Project e23 B9 build - update 11/25/19

[RoyW]

Well, no luck with the house selling over these past 6 months, so, off the market she goes until next Spring… and then maybe we’ll try again? And, while I thought I was done with “project cars”, especially with a possible move in the future, I find the urge too hard to resist… especially when my friend George, aka geordi, (who knows I had been thinking about an e23 or e32 as a possibility if I were to dive in once again) sends me a link to a classified ad for an e23… and a supposed Alpina B9 no less (or so it states?) that is only a couple hours away…. Hold the phone, better check this out

Long story short, I go check it out, in the pouring rain… looks pretty good, but needs lots of work… but, is it a real Alpina B9?? The paperwork seems to say so, e.g., letter from Alpina, Dealer build sheet, Fahrzeugbrief from BMW Munchen, other documentation from importation… so, with some help from George, Chris K, and another friend who provide more info that seems to support its likely authenticity, skepticism turns to enthusiasm. And, while the Fahrzeugbrief lists, in addition to the BMW e23 options on this specific car (with the VIN), it also lists all the Alpina items that were added by Borsch BMW/Alpina, to this e23, I also learn from the Alpina letter that the final key is finding the imprint or stamp on the block that includes the last 7 of the car’s VIN, a “B9” and a four digit “Alpina engine number”(back in this time-frame Alpina was providing parts, engines?, to authorized BMW/Alpina dealers in Europe that would install them to create a B9, as it's manufacturer status and manufacturing plant were not fully in place until a few years later I believe). I had found the stamped VINs and the 'B9' on my first visit to see the car, but not the 4 digit Alpina engine number.... After a second visit to look it over more thoroughly in dry conditions, I still have no luck in finding a engine #, but then with some further help from VSR during a scheduled PPI… viola, there it is!!! Oh, and boy, does it need some work!

So, the deal is done… and another “restoration project” is born The Plan is being formulated and will be developed in the coming weeks. My good friend Steve (ace Euro mechanic), who was the lead on the Project Sepang car, will hopefully again lead the charge on this one… and, with help from VSR, and a few other, we hope to bring this rare beauty back to its past glory in 12 to 18 months. Although it’s not an e28… it’s still from the same general era and family tree of the best BMWs ever made... IMHO. Looking forward to another fun restoration

I’ve got a few pictures of the car in its current condition, but not sure how to post them up now that those greedy bastards at Photobucket wanted $400 annually for that continuing service?... which I refuse to pay... I'll try it anyway.

-RoyW

P1050873 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1050874 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1050883 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1050925 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr

[RMP]

Oh my, I want in on this

[Shawn D.]

Sucks to hear about the house. :\

Doesn't suck to see this new project!

[Dale3783]

Wow. What an awesome project. Good luck and I can’t wait to see this come together.

[Nebraska_e28]

Looking forward to this. After seeing Sepang in person during the final stages, I'd be tempted to make trip to see this when done.

Pics worked earlier today but poof.

[Mike W.]

I’ve got a few pictures of the car in its current condition, but not sure how to post them up now that those greedy bastards at Photobucket wanted $400 annually for that continuing service?... which I refuse to pay... I'll try it anyway.

-RoyW

There has been much discussion on this. I've been using both imgur.com and postimage.com ever since the uploader stopped accepting new pics. I'm sure they'll die sometime, but for several years now they've worked well for me. Free and easy to use, just make sure you save the URL though, the one you get will be nothing like the file name.

[strupgolf]

Great heritage on a car like that. Will follow the build.

[Mike W.]

Wow, looks nice. Clearly your idea of needing a lot of work and my idea of needing a lot of work are different things.

[Adam W in MN]

Exciting but I wish I could see the pics

[cek]

Roy, I want to be you when I grow up.

Can't see pics.

[RoyW]

Tried flickr for the pictures (deleted Photobucket ones)... hopefully this worked??

-RoyW

[cek]

Tried flickr for the pictures (deleted Photobucket ones)... hopefully this worked??

-RoyW

I see them now! I looks to be in better shape than your description. Regardless, this is gonna be fun to watch!

[stuartinmn]

Yup, the pictures are visible now. Looks like a cool car.

[Kenny Blankenship]

Is the plan to refurbish the car the way it was ordered? Or to make it look like an Alpina (stripes, wheels, spoiler, etc...)?

[RoyW]

Is the plan to refurbish the car the way it was ordered? Or to make it look like an Alpina (stripes, wheels, spoiler, etc...)?

The goal is to re-store it closer to the way it was ordered... which would include the wheels, deco kit stripes, etc.

-RoyW

[Adam W in MN]

I can see the pictures now, what a glorious find!

[Kenny Blankenship]

Is the plan to refurbish the car the way it was ordered? Or to make it look like an Alpina (stripes, wheels, spoiler, etc...)?

The goal is to re-store it closer to the way it was ordered... which would include the wheels, deco kit stripes, etc.

-RoyW

It's been a looong time since I drove the car, but the original owner never had the stripes installed, and it also came with the BBS spoiler. I think it also had the BBS RA wheels. I'm not even sure it had Alpina upholstered seats. I remember that because I asked a lot of questions since the car did not have the normal Alpina add-ons. The original owner did not want the "splash" of the stripes and Alpina air dam.

http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=2& ... lm#p747304

[cek]

Is the plan to refurbish the car the way it was ordered? Or to make it look like an Alpina (stripes, wheels, spoiler, etc...)?

The goal is to re-store it closer to the way it was ordered... which would include the wheels, deco kit stripes, etc.

