The BMW Classic Car Club of America, Inc (the Club) is a Florida not-for-profit corporation The Club is officially recognized by BMW Group Classic (Germany) and is a member of the Classic and Type Section of the International Council of BMW Clubs It is the only official BMW club in America solely dedicated to classic BMWs
The Club’s mission is to promote the interest in, the ownership of, and preservation and restoration of classic BMWs, to encourage their use and visibility, to provide a forum for the exchange of information related to classic BMWs, and to foster social contacts among its members Membership is open to anyone with an interest in classic BMW cars The annual membership for U.S. residents is $50 per calendar year Renewal membership fees are due in January of each year Membership applications can be downloaded from our website www bmwccca com
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We
ON THE COVER:
Classic Classic BMWs on the Million Dollar Highway, a 25-mile section of U S 550 from Silverton to Ouray
Best Western Inn of the Ozarks Eureka Springs, AR www.midamerica02fest.com
Southeast Sharkfest
May 1-4, 2025
Location TBA www.bmwsharkfest.org
Our club’s 20th Anniversary Tour* n NEW DATES: October 27-30, 2025
Greer SC / Asheville, NC
Contact: Dirk de Groen ddegroen@yahoo com
Save the Date Bavaria Tour 2026
June 4-7, 2026
Oberammergau, Germany
Contact: Dirk de Groen
.........................................
* exclusive club events
Do you know of an event of interest to our members?
Please let me know and I will add it to the calendar.
Behind the Wheel
D e a r M e m b e r s ,
We l c o m e t o t h e 8 0 t h i s s u e o f y o u r c l u b ’ s n ew s l e t t e r .
S ev e ra l m e m b e r s h a v e v o l u n t e e re d t o h e l p m e w i t h f u t u re i s s u e s , a n d I t h a n k t h e m
f o r t h a t T h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t e l e m e n t , h ow ev e r , i s y o u t h e m e m b e r , s e n d i n g i n i d e a s
a n d m a t e r i a l T h a t i s w h a t ke e p s t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n a l i v e G e n e ra l i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t
c l a s s i c B M W s c a n e a s i l y b e f o u n d i n b o o k s a n d o n t h e i n t e r n e t a n d d o e s n ’ t n e e d t o
b e c ov e re d i n a c l u b p u b l i c a t i o n A c l u b i s a b o u t m e m b e r s a n d t h e i r ex p e r i e n c e s , a n d
t h i s i s s u e i s f u l l o f i t I a m n ow c o l l e c t i n g m a t e r i a l f o r t h e u p c o m i n g w i n t e r a n d s p r i n g
i s s u e s , s o p l e a s e , b r i n g i t o n !
O u r c l u b ’ s 2 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y c e l e b ra t i o n , s c h e d u l e d t o t a ke p l a c e t h i s f a l l , h a d t o b e
p o s t p o n e d u n t i l n ex t y e a r d u e t o t h e ex t e n s i v e f l o o d d a m a g e i n w e s t e r n N o r t h
C a ro l i n a S e e t h e i n f o r m a t i o n o n p a g e 7 , a n d g e t i n t o u c h w i t h m e i f y o u ’ re i n t e re s t e d
i n p a r t i c i p a t i n g
F ro m F e b r u a r y 4 - 6 , 2 0 2 5 , w e w i l l o n c e a g a i n m e e t i n C e n t ra l F l o r i d a f o r t h e a n n u a l
F
l o r i d a W i n t e r M e e t , t w o d a y s o f d r i v i n g a n d c a m a ra d e r i e , o r g a n i z e d by o u r c l u b
m e m b e r K e i t h E n n i s T h i s y e a r , w e j o i n e d t h e a i r - c o o l e d P o r s c h e G ro u p , a n d w e w i l l
d o s o a g a i n i n 2 0 2 5 R e g i s t ra t i o n w i l l o p e n v e r y s o o n , s o m a ke s u re y o u g e t y o u r
n a m e o n t h e l i s t t o re c e i v e a n i n v i t a t i o n
I h o p e y o u ’ l l e n j oy re a d i n g t h i s i s s u e . M a n y t h a n k s t o t h o s e w h o h a v e s e n t i n t h e i r
s t o r i e s !
S e e y o u d ow n t h e ro a d !
Those of you who are members of both the BMW Classic Car Club of America and the BMW Car Club of America may know me from my monthly Roundel column For those of you who are exclusively BMW Classic CCA members, allow me to introduce myself: I would consider myself to be an avid auto enthusiast. My mom tells me my first word was not “momma” or “dadda” but “car ” (sorry mom, dad) Since I was old enough to drive, I have been honing my driving skills in karts, cars and later motorcycles. I hold an SCCA national racing license and am currently the only BMW NA employee checked out to drive all the classic race cars in the collection I’m also very much into concours restoration and preservation.
I have been fortunate to have had a long (35 years so far) BMW career in both Canada and the USA, spending time in Product Strategy, Parts and Service, the Motorcycle division and the automotive sales division After many years as the Head of Product Communications for all the brands, I’m excited to share that I have accepted a newly formed position as Head of BMW Group Classic
BMW Group Cl assic USA
By Tom Plucinsky
USA BMW Group Classic is the division within BMW AG that is responsible essentially for five key areas: First, BMW Group Classic is responsible for maintaining historical BMW Group artifacts (cars, motorcycles, engines, archives etc.) and telling the historical stories of The BMW Group and the brands (BMW, MINI, BMW Motorrad and
Rolls-Royce) Second, BMW Group Classic is responsible for accrediting and promoting an international network of brand specific clubs, of which the BMW Classic CCA is an important one. Third, BMW Group Classic is in the business of authenticating, restoring and occasionally brokering important historical BMW Group vehicles Fourth, BMW Group Classic generates the bulk of its annual revenue through the sales of OEM Classic Parts for your 15+ year classic BMW. Finally, BMW Group Classic maintains and supports a worldwide network (except for the USA) of BMW Classic Dealers that specialize in the repair, maintenance and restoration of classic BMW’s.
Prior to this new position, until the end of May 2024, I was responsible for BMW Group Product Communications for BMW, MINI, BMW Motorrad, Motorsport and Classic The bulk of my (and my small team’s) time was spent on media relations for new BMW products and technologies The classic topics (which we all enjoy), we joked were our evening jobs Well, now Classic is my fulltime job and I’m thrilled to dive into it Oh, and by the way, I am still responsible for Motorsport Communications.
So, what does this all mean for you as a
member of the BMW Classic CCA? Well, it probably means that you may run into me at one of your gatherings now that I have more time to devote to the US based clubs I was planning to join the Classic CCA’s 20th Anniversary tour in October until Helene postponed our plans. I anticipate touching all BMW Group Classic topic areas I described above as they relate to the US and Canadian markets There is no doubt that the classic parts business is an area of potential growth So, it is an early focus topic Presumably, if we can grow the parts business, we generate more revenue and can invest that back into
Erik Wensberg and Larry Koch were able to amass a superb collection of BMW vehicles that tell the story of BMW’s success in North America It ’s no secret that I love these historic cars, and I think it is my passion for these cars that got me this job in the first place.
