I've gone to the Dark Side (NO Star Wars content) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

hitch02 · #1 05-13-2002, 10:47 AM

I've done it now, please hold the flames:

I bought a 1970 BMW 2800 (E3) sedan. It is the color of silly putty (called Nevada), or more it looks like German military surplus paint. That notwithstanding, it is in excellent condition, with only 73,xxx miles, nice tan leather interior, all original except for cooling system upgrades, electronic (Crane) ignition, and a 5-speed transmission (from 4-speed).

I looked at a number of the same vintage 280SE/L and 300SEL's but was disappointed that very few of them came with the manual transmission. Those that did were 6-cyl and only had 4 forward gears...

The 2800 comes through a friend, and is really an interesting car. We have the full history from new. Garaged its whole life in Northern California, this car does not have a single spec of rust. It still has the original books and the original toolkit. I'm pretty excited. It will arrive sometime in mid-June.

The diesel will stay my daily driver, because I have owned BMWs before, and the one thing I can count on is that the 2800 exposed to the same use as the diesel will fail. Catastrophically.

I hope my friends here will still speak to me

-Reed
'84 300D/T 149,xxx
'70 BMW 2800 73,xxx

hitch02 · #2 05-13-2002, 10:59 AM

Thanks! It does look a little like a 100LS.. Never thought about it. I always liked those, but a friend once told me they were about as unreliable as cars get. Besides, you'd be hard-pressed to find one in decent shape these days. There was a pretty one on Ebay +/-6 months ago, but alas, it was an automatic.

I'm a sucker for German steel from that era.

-Reed

hitch02 · #3 05-13-2002, 11:23 AM

More pics:

hitch02 · #4 05-13-2002, 11:23 AM

Still more:

hitch02 · #5 05-13-2002, 11:24 AM

Still more again:

suginami · #6 05-13-2002, 12:05 PM

Beautiful car!

I've never seen of or even heard of that model before!

They must not have sold very many in the states.

Do you have any production figures / technical figures, etc. on this model, or even any websites that feature this car?

It would be interesting to read.

hitch02 · #7 05-13-2002, 01:27 PM

Still learning. The website to go to is the Senior Six Registry, which deals with all the BMW E3 models from the smaller-engined lesser-eqiupped 2500 model, through the Europe-only 3.3Li.

These cars were the forerunners to the E23 7-series cars, and ran concurrently with the E12 first-generation 5-series as well as the 2002s. The more common version you may see here and there is the Bavaria, which sports different taillights and black grilles, but is otherwise the same. The Bavarias ran from 71-74.

A friend of mine if the webmaster for the Senior Six website, and has been working on me for years to get one. You can see his car in the June issue of Grassroots Motorsports. I've driven his car a number of times, and always liked the way it felt. For a "vintage" car, it feels downright civilized to drive, and pretty sporty as well. A mutual friend of ours, one of the coordinators of the Senior Six Registry, was selling this car, and it was just too good to pass on!

-Reed
'84 300D/T 149,xxx
'70 BMW 2800 73,xxx

#8 05-13-2002, 01:51 PM

And this car comes with the 2.8 liter version of the legendary M20 inline-6 engine, which saw 340 hp in early 1990s 3.8 liter European M5 form. Most likely the best engine family (in terms of power and reliability) that BMW ever made. I wish they had made more DOHC versions of those for the 5-series car, and stayed away from their comparatively crappy V-8 efforts of the 1990s.

Awesome car! I'd take it over a period 280E with the finicky DOHC six with head problems galore. Plus, old Bimmers have manual trannys galore...that's a plus, too.

Enjoy it, and keep us updated!

-Sam

#9 05-13-2002, 06:32 PM

Reminds of the 3.0CS.What a beauty!:p

ymsin · #10 05-13-2002, 10:29 PM

Funny I had a dream of this car - but in bright RED.

mikemover · #11 05-14-2002, 03:38 AM

Man, that's a clean car! Congrats!

I really like the 2002s also...Neat little cars. A friend of mine has a red one that's in so-so shape.

Mike

hitch02 · #12 05-14-2002, 10:38 AM

ymsin -

Did it look like this?

-Reed

dtanesq · #13 05-14-2002, 04:47 PM

In my humble opinion, there's nothing wrong with a little cross-dressing from time to time (see my signature below). I'm having great fun with my E34 and I'll be back with a silver star on a hood at some point in the future....the marques are different because the philosophy behind their design is different.

Mr. BILL · #14 05-17-2002, 12:47 AM

Reed,

Be careful, I bought my son a nice '80 528 and now I have three Bimmers in my driveway. They are really a blast to drive and in some ways, more reliable (or less unreliable) than a Benz.

That one of yours is a cherry! Do you mind disclosing how much you gave for it? I know you'll enjoy it.

hitch02 · #15 05-17-2002, 08:09 AM

This is actually my third Bimmer. I had a nice E28 533i, which cost me a small fortune every time I looked at it, but hindsight 20-20 I really didn;t check it out before I bought it. It suffered from severe previous owner disease (POD). I also had an E36 convertible for a while.

Both were *nice* driving cars, although the convertible was an automatic.. The 5er was a prty when it was happy, but it was at a time when I really didn't have the money to put into making it great, and it wouldn't have been worth it, anyway. That said, I love the BMW big six engine in that car, and te same basic engine as the new car.

The 2800 cost me $4500. In my opinion, I stole it. There is a very limited market for cas like that, though, so I suppose they're only worth what someone wants to pay.

I almost bought an E12 528, how do you like it? I understand that they are easier to own than the later cars like I had - less electronics, less complicated (and less wearing) suspension setup, etc.

Thanks for the nice words, I can't wait to get it! It should be here in a few weeks.

-Reed