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BMW E34 1995 540iA Msport

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  • BMW E34 1995 540iA Msport

    Hi everybody!
    This all started about 2 years ago. I decided I was tired of driving a boring beat up 93 f-150. Gas was killing me and I really wanted to have a car instead. I started looking and I had always loved bmws since my grandpa had a e30 vert back when I was little.
    I wanted a four door because I wanted a little more room. I began looking at e38s. Most were either in poor condition or overpriced.
    Searching one day I came across a stock 540ia. Something about it caught my eye. So I began research on repair cost, reliablity, and reviews. Everything checked out. One day I googled 1995 BMW 540i and one of the recommended sites was for Charlie Kindel's 540i M-sport. http://www.kindel.com/bmw/540msport.html

    . Whoa! I was in love. Now I once again started searching for parts to make the stock 540ia into a peusdo M-sport. Sport seats, m-pars, sport mirror, m-sport front and rear bumpers. I then decided to find my white buffalo of sorts, to find a M-sport. Searched CL in all the big cities. Found a few in Cali, and one in Miami that looked like it was Tony Montana's. Nothing close to me though. Then one day I came across an ad for one on ATL CL. The price was right and it was a dead ringer for Kindel's car. We exchange emails and calls and we decide on a time to meet up.
    So I arrive at his home and overall the car looks good. It needs a new front bumper, the drivers bolsters are in rough shape, as well as normal wear and tear. The car was orginally bought in Connecticut. The po didn't have any service records before his ownership but had spent about 8k getting her right over the span of a couple years. The transmission was rebuilt around 130k (174k on it now). Suspension rebuild was taken care of as well. The edc was deleted and it was sitting on Eibachs and Billys. E-38 18x8f and 18x9.5r M-pars were on the car and the po was trying to sell the t-stars for 500 but they were completely ruined. Somehow a bag of fertilizier was left on them and melted the covers.
    The test drive was conducted on a country road. As we headed into a turn I hit the brakes because I'm used to driving a huge truck. "No, don't hit the brakes." he says " Give it a gas through the turn." I follow his instructions and exclaim "Holy Sh@t!" He then tells me "Punch it" as we approach a straight. I do this tentively because I haven't bought the car yet. " No to the floor, there's a kickdown switch you have to push." he instructs me. Again I follow his words, and as I'm pushed back in my seat and again exclaim "Holy Sh@t!"
    We get back and haggle on price. Go to the bank get the ca$h and sign the title over. NOW SHE'S ALL MINE!




  • #2
    Well after having the car for a few months I was not happy with the ride height and quality.
    I was thinking of going with vogtlands and some adjustable Konis but after pricing it all out it was about the same as coilovers. I was lurking on bf.c and came across a great deal for a group buy on some Kido Racing coilovers.

    I bought a used pair of assemblies to modify so I could keep my other setup as a back up or if I ever wanted to sell the car(won't happen). Had the machine shop weld it up for me and installed them over a weekend. I had never done any suspension work before so it was a fun job.

    BEFORE


    After






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    • #3
      I then decided to open up the exhaust a little.




      [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJzLGvqQuuY"]1995 BMW 540ia M-sport B&B Exhaust start up - YouTube[/ame]
      One day I decided to take a trip downtown to take some pics at a parking garage right across from the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. As I was entering the garage I bottomed out hard on a speed bump. I thought it was just the sway bar and continued up to the top. As I backed into position I noticed a trail of fluid following me. I shut the car off and looked to see what damage I did. Well this is what I found.


      It was the transmission cooler. It then began to rain lol. I was trying to find a wrecker to come get me however the clearance made impossible. So I had to call my dad and a friend to help me push the car back down so I could get it towed to the shop.

      Got a used one from Strictly German down in GA for $50 and had a radiator shop throw it on for another $100.
      After that I wanted to upgrade the headlights to a set of euro smileys which I got from a great member of bf.c.

      I got a set of 9006/05 male connectors and soldered them to connector for the lights. Pretty much plug and play. I may get a set of hids but I'm pretty happy with the stock output.



      Took a little of the rake out



      As you may tell from the pic the bumper was damaged by the po's wife. I finally bought a new one shipped straight from Germany.

      Got some used euro trim from Ireland that I probably overpaid for lol. Had to sand and paint it but then I noticed that back strip of trim and the front filler plated had to be done as well.

      Picked up the bumper from paint!









      Got some ambers and projector fogs.



      Best has yet to come......

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      • #4
        I very nice e34 and I love the sound off that exhaust

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        • #5
          wowwww that looks nice. wish i could have gotten a 540. sounds awesome.




          instagram-brandonmckiernannn

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          • #6
            Love it man!
            Hit me up for all your quality used bmw parts needs! http://properperformance.com/ IG: Lowlygent

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            • #7
              I live about three miles from that strictly German place. My friend has had pretty bad luck with stuff he got there.

              Sent from my HTC 3D using Tapatalk 2

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              • #8
                Thanks guys!
                About the end of October I came across a sale thread for misc. parts on bf.c classifieds. A member was parting out his e34 and I picked up an Ireland Engineering strut brace. After that he posted about getting rid of all his stuff and listed it all out. He mentioned his ACS Type 1 racing would be for sale. I pm'd him quickly and just asked about them thinking he'll probably want 2.5-3.5k which would be too expensive.
                He then told me the price and I literally started jumping up and down like a little boy who just got the toy he had always wanted. He had centers painted black and lips were blue but he told me he could get a great deal on refinishing them and bring them back to stock. He said they were 17x9.5 and 17x10.5.

                It took about a month and a half to get everything done with refinishing and shipping. I finally got some teasers.

                They arrived about a week or 2 ago. I was in awe when I opened the box!




                It turns out they were 17x9et6 and 17x10et19 which are perfect for the e34.
                I bought a set of 15mm spacers b/c I thought they were et15 all the way around.
                I order a set of 215/45 and 235/45 Kenda kaisers from a local tire store.






                I tried the 15mms in the rear but I need my fenders rolled and I don't want to raise up the rear either.
                Last edited by M540fella; 12-22-2013, 01:51 PM.

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                • #9
                  Very nice man. 9/10 makes a lot more sense for sure.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by e34nication View Post
                    Very nice man. 9/10 makes a lot more sense for sure.
                    Thanks! Yeah I did think it was an odd size when he told me.
                    Last edited by M540fella; 12-22-2013, 02:26 PM.

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                    • #11






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                      • #12
                        I'm really starting to like e34's. Not that I ever disliked them, but they are starting to stand out to me now. Yours is a great example, well done! Looks great


                        --Golden Boy E30 Build--

                        --My Shop: Where Passion Meets Livelihood (or tries to)--

                        --Etsy Shop--

                        --@ayyyitsmikey--

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                        • #13
                          Nice! Spacer time!

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                          • #14
                            I'm so jealous ...


                            Great car!


                            Zacne on facebook: www.facebook.com/ZACNEWheels

                            Zacne on instagram: @zacnewheels

                            Website: www.ZacneWheels.com

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by CubbyChowder View Post
                              I'm really starting to like e34's. Not that I ever disliked them, but they are starting to stand out to me now. Yours is a great example, well done! Looks great
                              Thanks man! They are amazing cars! Very reliable and well built as well as fairly cheap now because not many people care about them yet. But I think it will change.
                              Originally posted by dvious View Post
                              Nice! Spacer time!
                              Yeah I want to cut the inner lip in my rear fender to give me more clearance. Also need some fender work up front and maybe a 5mm.
                              Originally posted by Zacne_4 View Post
                              I'm so jealous ...


                              Great car!
                              I appreciate it my friend!

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