When Barn Finds reader SD-KC sent us the tip on this 1973 BMW 3.0 CS coupe, I was glad to see it in the marketplace, as well-kept and nicely restored examples are really cool cars and exchanging hands for some sizable bucks these days.  But when our tipster also mentioned he couldn’t believe the seller had put the car on a lift, it was a pretty hefty red flag of what may be lurking in the rust department, and my-oh-my is he right.  But if you’ve got a strong tolerance for tackling rusty cars, maybe this one’s not too far gone, and so far bidding has only reached $1,125 but the reserve has not been met.  The BMW is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and can be found for sale here on eBay. Thanks for the tip SD-KC!

Looking at it now, it’s easy to forget what a beautiful ride this car must have been in ’73 with its Verona Red finish and sunroof, and I certainly hope it ends up in the hands of someone who has the skills to bring the BMW back to its former glory days.  But on the cancer diagnosis scale, this one’s pretty high, and unfortunately, it’s not just in one particular area of the car.  The only background information we get is that it was recently pulled out of a garage where it sat for more than 30 years, and from the looks of things, I’m guessing it was in Cleveland or somewhere nearby in northern Ohio.

The seller points out that the car has a very straight body sans front, though literally, every panel is going to need some sort of attention.  Even the area around the sunroof is showing corrosion, but at least the seller realizes the car needs total restoration and maybe hasn’t set the reserve too high to make it feasible.  Other good news is that it seems to be mostly complete, except for the parts that rotted away, and it does come with the original wheels still inside the trunk.

The interior is stated to be original and all there but showing its age, and much like the exterior, most of it is going to need attention.  Some of the glass is broken out completely and the windshield is in need of replacement as well.  With the amount of soiling present inside, I’m guessing the seats, door panels, and headliner are all going to have to be redone.

Mechanically, the news isn’t much brighter, as the 6-cylinder engine is stuck and the ignition is broken.  Also unfortunate is that the area under the hood has some rust like the rest of the car, and it seems like you’d have to be extra careful taking the motor out to keep from compromising the engine compartment further.  No word on the state of the transmission or other mechanical components, but it’s probably safe to say that much of it has deteriorated beyond salvaging.

I’m kind of in agreement with our tipster that putting the car on a lift didn’t seem like an entirely safe idea, although the fact that it didn’t crumble under its own weight is a good sign.  What are your thoughts on this 1973 BMW 3.0 CS, and if a buyer has the skills and resources to make all the repairs, at what price point could it be worth the effort?