Elvis' BMW 507 back in the Fatherland...

[harman/kardon]

Sad story: the Amercian owner sent the BMW 507 formerly owned by Elvis Presley to BMW in Germany and ordered a total restauration. So this car will be restored to death like many other classic cars and all the historical traces on this car will be wiped out forever.

The picture shows a photoshooting - before the beginning of the restauration - at the German Car magazine "auto, motor & sport", the guy is a photographer of the magazine.

 

[Sam Cogley]

I am getting so sick of this "leave the old dirt on it" mentality.

Beautiful car, though.

 

[harman/kardon]

I am getting so sick of this "leave the old dirt on it" mentality.

Beautiful car, though.

After a full restoration this 507 will be like any other 507. I am getting so sick of this "restore a car until it is totally lifeless" mentality.

 

[usedto]

I am getting so sick of this "leave the old dirt on it" mentality.

I am getting so sick of this "restore a car until it is totally lifeless" mentality.

Deja Vu!!!

Awhile back I started a thread in "Off Topic" asking why it was OK to take an old painting and have it "restored" to increase value, but having an antique piece of wood furniture re-finished ruins it's value.

My pee-pee was summarily slapped by those who believe that an art conservator is more skilled than a master woodworker.

Sounds like we have the same argument here.:thmbsp:

 

[jsisk]

After looking at these pictures of the car in its current state, I don't see how you can do anything other than a full frame off restoration by BMW since it doesn't even have an engine anymore.

http://www.n24.de/n24/Nachrichten/A...ung-eines-mythos-.html#inlineGallery5129556=0

 

[Sam Cogley]

Deja Vu!!!

Awhile back I started a thread in "Off Topic" asking why it was OK to take an old painting and have it "restored" to increase value, but having an antique piece of wood furniture re-finished ruins it's value.

My pee-pee was summarily slapped by those who believe that an art conservator is more skilled than a master woodworker.

Sounds like we have the same argument here.:thmbsp:

Everything is relative. If the piece of furniture is in poor condition, and the restoration is done well, IMHO that shouldn't be a huge issue, though I know the furniture world at this point in time somewhat disagrees (I have yet to find anyone who says it's better to let a piece disintegrate or be trashed rather than restoring it). Same way with cars - if it's a good survivor, there may be very good reasons for not restoring it - but at least clean the bloody thing. If it's in poor condition, then a quality restoration is a good thing. I really can't see enough of Mr. Presley's 507 here to make a comment on the current condition. The paint looks like it might be able to be buffed out, but the condition of the body panels, interior, chassis, engine bay, and trunk are going to be huge drivers of the determination to restore or not.

I still don't get the "leave the old dirt on it" mentality that seems to have invaded the car world in recent years. At least with the rat rod thing, I understand that preserving a certain state of decay is being done for aesthetic reasons.

 

[pmdclassics]

I read something this summer about this car. Its not 100% documented as the real Elvis car....hearsay. Personally I don't care for restored cars. I love the muscle cars as original "used cars" Once you start taking off the original US factory parts and slapping on Asian parts it ruins them.

 

[rmeade]

Cool car, Elvis owned or not. Does not look like there are many alternatives to a full restoration on this one. I vote with the 'less restoration the better' on the furniture. But when it comes to cars ... sometimes it is a loosing battle - at least that is my experience with a 66 Mustang. I could not imagine what it would cost to keep an old BMW on the road.

 

[Sam Cogley]

Cool car, Elvis owned or not. Does not look like there are many alternatives to a full restoration on this one. I vote with the 'less restoration the better' on the furniture. But when it comes to cars ... sometimes it is a loosing battle - at least that is my experience with a 66 Mustang. I could not imagine what it would cost to keep an old BMW on the road.

Depends on the old BMW. A low-production, hand-built car like the 507 is going to be painfully expensive to keep in good trim. An 1802 or 2002? Not so much. As an example of how many parts are still available for their older models, BMW built a new 2002 several years back just from their inventory. I can get just about anything for my nearly 25 year old 318iC from the dealer or the local auto parts counter.

 

[vinyldavid]

While I understand leaving some vehicles as-found, if their as-found condition is documented as historically significant, I prefer to see cars properly restored with factory parts, or in some more common models, modified for better than original performance.

With this car, the only thing I see to be done is let the factory restore it to as-new condition, it looks quite far-gone in its original state.

Hope to see this one come out the other side looking better than new, the 507's are gorgeous cars.

