Where it all started: E34 540i/6 Hellrot/Parchment

[Pavel]

This is not mye34.com, but I know most of us have an E34 parked right next to their E28. And if you don't have one, you have always considered.

Well for me this is not just an E34 - this my first BMW and my first car I bought with my own money. I have owned this 540i since September 2009. This is a story of ownership, of lessons learned, friends made, places traveled and tons of parts flipped to have this car where it is... yeah, college years.

I still remember the day I took the commuter train to Weymouth, MA to go check the car out. The stupid thing broke down half way. For all the New England-ers, who have used the MBTA services, this comes to no surprise.

I didn't need a car at all. I lived on the South Shore at the time, in Quincy, and I took the T to downtown to go to school. But the urge the get my hands on a BMW was way bigger than any common sense, and man did I do the right choice!

And in mid September I got my 1 out of 56 Hellrot/Parchment (total 1524) HE53.







Bone stock! Minus the stupid italian manufactured MiM rims and the single exhaust tip from Autozone...

Being on a limited budget and ramen noodles, this car didn't see much modification during my first year of ownership. In the spring of 2010, I bought a set of Style 32s, that were on an E28 previous (didn't even know what that looked liked). Most of the people around me had E30s, E34s and E39s. These wheels had a pretty terrible finish, so it they were going to get fixed. Properly.

August 2010. I brought a set of smileys and some euro bumper trim from Bulgaria. Yeah you guessed it right, those were cheap! Super cheap. I made a regular thing out of this, always making sure that I have enough space in my suitcase for BMW parts.. and I have brought stuff back home too.

I received my freshly flat-black powder-coated Style 32s, as well.

[Pavel]

Next came the urge for body kit. It was going to be done right!

A friend of mine found a lead on brand new M-Sport bumpers. This is exactly what I wanted. In my mind the wide grill works much better with this bumper than the M5 bumpers.

But I had to have a rear one as well. It is still the Fall of 2010.

I started stashing my parts, but I still had to paint the bumpers.

I managed to find the N/A rear bumper while I was in Bulgaria. There was a alpine white E34 M5 parted out in CT. I got the deal settled, and now I just had to make it back to the US, drive through a snow storm, part out an M5 and get me a bumper.

Little that I know at the time, that this will turn into a pretty interesting story. I got my bumper and bunch of other stuff from that M5. Sold what I didn't need and ended up with a free bumper and even covered my gas. Overall a score trip in my book.

What made this story interesting, and some E34 owners might have read about this on bf.c, but the guy that I bought my bumper from later on tried to sell a complete E34 M5 (that same one that barely had anything left on it) and a complete E30 M3. Lots of people lost deposits, wasted time travelling out there. He was also pretty famous on the Porsche forums... In my back and forth communications with him, I even asked him if he can ship it for me, but he strongly advised me to come over and pick it up. I guess I was just lucky.

Back to the car. March 2011





Gotta do something about that single tip exhaust..

[Pavel]

Now the car is starting to shape up. And sound pretty good! Magnaflow 14816. A video later on paired with billy boat triflo resonators.

June 1st, 2011. Last day in Quincy. The car was washed and ready for a road trip to Ithaca, NY - graduate school. I moved my household in one trip. Yeah I had things stuff up everywhere. I could barely see the mirrors...



I know what you are thinking. This car needs a drop.

New driveway, new garage, new school:



And so it happened in August 2011 - bilstein sport and vogtlands. First real big project (for me).



The above photo (credit goes to my friend Jay), made it on the E34 bf.c calendar that year, and tied up for first place.



The m-tech kit was not complete. I needed m-mirrors. The real deal ones. I found a good set on the german e34 forum. After a few months of delays they arrived for Christmas.

Also finally ditched those MiM wheels. They were my winter set.. ended up getting a nice set of Borbet Type Es.

February 2012









Next on the check list - 3.15 LSD. Gotta find it cheap, still in college.

I did find it - in Yonkers, NY. And so my buddy Jay and myself went on a trip. I am not going to go into details, but the diff was in somebodies front yard. We quickly loaded it up, not many questions asked and took off....

May 2012



The above photo (again credits to Jay) made it on the E34 bf.c calander for 2013. And yes tied up for first place with weksos's car



...And the TX chapter began after that

[Pavel]

The relocation package from work included car transportation, so the E34 went on a trailer and met me in Sugar Land. Or i did, after 10 days of being car-less. Yeah public transport in Sugar Land, doesn't exist as I found out quick.

And then I met the Tex Fest LSBF crew and their fearsome leader... and it's all down hill since then

I think the last item on the check list were the Rondell 58s. I found them in OH. This wasn't cheap, but I wasn't in college either.









Oh and the video:

http://youtu.be/xBvzqgrQVGg

[dsmith]

oooh, aaah. I wanted a manual transmission V8 e34 when I got out of college, but settled for an 88 M5 instead. Poor me.

Enjoy!

[CYoung]

Very cool and love the exhaust video. Just helped my brother buy a '95 Canadian market 540i/6 here in Milwaukee who is a freshman in college. Curious to see how the dinan exhaust compares to your setup.

[geordi]

I've always liked your e34 Pavel. I always thought it would look good next to my zinno e28. Didn't you consider selling it a while back?

[leadphut]

I remember staring at this car when you had it for sale a while back. Nice car!

[Pavel]

I remember staring at this car when you had it for sale a while back. Nice car!

I've always liked your e34 Pavel. I always thought it would look good next to my zinno e28. Didn't you consider selling it a while back?

Yeah I had it listed for sale last Winter. I happy I was able to keep it.

[Pavel]

Well today was time to say goodbye.

I watched it drive away and listened to the amazing exhaust notes this car produces. I never realized how awesome it sounds from the outside.



It went in great hands and I am happy. 4.5 years of ownership were simply amazing.

The replacement is already in the driveway.





My next E34 will be S38 and probably in a touring shape. Ideally in daytona violet.

[unt0uchable]

Wow! Did not know it was back up for sale. I must have missed something. What an awesome car.

Did it go to anyone on the forums? Nice e39 ya got there! I'm sure we'll see the story behind that soon (I hope!)!

[tig]

Congrats and condolences all at the same time. I know the feeling.

[Pavel]

Wow! Did not know it was back up for sale. I must have missed something. What an awesome car.

Did it go to anyone on the forums? Nice e39 ya got there! I'm sure we'll see the story behind that soon (I hope!)!

It wasn't for sale. Me and my buddy did a swap. He was planning on selling his M5, and I was getting ready to buy another E23. I rather jokingly offered that once he sells it he should buy my E34, since I wasn't planning on 3 cars and the E34 was going to be on the market at some point this year. But we made a different plan and here few months later the task is almost complete. He is on his way home to NY.

Congrats and condolences all at the same time. I know the feeling.

Yeah, this morning I recalled the shot of your M-Sport leaving. your driveway