M535i E3 Alpina

[rh306]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-2500-E3-M ... 3a7901d333

[suchy]

Not a big fan of the E3 but that is nice

[pacerpete]

Wow, it was bad enough going from polaris silver to doom blue BUT then he took a can opener to the roof and fitted a Webasto foreskin !

On the other hand , if he had gone for taiga green with black leatherz, 16" 'open ' Alpinas , passed on the stripes and left the can opener in the drawer he would have been too cool for school or anywhere else. Close but no cigar

[bss325i]

Or gloss black!

[Andyboy]

And the E12 M535i was NOT hand built! They were churned out of Dingolfing along with the rest of them and it's nothing like the E28 M5.

Atlantis blue is not a great colour. It's okay when super clean and polished but it looks rank out in the sunlight if it's at all grubby or covered in swirl marks. Polaris silver with open lug 16's and no decals is what it needed to be. It's still a smart looking thing though, but it's no 3.3Li

[bss325i]

Yep! Plenty of errors in the ad.

The only Alpina parts are the wheels (all be it completely wrong) steering wheel and gear knob.

[gooseygander110]

Still looks lovely !!! I want it :0)

[B7]

I'd have it! I reckon it looks the b0llocks. The colour is period and I love fabric webastos. Soooooo period.

I agree the wheels are wrong. they need to be early open versions but overall I reckon it's a top effort.

Pete you are just dissing it cos it ain't up your back passage

[Andyboy]

The E12 535i handbuilt myth is going to be debunked soon.....

There was a handbuilt version but it, along with the 530/530i/533i Motorsport cars were not quite the same as the production version as we know it and they were handbuilt from regular M30 cars for favoured customers. The regular 535i (most LHD cars were non M badged chrome bumper cars) used regular 635CSi running gear and presented no problems to build on the production line. The only 'hand finishing' they got was for the UK versions and LHD cars so ordered to have the front and rear spoilers fitted, side stripes added if ordered and M badges haphazardly fitted. I've not seen two cars with the badges in the same place! M535i's also have the regular WBA vin prefix.

The James Taylor 'original BMW M Series' book says that they were all built at the Garching factory. Impressive considering they hadn't even built the Garching factory in 1980! At that time BMW didn't have the room to build the 450 M1's, never mind 1400 or so M535i's.

[B7]

And he says he has a set of the original 14" Alpinas as well.

It also had Alpina multispoke 14" wheels.(I have a set of them if prefered over the later 16" Alpina wheels fitted).

[B7]

The James Taylor 'original BMW M Series' book says that they were all built at the Garching factory. Impressive considering they hadn't even built the Garching factory in 1980! At that time BMW didn't have the room to build the 450 M1's, never mind 1400 or so M535i's.

Didn't he sing "walking man"

[bss325i]

I wouldnt say no to, just have to change a few things including the colour!

[pacerpete]

I'd have it! I reckon it looks the b0llocks. The colour is period and I love fabric webastos. Soooooo period.

I agree the wheels are wrong. they need to be early open versions but overall I reckon it's a top effort.

Pete you are just dissing it cos it ain't up your back passage

I'm dissing it because for less money he could have built something truly spectacular Now that he has to sell it he will find that doom blue and can opener sunroofs are an aquired taste shared by few. There are so many great period colours that these cars were offered in, why choose 316 blue ?

On the other hand, you love it because it reminds you of when you were a twenty something stud way back in the 70s and you used to go cruising with the webasto foreskin pulled back and the Motorola 8 track cranked up in your doom blue Herald 10/40 !

[Andyboy]

The James Taylor 'original BMW M Series' book says that they were all built at the Garching factory. Impressive considering they hadn't even built the Garching factory in 1980! At that time BMW didn't have the room to build the 450 M1's, never mind 1400 or so M535i's.

Didn't he sing "walking man"

Yep. He sang 'Regensburg blues' on Jools Holland last year.

[snakebrain]

I was looking at it on ebay last night. Couldn't quite make my mind up if it was an uber-cool retro beastie, or a close but no cigar deal.

Retro Alpina dekoset is cool, whatever you lot think! But the interior not so much. No strong views on the sunroof myself. The colour I could live with, but as stated Taiga green or something like that would have been the way to go. The wheels are just wrong. Open lug is the only way to go with that car. And they're too big as well, nothing wrong with 14s on a car like that..

[Andyboy]

the Motorola 8 track cranked up in your doom blue Herald 10/40 !

Or your Riley Vanden Plastic Oxbridge 14/56?

[pnd]

i think it looks ok though the sunroof is ott and a leak waiting to happen but my question is what are these like to drive i am wondering if they are a bit like the first seven which would put me off.

[Andyboy]

They drive like any other old E12, E28, E23 etc.

[pacerpete]

i think it looks ok though the sunroof is ott and a leak waiting to happen but my question is what are these like to drive i am wondering if they are a bit like the first seven which would put me off.

