If you are a classic car enthusiast, you understand the thrill behind discovering an early model vehicle hidden behind a barn or garage door untouched for decades. Apart from the fact that these cars could fetch a tidy sum on the classic car market, they are a reminder of how fast the automotive landscape is changing.
Today, barn finds are not half as exciting as they were a couple of years ago. Classic car enthusiasts will agree that the barn find stories are getting to a point of saturation thanks to the internet. Just about anyone with a camera and time can scavenge through the countryside looking for relics in abandoned farms and junk yards.
But that doesn’t mean the golden era of barn finds is ending. If anything, it sets the stage for the rarest of finds to step into the limelight.
Jonny Smith of the Late Brake Show channel on YouTube recently got wind of an exceptionally rare car of the 80s in North Yorkshire, North of England: a 1983 BMW 628 CSi coupe with an M Sport body kit.
Classic E24 BMW has been in storage for two decades
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/The Late Brake Show
According to Jonny, this BMW 6 Series has been behind closed doors for more than 20 years. With the help of classic Bimmer expert Tony Chamberlain, a.k.a ‘Tony BMW,’ they pulled it out of hibernation with the hope of breathing life into it.
If you love barn finds, you probably understand every car hidden away from civilization has a story. Sadly, the owner, Pete, wasn't alive to give a detailed insight on this BMW E24. But with the permission of his daughter, the duo got a chance to unravel its past.
While clearing her late dad’s property for sale, she discovered the 1983 BMW 628 CSi coupe in Dolphin Grey hidden under a pile of gas pipe fittings and bits of scrap.
“Other than having stuff removed from it, it is untouched. I haven’t seen it yet. Neither has Tony. So let’s have a look,” Jonny said before opening the garage door to reveal the classic BMW 6 Series E24.
Iconic design by BMW in-house designer Paul Bracq
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/The Late Brake Show
The BMW 628 CSi coupe is an essential part of BMW’s automotive history. Designed by Paul Bracq, this classic coupe was launched in the 70s, in a period much like today when the automotive industry was facing a global energy crisis.
The BMW E24 succeeded the E9 3.0 CSi coupe. Its most iconic feature was the shark nose design, a marvel among BMW purists even today. The only downside to the BMW of the era was they were notorious for rust.
According to Chamberlain, the early models (1977) of the E24 were based on the E12 5 Series platform and ran on the same chassis and engine. The later models (1981 and 1982) used the E28 5 Series platform.
“They took the 5 Series chassis and cut parts off it and then spot-welded new parts to make the wings fit differently,” Chamberlain explained.
5-speed manual is a rarity on this BMW6 Series E24
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/The Late Brake Show
The 1983 BMW 628 CSi came with a 2,788 cc straight-six engine good for 181 hp (184 ps) and 240 Nm (177 lb-ft) of torque. It could bolt from zero to 60 mph (97 kph) in 9 seconds and had a top speed of 132 mph (212 kph).
Jonny's find had a 5-speed manual Getrag transmission, channeling all the power to the rear wheels. For the suspension, it came with front-double pivot McPherson struts and IRS semi-trailing arms at the back.
Based on the UK MOT (Ministry of Transport) report last done in 2001, the car had several issues repaired. As you’d expect from the BMWs of the era, some corrosion damage repair was done on the floor. The duo also discovered the control unit was serviced after it was found with electrical fuel fault diagnostic issues.
The car was in pretty good condition inside and outside, considering it was abandoned for 22 years. Chamberlain still had to free the stuck wheels to roll it out of the garage. The two also performed some basic checks to ensure the engine had not seized.
Roars to life on old gas
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/The Late Brake Show
Other than the issues outlined in the MOT report, this rare BMW 6 Series had an immobilizer fitted – which was an additional hurdle to the duo's revival plans. They also noted that the spark plugs were intentionally removed from the engine.
After cleaning all the connections and attempting to crank the classic BMW, it finally roared to life but couldn't run for more than a couple of seconds before shutting off.
They later discovered the car's system shut down as a precautionary measure since they were using a custom auxiliary fuel pump and not the 6 Series' E24 factory-installed fuel system. It's essential to note that the E24 6 Series was the first model to have BMW's Check Control System.
"It's a safety thing. It must think that maybe there's an accident. It runs a series of checks and goes, that's not right," Jonny revealed.
The duo finally got the classic BMW to run using its factory fuel system and old gas. It surprisingly ran well even though there was a noticeable misfire.
Pete's daughter won't be keeping this 1983 BMW 628 CSi coupe. It's currently up for grabs. We recommend watching the video below for more information about the sale.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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