Chris Woodyard

USA TODAY

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Bob Klemme fell in love with a sleek but dilapidated 1971 BMW, buying it for $5,000.





Today, after investing hundreds of hours over six years in a labor of love to get every detail just right, Klemme says he has had an estimate that it could be worth up to $100,000.

Klemme, of Long Beach, Calif., was drawn to the BMW 2800 CS because he had grown up around it. "My dad had one," he said and "it is one of the most beautiful coupes ever made" -- from its "shark nose" to its lack of of a pillar behind the front door.

Klemme, who brought the car out to a weekly car show here, said it did a lot of restoration work himself, including much of the engine and mechanical work. "I did everything to make it original," he says. "I took it all the way down to the nuts and bolts." The body was sandblasted and rust removed. Its beautiful interior of leather and wood was redone.

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The hardest part was tracking down hard-to-find parts. For instance, he was able to find a embossed emblem for the trunk that differs from the smooth ones today. He also had to scour Ebay to find the "C" in the 2800 CS lettering on the rear.

Now he can relax and show off the result of his work. "I try to take it out at least once a month," he says. "Everybody loves new cars. I love old cars."