One of my early projects in the new position has been working with the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles to develop a new exhibition of the early pioneering of electromobility If you have never been, I must say that the Petersen Automotive Museum is one of the best in the world and you owe it
taking for our team with many moving parts
This year was the year of the BMW M5 with all six previous generations helping to set the stage for the new G90 M5 Sedan and highly anticipated G99 M5 Touring We had three vintage race cars running in the Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion and two cars on the show field at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance It was an exhausting 12 days but after a short vacation break, I can’t wait to get started planning for next year
Finally, I’d like to mention two projects I’m working on for next year. 2025 is both the 50th Anniversary of the BMW 3 Series and of
the market. Over the years, I have heard many positive comments about our classic parts offerings but also a few negative ones I have some history in the parts business at BMW and I hope I can make a positive impact for all of you, and at the same time, make some money for the company I will continue to be responsible for both the historic race and street car fleets that we are so fortunate to have built up over the last 30 years or so. BMW has always been a very forward-looking company, and it is incredible that a few key employees like
to yourself as a car enthusiast to visit. The exhibit we developed is called Alternating Current and features the BMW E2 concept from 1992, one of the MINI E test fleet cars from 2009, a technical display of the construction of the BMW i3 and finally the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept car that morphed into the i8 a few years later The exhibit opened at the beginning of August and runs through July 2025 Be sure to check it out if you are in LA.
My other big project early on was Monterey Car Week 2024 This was a huge under-
BMW of North America. I know some club members will be quick to point out that the 3 Series didn’t arrive in the US until 1977 so it’s not 50 years yet and you would be correct
However, the 3 Series celebration will be a worldwide one and frankly it gives us a chance to celebrate the model range twice The 50th Anniversary of BMW NA is our US story, and we plan to look back through our collective history and reflect on so many exciting milestones we as a company and as a community of enthusiasts have achieved. It should be a lot of fun
Rocky Mountains tour The
By Shawn and Chris Macha
The genesis of this year ’s club tour had its beginnings in last year ’s club tour to the Pacific Northwest. Several years ago I had told Dirk that if he ever organized a tour on the West Coast that we would love to participate So when the PNW Tour was held last August, we joined in but only for four days as we had already spent four days in Monterey for Car Week We had an incredible time and met some wonderful BMW owners, as I knew we would, and started to think about what a 2024 Tour would look like. I think it was at dinner in Eureka, California and sitting next to Jeff and Jackie Haught that we told Dirk that Sante Fe, New Mexico would make for a great starting point Jeff and Jackie live in Santa Fe and have driven many great roads in New Mexico and southern Colorado and as it is only two driving days from Southern California (thinking selfishly!) we pitched this idea to Dirk Jeff volunteered to plan a large part of the route and actually drove it in advance to help set the mileage distances. By November Jeff and Jackie had the first half planned and the Rocky Mountain Tour 2024 was becoming a reality
My wife Shawn and I left Huntington Beach at 6AM on the Fourth of July to avoid some of the heat we knew we would encounter We were driving our 1973 BMW 3 0CS coupe (hereafter just the Coupe) that we were not able to take last year due to last minute tuning of the Zenith carbs When we reached the Colorado River in Needles it was 100 degrees! And yes, our Coupe does have AC Our destination was Flagstaff, Arizona which we reached in eight hours and where it was a balmy 90 degrees. Day two brought us to Santa Fe and its lovely downtown area with historic buildings and the La Fonda Hotel, our Tour headquarters for two nights
On Saturday July 6th we left at 8:00 a m and did a quick Cars & Coffee visit in Santa Fe and then began our drive. Our route took us north on Highways 84, 96 and 550,
eventually taking us the town of Jemez Springs for lunch at the Los Ojos Restaurant & Saloon. Leaving Jemez we took Highway 4 and stopped for photos at Valles Caldera, a fourteen-mile-wide crater created 1 2 million years ago by a spectacular volcanic explosion. From there we headed back to Santa Fe. The scenery we experienced was absolutely beautiful with lots of mountain peaks, rivers, trees and wildflowers along the way
For Day 2 our destination was Angel Fire Resort and wow was it ever another beautiful day. We left at 8:00 a.m. and our fearless leader Dirk was ever so time conscious that he left without us as we were two minutes late We caught up quickly however and enjoyed some pretty winding roads
that took us to the cutest little store called Allsop’s We then headed north on Highway 38 to Red River, NM and lunch at Red River Brewing All of the roads we travelled saw little traffic but in Red River we saw the most traffic; it was as if everyone in the area had converged in one place. After a quick candy stop nearby, we headed towards Taos Pueblo which is a living Native American community and took a tour of the church, cemetery and grounds and did a little shopping and gobbled some fry bread which was amazing Many of the buildings were built between 1,000 and
1,450 AD and two of the structures here are considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the U S Heading East again we spent the night at Angel Fire Resort and had a lovely group dinner at the resort ’s country club.
We left at 8:00 a.m. the next morning with everyone sending birthday wishes to Andrew Wilson, who was driving his 3 0 CSi with his wife Cindy, and we headed West on Highway 64, driving through Taos. Shortly thereafter we had an amazing first stop to walk across the highway bridge over the Rio Grande River It was super high and
Shawn and Chris Macha
Rich Barbieri
gave Shawn the willies, but she had to do it
After this stop we had a beautiful drive through the valleys and hills of New Mexico. Whenever possible we would pass each other on the almost deserted roads to snap photos and videos of our cars We spent a fair amount of time following Frank and Denise Greppo and their 2002 with an m42 motor, it was quick! Also in the pack were Scott and Fran Hughes in their Baur Cab which was one of four Baurs on the Tour
along with Barney Toler, Terry Sayther and Debbie Stuart and of course our leaders Dirk and Alexandra. The Baurs attracted lots of attention every time we stopped, and they were the subject in many photos as well Jeff and Jackie swapped their 3 0CSi for a more reliable e39 sedan and led a good part of the drive. Eric Zagrocki was with us for parts of the trip in his newer BMW
Shortly before we reached Brazos Sum-
mit (10,528 ft ), we spotted a young deer on the side of the road so we beeped our horn hoping it would retreat Instead of it going back into the bushes it jumped across the road and was struck by Rich and Johanna Barbieri in their e30 M3. In our mirror we saw the deer do a cartwheel in the air as it hit right above their windshield! Fortunately, they just flipped the deer, and it ran off with minimal damage to their car, but you could definitely hear their hearts beating. We soldiered on and then stopped at the marina at Navajo Lake for lunch Some continued on to Durango, Colorado but as few of us headed to Wines of the San Juan Vineyard for a welcome glass of very good wine. Who knew they had good wine in New Mexico? (apparently everyone but us!) We arrived in Durango late in the afternoon and were happy to see that Mark Hall from Colorado Springs could join us in his e31.
Tuesday July 9th was a relaxed day, and we all headed to Mesa Verde National Park to see the ancient ruins and take a beauti-
ful loop drive of the Park For over 700 years the Ancestral Pueblo people built thriving communities on the mesas and in the cliffs It is also a World Heritage Site and International Dark Sky Park, and a visit is highly recommended The weather stayed warm and sunny, and we stopped and got some great pictures along the way. We met up with Bill Permar in his e30 M3 and had some wine at Four Leaves Winery in downtown Durango before heading to a yummy Italian dinner with the whole gang.
