured me that no theft ever occurred with that vehicle. he also indicated that he simply forgot to put that the title is clean, and also, that there is an issue with the ecm. and he was working on it. that’s why the glove box looks the way it does.
Was just reading how a fuel pump for a 750 V-12 bimmer costs more than the whole car at this point. I wonder what the situation is for parts on these. I don’t recall seeing a lot of 745’s. Seems like it could be like the later 545’s that were only made for a year or two?