Classic & Sports Car - The specialist: Classic Bahnstormers - Damon Cogman

Classic BMWs have always been desirable machines, and specialists have enjoyed looking after models such as the Neue Klasse line and E9 coupés for many years.

As the generations shift, though, cars built in Munich from the 1980s onwards haven’t always been served as well.

This is where new kid on the block Stephen Curtis and Classic Bahnstormers come in.

“I’ve always been quite opportunity-focused,” says Curtis. “Everything I’d ever done I turned into a business.

“I started out as a music teacher because I played guitar then wondered how to make money out of that. It’s the same with this.

“I became aware that some businesses had been around for a while but weren’t moving with the times.

“I zeroed in on the imminent explosion of retro models that were climbing in popularity, the E24 6 Series and E28 5 Series especially, so I wanted to start something new.”

Initially, Curtis was hesitant of mixing his passion for BMWs with his new business plan.

“People said, ‘Why don’t you do cars?’ but I didn’t want to spoil my hobby. I had my first old BMW when I was 23 – a white E24, proper Miami Vice spec, which I’ve just brought out of storage.

“When I started out, the only way I could own a car like that was to buy it, enjoy it for a bit, then sell it. The business started as a buying-and-selling idea; if I made a few quid I was happy.”

When the decision came to focus on making Classic Bahnstormers a success, Curtis credits his girlfriend, supporter and silent partner Lucy Brown as a key team member.

Similarly, his long-time employee and current workshop foreman, Peter Bowles, is a big reason behind why the firm is moving forward so rapidly.

Investing in people is at the heart of what Curtis is about: “I want Classic Bahnstormers to be a great place to work.

“There isn’t a lot I can offer my guys, but what I can offer is autonomy. I don’t want to micro-manage them.

“I expect everyone to take responsibility for what they’re doing and to do it to a great standard. I want everything done to the highest standards – anything less will be open to criticism.”

The endless welding of rust-damaged panels was recognised as a bottleneck in the process.

“When Peter joined he was a godsend,” recalls Curtis. “After a while he said he wanted to learn to weld, so I bought him a starter kit and a 12-week course at a local agricultural college. He takes so much pride in what he does.”

As soon as images of Bowles’s welding appeared on the Bahnstormers’ social media, enthusiasts loved them. “It went up a gear,” says Curtis. “People started to take notice of us.”

He continues: “I am a complete luddite when it comes to technology. A university friend, Tom Bromley, wanted to do something in automotive PR and badgered me to get an Instagram account.

“Every time I posted, he texted to tell me what I’d done wrong, so I offered him some beer money to do it. The main factors in the success at Classic Bahnstormers are Peter and Tom.”

Curtis is quick to point out that his main focus is managing resources for his growing team, but if they drag out a barn-find that hasn’t been started in a while, he’s first there with a spanner.

“I love making them go and bringing them back. If they’re full of acorns and smell of mould, that’s great. I love it when they’re finished, too – everything in the middle is everyone else’s job.”

Significantly, ex-BMW main dealer staff are now becoming part of the Bahnstormers ranks as they join Curtis in spotting the modern classic niche the firm is filling.

“There is a waiting list for big rebuilds, while smaller stuff is running two weeks to a month ahead. It’s a nice problem to have.

“We’re hungry because the business is young. I’m business-motivated on top of an enthusiast’s head.”

Images: Luc Lacey

Car & Classic - BMW E28 – FROM BARN TO BAHNSTORMER - Chris Pollitt

In May of 2019 we found ourselves excitedly driving to a barn in Gloucestershire. It’s not that barns excite us all that much, this isn’t Grand Designs. We’re more motivated by what can be found within them, which as we all know, is more often than not, a classic car or two. Steve Curtis of Classic Bahnstormers didn’t have a barn find though. He had nine. And every one of them was a BMW E28, arguably the most iconic and most handsome 5 Series of them all.

You can read the full article on the nine cars here. All the same, yet they were also different. There were some M535s in there, a 528i and a couple of 520i models, too. And it was one of the 520i cars that caught our eye. Thick with dust, it seemed like the one that would spring back onto the road first. Steve explained that while there was indeed work to be done, this particular car wasn’t suffering from any terminal rot, and while the mechanicals would indeed need a complete inspection and overhaul, there was no obvious reason they shouldn’t bark back into life.

