Sub $3K classics that you can drive home are all but extinct and this next car is no exception…because it doesn’t run. Despite that small fact, it does look to be a neat colored example of the E12 generation BMW 5-series. The biggest thing wrong is that it lives in the bullseye of California’s draconian […]
The E12 generation BMW 530i went on sale in the USA way back in 1975, but this next car doesn’t look like an 70s malaise mobile or a carried over 60s design. Compare it to a Mercury Monarch or a W115 Mercedes-Benz and the Paul Bracq designed E12 looks downright modern and cool. Factor in […]
If you see a 90s vintage BMW 5-series with a 30i suffix on the badge you might assume it has one of BMW’s sweet sounding 3ish liter inline sixes…but you’d be wrong. For the E34 generation of BMW’s 5-series they started with the 530i with a M30 inline-6 in 1988, but in 1992 they changed over to a 3.0 liter M60 V8. That’s right in 1992 you could get a 535i with a inline-6 making 208 horsepower and 225 ft-lbs of torque or a 530i with a V8 making 215 horsepower and 214 ft-lbs of torque. The M60B30 was a small displacement version of the M60B40 found in the 540i and with a 3.31inch bore and 2.66 inch stroke and 10.5:1 compression ratio it should been capable of making lots of power, but it was under cammed and held back from the factory with a 6500 rpm rev limiter. Here is what you need to do –take the engine apart, coat every rotating component with space age coatings and get a custom ground cam (or four) and some fancy valve springs — open the exhaust and revv it to 8900 rpm. Boom — screaming V8 that nobody else has — and today’s example is one of the few 5-speed equipped 530is I’ve ever seen. Find this 1995 BMW 530i offered for $3,500 in Franklin Hills, CA via craigslist.
The E12 generation BMW 530i went on sale in the USA way back in 1975, but this next car doesn’t look like an 70s malaise mobile or a carried over 60s design. Compare it to a Mercury Monarch or a W115 Mercedes-Benz and the Paul Bracq designed E12 looks downright modern and cool. Factor in the rugged BMW M30 inline-6 mated to a 4-speed manual and you’ve got a car that you could drive everyday if you wanted. Win win. Find this 1976 BMW 530i E12 offered for $9,950 in Austin, TX via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
Checkout this 1976 BMW 530i E12 here on eBay bidding for $1,525 reserve-not-met with auction ending on Saturday at 11:47AM PST. From eBay auction: Item specifics Condition: Used Year: 1976 Interior Color: Tan Make: BMW Number of Cylinders: 6 Model: 5-Series Transmission: Manual Trim: Base Sedan 4-Door Body Type: Sedan Engine: 3.0L 2985CC l6 GAS […]
The E34 generation BMW 5-series (1988-1996) sits in the happy depreciated valley that all luxury sedans hit after the narcotizing new car smell is gone and the bills start to pile up. However, this simply means that ownership transfers to a dedicated group of enthusiasts that consists of die-hard model fanboys, older folks who remember […]
The E30 generation BMW 3-series is popular choice for budget car buyers who want something that looks classy, drives decent, and doesn’t cost an arm and leg. It won’t offer the same amenities or speed as newer iterations of BMW’s compact sedan, but swap in a V8 from a 5 Series and you are […]
Giotto di Bondone (1266-1377 1337) was a Florence born artist who is often credited as being the father of the Italian Renaissance. His fantastically detailed frescoes cover walls of many Italian churches and his work in perspective and the human form was something not seen for over 1000 years in Europe. Giotto did not invent […]