Highlights

Unearthed by Jonny Smith on the Late Brake Show following over twenty years of slumber in a North Yorkshire garage
The engine was started and run successfully following the car’s extraction
LBS YouTube video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfvkFp055VY&t=113s
A fabulous restoration project of a rare and capable sports GT
Very rare manual gearbox model
Recently sold in auction but unfortunately the buyer was unable to complete due to a change in his personal circumstances.

The Appeal

Many of you will already be familiar with this E24 6-Series BMW, as it was recently featured on The Late Brake Show with Jonny Smith. He and BMW whisperer ‘Tonybmw’ unearthed this rare M-Sport car from a North Yorkshire garage where it had lain dormant under a collection of household items since 2002.

With distinctive ‘shark-nose’ styling courtesy of Paul Bracq, a 2.8-litre straight-six under the bonnet and power fed to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox, there’s a lot to love about a 628 CSi.

With the help of the inimitable ‘Can of Hope’, Jonny and Tony were successful in coaxing this BMW back into life. They let it run for a short while from an auxiliary fuel supply and it ticked away so contently that we'd imagine it would do it all day.

If you’re looking for a restoration project, this BMW would be an eminently worthy candidate.

*LBS YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfvkFp055VY&t=113s

The History and Paperwork

This BMW was owned by the vendor’s father, who is no longer alive
We’re informed that this BMW came off the road in 2001, possibly because of some corrosion issues
It remained in the garage ever since, having items piled on top of it over the years until it was almost entirely buried
Clearing through their late father’s possessions, the vendor discovered he had kept the car and contacted the Late Brake Show
It’s extraction from the garage was filmed and is available to watch on YouTube
Now, it’s time for someone to restore this 628 CSi to its former glory
Original build sheet still present
Collection of old MOT certificates
The last MOT expired on 9th July, 2002
We’re informed the MOT history supports the indicated mileage of 191,475
Some old invoices for parts, work and serving present

The Interior

The leather upholstery has survived well
The dashboard and door panels remain in nice condition
Not much wear to report

Beneath years of dust and detritus, this interior is in surprisingly good order - especially when you consider that the car apparently covered almost 200,000 miles before it was put away.

The leather upholstery remains in really good condition and there doesn’t appear to be a great deal of wear to any of the seats or indeed to the controls. Naturally there is some age related creasing and general deterioration, but overall everything is in remarkably good condition.

The carpeting is quite dirty and shows its age more than the rest of the interior, whereas the dashboard and door cards continue to present really well. All of the switchgear and instrumentation remains untested but looks to be in reasonable condition.

The headlining still looks really smart, with a manual sliding roof fitted from new. We noticed a split in one of the sun visors, but otherwise, there is little to report on that side of things.

Naturally, this interior will require some restoration and recommissioning work along with the rest of the car but overall, it’s a great starting point with lots of salvageable parts.

The Exterior

M-Sport front and rear spoilers
Period-correct gold Penta alloy Wheels
The bodywork looks to be in reasonable condition, with some corrosion

These 6-Series BMWs rust for fun, and while this example hasn’t totally evaded the tin worm, it looks to be in reasonable condition for its age. Some old invoices suggest some corrosion was addressed following a failed MOT test in 2001 and although there is evidently some corrosion to the bodywork still, it looks as if some remedial work was carried out before it was put into storage.

Considering a great quantity of stuff was piled upon this car over the years, the bodywork looks to be rather straight overall. It’s hard to assess the paintwork while the BMW is still in its ‘as found’ dusty state, but it looks to have held up fairly well all these years. We’re sure comprehensive bodywork restoration awaits this car in the future, but what’s there looks to be in reasonable condition considering its history.

A quick glance underneath suggests the floor pans to be in fair shape and while we’re sure you’ll find some corrosion, this car seems quite solid overall. There is some bubbling evident around the arches and some more obvious corrosion around the rear quarters.

Seeing those gold Penta alloys is a real throwback and we think they really suit this car’s unashamedly ‘80s aesthetic. It was supplied new with M-Sport appointments which included spoilers front and rear along with various badges and vinyls. It appears that the boot badges are supplied with the car, although they’re not currently fitted.

The Mechanics

2.8-litre straight-six
Bosch fuel injection
Getrag five-speed manual gearbox

Equipped with a 2.8-litre straight-six with Bosch fuel injection, the 628 CSi was a quick car when it was new and was capable of achieving high speeds, and sustaining them all day. With a manual gearbox supplying power to the rear wheels, these are engaging to drive and we’re sure this example will be fantastic fun once it’s back on the road.

Fortunately, this particular car’s engine wasn’t seized and following some careful investigation of all its vitals and a little help from Tonybmw’s ‘Can of Hope’, this BMW soon burst into life. It was able to run smoothly and idled quite happily for a short period, even driving back into the garage under its own steam at the end of the day.

It goes without saying that all the car's mechanicals will need to be thoroughly examined before the car is used, but this was certainly an auspicious start.

Summary

It’s not at all often 628 CSis are offered for sale and it’s even rarer to find a barn find example, ripe for restoration.

If you’re a competent restorer in need of a new project, it would be a pleasure to return this BMW to the road once more.

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