ALPINA 320i - ALPINA / West (1977 R&T)

[Guest Anonymous]

This article is what started it for me with BMW's, ALPINA gear etc., The idea of a hot rod BMW with the neat mechanical aspects that the ALPINA gear brought was (is) awesome. I can't even begin to count how many times I read that article. It was somewhere around 1992 when I acquired my first A4 injection system - 15 long years of patience (and hard work). That A4 system was I think $1800 (without correct pump) and of course those days were pre-internet so everything was done via letter and US Post Office or facsimile ( a relatively "new" technology then). I just dated myself didn't I.

http://historicracingbmw.blogspot.com/

[jrkoupe]

I probably read that article a dozen times........Ill never forget it.

[JsnPpp]

I think I read it 12 times just this afternoon! :-)

Nice. Wonder where the car is now?

~Jason

[f1reverb]

at the same time as this article, put M30s in E21s along with the other Alpina compenents, so his were the real hotrods. Mike was the person who arranged the BMWACA member trips to the Nurburgring then too. I happened to be down in Mission Viejo at his shop when he had the first car done and he gave me a ride on the freeway rocketing, which attracted the attention of the CHP and he got a ticket for 60mph in a 55mph zone as the cop wasn't quite able to clock him at speed.

Frankly, at that time H&B was considered not as good as a Dietel by many.

One of my favorite moments was at a BMWCCA autox during Octoberfest when me, in my stock 1600-2 (the motor anyway) I was faster than his Alpina 330i.

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/alpinaboard-com-bmw-alpina-discussion/134248-scanned-alpina-deko-brochure-1980-a.html

"

Quote:

Originally Posted by StraightSixer View Post

I know this is an old thread but check out this dietel tuned e21!

BMW : 3-Series:eBay Motors (item 160346856122 end time Jul-12-09 18:59:47 PDT)

Thanks for the link. I immediately remembered that mag cover once I saw it in the pictures (for perhaps non-immediately-obvious-reasons ).

I'm a bit mixed on this car for some reason. I would much rather have the Dietel/Alpina 333i that was tested in Nov (I think) 1978 R&T. Something about this car (and definitely the leisure suit interior) just doesn't ring the right bells from this former heavily modified E21 owner."

This was a Dietel 345i from 1982 . . .

Check this link for more Alpina E21 stuff . . .

http://www.bmwe21fansclub.it/bmwe21/articles.asp?id=2&page=14

A translation of the Italian comments . . .

"Dietel Enterprises (United States)

Dietel Enterprises, with seat to Lagoon Hills, California and been based on from Mike Dietel, began l' important activity and marketing in the USA the Mountain kit. In 1978 Dietel, using coming material from Buchloe, realized an E21 initialed 333i. Extracted from a 320i USA, was equipped with six Mountain cylinders B8 of 3210 cm3 already seen in Europe on the E12 and E24, but adapted to the employment on the E21 (223 HP rather than 240). The remainder of the mechanism took again that of the mountain 320i A4/3, included the back brakes to drum; alone hoops and tires did exception (hoops with channel from 6.5' in front and from 7.5' behind with rubbers 205/50 VR 15 on four wheels). This car, that flaunted the Deko Set and the Mountain brands but that had been conceived and realized from Dietel, rhymed to the stadium of prototype, as is not in a position of to respect the limits USA on the emissions of discharging. However, Mike Dietel announced to have in program for 1979 a version of the E21 equipped with six cylinders of 2800 cm3 in rule with the normative antipollution one USA. The program did not go in port and Dietel folded over a kit of sovralimentazione for the 320i USA E21. I adapt it is to the version of 2000 cm3 is to that of 1800, agreed to extract about 150 HP and ebbe a good success of sale. Simultaneously it is dedicated all' importation in the United States and all' adaptation to the federal regulations sull' equipping of safety and antipollution of models BMW done not sell in USA from the head Office. Object of the cares of Dietel were above all the 323i E21 and the 745i E23, that came gained in Germany and equipped with the bumper to absorption and with the catalytic kettle. In 1981 Dietel it put in production two cars on basic 320i USA that took again the projects of the 1978/79: the before was the 328i, obtained transplanting in the chest of the E21 the engine of 2800 cm3 with catalyst of the 528i USA (169 HP); the other 330i was named (3000 cm3 - about 180 HP); the remainder of the mechanism took again that of the mountain one C1 2,3 European. Also these two cars, that were fruit of projects of Dietel, flaunted the Deko Set and the Mountain brands. The services reached levels of excellence, above all for the American standard. In the same one 1981, Mike Dietel, not yet satisfied some results reached, gave the road to the project 345i: to transplant six cylinders turbocompresso of the 745i in the shoots E21. The result, presented two years after, was a car deeply transformed (the cost esteemed some alterations amounted to about 65,000 dollars!), as did not limit to adapt us the mechanism to the new engine (310 HP @ 6000 r.p.m. with catalyst to three roads), but all the components, transmission (manual to 5 gears), suspensions, you restrain, et cetera had been replaced with those of other BMW more grosses. The hoops BBS (9x15 all' forecarriage, 11x15 to the retrotreno) put on enormous pneumatic Pirelli P7, 225/50VR in front and 285/40VR behind. To accommodate them itself dovettero ascend fenders stretched, that anticipated those of the M3 E30. The car is still existing and is of property of a Californian collector. "