The drive on July 10th was a little different than what we usually had done We headed out of Durango towards Ouray on the Million Dollar Highway where we would grab a snack and coffee Debbie Stuart had told us how yummy the Palisades peaches were, so we had to stop at a highway fruit stand to grab peaches and some cherries. Although we had been switching off driving the Coupe, today was a day for Chris to drive The roads would be the most scenic ones on the tour, according to Dirk; the Million Dollar Highway over Red Mountain Pass (11,018 ft ) in the morning and Kebler Pass (10,007 ft ) through the Gunnison national Forest in the afternoon Dirk warned us that Kebler Pass is not a paved road, but a good road and that normal passenger cars would have no problems navigating. Indeed, it turned out to be a very easy twenty-eight mile road with lots of trees and a beautiful river running alongside the road It is usually fairly quiet but with US Hwy 50 closed due to repairs to the bridge over the Mesa Reservoir, we saw lots of traffic including large trucks! We arrived in Crested Butte, Co, another ski area, and each did our own thing for dinner
We had a restful morning and a good breakfast in Crested Butte before hitting the highway once again and driving to Colorado
Springs. We were joined by Tom and Mike Jones in their Euro e30 323i and headed out around noon The first part of the drive was to 12,126 foot Cottonwood Pass, our highest elevation so far (and even higher than the well-known Interstate 70 over the Continental Divide), and with even more windy mountain roads with lots of photo opportunities Colorado Springs was 100 degrees,
and we knew our cool mountain air was about to be a memory. However, on Friday July 12th we all headed up Pikes Peak (14,115 feet), praying that our cars would survive the steep and very winding drive up the mountain The only ones that stayed behind were Terry and Debbie since the S14 motor in their Baur Targa just wasn’t able to adapt to the high-altitude What an incredi-
ble road and the views were absolutely stunning from the peak! Mark and his wife Theresa had swapped the e31 for a gorgeous i8 These are fairly rare cars to see, and it also drew admiring glances Afterwards we met for drove through the Garden of the Gods which had some amazing rock formations formed during the Pleistocene Ice Age Our last night ’s dinner was held at
Edelweiss German Restaurant in Colorado Springs – a favorite of the classic BMW enthusiasts in Colorado – and we enjoyed great German beer and many of us had an amazing Wiener schnitzel Local members Rick Meinig, Bruce Hazard, Will Young and his charming wife Mary Kate, as well as new member Allan Bach (another Baur Targa owner!) and his wife joined us all for dinner
This was a very special group of vintage BMW owners with a passion for using their cars as they were intended and covering over 1,300 miles. We will always remember the 2024 Rocky Mountain Tour for its comradery, great roads and vistas, as well as good food and drinks, which all made for a wonderful adventure When we left Colorado Springs, we had two long nine hour driving days ahead of us. Arriving back home in Southern California, we had covered over 3,300 miles and averaged 18 5 mpg and used only two quarts of oil, not bad for a vintage BMW And I have to mention that at least half of those miles were driven by Shawn. But Andrew and Cindy, and Frank and Denise, had an even longer road ahead as they drove home in the Northeast
I think I can speak for everyone that we can’t wait to see what Dirk has planned for 2025, and beyond
Pickled & Preserved
How to properly prepare your classic BMW for storage during the winter months
By Alan Nichelson
Unlike the enjoyment we can get from vintage cars, vintage wine, and that favorite classic album, vintage gasoline can really spoil your day and be a source of frustration when it comes time to bring that classic BMW out for the season Some are fortunate enough to live in an area where they can enjoy their Bavarian masterpiece just about any time of the year. For others, the process of putting their classic car into winter hibernation is an important annual process that must be done correctly to ensure damage is not done and that it is ready to enjoy during the first motoring friendly days upcoming Preventing the gasoline in your classic from “spoiling” is an important part of this process Gasolines are made up of hundreds of different components that evaporate and degrade at different rates and temperatures. Therefore, when a gasoline starts to go bad due to age it comes in stages The first stage is the loss of the lighter components that evaporate first These “light ends” are not the higher octane bearing components of the gasoline, but are responsible for other important characteristics of a gasoline. When too many of these lighter components have evaporated, and the fuel has started to go “stale”, one might have trouble starting the engine (especially on a cold morning) and/or a “lazy ” throttle. This first stage is usually before a gasoline has degraded to the point of creating varnishes and gums that can form in the tank, fuel line and carburetors Therefore, it is also the easiest to resolve Replacing these light ends can be as simple as introducing enough “fresh” gasoline to restore/improve starting and
throttle response to an acceptable level It is important that if this is the tactic you take that you completely use up that tank of fuel and refill with 100% “fresh” gasoline as soon as you can and certainly before storing the car again. If the vehicle has a full tank of gas, then adding “fresh” may not be an option In which case completely switching out the “stale” gas might be required Completely changing out the gasoline even if it is in this first stage is an option as well.
It is after this first stage when an aging gasoline starts to create the varnishes and gums and will need to be completely replaced (along with possibly cleaning out fuel lines, tanks, carburetors, and replacing parts, gaskets, etc.). The timing of these stages all depends on the quality of gasoline, the design of the vehicle’s fuel system, and the environment
Although any gasoline can go bad, fuels that contain ethanol usually do so at a more rapid rate Most street fuels contain about 10% ethanol Side by side tests of gasolines with 10% ethanol and gasolines without any ethanol have shown more of the total
ethanol blended fuel will evaporate at temperatures typically experienced by a vehicle, and that it evaporates at a faster rate. So, in other words, ethanol blended gasoline will degrade faster and more severely than a fuel without ethanol In addition to the greater and faster evaporation that tends to build up gums, the ethanol blended fuels will have a tendency to attract water more than a gasoline without ethanol The addition of water accumulation into an aging fuel will present additional problems like rust and sludge to the normal varnishes and gums that develop as a fuel ages. Both water accumulation and evaporation will be more prevalent in older vehicles that often have vented fuel systems Since ethanol is hygroscopic, meaning that it will absorb water out of the air, a vented fuel system is of greater concern in areas of high humidity Also, gasoline (with or without ethanol) cannot hold as much water in suspension as the temperature goes down This will cause the water in the gasoline to fall out of solution, collect at the bottom of the tank or float bowls, and cause rust and corrosion
This is something to consider when preparing a car for hibernation and what conditions it will be exposed to.
This leads to the question of how to prevent gasoline in your fuel tank from aging during storage A popular method is to use a commercially available fuel stabilizer from your local hardware or auto parts store This
can be an effective method depending on the exact aging issue you might be facing However, like many of the “too good to be true” additives sold at your local auto parts store, fuel stabilizers can be hit and miss with the “misses” sometimes being worse than if you did nothing to start with Many of these stabilizers work by creating a barrier, or cap, that rests on top of the gasoline to prevent the light ends from evaporating off. After you pour this type of stabilizer into your fuel tank it settles at the top. Once the gasoline in the tank gets agitated by driving it gets mixed back into the gasoline to get burned off When used at the recommended ratio it burns along with the gasoline without any issues normally.
Combating water accumulation in the fuel tank as a vehicle is stored can be much more difficult The barrier that a fuel stabilizer forms on top of the gasoline in the tank can help slow/prevent any ethanol in the fuel from absorbing moisture out of the air. However, it will not prevent condensation from forming inside the tank (more of an issue with vented systems) and thus introducing water into the gasoline. Some of the stabilizers claim the ability to increase the gasoline’s ability to hold water in solution/suspension This may be partially true with some of them, however the best way to combat this water accumulation is to put the vehicle into storage with a full tank as that reduces the area where condensation can accumulate, and if possible, use a
Ethanol free gasoline is readily available in some parts o called “clear ” ational” gaso intended to b ational vehic driven on pu fuel is not str areas Also, s gasoline man free gasoline term storage often found i aged in pints ware store, b your local sp jobber in larg aging Somet are called “Sm cause they ar cations like s chainsaws, a that are often periods of tim the gasoline with two stro cations there using this wh gasolines are much more h ponents as w gent and add packages tha hance the “sh
life” of the gasoline and make the fuel easier on the fuel system (gaskets, O-rings, etc.).