 

[harman/kardon]

Well - I started this thread for sentimental reasons, the owner of this car is obviously not sentimental but reasonable, and smart. Let us estimate the restauration costs at about 300000 Euros, he will gain a high efficiency in value because the value of a perfect BMW 507 at least in Europe is currently some 1000000 Euros. I would protect this car from a full restoration, if I could, I would prefer a cautious renovation whatever that en détail could be...

 

[jeromach]

The most beautiful car I EVER saw was a Jaguar 420G in silver metallic on Cyprus, paint scattered and bleached out by the sun (but no rust!), leather full of wear, but not torn, full of life and soul.
I'm sure if I might up in heaven and I could choose my car that would be the one

Another thing that makes me tick is industrial heritage, especially if abandoned for some time.

 

[harman/kardon]

The "worst" car - in my eyes beautiful anyway - I have ever seen was a Volkswagen Beetle Hebmüller convertible from 1949, value in top conditon about 12000 Euros, well that one was from Belgium visiting a Volkswagen classic car meeting in my hometown some years ago, and - what should I say, that ultra rare jewel was in an even much worse condition than Columbo's Peugot 403.

I presented pictures of that Hebmüller Beetle then in the forum but the feedback here was zero... :sigh:

 

[BMWCCA]

As an example of how many parts are still available for their older models, BMW built a new 2002 several years back just from their inventory. I can get just about anything for my nearly 25 year old 318iC from the dealer or the local auto parts counter.

Yeah, but they had to buy the body from an '02 enthusiast in Germany because they don't make the part. The doors on the car they built won't shut because the door gaskets they sell through BMW Classics are too thick. Etc, etc. I can go on and on. They mixed and matched parts from different years because they really don't make everything. And the fenders they supply for the 2000 sedan are actually too short! They might be trying but they're way too late to the restoration parts game and the prices are often criminal.

 

[Tom Brennan]

If valued as a historical artifact related to Elvis the car should be cleaned up and stabilized, not reconstructed.

 

[BrocLuno]

Aw come on, how many Elvis artifacts does the world need??? Jeez, it's not in the family anymore, not it's out in the wild so whoever owns it can do what they want ...

It's like buying a nice Model T and chopping it up to be a hot rod. Everyone goes puke, but it's not their money or their car. You want it to preserve it, you buy it ...

The nanny state mind set or imposition of "what I should do with my stuff" sort of pisses me off

Guess the owner of this one wants a restored 507 ... OK, he/she can have it for whatever they want to invest. Too much money into a questionable car for my taste's, but I'm not fronting the bill

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Wait a sec. Elvis leased car number 70079 for an unknown amount of time. It's gone through an unknown number of hands since then, starting with Alabama disc jockey Tommy Charles and ending with engineer Jack Castor. It had it's entire drivetrain removed in 1960(?) and replaced with Chevy stuff, and drag raced. That can't have done it much good.

Looking at the series of pics online it's in very rough shape. Engine is missing. Tranny? Doesn't look like there is one of those either and the opening for the shifter has been hacked out larger. What axle is installed? Original? A lot of dents and the trunk is being held closed with a bungie cord and looks to have been lightly rear ended. The interior is ratted out, the upper mouldingl of the doors are torn apart, Wiring looks like ****, partly bare floor pan, rusted steering column, rear deck is missing, dashboard is falling apart, speedo is non original, front bumper is bent and torn, rear bumper is missing, exhaust pipes don't look original, taillights partly missing, and and and.

Cmon. there were only 252 (or 253?) of these beauties made and an amazing 202 survive. The shame would be not restoring the car, regardless of who leased or owned it for a short time.

Too bad that I didn't know about this last month. I could have gone over to the BMW musuem and given you'all a first hand opinion. A couple guys that I work with are oldtimer fans, I'll have to find out if there will be any public viewing of the car during the resto, and if so will try to organize a visit and take some pics.

Cheers,
James

 

[jeromach]

That makes sense, in this case I agree a full restoration is the only option.

Perhaps one day my even rarer BL01885 will end up for a full restoration in Munich too

 

[harman/kardon]

Okay James I agree.

 

[Tom Brennan]

Aw come on, how many Elvis artifacts does the world need??? Jeez, it's not in the family anymore, not it's out in the wild so whoever owns it can do what they want ...

The nanny state mind set or imposition of "what I should do with my stuff" sort of pisses me off

Listen pal, I don't give a damn what the owner of the car does with it. I made the simple, and generally considered correct, observation that <if> the car is valued for it's connection to Elvis it should be stabilized. You understand what if means.