-RoyW

It's been a looong time since I drove the car, but the original owner never had the stripes installed, and it also came with the BBS spoiler. I think it also had the BBS RA wheels. I'm not even sure it had Alpina upholstered seats. I remember that because I asked a lot of questions since the car did not have the normal Alpina add-ons. The original owner did not want the "splash" of the stripes and Alpina air dam.

http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=2& ... lm#p747304

This is why we should always put VINs in every thread. A simple VIN search would have shown all this.

[RoyW]

Is the plan to refurbish the car the way it was ordered? Or to make it look like an Alpina (stripes, wheels, spoiler, etc...)?

The goal is to re-store it closer to the way it was ordered... which would include the wheels, deco kit stripes, etc.

-RoyW

It's been a looong time since I drove the car, but the original owner never had the stripes installed, and it also came with the BBS spoiler. I think it also had the BBS RA wheels. I'm not even sure it had Alpina upholstered seats. I remember that because I asked a lot of questions since the car did not have the normal Alpina add-ons. The original owner did not want the "splash" of the stripes and Alpina air dam.



http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=2& ... lm#p747304

That wasn't the original owner you met, it was the second (or third) U.S. owner, as the original U.S. owner that imported the car into the U.S. in 1989 was a US serviceman (his wife signed for it). Also, the build sheet for the car shows the "deco kit" on it, also staggered wheels (replacing the stock BWM ones)... which I assumed would have been Alpina wheels, but, they may have been the BBSs that are currently on it? Who to say what the real original owner from Germany ordered (and any EUR owners that followed him might have changed) and changed out, e.g., replacing the Alpina wheels for the BBS ones? I also believe the BBS front air dam was originally on the car, as was the rear trunk spoiler.

-RoyW

[Kenny Blankenship]

Is the plan to refurbish the car the way it was ordered? Or to make it look like an Alpina (stripes, wheels, spoiler, etc...)?

The goal is to re-store it closer to the way it was ordered... which would include the wheels, deco kit stripes, etc.

-RoyW

It's been a looong time since I drove the car, but the original owner never had the stripes installed, and it also came with the BBS spoiler. I think it also had the BBS RA wheels. I'm not even sure it had Alpina upholstered seats. I remember that because I asked a lot of questions since the car did not have the normal Alpina add-ons. The original owner did not want the "splash" of the stripes and Alpina air dam.



http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=2& ... lm#p747304

That wasn't the original owner you met, it was the second (or third) U.S. owner, as the original U.S. owner that imported the car into the U.S. in 1989 was a woman. Also, the build sheet for the car shows the "deco kit" on it, also staggered wheels (replacing the stock BWM ones)... which I assumed would have been Alpina wheels, but, they may have been the BBSs that are currently on it? Who to say what the real original owner from Germany ordered (and any EUR owners that followed him might have changed) and changed out, e.g., replacing the Alpina wheels for the BBS ones? I also believe the BBS front air dam was originally on the car, as was the rear trunk spoiler.

-RoyW

I stand corrected about the ownership...I do recall though in conversation with Bobby that the stripes did come with the car, but they were not installed.

[RoyW]

[/quote]
That wasn't the original owner you met, it was the second (or third) U.S. owner, as the original U.S. owner that imported the car into the U.S. in 1989 was a U.S. serviceman (signed for by his wife upon arrival in Baltimore). Also, the build sheet for the car shows the "deco kit" on it, also staggered wheels (replacing the stock BWM ones)... which I assumed would have been Alpina wheels, but, they may have been the BBSs that are currently on it? Who to say what the real original owner from Germany ordered (and any EUR owners that followed him might have changed) and changed out, e.g., replacing the Alpina wheels for the BBS ones? I also believe the BBS front air dam was originally on the car, as was the rear trunk spoiler.

-RoyW[/quote]

I stand corrected about the ownership...I do recall though in conversation with Bobby that the stripes did come with the car, but they were not installed.[/quote]

That may be the case, but the car was re-painted at some point (I metered the whole car, and while no filler was discovered, the paint depth clearly indicated a re-spray) and maybe that's when the strips were removed and not put back? Regardless, if I can find a deco kit for it, I'm putting them on after the rust clean-up and re-paint.

-RoyW

Oh, and "hi' Eric. With all you experience with e23, I'm sure I'll be contacting you for some insight, parts sourcing, etc. Hope to see you again one of these days

[CSBM5]

Car looks like it is in decent condition from the pictures shown. Is there substantial undercarriage and/or hidden body rust? I can't fathom how rare this car is here in the US, and I was especially glad to see that it wasn't an auto!

Regards,
Chuck

[Kenny Blankenship]

Hi Roy...I don't get out to the East that much...

I'm pretty sure the car was painted after I saw it (I want to say it was late 1990s or early 2000s). The condition of the paint back then was so-so. But it did not have stripes.

[RoyW]

Brought the e23 B9 home today, give her a good washing and then parked her in the Bahn to dry and air-out (pretty musty on inside and trunk... leaky seals?). Anyway, looking forward to the first work session this Saturday with my mechanic friend Steve... ready to dive in and develop a "Plan", after some good assessment time. Then create the mega parts list to go off and source

PPI showed lots of little stuff (some not-so-little too), but we want to take a hard look at the suspension, steering, braking, and other system components. Clearly we'll be pulling the engine (at some point) to decide how much re-fresh is warranted there.

Down the road we'll do the interior re-fresh and under-carridge re-fresh, plus the "biggie", i.e., exterior restoration. There's numerous rust/rot areas to deal with (mostly down low). But, the mechanicals first Will know more after this weekend.

-RoyW

P1060042 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060044 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060045 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060052 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr

[Tiit]

Looks good on pictures.