Some of these specialty gasolines are very effective and can protect your vehicle’s fuel system for years at a time as opposed to just months that some of the additives provide protection for. They are often higher in octane than a regular street fuel as well in case the application requires a higher octane fuel once it is started back up Whichever tactic you take to help protect your vehicle during storage it is important that you are aware of what could be happening to the gasoline in the tank. The length of time the vehicle will be stored, your fuel and
gasoline without ethanol.
F o r m y F a t h e r
Sib ylle B arrasso ’ s emotional reunion with her father’s 5 02
The call for “rags down” at the 2022 Legends of the Autobahn East show turned everyone’s attention to the judges. Few noticed the woman being escorted up the golf course fairway toward the assembled cars Sibylle Barrasso, led by Paul’s son Brian, was anxious She had flown to Hilton Head Island from the Boston area to see her father ’s newly restored 1956 BMW 502 This was a car she last saw fifteen years ago, when it sat rusting and in pieces in her parents’ Oregon yard
By Jon van Woerden
Sibylle had a lot of memories of the old 502 – from her childhood in Germany to immigrating to America and riding in it across the US, and then riding in it in 1969 when it was engulfed in a flash flood in Santa Barbara, CA and threw a rod Coming within view of the 502, Sibylle was filled with emotion. “I had never seen the car look so great. It is perfect with the chrome and the original color ”
The 502’s First Showing
This was the 502’s debut show Paul and Jayne Queck bought the car in 2009 from Sibylle’s parents, Achilles and Hildegard Friedrich, and promised to restore it A year later, Achilles passed away The project was completed only a month before the 2022 Legends of the Autobahn East show at Hilton Head Island and the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance Show novices, Paul, Jayne and their family were surprised and delighted when their 502 was awarded first place in the BMW Vintage Class, BMW Best of Marque and Best of Show judged through all the Legend marques. When the call was made for the family to have their
photo taken with the 502 after the Legends show, Sibylle was invited to join them
The following day, at Sunday ’s 2022 Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance, the 502 was awarded a Palmetto Award and the People’s Choice Award The Concours was an amazing family affair with Paul and Jayne’s two sons, daughter, son-in-law, two granddaughters and Paul’s brother and extended family – along with Sibylle – in attendance They would all watch as Wayne Carini presented the People’s Choice Award to Paul and Jayne
Sibylle was really glad she attended the shows. “I really wanted to see the car,” she says, “but I also went for my father and his
Family vacation in France in 1958 with the 502. Sibylle and her mother Hildegard.
memories He would have wanted me to go ” Sibylle also enjoyed meeting the Queck family felt very blessed to spend time with them and many people she met at the shows. “Car enthu asts are really special people,” observed Sibylle “They are very unique with a great sense of beauty and tradition ” She says the events totally surpassed anything she could have expected. In honor of her father, she kissed the 502, something tennis winners do to their trophies
Achilles’ Amazing Life Story
After the shows’ events, Sibylle took time to relate the full story of Achilles Friedrich’s life, beginning with his time in the German Navy during World War II and being captured by the
Paul Queck showing Sibylle the restored 502.
His knowledge of English and mechanical skills working on US war projects in the POW camp helped get him through the war. He learned Russian, and had no bitterness –but his release from the POW camp was like his second birthday
After the war Achilles returned to Berlin and began his typography business working for newspapers in Berlin and eventually getting a contract with the Patent Office He also began rallying and racing in Germany with a 1956 Opel Kapitan at Berlin’s famous AVUS track. In 1958 he bought a 1956 BMW 502 to race and rally. It was also the family ’s daily driver
Assisted by Alex von Falkenhausen, who managed BMW’s race shop in the 1950s, Achilles won his class at Frankfurt ’s Gordon Bennett Race in 1959. (This and other awards remain on display with the car)
Sibylle also saw the aftermath of her father ’s spinout on the Nürburgring
With the Berlin Wall going up in 1961, and Achilles’ printing business only blocks from the Wall, he and his wife decided to immigrate to the United States Sibylle remembers viewing the John F Kennedy Berlin
This is how Sibylle last saw her father 's 502 in 2009.
Rachel and Gabi Stoor in their grandfather Paul Queck’s 502
speech in 1963 from a perch on an electrical box, and waving to JFK The family immigrated to the US in 1965, taking the motor ship MS Berlin from Bremerhaven to New York, with the 502 in the hold. The family ’s furniture and typesetting equipment went on a slow boat to Los Angeles
“ N ew Yo
It was in 1969 when Hildegard was driving Sibylle to school that she drove the 502 into a flash flood on Salsipuedes Street in Santa Barbara, and threw a rod The Spanish phrase salsipuedes means “get out if you can” or “leave if you can ” It is often used to describe rough terrain, go figure. With no local BMW mechanics to repair the 502, the flash flood marked the last time the car would run until its restoration by Paul Queck Achilles and Hildegard retired in 1993 They moved to rural Oregon trailering their BMW 502 with them. Achilles built a garage with a pit. He always intended to restore the BMW, but just couldn’t get the
parts he needed, and the car sunk into ruin
It was Sibylle’s cousin, Theodor Friedrich, who met Paul Queck at an agricultural writers’ convention in Fort Worth, Texas. During their conversation the talk turned to F1 and BMW and that ’s when Theodor spoke of his 85 year-old uncle and the 502 rusting into junk Paul made a few phone calls and eventually went to see Achilles and the old racecar. Taken by the car and its story, he bought the rusted 502 in 2009
When Paul received an invitation to show the freshly restored 502 at the 2022 Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance, he invited Sibylle to join the Queck family for the show, be reunited with her father ’s car, and share in its restored glory
A Forty Year Rolling Restoration
By Ray King
A story of a very rare, legally imported 2002 Alpina
At Mid-America 02Fest in 2023, Terry Sayther gave me and my car an award for “Enthusiasm and Dedication to a 40-year Rolling Restoration” , or words to that effect I guess I never thought of it that way It was always rolling, it was my daily driver for many years, but only in the last five years or so has it approached restoration Quite a bit is still original, but lots of pieces are not The words “originality ” and “collectability ” were not in my vocabulary forty, or even twenty years ago. It looks pretty nice thanks to recent paint and body work, but it is driven regularly
smog police Alpina left the EPA sticker in the engine compartment that proclaimed its legality and cleanliness, so that helped. This may have been the only Alpina-built new street-legal 2002 shipped to the US in 1970 or ever Some cars were shipped to Canada and eventually made their way into the US
BMW delivered a 1971 US-spec chassis number 1676010 to Alpina in July 1970. Over the next two months it got the full Alpina treatment: 5-speed close-ratio transmission, A3-Export two-liter 160 DIN HP engine, Weber 45DCOE carburetors, heavy duty suspension, ventilated front discs, front and rear adjustable sway bars, quick-ratio steering, reinforced trailing arms, and Alpina 5.5 x 13 steel wheels Other goodies included the Alpina tachometer, extra gauges, rally seats, and the Alpina wooden steering wheel by Momo. The A3 Export engine was the most powerful street engine on the Alpina price list
The car was shipped to the port of Miami in September 1970 It had been ordered by a Pan-Am pilot with connections at the port, so it probably escaped serious scrutiny by the
2002 with some Alpina bits, a sunroof, no rally seats and no engine and transmission. I can't say I jumped on it right away, but it didn't take me long to decide I would rather fix up that car than the one I was driving Eventually Carlos and I made a deal and swapped the motor, transmission, and seats from the Euro car to the Alpina.
