My Own Little Eleanor: 1988 BMW 535i E28
In the Nick Cage classic “Gone in 60 Seconds”, the protagonist (and car thief) hunts his white whale — Eleanor. She is a unicorn, an elusive 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 that is impossible to capture. No matter how many times he tried, Memphis could not capture it…and I’ve got a similar car. Not one I’m planning on stealing for the Ukrainian mafia, but one I’d like to have in my garage. The E28 BMW 5-series. Sure, I’ve driven a few. I even took one to the top of the podium at the 24 Hrs of LeMons in 2007 (and another to the scrap heap after the first race in 2006, training wheels welded on as penalty, People’s Choice award…good times)…but I’ve never owned or daily driven an E28 535i. I still have the itch and someday I’ll get a manual version before they are all crushed or become victim of hipster price bloat. Find this 1988 BMW 535i E28 offered for $2850 in Petaluma, CA via craigslist.
From the seller:
1988 bmw 535i
condition: fair
cylinders: 6 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: gas
odometer: 343000
paint color: brown
size: mid-size
title status: clean
transmission: manual
type: sedan
Car has had lots of improvements over the years. Recently all new injectors installed and it was running great. Right now there seems to be a fuel issue that I can’t solve, mechanic says it getting too much fuel so when you drive it drives very rough. Buyer must be willing to purchase without a smog and as is. This a really a fun car to drive not like the new ones where everything is controlled by the computer. Speedometer not always working but it does has lot of miles. This a great project car and I’m open to any serious offer.
See a better way to drive your unicorn? tips@dailyturismo.com
Vince, you are not telling your readers the whole truth. Nicholas Cage starred in a remake of Gone in 60 Seconds. The original came out in 1974. It was written, directed, produced by and stared H.B. Halicki. He also did most of his own stunts and died in a follow up movie doing a stunt. Watch this version if you have not seen it yet. It is a cult classic like Vanishing Point, Two Lane Blacktop and Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry.
Rocco — you are correct, the original was better — and I am such a fan that I used to live on the cross street (Green Lane) where Halicki “landed” the jump in his Eleanor. 190th Street at Beryl was his launch point and he crashed at around Green Lane in Redondo Beach. -Vince
This is looking up the hill today: https://goo.gl/maps/WXUy7KBet7SbJBBA9
This is the movie:
https://www.classicdriver.com/en/article/cars/eleanor-and-friends-stars-gone-60-seconds-1974
Full disclosure- not a BMW fanboy. Just a question on the large black and silver piece at the front. Is that some sort of forklift attachment? Maybe for pushing snow? Car seems to be on some sort of farm, so I’m sure it is quite functional.
Those are packing spacers so the car fits in the shipping box better. Some people leave them on, like the tag on your flat brim baseball hat.
Touche
Translations: I’m too lazy to figure this out. I’ll take whatever you offer me! Cuidado Compadres!
Petaluma?
Smells like chicken!
Hmm, seems to have flown the coop.