Buying a cheap frozen BMW and rebuilding the engine.
A 2012 750Li (N63) bought non-running through SCA Auctions. This is a learning project — not a flip. I was fine if the car got tied up in paperwork. Tear-down exposed spun bearings; the crank was ground, the bottom end rebuilt, and the long block is nearly ready to go back in — more updates will follow as it goes in and starts.
Buyer beware: “Alpina” on the listing
SCA invoice 175707 (Jun 2, 2026) lists the vehicle as “2012 BMW 750Li / ALPINA B7”.
What showed up was a normal F02 750Li. No Alpina badges. The VIN starts with WBA — a standard BMW identifier, not an Alpina car. Do not take auction titles or decoder mashups at face value.
What “stationary / non-running” really meant
The listing said stationary. There was almost no useful engine detail beyond non-running. In practice:
- The crankshaft was fully seized — it would not turn, much less run.
- Delivery arrived in forced neutral (park-lock override used when the engine cannot rotate).
- Inspection found spun connecting-rod bearings as the failure mode.
If you are bidding on a cheap “non-runner,” assume the worst mechanical case unless you have tear-down photos or a turn test you trust.
Title, mileage, and California DMV
SCA is a Florida-based dealer. The paid invoice is the commercial bill of sale. California DMV still wanted mileage attestation and, in this case, asked for a REG 262 wet signature that a Florida dealer said they could not complete.
- Before you bid (especially if titling in California): get in writing that they will provide a signed mileage / odometer disclosure and any state forms your DMV will accept.
- Go to DMV immediately after delivery documents arrive. Waiting makes everything harder. I waited too long.
- Keep the auction invoice, title reassignment, and photos of the as-delivered non-running condition. Those documents stay on the shop systems — not for public download.
Money — what this path actually cost so far
Tracked in bmwagent (parts ledger). Totals include the vehicle purchase line. No labor rate — DIY shop time.
| Vendor | Lines | Total |
|---|---|---|
| SCA | 1 | $4,693.00 |
| BMW Parts Warehouse | 35 | $2,448.05 |
| Turner Motorsport | 14 | $1,746.67 |
| Amazon | 29 | $1,344.24 |
| eBay | 7 | $927.17 |
| Turner | 9 | $788.97 |
| Harbor Freight | 4 | $664.96 |
| Redding Machine Shop | 1 | $280.00 |
| McMaster | 1 | $16.84 |
| All vendors | 105 | $12,977.15 |
Rough split: auction package $4,693; other tracked parts/tools about $8,284.
Notable line items
| Item | Part # | Vendor | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 750Li with 4 spun rod Bearings from SCA Auction Delivered | — | SCA | $4,693.00 |
| Connecting Rod ×4 — BMW 11-24-7-843-237 (2× BMW Parts Warehouse, 2× Turner) | 11247843237 | BMW Parts Warehouse / Turner | $891.20 |
| King Connecting Rod Bearing Set - 0.50mm Oversized | CR8050SV0.5 | Turner Motorsport | $324.99 |
| 2 Ton Capacity ASME-PASE Certified Foldable Shop Crane | SHOPCRANE | Harbor Freight | $359.99 |
| Crankshaft Service | — | Redding Machine Shop | $280.00 |
| 09-15 BMW 7 SERIES (F02) LWB REAR RIGHT DOOR WINDOW SUNSHADE SHADE w/ MOTOR | 263-999905 | eBay | $264.99 |
| Head Gasket | 11127567765 | BMW Parts Warehouse | $254.60 |
| Engine Main Bearing Kit - Size 0.25 Oversized | MB5801SM0.25 | Turner Motorsport | $228.99 |
Photo timeline
Selected frames from the rebuild archive, ordered by camera date (Jun–Sep 2026). Images are streamed view-only; right-click save and hotlinking are blocked at the link layer.
Assembly — crank to nearly-ready long block
Crank went to a local shop. I looked up the specs; they straightened it and ground the mains .25 oversized and the rods .50 oversized. Back together with King bearings (.25 mains, .50 rods).
Everything that came apart got oil and sludge cleaned off before it went back on. Pistons were OK; four connecting rods were replaced.
This motor is full of one-time-use / stretch bolts. Once you torque them, you do not reuse them — so the parts bill exploded on assembly: BMW bolt markup, gaskets, timing chain, oil pump chain, O-rings, plus the known ~80k wear items I replaced proactively instead of gambling.
Piston rings were a saga. Drop-in sets had to be special-ordered through a Saudi distributor because supply was EU-only; landed cost for eight sets nearly doubled. Ring-gap check on the first set was in spec, so we kept going.
Assembly was slow on purpose — double-, triple-, quadruple-check — because stretch bolts are not a do-over.
In the car, left/right means driver-side convention. On the engine, left/right is as viewed from the front. Heads and parts marked L/R use engine orientation — easy to assemble wrong if you assume driver-side left.
Cylinder numbering: left bank 1–4 (front = 1), right bank 5–8 (front = 5). Look for markings like 14 / 58 on parts.
Status: engine nearly ready to install. Waiting on the main harmonic balancer 27mm bolt — expected to arrive Sep 18, 2026.
Where it stands
The long block on the stand is nearly ready to install. Waiting on the main harmonic balancer 27mm bolt (ETA Sep 18, 2026), then a few tidy-up items before it goes back in the bay. This page will get another pass after reinstall and first start.
Tracking this rebuild live — parts, vendors, statuses, and notes — happens in bmwagent.
If you run a similar project, that workflow is the productized piece. Partner / affiliate links may appear later to help keep the lab online; they will be labeled when they do.