Over the next few years I made upgrades
In 1981, I was working in Hialeah, Florida, and driving a Euro 2002 with a “built” engine with 40DCOE Webers, a hot cam, HD suspension, and a loud exhaust It had a ratty interior and a fair amount of rust, and my intention was to freshen it up to be my fun and rally car My daily driver was a Honda Prelude. I had owned BMWs since 1967, having traded a troublesome Alfa Romeo for a BMW 1600-2 the day after I got out of the Army I had also owned a new 2002 and a new Bavaria, and several other 02s and senior sixes, so I was pretty addicted to the marque.
The Euro 2002 needed some work, and I had heard about an independent shop a few blocks away from my job called Blau mit Weiss Haus The proprietor was Carlos Perez When I took my car there, I noticed a ratty
when time, money, and opportunity permitted. Paint and body work was the first priority I wanted a 5-speed transmission, but, since by this time it would be my daily driver, I didn't want the dogleg box I had driven a car with one and didn't care for the shift pattern and gear ratios. I ordered a kit from Rick
Haner that included an E21 overdrive 5speed and a shortened driveshaft. I found a set of E21 Recaros in the Roundel classifieds for $150 Imagine paying that price today!
Somewhere in this sequence was an aftermarket Clardy AC system My mechanical expertise at the time did not go much beyond oil changes, so most of the mechanical work was done by Carlos and his mechanic, Mark Hendricks
The first BMWCCA Oktoberfest for this car was 1984 at Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts, with a track day at Lime Rock. I ran part of the day with racing fuel purchased at the track At the end of the day was the only time I can recall my exhaust having that chocolate brown color you are supposed to see when the mixture is right. Some Florida events included track time at Palm Beach International Raceway, later known as Moroso, and several events at Sebring over the years In 1987 we went to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the track event at Hallett Motor Speedway
Knowing the lines around Hallett became useful a year later when I was part of a team running the One Lap of America in a 454powered S10 Blazer We ran the track at night ) With its taut suspension and power, this car is a blast to drive fast on a twisty circuit. I got a lot of track time as a student and later as an instructor, and also autocrossed the car occasionally, but my favorite automotive competition is the TSD (time-speed-distance) rally At the Tulsa O'Fest my navigator and I won first place in the non-equipped class. The first prize was a Passport radar detector, a custom-made unit with a BMW Motorsport emblem embedded on the back Best trophy ever!
The 1992 O'Fest was in West Palm Beach, Florida. I entered the concours, but didn't do well because the engine compartment was a tad grubby No “display only ” class in those days No matter, this car is a driver, not a garage queen The most significant moment for me was when I saw an ad on the hospi-
tality suite bulletin board on what looked like a copy of a window sticker Someone had checked off the items that were for sale: “BMW-ALPINA special engine,160 DIN HP (no carbs or exhaust), Becker stereo, 2 Alpina rally seats” and a notation “#1676010, first dibs to current owner ” I blinked, and it dawned on me...that's my car! There was no contact information, but it could only have been posted by Carlos Perez
I hunted him down, and we discussed it I probably told him I would have to think about it Just a few months earlier I had purchased an airplane I could barely afford, and there was no surplus cash in the bank.
Originality and collectability were still not a concern My main concerns, other than money, was the streetabiliy of the engine and not having a place to store it. I was really happy with what I had, and the original engine, at 160 HP DIN, or about 180 HP SAE, might be a bit lumpy or cantankerous for daily street use I was likely wrong about that, but soon I will know Wait right there
My friend Eddie Hardman, BMW CCA
member #41, had called my car a bit of a mutt,” although he did say it was the fastest 2002 he had ever driven. By this time, a few years after the '92 O'Fest, I decided I should follow up with Carlos to see if the original engine was still available So I called his shop, now located in South Miami, and left a message. I got no response, so I thought I was probably too late. Still, over the years, decades, I would call now and then, but no luck
In 2016, the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the 02 series, BMW was planning a display at their pavilion at the Amelia Island Concours. They were looking for about 10 cars to put on display on the Cars & Coffee day I applied with my car and it was accepted I ended up parking next to the factory Alpina race car! It was interesting to see a few similarities between the race car and my street car At this event I was extremely fortunate to meet Dirk de Groen, who displayed his 2002 Baur cabriolet and his 2002 voll-cabriolet We talked cars for a while and then, since he lived in Coral
Gables, I asked him if he knew Carlos He said, “I see him nearly every day His shop is about a block from mine.” I gave him my card and asked him to implore Carlos to call me
Carlos didn't call, but I got an email Thus began a very slow-motion exchange of emails and rare phone calls. Later in 2016, I turned my Recaros over to a long-time friend and SCCA member who upholsters car interiors I had purchased some replica Alpina fabric, not exactly period correct, but it was the style I preferred, black with blue and green stripes. In January 2017, she had them ready. I emailed Carlos and suggested it would be a good time to finalize the deal Previously I had learned that he had a container with 20-plus engine blocks stolen for scrap metal, but was hoping “my ” block was not one of them. A few days later he sent a picture of the cylinder head and a note that he had an inventory card that showed the location of the block in his incredibly crowded storeroom He sent a photo of the inventory card. There was still hope. He also sent a pic-
ture of one of the original pistons, but they were not usable.
In 2021 the car went to a small, independent body shop who had done great work on a friend's Neue Klasse car and a couple of 2002s The paint work done in the '80s had held up well, but the rust in the area of the sunroof drains was getting pretty bad. They did a great job on my car Now it was time for the engine
When Carlos determined that the block was still in his possession, he still had to clear a path through the labyrinth to retrieve t. In 2021 we finally began to negotiate a price In April 2022, he invited me to come to South Miami to pick up the block, head, camshaft, connecting rods, and a sample piston. I made a day trip to South Miami and oaded up my truck.
I had spoken to my favorite local independent BMW shop, who were very knowledgeable about vintage BMWs, but it became apparent that they were too busy to undertake the rebuild. I had heard that Jeff Chang in Georgia was a wizard with M10 engines, and I had recommended him to a friend with a 2002tii with a chronic running
problem He did a masterful job, and I had the opportunity to meet him personally when he came to pick up my friend's car.
In January 2024, I was finally in a position to get the engine done I loaded the block and other bits and delivered them to Jeff He kept me well-informed as to the progress of machining the head and sourcing the custom Ross pistons, including lots of pictures and videos The machine shop has a boring machine that bores and hones the cylinders in one operation We had the cylinders bored 1 mm over. An interesting exchange happened when the machine shop put the crank on their balance machine The tech said, “I can't do anything with this crank It's already too good, beyond NASCAR or Top Fuel dragster specs.” Alpina does nice work. The original matching-numbers Alpina engine with 45DCOE carburetors and an aluminum flywheel are being installed in the car while I am writing this, and I can't wait to see if it's streetable!