In a savvy move, Steve elected to sell the cars at an affordable price, so long as he and his business could be involved in the restoration process. This was a good move from a business point of view, but more than that, it serves to unite these cars (or at least, the ones that can) as they go back on the road. As Steve explained to us, the nine cars came without any history, so he’s made it a point to re-start their respective journeys with Classic Bahnstormers. Each car, this black one included, wears a ‘Bahnstormer 9’ sticker. These cars are part of the same journey up to that point. They were forgotten, and would have surely returned to the earth had Steve and his team not stepped in. 

Anyway, back to the car pictured here. As we said, the rot wasn’t terminal and the mechanicals had promise. Steve just needed a buyer. Enter stage left, Jon Horne. Jon is a BMW man through and through. His current steed is an F30 330d Series, he’s had E30s, 5 GTs and many other BMWs in the past, and while he’s keen to admit his love for them, so too is he keen to point out that the new ones don’t quite have the same… soul as the classics. When he saw the 520i here, he knew there was an opportunity to once again have that soul in his life.

Jon’s brief was simple. He wanted to replace his F30 with the E28. Okay, so that’s not quite so simple, as that meant the E28 had to be tip-top if it was going to take on the role of Jon’s modern Beemer. Still, the E28 is a capable car if looked after, so Steve and the guys at Classic Bahnstormers saw nothing to be worried about.

The first thing they tackled was the mechanical side of things. The six-cylinder M20B20 engine hadn’t run since 2007, as such, chucking a battery on it and hoping for the best probably wasn’t a wise move. Instead, they checked the engine could still be turned over by hand, and it could. Good news. Then the cam cover was removed and the cam inspected for wear to the lobes. The old fuel was drained out, a new fuel pump fitted, a new cam belt went on as did a water pump. However, it still wouldn’t run. In the end, the problem was spark related, so after raiding his stash of spares, a new coil was fitted, a different ECU went on too. Finally, six new injectors we fitted, and with a turn of a key, the long slumbering E28 barked into life.

Of course, they didn’t stop there with the mechanical stuff. As such, all the service items were changed; oil, plugs, leads, complete coolant flush, the transmission was flushed and a new filter fitted. A new viscous fan went on, new auxiliary belts, new vacuum lines, new thermostat, rad cap and pretty much everything else was renewed. 

Then it was the turn of the other mechanicals. So, the calipers were rebuilt all round, and new disks and pads were fitted. The shocks were replaced, as were all the suspension bushes, meaning this car now rides as good as it did when new. All the solid fuel and brake lines were replaced front to back, as were all the flexible brake hoses. It truly is like a new car under there. 

Of course, to be truly like a new car, the rust would need to be addressed. The E28, handsome though it is, can be a hotbed for rust, as is evidenced by a couple of the barn find nine that are now only suitable as parts cars. Happily, Jon’s 520i was the best of the bunch, but work still needed to be done. The doors, sunroof and bonnet were all good – rare for an old E28. However, the front corners of the floors, the rear inner ‘triangles’ (the area where the inner sill meets the bottom of the rear wheel tub) and a whole host of smaller, localised areas needed some attention from the MIG. To get better access at the rear, the subframe was removed (which made it easier to fit all the new bushes mentioned earlier, plus it meant the subframe itself could be cleaned and protected) and the new metal was added in. Body wise, the offside front wing needed to be replaced, and the nearside rear quarter needed a dent repair. 

The next step was the car’s tired looks. Having not seen a wet sponge for well over a decade, something needed to be done. Amazingly, the paint was and still is in excellent order. There was no significant damage nor corrosion. Steve brought in a paintless dent repair specialist to sort out the few knocks and dings that were there before sending the car off to paint. While largely in excellent condition, the roof and boot lid were showing their age, and the new wing and offside rear repair needed to be painted. Once back from the bodyshop, the car was cleaned and buffed and now presents as you see it here. A lush, deep black, no swirl marks, no defects, it’s astonishing. 

