The story of "Swamp Thing"

[Effduration]

Not to add to a big list of to-do items, but you should have a peak under the driver's side plastic under-cladding to see how good the rear brake lines are in that location. It's a big issue with any E53 living in a moisture environment. Mine were rotted.

[c-bass]

Originally Posted by Effduration

Not to add to a big list of to-do items, but you should have a peak under the driver's side plastic under-cladding to see how good the rear brake lines are in that location. It's a big issue with any E53 living in a moisture environment. Mine were rotted.

Will do

[bcredliner]

It's worth what you are willing to pay so the purchase price was fine. Enjoy!

[crystalworks]

I'm ready to nominate this for greatest transformation from PO to OP in terms of condition for this year. And the work has just started.

I'm like you, have a soft spot for saving things that would ordinarily be considered junkyard material. Good luck, have fun, and slowly bring it back to life so as to not hit the piggy bank too hard all at once. Once bought a 3 series out of a field after it had been sitting for a couple of years. Fun stuff.

[bmw540san]

I totaly agree with c-bass post about different countries and car ownerships in them because I came from one.
I came to US in 1996 as a 23 year old refugee from bloody Yugoslavian war (1991-1995).
Before war Yugoslavia was very stable and good Country to grew up in regardless of fact it was Socialist system.
My father owned 1973 VW Bug for 23 years and that was nothing unusual. Of course we also had the famous "Yugo" although I have to agree it's really big POS, lol.
Anyway, I worked hard and I'm doing well today but I am softened up now and older of course because 20+ years I would go in this project with gusto and now I'm whining how much effort it will take.
So again, my respect to you c-bass and I hope you inhale new life into old girl.

[c-bass]

I tried on 2 separate occasions to poke my way down the sunroof drain tube.

First I tried with a fairly thick piece of string trimmer line which got stuck about a foot into the drain. Working it back and forth for a while I was able to get it about another foot further in but that was as far as it would go.

The next step was to try and go from the bottom up, also a fail.

Next I used a piece of electrical wire that I stripped out of the white sheathing. More rigid but it didn't get any further than the string trimmer line.

I pulled off the A-pillar covers and...








Which very much explains this






I have no idea how the drain tubes could get kinked that bad but there was not a drop of water getting past the bends on either side.

For anyone wondering there is a LOT more stank water stored in that drain than you think and it comes out like a full bladder after a long road trip. Be ready for it, I was not

So between the car spending time in Florida, the interior marshland aka carpet and the frogs and bugs...Swamp Thing pretty much named itself

Sunroof drains are back to doing what they're supposed to do.

[Purplefade]

Dear lord, I would say that you found a significant part of tour water problem for sure - those almost absolutely look like someone had been in there before, I just don’t see how those get screwed up to that level without someone LS hands on them..

Nice find! Keep up the great work, slow and steady as you go


Sent from my iPhone using Xoutpost.com

[c-bass]

Originally Posted by Purplefade

Dear lord, I would say that you found a significant part of tour water problem for sure - those almost absolutely look like someone had been in there before, I just don’t see how those get screwed up to that level without someone LS hands on them..

Nice find! Keep up the great work, slow and steady as you go


Sent from my iPhone using Xoutpost.com

That's the only thing I can think of happened, someone must have got in there for whatever reason.

Even if you were after something else, wouldn't you notice something doesn't look right with those tubes?

[Purplefade]

That is pretty insane, probably happened as they yanked and pulled and "hammered" the a-pilers back into place, tough from my experience they're just an easy snap... Whoever it was had no idea what they were doing. The good news, as you said a few posts back - at least all of the critical components were above the water line -


I think in your case, if there's one close, the local salvage yard would be one of my best friends right now for any of the hard parts you might need, that said, you seem to be getting it sorted just fine - keep up the good work! (at least as long as it makes sense to do so)

[c-bass]

Originally Posted by Purplefade

That is pretty insane, probably happened as they yanked and pulled and "hammered" the a-pilers back into place, tough from my experience they're just an easy snap... Whoever it was had no idea what they were doing. The good news, as you said a few posts back - at least all of the critical components were above the water line -


I think in your case, if there's one close, the local salvage yard would be one of my best friends right now for any of the hard parts you might need, that said, you seem to be getting it sorted just fine - keep up the good work! (at least as long as it makes sense to do so)

There's a pic n pull type yard about an hour away from me but they don't have a great selection. Their main location which is about 2 hours away from me and currently has 8 e53s in stock with many more cars with the M54 engine to pick from.

However they do pick 'em clean of all the good stuff pretty quickly and because of the age of these models the parts aren't as fresh as I'd like sometimes.