My 2002 Alpina will be on display in 2025 at the BMW CCA Foundation’s Ultimate Driving Museum in Greer, SC as part of the “Alpina: 60 Years of Excellence” exhibition
Road Trip to the C asc ade Mountains
By Andrew Kolb
It is Monday morning, August 12, 2024, and my brother Tom, who is visiting from San Diego, and I are ready for a one day road trip in the Cascade Mountain Range, east / southeast of Seattle We take both my two classic BMWs: the 1985 M653CSi with 79K+ miles, and the 1982 Euro spec 5-speed RHD 528i with 169K+ miles shown on a nonfunctioning odometer. The M635CSi does not need much introduction as to its driving characteristics All I will say is that the high RPM howl is impressive Having said that, driving the RHD 528i is a different sort of unique fun Tom takes the wheel of the M635CSi, while I take the 528i
We leave Seattle, heading east on US Route 2. We quickly leave civilization behind as we head up the western side of Stevens Pass (elevation 4,061 ft ) It is cool and overcast as we make the morning climb, and alas the pass is foggy when we arrive at the top We head down the eastern side of the pass to the Bavarian inspired town Leavenworth Alpine-style buildings with restaurants serving German beer and food We have a bockwurst with mustard for lunch.
I urge Tom to get spirited with the M635CSi and leave me behind as we drive the next leg He can wait for me at the next pass Leaving Leavenworth, we quickly come to US Route 97, leading to Blewett Pass (elevation 4,102 ft ) The unobstructed and curvaceous run climbing to the pass is one of my favorite roads. Tom is waiting for me at the summit, and we continue south on Route 97 to Ellensburg. The mountains turn to foothills, meadows and then farmland
After an afternoon milk shake treat in Ellensburg, we take I-90 east for a few miles and quickly make our way to Washington State Route 821 and go south through Yakima Canyon Route 821 follows the river closely and is nothing but curves, an enjoyable and picturesque drive. Again, Tom waits for me at the exit of the canyon. We take I-82 a few miles to U.S. Route 12 going west out of Yakima As we leave Yakima behind, farmland turns again to foothills We continue on Washington State Route 410 west for the beautiful climb to Chinook Pass (elevation 5,430 ft ) on the shoulder of Mount Rainier.
Route 410 drops steeply down the western flank of Chinook Pass via a series of serious switchbacks The highway quickly picks up the White River, and we follow the river and its canyon to Enumclaw and Washington State Route 169, which leads us back to Seattle, just before dark
Both the M635CSi and the 528i love to be driven at high RPMs on the curvy roads, going up and down the mountain passes. A flawless 335 miles / 10 hours road trip in the Cascade Mountains.
Fraternal twins Andrew and Tom Kolb at Blewett Pass.
Leavenworth; Bavarian vibe in the Cascades.
Building a 5 0 7 R e p l ic a Episode Four: In Color
BY DAVE MOLNAR
For all of us who have been down the car restoration highway and approached the exit ramp for “Paint”, it seems there was always a detour, dead end, or an unexpected U-turn that takes us by surprise. Discussions of having a car painted usually result in the phrase “paint purgatory ” since that’s what it feels like when your car is trapped in a shop with nothing getting done and invoices that still need to be paid showing up. Yet when you visit the shop to see this progress, the car is usually in the same spot with more dust accumulated on top of it and the shop owner seems too busy to discuss anything other than how busy he is. This is usually where projects stall or get sold off due to lack of interest Fortunately for me, I’m the shop owner, painter, and customer all rolled up into one orange-peel sandwich. Jack of all trades, master of none. Although not my first paint job, this is the first time I have used rollers and brushes As you can probably tell by that comment and my other episodes in this build, I have a rather unique sense of humor which is needed in this hobby. You can drive yourself crazy with small details and seriousness. The paint process is one of them
The stages of bodywork on my 507R were bare metal, epoxy primer, then high build primer followed by several rounds of block sanding Due to the 3D printed plastic front and side grilles being slightly different in size than the final shaped metal parts, some slight massaging of those areas were needed Inspecting a 507 up close reveals very minor details that are not overly noticeable if
you don’t know what you are looking at The parts I had formed were bare metal and not chromed so adjusting the part to fit the opening was the best way to get them to fit However, the front grilles required some additional bodywork to fit correctly Then the obsession starts Hours of block sanding If you don’t know what block sanding is, take a moment and watch a video of it on your favorite social media platform Basically, you
are taking foam blocks of all shapes and sizes with various grits of sandpaper stuck to it and sanding the panels in a crosshatch pattern I begin with 120 grit, then 180, then 220, 320, 400, and final sanded with 400 wet. Each level of block sanding gets the panel more and more flat and takes out the deeper scratches But how many panels are “flat” on a 507? Good question NONE! Curved panels are a little more challenging to get smooth. I use a graphite powder and coat the panel Sanding makes the dust go away but remain in any low areas which shows you where you need to do more bodywork This is known as a guide coat. Why? Since it guides you to all of your lousy bodywork. It’s a long process How long? I think I have about six-hundred hours of sanding into this car and that’s really just a guess I’m usually a low estimator of things. Just ask my wife. That conversation goes something like this. Kelly: “How long do you think the new flowers gardens will take you to build?” Me: “Maybe a day ” Kelly: “OK, so two weeks?” Me: “Um, Yes ”
This is where the obsession part comes in. Just when you think you’re done sanding, you
see something that catches your eye, then something else, then you run your hand across the defect and feel yet something else UGH!!! I’ve worked waves and low spots for hours only to make them worse I then proceed to the house, defeated, with all the negative thoughts running through my head such as did I decided to build this, how did I even think I had the talent to undertake this size of a project, and what’s the phone number for the scrap metal guy? Will the trash guys take this on Wednesday if I leave it on the curb? But with a good night’s sleep, the next morning I go back out with a fresh mind and a few swipes of the sanding block, and the issue is fixed The final stage of this insanity is going over the car with a flashlight and a pencil and circling any imperfections I may see Initially it seemed as if it was going to be easier for me to circle what didn’t need fixing since the whole car turned into one big circle No matter, it all got fixed and it was finally time to go head down to the paint shop and pick up the color.
I went there with a buddy of mine since he
was curious why paint jobs were so expensive For those of you not in the United States, we have a universal phone number to call for help when it’s life threatening It’s 9-1-
1 I told my friend that I was going to dial the first two digits and after he sees the price quote and I hear the thud of his lifeless body hitting the floor, I’ll dial the other -1 Several
hours later after he awoke from the coma, I informed him that the price he heard was only for the color and not the clear/reducers/hardeners/cleaners And let’s not forget all of the primers, sanding paper, filler, and other supplies to get to this point. Remember too that no labor has been paid for yet since it’s all done by me and I’m free and cheap
That didn’t sound right, but you know what I mean Remember that saying “Paint Purgatory ”? Now you see why!
Paint day is kind of like the Super Bowl of car restoration. The buildup of excitement to see the car in its final color is like sitting on the couch with a bag of chips watching your team take the field The pregame show is the preparation for the paint the day before while you mask of everything and set things up to start the next day. Funny thing about paint Nobody cares about the fabrication, the small details, what you went through to get to this point, the hours spent researching, designing, brain storming But if there is one flaw in the paint that’s all that they see. It’s kind of like my job being an airline pilot. I can leave on time, have a nice smooth flight, and
arrive early But if that landing is anything but perfect, “Oh, this was the worst flight ever! Thanks Captain Kangaroo What happened with that landing? Were you shot down? Way to screw up my trip! I’ll never fly this airline again!!!” So it begs the question for all of the non-painters out there What could go wrong? Here’s a list: contaminants, solvent pop, orange peel, drips, runs, sags, curtains, bugs, debris, dust, craters, ridges. Physically, painting is exhausting. You know the beer drinking contests at the Hofbrauhaus? The one where you hold the oversized stein up and see who can hold it the longest before it falls out of your hand? Imagine that being a full paint gun which needs to be held at the exact distance from the panel with each pass across curves and straight areas as you walk
the entire length of the car Then the process becomes more like a Yoga routine As you get lower to the rocker areas, you’re spreading your feet and legs apart walking the length of the car and holding the gun perpendicular to the panel at the exact distance for an even spray of color It’s like you’re playing the game Limbo trying to get lower and lower while maintaining the distance and orientation of the gun to the car. What if you don’t? Tiger stripes in metallic colors, improper coverage with streaks, fades, shadows, and dark and light spots White is like a magnifying glass showing contaminants that would otherwise be masked by a darker color. Why am I doing this again?
