Prepping my 43 Year Old BMW E12 5 Series From Bring-A-Trailer for a Cross Country Road-Trip

If you watched last weeks episode you'll know I was the lucky winning bidder for a Euro M90 powered BMW E12 5 series on Bring a Trailer. The car is located in Los Angeles California and I thought it'd be fun to fly out for Chicago and drive it home! So today with the help of a couple friends we are going to go through this sight unseen e12 and take care of some necessary maintenance to ensure she is road worthy for the 30 hour and 2000 mile road trip! Cooling system, brakes, fuel stuff, and more! This car needed a lot!

[@alpinevicemotorsports1805]

This video makes me wish I was outside working on a bmw instead of inside watching this video 😆😅

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Then I have done a good job! Hahah

[@harryandemilymunier3551]

I feel attracted 😂

[@robertkasten9433]

Man, super envious of the beautiful E12! 20 years ago I used to seriously wrench on old BMWs on the side. Great to see you carrying the torch so well. Just an awesome job with these vids!

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Thanks man!!!

[@teamphashash]

Clicking like at the 1st sentence. The thumbnail got me!

[@1970sthrowback]

Just found your channel today and loving your E12 adventure. Impressed with the way its not struggling in modern traffic. Many years ago ( Im an old fart ) i had a two door 1989 E30 320i then went to a 1990 E34 520i 24V (Im in the UK ). I bought the 320i when my oldest son was born and he now owns an E30. In between owning the 3 and the 5 i nearly bought an E28 M535i but was put off by the dog leg gearbox Looking forward to further episodes with the E12 👍

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Its an impressive car for its age! Thank you!!! Happy you found me!

[@oOTevtronOo]

Hey Josh, love your videos. When flushing the cooling system you should flush the heater core too. Lots of nasty stuff is usually trapped in there

[@m3nameisjosh464]

I might be ignorant but I didn’t notice any heatercore lines on this car, ill have to look again

[@JB91710]

I was thinking the exact same thing!!!

[@berwhaletheavenger]

Looking good! Be careful bleeding the brakes - I once ruined an E3 3.0S master cylinder by pedal pumping. Those old iron cylinders rust inside on the section the seals don't normally use. How pissed was I? So I always use a pressure bleeder. RHD E3 E9 E12 cars and pre '82 (E12 chassis) E24's have a master cylinder and two remote servos, a complete PITA. I haven't seen one of those old Holset fans in years. On the way back, stop somewhere quiet and give it a distance test. 😂

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Sounds like the frustration i had when i ruined my last e12s front calipers by stripping the hard lines on install:(

[@dillanmistry]

Still in awe how beautiful the paint is

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Its not perfect but it presents well for the age!!!

[@fourwheelsoffun555]

Welcome to the e12 club! I’ve got a 77’ 530I in PA

[@m3nameisjosh464]

I was a member a few years back and have missed it! Feels good to be back!

[@SilverArrowAutomotive]

Love that you’re doing a long road trip in this. I’m departing on my own from GA to Colorado in a couple weeks, in my 98 SL

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Nice man!! Good luck’

[@SilverArrowAutomotive]

@@m3nameisjosh464 Thank you! Same goes to you. I do not envy you having to pull the diff.. 😵‍💫

[@janthas]

@@m3nameisjosh464 Are you looking for any investors?

[@habsom1406]

Cool video, all hands to the deck a la F1 pit stop styley, passionate technicians doing their thang! But whoa 12.30pm, that's some real dedication right there! The E12 looks like a cosy, compact cabin and a nice place to be. Hunter is a dude, you've got some cool friends Josh. Looking forward to more vids on the E12. 👍😎❤

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Great guys for helping me get this thing done! Thank you man!!

[@seanscott685]

Good job guys!

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Thank you Sean!

[@Robertgio]

Dude.. s54 swap z3m harness , Zf 5 speed manual from an e36 and use a e28 535 diff. And slap a knardo or momo steering wheel and call it a day bro!!! You’re the man!!!

[@m3nameisjosh464]

That would be so sick!!! Hahah

[@Robertgio]

@@m3nameisjosh464 that’s my plan for my rusted e28 535! Just need the 30k budget and we’re 🔥 😂

[@yourboyreebs]

thank you for picking up my chicago car for me cant wait to drive it!

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Heheheheh

[@E30John]

SO DOPE 🎉

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Thanks man!!

[@jerrygonzalez2686]

Looks like you got a partner in crime, glad he came in handy. there no I in teamwork makes the DreamWork. 🤘

[@m3nameisjosh464]

True that!!

[@TheMoodyLoners]

I miss my old E12 and your video only amplified that. I saw that car when it first appeared on BAT a couple years ago before the auction in which you acquired it. Looks like years ago someone did a swap to a B35 and a five speed and added the Zender kit. Too bad a previous owner yanked the 5sp out. Looks like a good buy though.

[@m3nameisjosh464]

I missed mine so much that I bought this! Yeah m90b35, but someone stole the original 5 speed which sucks because the 4 is a dog

[@TheMoodyLoners]

@@m3nameisjosh464 Yeah, but not as sluggish as the ZF auto that it probably came with from the factory.

