Description
Truly with a heavy heart I am placing my beloved and rare BMW E38 AC Schnitzer ACS7 for sale which I have owned and have been restoring for almost 7 years now. These are incredibly rare cars and were built at a huge dealer on cost; the list price for my particular car ran close to £75000 and was based on a short wheel-base facelift 740i with the legendary M62B44 4. 4 V8. I’ll pre-warn you that this will be the longest advert you’ll ever read as I need to try and encompass the sheer amount of money and new components this vehicle has been lavished with over the 55000 miles or so I have driven it.
The car also has a very unique five digit registration mark on it perfectly suited to the car; for the right price, I will let this be part of the sales package.
Factory specification on my car was comprehensive and included;
M Sport steering wheel
Xenon headlights
Electric comfort seats with split backrest
Satellite navigation
Dechrome exterior
DSP audio with additional subwoofers
Electric rear blind
Rear side blind pack
Walnut trim
PDC front and rear
In addition, the distinguished first owner had the following AC Schnitzer components fitted;
AC Schnitzer front bumper and extension
AC Schnitzer rear bumper and extension
AC Schnitzer rear roof spoiler
AC Schnitzer side skirts
AC Schnitzer twin exhaust system
AC Schnitzer upgraded suspension
AC Schnitzer interior pedal set
AC Schnitzer decal/ pinstripe kit
AC Schnitzer badging
AC Schnitzer Type II 18” alloy wheels
I have spent the last 7 years renovating and replacing as many components as I could in my attempt to make a perfect classic BMW E38. By no means is my list exhaustive as I’m sure I will have forgotten to mention certain items changed (there are literally large volumes of service history encompassing four lever arch files), but the majority of work can be summarised below;
Engine
Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 and filters every 3000 miles without fail
Scheduled servicing every year regardless of computer suggestions
BMW front timing cover gaskets
BMW rocker gasket kits (recently changed again for second Inspection II)
NGK spark plugs (just changed again for second Inspection II)
Bosch ignition coils
Refurbished black crinkle coated cam covers
BMW valley pan cover/ gaskets/ seals/ bolts
BMW intake manifold gaskets/ injector seals/ bolts
BMW X5 rear crankcase breather unit with engineering solution to PCV failure
BMW vacuum hoses
BMW Vanos solenoid gaskets (second set)
BMW Vanos solenoid check valves
BMW remote oil filter housing and bolts/ seals
BMW sump gasket
K&N air filter
Meyle cabin filters (changed every two years)
Meyle internal cabin filters
Dayco alternator belt
Dayco AC belt
Denso AC compressor
Nissens AC dryer
INA alternator belt tensioner/ idler bearings
Febi-Bilstein AC belt tensioner
INA AC belt idler bearing
Mann fuel filter (third time just changed for Inspection II)
Shell V Power only fuel
Cooling
Nissens aluminium radiator
Airtex water pump and seals (second pump)
BMW replacement water hoses including heater matrix/ trans cooler
BMW thermostat and seals
Sachs viscous fan coupling
Transmission
Gearbox oil and filter changed six times in 35K
BMW transmission filter, sump gaskets
Stainless transmission sump bolts
Valve body strip and rebuild including Sonax high pressure regulator modification
Esso LT 71141 specification ‘lifetime’ fluid
BMW transmission oil cooler and associated seals/ bolts/ pipes
Differential
Castrol Syntrax 75W90 BMW approved fluid changed three times
Suspension
Sachs OEM replacement shock absorbers all round
Sachs top mounts
BMW upper bearings
Sachs bump stop kits
AC Schnitzer springs retained
Febi-Bilstein front upper control arms
Moog front lower control arms
Powerflex front upper brake reaction bushes
Powerflex front anti-roll bar bushes
Meyle centre tie rod
BMW steering arm bush
Meyle track rod ends
Meyle anti roll bar drop links
Strong flex rear trailing arm inner/ outer polyurethane bushes
Lemforder rear integral links
Lemforder rear lower ball joints
Meyle rear upper control arms
Meyle rear upper control arms
Braking
Multiple brake disc/ pad changes over the years
Brembo DOT 5. 1 brake fluid
HEL stainless steel front and rear brake lines
Pagid front brake calipers
ATE rear brake calipers