Vince Lombardi said it best, “Perfection is not attainable But if we chase perfection, we
can catch excellence ” I’ve yet to have the perfect paint job and probably never will I’m extremely happy and overflowing with pride with how my Federweiss 507R appears after the clear has cured. A few small runs and some dust nubs in the top coat that will easily sand out No major issues and the whole process went well It’s like Christmas morning unmasking the car and seeing the final result staring back at me. The paint process was done in stages across the span of a week. The undercarriage was first followed by the trunk, engine bay, then interior The exterior was the last part of the car to paint Sometimes you have to just stop and stare at your work and appreciate what you’ve done since we sometimes just get wrapped up in “what’s next” Speaking of that, enough staring Time
to put parts back on! But before that the car gets wet sanded and the paint buffed out which will take care of those minor imperfections and leave a soft, smooth, brilliant shine
I’m glad I put some miles on the car, and it was running and driving before the final paint was done. I had several things I modified for appearance or function and these required changes on the body The heater control bezel mounting was changed which allows for easier access underneath the dash for attachment of the control cables I moved the shifter back six inches to be in the correct spot which required a new hole and of course, a new tail shaft It was too far forward for my liking I rearranged my door window regulators allowing the door panel to correctly match the original’s arm rest and storage pocket configuration. A few engine improvements, brake line routing and other minor things help improve the entire final look A few of the side projects were making a new steering wheel and modifying my faux knock-off wheel spinner mounts. Speaking of the wheels, I had them powder coated chrome and will paint the center portion body color in the weeks to come My car has a folding soft top and a removeable hardtop The hardtop will be the last thing I do (paint and upholstery for it) after the entire car is done
The first step in reassembly is routing a new wiring harness. The new harness is identical to the old one, but it is cloth covered which looks more correct I routed the harness differently than the first time and it has a more organized look to it If you read Dr Karlheinz Lange’s book, “The Legendary BMW 507”, he describes the running changes in the 507 through the years as it was in production That’s sort of what I did with my replica along the way Seeing something that needed improvement resulted in a fix or alteration
All of the parts on the shelf are now going back on the car and it’s taking shape. It’s fun, exciting, and scary putting parts on a freshly painted car There’s no more thinking, “Oh, I’ll fix that later ” when I pile tools on the fender or lightly scratch something. I feel like a doctor above a patient with towels laying all around, rubber gloves on, and very soft/clean clothing on while I’m leaning over any panels of my creation Cleanliness is paramount In conclusion, I’m halfway through the reassembly as I write this. The wiring, drivetrain, and door mechanics are installed and up next will be the dash, windshield, and then it’s onto upholstery The next article will be the final episode in my Ultimate Driving Replica saga. Hey, that could be a title to a book! Maybe I’ll just stick to flying planes. Stay tuned, more to come Auf Wiedersehen!
Restoration of a 2002
By Jean-Paul Lips and daughter S arah Lips
The ver y fir st 2 002 engine becomes the beating heart of a freshly restored car
In the spring 2024 issue of this publication, I wrote about the discovery and resurrection of the M10 engine that was installed in the first 2002 with VIN 1660001 My goal was always to enjoy that famous engine on the road again. The existence of that first 2002, eloquently described by David E. Davis Jr in the April 1968 version of Car and Driver, is unknown Therefore the only realistic alternative is that our family-owned 2002 with VIN 1670291 would become the receiving car of that first 2002 engine Information from BMW Archive clarified that VIN 1670291 was manufactured on December 1, 1969, painted in BMW code 023 (Granada Red), and delivered to Hoffman Imports on December 3, 1969 This early 2002 model is classified as a "second series" model, one of the 6380 2002's produced in 1969. The second series refers to the changeover that BMW implemented for the 2002 production line after VIN 1664761 when the long neck differential was swapped for a short neck, the diaphragm spring clutch was replaced, additional speed on the heater by adding a third stage plus some other minor modifications to comply with DOT regulations.
Little is known of the history of this early 2002 other than information from the previous title, which confirms it drove around in North Texas during the 1980s
That was initially a relief because the warm and dry Texas climate is generally favorable for a 50-year-old car With high spirits like a kid on the last day of school before the summer holiday, we kicked off the resurrection project of our early 2002
Fast forward our journey by a year, and we learned that rust repairs on 2002s are an adventure, especially with a "search-and-you-will-find" attitude. I can't say that I was not warned about potential tin worm damage on 55-year-old German steel because Mike Self generously shared his extensive knowledge on hidden rust spots during several tech sessions at MidAmerica 02Fest. Mike recommended searching beyond the usual suspects, such as the rockers and floor pans; he specifically pointed out that the rear wheel well areas should not be overlooked for structural reasons Mike was right
Joining us on this journey is Robert Clark, an expert in vintage metalwork Introduced by a mutual friend, our subsequent visit to his vintage metal workshop on the outskirts of Houston was a revelation You rarely see an English wheel, planishing hammers to stretch or smooth metal plus a good old-fashioned anvil in one place Robert's reputation precedes him; for example, when Billy Carlton from the popular Discovery Channel series Texas Metal runs into a serious challenge that requires delicate metal repairs, he trusts Robert to do the job. After a thorough inspection, visible rust was detected on the underside of the rockers, floor pans, and rear wheel arch areas The rear trunk panel had a lot of small dents; it appeared as if it had been hit by a shotgun As an extra bonus, the previous owner welded plates over the indentions of the rear bumper and lower valance as part of a failed hot-rod conversion When you pay for labor, you must be conscious of time; Robert recommended it would be far more effective to replace the rear panel versus a couple of days of hammering out dents Luckily, I had a NOS BMW roundie rear panel, sourced from Germany a decade ago. I knew it would be handy one day.
Once the rear panel was cut out, tin worm infestation towards the rear wheel arches was evident in the trunk panel For a 2002 that spent most of its life in the warm and dry Texas climate, it was an unpleasant surprise to find such an amount of corrosion around the gas tank, rear panel, and wheel arches It makes you wonder about the rust protection efforts of BMW in 1969 On the other hand, and in fairness to BMW, they could never imagine that the 2002 would have such a cult car following over half a century later. Once Robert addressed these issues, the BMW replacement panel was welded back in place
In pursuit of all detectable rust, Robert grinded the areas around wheel arches to bare metal, exposing it all. Cutting those sections around the rear side panel and rocker sills showed advanced corrosion that raised structural concerns for the rear axle area
Salvageable metal was repaired, and other pieces were fabricated in Robert’s shop and customized for
each exposed area, as close to original as possible.
As expected from a 55-year-old 2002 rocker, the sills and floor pans are rusty, even if there is no indication from a 3-foot distance The fun starts when you remove the factory tar coating on the floor and scrape around the jack-up points, and needless to say, 1670291 was no exception
When you want to buy a 2002 and watch popular sites like Bring-A-Trailer or even eBay and a seller advertises a rust-free 2002, I will be suspicious and ask for lots of pictures from the areas described in this article.
