Fix It, Sell It or Scrap It?

[elkspringsaz]

I have just ended up with an '85 635CSI with 290K on the clock, as payment of a judgement against someone who burned me two years ago. (What goes around, comes around- he's in prison and I have the car.)

I am an automotive professional and have done restoration on old Jags for over 20 years, done considerable collision and paint on many BMWs. Doing this whole car over would be be fairly easy.

However, it is a grey-market car.

This car has some bad points: Primarily the car is just seriously tired:front seats are shot, the rears not far behind, but still intact; the rest of the interior is just dirty but not likely to clean up that well; some minor pieces missing from the dash and numerous cracks in the top; the motor runs well, but is seriously tired; some kind of Mickey Mouse brakes on it; 17 inch wheels of unknown origin and brand; front and rear suspension a bit loose.

That being said, it has some very good points: except for the outer nose panel having been replaced- done right- the car has never been hit and has decent 21 year old factory paint throughout; two dents the size of a quarter on the whole car; no rust anywhere- not even at the front of the rear wheel arches; five speed trans is quiet, clutch is good; engine compartment is spotless, trunk the same; everything in the car works smoothly, even the rear windows; grey market bumpers are far more attractive to the lines of the car than the federal issue, which remind me of the porch posts we used to cut up for the front of our VW bugs in college.

I don't have the contacts on BMW that I have on Jaguar. If I can find good sources for body rubbers, upholstery, and trim, I might do this one over and keep it. Additionally, finding detailed information on anything about the mechanicals, beyond the usual wikipedia, and the differences between the USA and Euro model is so far impossible. I need info such as what the difference in compression ratio, Motronic ECU differences, etc. I need to know who the suppliers are of OEM quality parts with good-guy pricing.

Or should I just forget what it could be, recognize what it is and sell it to a high school kid with lots of time? Or to a recycler?

Hate to see such a good one go down the wrong road, but it would need way too much to do at the retail level.

Any help on any of this?