That wasn’t the end of the car’s time with Steve at Classic Bahnstormers though. Knowing that Jon wanted to press the E28 into daily use, Steve took it upon himself to give the car the shakedown of all shakedowns, which meant over 1,000 miles of use. During this time, Steve and his team were able to iron out any kinks or issues that arose. As such, the heater blower motor was serviced, all the electric window and door central locking mechanisms were refurbished, as was the sunroof mechanism and any damaged or broken trim was replaced. Only then was Steve satisfied that the car was ready. The mechanicals had been renewed or refurbished from top to bottom, the welding was done, the paint was done and the pleasingly immaculate interior was cleaned and detailed. The car was done. With new plates and that all-important ‘Bahnstormer 9’ rear decal, it was time to give the car back to Jon, which takes us to the day of this shoot.

As we worked around the car to get these shots, we couldn’t help but be swept up in Jon’s enthusiasm for it. There’s a hint, as he talks about it, that he can’t quite believe it’s his. Certainly, the work done by Steve and his team has exceeded Jon’s expectations. He’s a man smitten with his new car. It is exactly what he wanted. It’s immaculate, but not over restored. It’s not a car that leaves him cautious of driving. Instead, it’s been restored in such a way that it encourages being used. It’s a car to show off, one to be proud of and use as BMW had intended. And Jon can because of the work Steve has done.

There are many out there who would throw some parts and paint at a car and call it done, but not Steve and Classic Bahnstormers. He listened to the brief, he spoke to Jon, he built an understanding of what needed to be done and he ensured he delivered that. That’s a rare thing to find. And now Jon has a car he can get in and enjoy. A car that he truly can replace his F30 with. Is the E28 as fast, or as laden with tech? No. But man, it’s got soul.

Car & Classic - Ultimate Barn Find Machines - Chris Pollitt

The term ‘barn find’ is one that seems to be banded about far too willingly. People on eBay stating their 2002 Mondeo with MOT is a ‘barn find’ because it’s been under the carport for six months. You know exactly the kind of thing we’re talking about. In fact, if there were as many barns in the UK as there are ‘barn find’ listings online, then really, we should all be living on the streets as there can’t possibly be any space for houses. The whole thing is, frankly, getting out of hand.

The popularity of the term is, however, understandable. There’s a sense of pleasing solitude that comes with hearing the words. A barn, in reality, is a busy, dangerous place, filled with plant machinery and men who swear a lot. But the reality isn’t enough to quash the romanticised image of a barn, sitting in the middle of a field, its interior stacked high with hay and cobwebs. We hear ‘barn find’ and we picture a car that was bought new by the farmer and then parked up decades upon decades ago. We get giddy at the thought of a car having been untouched for all that time. We positively go weak at the knees at the thought of reuniting door handle with hand, only to then reveal a pristine interior untouched by the ravages of time. That’s the dream of a barn find, but the reality is finding the term attached to a battered Vauxhall Insignia with a flat tyre and a misfire and “no V5, but full reeseept[sic] will be given” care of Facebook Marketplace. Disappointing.

You can imagine, then, that we were somewhat hesitant when we were given a lead on a barn full of BMWs. We thought it would just be a load of mid-2000s 5 Series, probably stuffed around the back of a taxi rank or something. The term ‘barn find’ has become diluted and impure. We didn’t think much of it. But then we decided to look into it a little deeper, because what if it was a proper barn find with some seriously cool old metal? BMW has built some truly heroic cars in the past after all.

The lead came from Classic Bahnstormers, a Gloucestershire business set up by BMW-lover, Steve Curtis. He’s been in the BMW restoration game for over a decade now, and as you can imagine, in that time he’s built up a pretty hefty contact book. And it’s that book that leads us to the cars we got to see.

As we follow Steve to the undisclosed farm on which the BMWs are hidden, we find ourselves becoming increasingly giddy. We’d seen a few pictures, but that wasn’t enough. We wanted to see more. We pull up to the farm and drive into the grounds and then we’re there, out of the car and faced with a sea of one of BMW’s most handsome cars. And here’s the best bit – they’re in an actual, real barn. Our faith in the term has been restored.

Looking around the cars, their most recent and inactive years are evidenced by the odd flat tyre, thick and well-set dust and of course, a fair dose of rust. But don’t look at these images and think these cars are all junk. They’re not. In fact, of the nine, seven will definitely be saved, two are unfortunately nothing more than parts cars, while the final car, a 520i manual, sits on the fence of fate. It could (and should, if you ask us) be saved, but it needs a lot of welding.