Luckily for us, the passionate 02 owners, not all rustaffected areas require custom-made panels They are available thanks to companies like Walloth & Nesch, which offer German-quality replacement panels with excellent international shipping service. When you commit to a resurrection process and dedicate your time and resources to searching for rust, do not overlook the area under the panel that supports the rear seat It turned out to be a popular hiding place for tin worms
After an extensive quest where every rust spot was removed and repaired, the following phase was to prepare for the paint job. This is where you, unfortunately, lose your mobility and need an empty garage to remove and store the engine, transmission, all glass, doors, hood, and trunk Each panel on the 2002 was carefully inspected, especially where welding took place, and prepared with premium 3M body filler. A tremendous amount of hours of sanding is required to rediscover those perfect factory lines before the shell is ready for 2K primer
For future driving pleasure, the floor panels received a layer of a commercial-grade liquid sound dampener to reduce noise and vibration and, hopefully, a long-lasting seal from moisture
Going through such a thorough resurrection process for the first time makes you appreciate the professionally restored 2002's sold at auctions. The sheer amount of time, energy, and money makes you wonder what your state of mind was when you initially purchased the car However, every tunnel has a light at the end, and for us, it resulted from the paint job I
knew Granada was red but never imagined the depth and brilliance of BMW paint code 023 It was gorgeous when we rolled the 2002 in the Texas sunlight
After paint and curing, you can finally install those previously restored parts when everything is clean and without grease, oil, dirt, or a combination of all three. Re-assembly is equally time-consuming compared to rust repair and paint prep but much more satisfactory For example, it is hard to describe the joy of assembling powder-coated subframes against the Granada red floor pans. All of a sudden, all those previous efforts were easily forgotten when you rebuilt the complete drivetrain with yellow zinc bolts and fresh powder-coated trailing arms, springs, and new conifer brake lines donated as door prizes at MidAmerica02Fest; thank you, generous sponsors. As an added benefit after installing new suspension parts, tie-rods, wheel bearings, fresh rubber bushings, brake parts, and shock absorbers, it makes our 2002 mobile again and free to move around in the garage
The next stage was the interior refurbishment, which included a new headliner, new door and window seals, new door cards, a professionally refurbished original 3-piece dashboard, and let’s not forget, a freshly flogged glove box An interior refresh is not complete without an Etsy salt and pepper carpet set and red-dotted coco mats to supplement those early black seats.
After installation of engine #1 in the shiny Granada red engine bay, the intake manifold, exhaust, and cooling components are following phase All original hardware above the wheels received a clear zinc refinish to simulate that fresh look when it rolled off the production line on 27 November 1967.
The story of the discovery and refreshing of M10 with VIN1660001 is well documented now, and the goal remains the same: reassembly with as many original, refreshed parts as possible from an early 2002 with VIN1670291. Together with help from my family, we are achieving that goal We will keep you posted on the first driving experience when this neat two-door sedan comes alive again
BMW CSL Alpina Gösser Beer
Tribute
My 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL “Batmobile” tribute car was built around 2005 ago by Rolf Humberg of Burlington, Vermont Rolf ran it for many years at Watkins Glen until my purchase in 2019 Since then the car has undergone continuous improvement while trying to stay period correct. This has been due in no small part to the engineering skills of my son Bill and his friend Franz Diebold
Owning a race prepared CSL has been a long term goal since I saw them win the Sebring 12 hour race in 1975 The stewardship purchase of this CSL tribute is more than I could have ever hoped for. With over 300
rear wheel HP and a curb weight of 2500 pounds, this car performs as well as the historic 1975 Group 4 factory prepared BMW CSL models did in the USA IMSA series
The car is a joy to drive at Watkins Glen, Lime Rock and Club Motorsports which I anticipate doing for many more years. It is now strictly used in HPDE track days with BMW CCA and other clubs, which is a lot safer option at my advanced age than true vintage racing - Sandy Washburn
For more information about the build of the car and the subsequent modifications, visit the e9Coupe com forum and search for Washburn.
1965 BMW 1800 TI Alpina B en Miller, 2 002A D
Alpina initially started out offering BMW Neue Klasse drivers a tuning kit consisting of two two-barrel Weber carburetors to replace the single Solex carburetor on the Neue Klasse cars This added a significant performance improvement to the regular cars, but not so much to the 1800 TIs, which were already equipped with two two-barrel Solex carburetors Bovensiepen therefore launched his very own balanced combination of road and race car, in the form of the 1800 TI Z. It had a ported-and-polished cylinder head, 44 mm intake valves, revised intake manifolds, increased compression
ratio, Alpina air box, Koni shock absorbers, performance tires, a taller rear end, performance brake pads, Alpina dash tach, bucket seats, performance steering wheel, and metal Alpina badges which included the recommendation to attach these particular pieces of advertising to the car 's rear and valve cover. Alpina claimed the output to be 130 HP / 151 Nm torque, a top speed of 185 kph and an acceleration of 10 seconds from 0 to 100 kph, on par with the 1800 TI/SA
This 1800 TI Alpina was purchased from a local customer seven years ago, after we had worked on it for him periodically It was partia complete, and I spent severa years collecting the few miss ing Alpina parts and restorin the car. This is the first year I've shown it at Legends of the Autobahn and the San Marino Motor Classic
Rebuilding Baur 3590252
I started working on the Baur 3590252 (manufacture date Feb 1974) in the Spring of 2017 I bought into a space shared by Rick Meinig and Arthur Porter in Colorado Springs a few years before and was working on motorcycles and helped Rick with the rebuild of TISA number 49. I had recently retired from orthopedic surgery and was looking for a ground up car project I wanted to do a vehicle which was unusual and I had some knowledge of the Neue Klasse BMWs after working on the TISA
The Baur came to me through Carl Nelson in San Diego, who shipped me the body and subframe along with some of the seating, glass and soft top frame He also sent me a donor 2002 body to help replace missing fenders and such on the Baur, and an M10 block and 4 speed transmission. Within a couple of weeks I had the body media blasted and epoxy primed to avoid further rusting
I had to make many decisions about what work I would do myself. It was obvious that the body work was way beyond my pay grade Ted's Auto Body, a shop a few blocks
By Al Bach
from ours, agreed to help me They had worked on several of Rick's cars including the TISA I ordered floor pans, a rocker and a few other bits from Restoration Design in Toronto, and Ted got the body for the next year. In the meantime I started with the mechanical components I had help from many local people including Rick and the late Danny Quigley, who was living in nearby Elizabeth, CO. Many parts were ordered on the internet. Most sources were very helpful, but I was scammed a few times
After about 18 months the car was
painted, and Rick and I spent an afternoon making the car a roller at Ted's Autobody I had rebuilt the engine and drivetrain The M10 got a new 284 cam, headers and Weber 40 side drafts, hoping to make the car a bit of a hotrod. I was not going for a factorycorrect rebuild or a concours car I wanted a nice driver
We got the car running in 2021 and then worked on the mistakes that had been made by this rookie car builder. The Weber 40s gave me fits but finally got sorted out I rebuilt the wiring harness using 16g wire since the harness I had bought turned out to be junk The next adventure was getting this untitled auto legally on the road with a Colorado registration. After many trips to the DMV it seemed I was nowhere close I decided to try one more time and got the right clerk at the DMV office Twenty minutes later I was out the door with my new tags.
Baur 3590252 is not yet complete and may never be, but the important thing is that it's a hoot to drive Next up is rebuilding and installing the heater box rebuilt, and a new radiator would be nice.
1989 M3 Cecotto Edition sold RM Sotheby's Monterey $246,400