A PROPERLY sorted one is a good drive. They are a nice size, have a great driving position and a bright airy interior. You could use one daily without thinking you were in the 'cheap seats'

The problem is, like most old cars, most of them are tonced up sad old scrap

[Rodderz]

I'm a fan of Webasto's on period cars!

The stripes really do need to come straight off though!

[Andyboy]

i think it looks ok though the sunroof is ott and a leak waiting to happen but my question is what are these like to drive i am wondering if they are a bit like the first seven which would put me off.

A PROPERLY sorted one is a good drive. They are a nice size, have a great driving position and a bright airy interior. You could use one daily without thinking you were in the 'cheap seats'

The problem is, like most old cars, most of them are tonced up sad old scrap

Poor old Geoff!

[pacerpete]

i think it looks ok though the sunroof is ott and a leak waiting to happen but my question is what are these like to drive i am wondering if they are a bit like the first seven which would put me off.

A PROPERLY sorted one is a good drive. They are a nice size, have a great driving position and a bright airy interior. You could use one daily without thinking you were in the 'cheap seats'

The problem is, like most old cars, most of them are tonced up sad old scrap

Poor old Geoff!

As per usual he thinks a £500 investment will net him a 10k turd, as per usual he is VERY wrong ! Shame the doom turd is not ceylon, it really would look rampant !

[bss325i]

Ceylon!

[B7]

I'd have it! I reckon it looks the b0llocks. The colour is period and I love fabric webastos. Soooooo period.

I agree the wheels are wrong. they need to be early open versions but overall I reckon it's a top effort.

Pete you are just dissing it cos it ain't up your back passage

I'm dissing it because for less money he could have built something truly spectacular Now that he has to sell it he will find that doom blue and can opener sunroofs are an aquired taste shared by few. There are so many great period colours that these cars were offered in, why choose 316 blue ?

On the other hand, you love it because it reminds you of when you were a twenty something stud way back in the 70s and you used to go cruising with the webasto foreskin pulled back and the Motorola 8 track cranked up in your doom blue Herald 10/40 !

I actually like it because it is different. Someone has dared to step away from what the masses expect and done what they want. OOOOH the shock to think someone can do such a thing. Yes he has it wrong in a couple of places but thats his taste, Not mine, yours or anyone elses.

If I was seriously looking for something different, I'd be making the short trip to T Wells to see it and if it was half as good as it looks, would be coming home with me.

[Andyboy]

A PROPERLY sorted one is a good drive. They are a nice size, have a great driving position and a bright airy interior. You could use one daily without thinking you were in the 'cheap seats'

The problem is, like most old cars, most of them are tonced up sad old scrap

Poor old Geoff!

As per usual he thinks a £500 investment will net him a 10k turd, as per usual he is VERY wrong !

Sail on, Geoff!

[pacerpete]

I'd have it! I reckon it looks the b0llocks. The colour is period and I love fabric webastos. Soooooo period.

I agree the wheels are wrong. they need to be early open versions but overall I reckon it's a top effort.

Pete you are just dissing it cos it ain't up your back passage

I'm dissing it because for less money he could have built something truly spectacular Now that he has to sell it he will find that doom blue and can opener sunroofs are an aquired taste shared by few. There are so many great period colours that these cars were offered in, why choose 316 blue ?

On the other hand, you love it because it reminds you of when you were a twenty something stud way back in the 70s and you used to go cruising with the webasto foreskin pulled back and the Motorola 8 track cranked up in your doom blue Herald 10/40 !

I actually like it because it is different. Someone has dared to step away from what the masses expect and done what they want. OOOOH the shock to think someone can do such a thing. Yes he has it wrong in a couple of places but thats his taste, Not mine, yours or anyone elses.

If I was seriously looking for something different, I'd be making the short trip to T Wells to see it and if it was half as good as it looks, would be coming home with me.

Admit it Trevor, you have a bad dose of moredooritis, you have not been able to forgive yourself since you 'spreadsheeted' that 320 minter !

[jonb]

The James Taylor 'original BMW M Series' book says that they were all built at the Garching factory. Impressive considering they hadn't even built the Garching factory in 1980! At that time BMW didn't have the room to build the 450 M1's, never mind 1400 or so M535i's.

Didn't he sing "walking man"

And was also in two lane blacktop, which is the best road movie ever.

[suchy]

The James Taylor 'original BMW M Series' book says that they were all built at the Garching factory. Impressive considering they hadn't even built the Garching factory in 1980! At that time BMW didn't have the room to build the 450 M1's, never mind 1400 or so M535i's.

Didn't he sing "walking man"

And was also in two lane blacktop, which is the best road movie ever.

"I ain't into that!" Great movie
Anyway enough of great movies, I gotta go check the jets...

[anothere21323i]

Poor old Geoff!

As per usual he thinks a £500 investment will net him a 10k turd, as per usual he is VERY wrong !

Sail on, Geoff!