Steve explains that the deal has taken some time, years in fact. It started when he bought a couple of E23s off the seller along with a whole host of parts.  “It was one of those” explains Steve. “He said he had those E23s, and that lead me to think, and ask, what else do you have?”.

As it turned out, a lot. “The guy had loads of E28s that he was looking to move on. At first I only has a rough idea of what was there, but then as more detail came through I knew it was something I couldn’t pass up on, despite the tricky logistics of re-homing nine cars!” We don’t know the deal, nor do we want to, that’s Steve’s business. What we do want to know, however, is more about what Steve has bought.

The most exciting cars are, arguably, the M535i models. There are two in the collection, and both are manual. However, the diamond black car is a traditional ‘H’ pattern, while the white car is the rare ‘dogleg’ version. Both cars are in need of love, though the black one is the better of the two, which explains why this one has been sold.

At the back of the barn, there is a very sorry looking 535i auto. In alpine white, it wears the dirt and rust with impressive contrast to the other cars. At 230k, it’s been used well throughout its life, there is no doubting that. The selling point for this one is the frankly strange specification. Full Mtec kit, black sports leather, cruise control – someone ticked all the option boxes back in the ‘80s. However, all the options aren’t enough to stop the rot setting in – a common killer of these cars. In reality, this is probably a parts car.

If you’re after a 528i, Steve has one of those, too. Left-hand drive, the car lived most of its life in France, though it has since been UK registered. The bumpers are a little sad, but on the whole this manual transmission car is definitely savable.

Next down the line in engine size are the two 525e models. The alpine white car is way past its best, with rust having well and truly set in. And with the clocks suggesting 667k (though take that with a pinch of salt) it’s definitely lived its life. Now it stands to be a parts car, breathing welcome life into an as yet untold number of projects. And with Recaro trim and parts like the rare front spoiler, the recipient cars will be all the better for this 525e’s sacrifice.

The other 525e, a lachs silver model, is altogether more solid. In shadow-line trim, the car has a subtle, but menacing look. The chrome is good. The interior is clean, if dismantled, and the correct 14-inch alloys are present and correct. This one is a definite saver, and well worth doing.

Then there are the three 520i models. The black auto is, in Steve’s opinion, the best of all the cars, which explains why it already has the interest of a potential buyer. It needs work, but it’s a solid and complete car. The interior is mint, the panels are straight and the fact it’s black makes it a solid choice. It’s one of the best colours for the E28.

Then there’s the opal green 520i manual. This one tempted us, but alas, this is the car that’s on the cusp as we mentioned earlier. It could be saved, but not by Steve. “The deal with the cars is” he explains “if you buy them, you do so on the basis that Classic Bahnstormers does some of the work needed. That can be the difficult welding, we can get a car up to MOT standard, or we can do a full nut and bolt restoration. The choice is the customers. But we really do want to keep these cars in the fold to begin with at least, we want to know they’ve been saved properly. It’s what we do.” So what of the 520i, we enquire. “It could be saved, but it needs a lot of welding” says Steve. For what it would cost through Steve, or any bodyshop to do it, it far outweighs the value of the car. As such, this is one that the owner would have to do themselves to make it financially viable. That’s not to say Steve won’t take on the work if asked, of course. 

Commercially speaking, there is thousands of pounds of welding to be done. But, as we look around the car, we can’t help but feel it would be worth doing. It’s a straight, honest car and while it does need welding, weirdly most of it is on one side. It’s not your usual rotten E28.

Finally, there’s the jewel in the collection, at least for us. The gold 520i manual. An incredibly rare early car, this model has 98k on the clock and the rare K Jet fuel injection. Yes, it’s clearly left a squirrel homeless going off the acorns hidden in the engine bay, and yes the paint lacks shine and tyres air, but this is still a solid and frankly, lovely car. The pearl beige interior alone is a selling point – you just don’t see it anymore.

This is, for us, about as good as a barn find gets. A collection of cars that serves to represent almost everything the E28 range had to offer. Each car the same, but alluringly different, too. Time capsules from an age of big hair, big phones and big business. And most importantly of all, all bona fide classics. But unlike most barn finds, these cars don’t lay trapped behind the surly shouts of a henpecked farmer. Instead, you can buy them. But get in quick, as they won’t be around for long.