Febi-Bilstein rear handbrake shoe kit and fitting
Wheels and tyres
Refurbished AC Schnitzer Type II 8. 5 x 18” alloy wheels
Nexen NuFera SU1 255/ 45/ 18 tyres (third set)
Sparco 16mm rear wheel spacer kit with longer bolts
Sparco 12mm front wheel spacer kit with longer bolts
Lighting
Magneti Marelli OEM replacement headlamps
BMW side repeaters
ULO OEM rear light clusters
Miscellaneous
BMW front scuttle trim with all fittings
Tailored interior rubber mat set
BMW driver/ passenger seat side trims
Leather deep clean and feed (yearly)
Dayton Audio rear DSP speaker upgrade
Driver side window regulator
Full black headlining retrofit kit including all pillars, sunvisors, clips etc
Stabilus boot struts
AC Schnitzer wheel refurbished for spare with new tyre
Side skirts repainted
Side sills cleaned, prepped, stone-chipped, filled with Bilt Hamber Dynax S50
Vulnerable areas of floor cleaned, prepped, stone-chipped and cavity waxed
M5 style electric folding mirrors
750i master switch unit/ control ECU for power folding function
Febi-Bilstein replacement engine mounts
Febi-Bilstein replacement transmission mounts
Supplied spares
MK3 widescreen sat nav head unit
BMW vanos units for both banks (brand new) - cost £1300
Mapco propshaft coupling/ centre bearing
Mapco rear suspension arm rebuild kit
Full leather 750i SWB door cards including all new clips
Bilstein B4 replacement dampers x4
Eibach lowering springs (recommended by AC Schintzer)
Mint silver boot-lid
Mint NSF silver front wing
Mint OSF silver front driver’s door
Full custom AC Schnitzer OEM spec side decals/ pinstripe kit (exact matt finish as originals)
Custom AC Schnizer ACS7 decals
Any other spares I can find
Its not hard to understand where the best part of £43000 documented has gone in running this car. My desire for absolute perfection has turned this into the most expensive car I have ever owned but I don’t regret a single minute of it. The E38 is, quite simply, the best car I have ever owned in my life without doubt (and that includes some tasty cars). There is nothing quite like the drive of a well sorted E38, nothing comes close! They are just fabulous and my vehicle, with the extensive work listed above, drives better than any one out there. I am constantly being stopped at petrol stations of just driving with people asking me to sell it, well, now is your chance!
The M62 V8 is perfect. It consumes no oil or water and ran for 55000 on Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 replaced at 3000 mile intervals. The interior of the engine is like brand new (I have pictures). My M62 also must be the only engine in existence that leaks no oil from anywhere including rocker covers, front timing covers or sump gasket. I have literally spent thousands ensuring that my under-tray is totally and utterly devoid of any leaks whatsoever, and it is; the engine is spotless throughout. Finally, there are also no oil leaks from any part of the transmission or differential.
Cosmetically, the car is tidy but is beginning to suffer the ravages of time. The is some rust under the paint on the NSF wing (new wing supplied), the traditional rust on the boot-lid edge (new boot supplied) and the base corner of the driver’s door (new door supplied). The is also some rust on the rear panel as seen in the pictures (another common E38 water trap) and the typical BMW rear arches. These are all surface items at present and I have taken the time over the years to cavity wax/ rust kill them. In my eyes, a full respray will give this rare car just what it deserves and I’m sure at the BMW Gaydon car show it would receive more than admiration.
The car comes with the fullest of histories including;
Most previous MOT’s
Full stamped service book (main dealer and independent)
Full book pack
Four lever arch files of paperwork all chronologically ordered
Two main BMW keys (one brand new) plus two valet keys (full set)
Two additional service books for non-routine maintenance (I maintain my cars so much that I keep additional books just to keep a track on what I’ve changed).
I have also just changed all power steering pipes and reservoir for genuine BMW, and completed another oil and filter change.
This is my pride and joy and for that reason will not be let go cheaply.
Genuine enquiries only with absolutely no time-wasters.
