E23 732i · BURGENROT METALLIC · 143k · £5,000
My personal pride and joy is in fact an E23 732i which I have owned since I was at college. They are in my opinion the single most underrated car that BMW ever produced. Technologically advanced and with a superior build quality to both the E24 and the E28. The often over looked and largely obscure 1st generation 7 series is the last of the 80’s iconic shark nose cars to gain precedence. As large engined E28’s begin to get both harder to find and more expensive to buy, E23’s may finally get the recognition they deserve.
I was delighted when classic BMW spares in Northampton contacted us and asked if we’d like the chance to partner up on reinstating this fine automobile to the road we jumped at the chance. The car has a really interesting history and a google search will produce lots of images and project threads from retro rides etc. The car was originally purchased in the UK but then immediately exported to Panama where it spent most of its life. For this reason the car is spectacular underneath and shows absolutely no signs of rot. The car was brought back to the uk by the widow of the original owner who then sold it through the 80’s emporium. The following owner whom I have managed to trace (and who told me about the cars early life in Panama) used the car daily until fuel prices made it unviable and he gifted the car to the Atwell Motor museum in Calne Wiltshire where he was a volunteer. Sadly at this time the car’s history was lost (although I am in the process of seeing weather the museum still has it).
The car was later sold and has since been to Edinburgh and the south coast until Classic BMW spares acquired it and we in turn acquired it a few years ago. In my ownership I have done the head gasket, replaced the thermostat and the radiator, repaired the ABS so it is fully functional, serviced it and used it regularly to commute to Bristol which is a 88 mile round trip. The engine runs perfectly and being the 3.2 engine which has the most torque of the range it pulls like a train and is surprisingly economical for a big 80’s car. It has the same Bosch Motronic setup and the 3.5 so is very reliable. It has a non switchable 4 speed automatic transmission which operates very smoothly.
The bodywork is in really good shape with largely rust free panels with the exception of the bottom of the drivers door where a historic repair has begun to brake through but all of the other bolt on panels and arches are very clean indeed. The car has had some paint during its life time but it is very smart and extremely presentable with no major dings or scratches. Over all the chrome is very good with no rusty spots but one of the front bumper corners is a little tarnished. The car is very straight and we have fitted a new set of decals to complete the body work. We had fresh ones made instead of using 30 year old stock from BMW which may or may not have adhered properly.
Mechanically the car is excellent. It’s had a new thermostat, viscous coupling, plugs, dizzy cap and rotor as well as engine fluids and brake fluid. Both front brake callipers have been refurbished and fitted with stainless steel pistons so the four pot callipers pull the car up straight and true and compared to all the other 80’s BMW’s the E23 has stella brakes. It has also had a new brake master cylinder. The original pearl beige interior was trashed when I first acquired the car so I have replaced the whole interior with an excellent nutria interior. The only thing that really lets this car down is the dash top which is quite badly cracked but of course this could be changed if desired. The instrument cluster works perfectly as does the HVAC heating/air direction system which has recently been serviced and malfunctions repaired.
All in all the E23 represents fantastic value for money and its charm and scarcity never fails to turn heads. This particular car is in fantastic condition both mechanically and bodily. For a refined daily driver or weekend pleasure cruiser that is a little bit different this one will be hard to beat.
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