[@m3nameisjosh464]

@@TheMoodyLoners true that

[@habsom1406]

@@m3nameisjosh464 My first E21 323i was a 4 speed manual, a little buzzy at high speeds but very rapid off the lights. Later I had an E21 320 carburettor 3 speed auto and an E21 323i 3 speed auto, the 320 was smooth but could induce a coma and the 323i auto was also sedate compared to the 4 speed manual.

[@jessekeasler4278]

LESSS GOOOO !

[@m3nameisjosh464]

🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@ketijens1]

Cool E12👍😎 but what is the deal with the huge orange turnsignals in the front? They definetly don,t have these originally here in europe🙈

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Its still a US spec car, thats how they came in America! Just has euro bumpers on it

[@MrSkoda105s]

Super! I like your adventures. The fall of the Berlin wall in Germany was in 1989 by the way. Hope you have a safe trip home. How may miles do you have to travel?

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Thank you for the correction! Haha. 2000 miles!

[@MrSkoda105s]

@@m3nameisjosh464 Awesome! So this is gonna be a proper road-trip. I do this with my old Škoda’s through Europe. Mostly from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic/Slovakia. My furthest trip was about 3500 kilometers. You can see it on my KZbin channel. Do you know these old Škoda’s? We both have 80’s cars but yours is the king of the road 😉 I only have a 4 speed manual rear engined 1200 CC. I hear you talk about AC belts, I don’t have all this. Good to see you taking care of the car before the long journey. Bet you’ll get a lot of thumbs up! Looking forward to the next episode!

[@m3nameisjosh464]

@@MrSkoda105s i have heard of skodas but never actually seen much on them. Pretty sweet cars! Thats awesome you roadtrip them as well!!

[@Wilantonjakov]

@@m3nameisjosh464 Would be awesome to see you work on an old Tatra one day. Such cool Czech cars.

[@m3nameisjosh464]

@@Wilantonjakov if i ever was able to get my hands on one! Haha

[@christopherdow5755]

Finally some more crack, it’s about time 😩

[@m3nameisjosh464]

😭😭🤣🤣🤣

[@mohanadhatem]

It’s muthafuckin Moeeeee 🔥🔥

[@m3nameisjosh464]

YESSSIRRR

[@jamyhanna6181]

hey josh off topic question my 91 E34 m5 has this sputtering issue at idle and low acceleration Do you have any idea what it might be. thanks sometimes the car pops like its clogged or something but feels sluggish.

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Ive never touched an s38 so really have no idea. Typically low rpm sputters is vacuum leak.

[@fatoputso7375]

Bro. Ask your supplier to send you one 3t hoodie. My son keeps asking for one 😂

[@m3nameisjosh464]

They have minimums unfortunately so its not that easy:((( he’ll grow into a medium though;)

[@romulus_]

cool car but why are you disposing of coolant like that? no bueno.

[@swift__]

What kind of little smoke machine is that , that Hunter has?

[@m3nameisjosh464]

www.ebay.com/itm/253938867497?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=MfZIbKYMSwK&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=6Vgy28p8Sre&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[@michaelcleary5205]

I’d replace the low pressure pump also that rubber will be shot giving bad performance

[@m3nameisjosh464]

No low pressure pump on e12s, its just a sending unit

[@JJ-kw8fo]

Hey, do you still have the blue e12 you had a couple years ago?.. that one was cool also.

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Unfortunately I sold it, thats why this car was a must buy

[@JJ-kw8fo]

@@m3nameisjosh464 oh ok.There is a 1977 just like your blue one..same color, manual trans, rebuilt motor with 5k on it,sat for the past 15 years by my house, back window broken out but a complete car,I haven't looked close up at it yet but doesn't look too bad..except don't know what to expect with the broken window.. looks like he had a tarp on it but owner said he would sell it and I'm thinking about getting it but don't know yet until I look at it, we'll see

[@m3nameisjosh464]

@@JJ-kw8fo sounds promising, but back window wont be easy to find.

[@JJ-kw8fo]

@@m3nameisjosh464 yeah I was thinking that too...do you know what all years have the same window?

[@m3nameisjosh464]

@@JJ-kw8fo just a 76-81 5 series

[@teamphashash]

This reminds me of oldschool racing in South Africa where the E12 535's were doing their thing. Something that looked like this.kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpTXpnSKpa1nh5I

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Thats awesome!

[@atn2666]

you can just let chemicals like that run off? lol

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Coolant is half water, diluted with enough water which we did and it just evaporates. Not my style of disposal either but desperate times, lack of time, lack of equipment.

[@Schlipperschlopper]

According to the federal HESCHLAVVO law, it is already forbidden in Switzerland to drive combustion engines on mountain passes from 2025. In France, the SCHLABOUBVE regulates that fossil vehicles that produce fine dust are prohibited in all cities from 2025. The BABVVO in Germany will bann exhaust gas pollution from 2027 and that is what will happen in entire EU also bann of all tires and brakes because of fine dust!

[@m3nameisjosh464]

That is pathetic 👎🏼

[@jglwstlnd5261]

OK you claim you got m90 engine in it so would be wise to show us

[@m3nameisjosh464]

Gathering info now!

[@rayboucher479]

Hope you do not have a dog !

[@user-if8gq1cs8g]

👍🇺🇦🇺🇲