Classics World - Road Test - 1987 BMW 525E - Paul Wager

Classics World’s Paul Wager test drives and reviews a 1987 BMW 525E…

Regular readers may well be aware that I spent several years as editor of a BMW enthusiast magazine and indeed it was that title which originally brought me to the door of Kelsey Publishing a decade ago. And the person which originally got me interested in ’80s BMWs was none other than CW contributor Andrew Everett who introduced me to the delights of the second-generation ‘E28’ 5-Series. Somewhere in the loft I have a photo which shows three of the sharknosed ’80s Bavarians parked outside my house, Andrew having subsequently persuaded several other colleagues of the many advantages of these cars.

Back then we used to buy them for absolute peanuts and I still maintain that the £500 520i automatic was one of the best cars I’ve ever owned. Indeed, the E28 in general is regarded by many as one of the best cars BMW ever made, with its alluring combination of quiet quality, refinement and general usability.

These days the values of the cars are rather higher as presentable examples have become thinner on the ground but as a practical modern classic they still make a great choice.

Of those, one of the most interesting is the 525e, the ‘e’ standing for the Greek word ‘Eta’, often used to denote efficiency in scientific writing. The idea behind the concept was to offer an economy-biased model in the days before diesel had become acceptable in the executive market here in the UK and the basis of the concept was a high-torque, low-revving engine.

This was created by stroking BMW’s ‘small six’ as found in the 520i/525i to 2.7 litres, running a high 11:1 compression ratio and equipping it with Bosch Motronic engine management. The result was the same 125 bhp as the 520i but torque on a par with the larger-engined 528i and available some 1000rpm lower in the rev range, too.

In the UK market the model was offered only as an automatic, using a special version of the ZF 4HP22 gearbox with a torque converter which locked up at 55mph. A tall final drive was used to take advantage of the torquey engine, giving nearly 34mph per 1000 rpm – or 100mph at just 2950rpm. The result was commendably economical, offering the same refinement as the other six-pot 5-Series but with the potential for nearly 40mpg on a run.

Someone else who appreciates the qualities of mid ’80s BMWs is Steve Curtis, who set up Classic Bahnstormers having been inspired by a love of these E28 5-Series. The 525e you see here is a superb example of the breed, showing just 83,000 miles which is unusually low for these cars.

The 525e was usually a standard-looking model no different from the cooking 520i but the double-glazing company which bought this car new in April 1986 asked the dealer to fit the Pfeba bodykit similar to that found on the M535i, together with the M5 boot spoiler. With two subsequent owners to its name, it’s clearly been well cared for.

The square-rigged styling of the E28 was already dated when the car was launched, but the driving experience is entirely different: it’s been a long time since I regularly drove an E28 but I immediately remembered just how modern they still feel. The ergonomics are perfectly judged and the refinement would shame some new cars, while the hefty quality of everything from door shut to dashboard mouldings marks it out as a quality product of the old school.

It took only a mile or so to realise that this really is a very well sorted example and it’s obvious that Classic Bahnstormers have spent time tackling the common E28 issues: there’s none of the shimmying steering wheel under braking for example and the suspension feels tight and quiet.

The ZF automatic is the switchable unit offering sports and economy settings and changes up and down as unobtrusively as it should, while the boot is refreshingly dry and the dashboard moulding is free from cracks. The seats are also in good order and the bootlid-mounted toolkit is present and correct, while the chrome bumpers are all straight and dink-free.

Despite being marketed back in the day as an economy model, the 525e can hustle when you ask it to and it’s brisk enough to reflect BMW’s ‘Ultimate driving machine’ marketing slogan of the time.

VERDICT
Look at the way the values of the 6-Series (itself based on this car) have gone in the last few years and you’ll realise that ’80s BMWs are starting to become appreciated. After revisiting the E28 I remain convinced they’re one of the best cars BMW ever made and as a practical, usable classic with enough power to be genuinely fun to drive, this really does take some beating. Yes, you will find E28s advertised cheaper but the reality is that many of these will need the difference spending on them to bring them up to this standard.