[inkatouring]

at the same time as this article, put M30s in E21s along with the other Alpina compenents, so his were the real hotrods. Mike was the person who arranged the BMWACA member trips to the Nurburgring then too. I happened to be down in Mission Viejo at his shop when he had the first car done and he gave me a ride on the freeway rocketing, which attracted the attention of the CHP and he got a ticket for 60mph in a 55mph zone as the cop wasn't quite able to clock him at speed.

Frankly, at that time H&B was considered not as good as a Dietel by many.

One of my favorite moments was at a BMWCCA autox during Octoberfest when me, in my stock 1600-2 (the motor anyway) I was faster than his Alpina 330i.

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/alpinaboard-com-bmw-alpina-discussion/134248-scanned-alpina-deko-brochure-1980-a.html

"

Quote:

Originally Posted by StraightSixer View Post

I know this is an old thread but check out this dietel tuned e21!

BMW : 3-Series:eBay Motors (item 160346856122 end time Jul-12-09 18:59:47 PDT)

Thanks for the link. I immediately remembered that mag cover once I saw it in the pictures (for perhaps non-immediately-obvious-reasons ).

I'm a bit mixed on this car for some reason. I would much rather have the Dietel/Alpina 333i that was tested in Nov (I think) 1978 R&T. Something about this car (and definitely the leisure suit interior) just doesn't ring the right bells from this former heavily modified E21 owner."

This was a Dietel 345i from 1982 . . .

Check this link for more Alpina E21 stuff . . .

http://www.bmwe21fansclub.it/bmwe21/articles.asp?id=2&page=14

A translation of the Italian comments . . .

"Dietel Enterprises (United States)

Dietel Enterprises, with seat to Lagoon Hills, California and been based on from Mike Dietel, began l' important activity and marketing in the USA the Mountain kit. In 1978 Dietel, using coming material from Buchloe, realized an E21 initialed 333i. Extracted from a 320i USA, was equipped with six Mountain cylinders B8 of 3210 cm3 already seen in Europe on the E12 and E24, but adapted to the employment on the E21 (223 HP rather than 240). The remainder of the mechanism took again that of the mountain 320i A4/3, included the back brakes to drum; alone hoops and tires did exception (hoops with channel from 6.5' in front and from 7.5' behind with rubbers 205/50 VR 15 on four wheels). This car, that flaunted the Deko Set and the Mountain brands but that had been conceived and realized from Dietel, rhymed to the stadium of prototype, as is not in a position of to respect the limits USA on the emissions of discharging. However, Mike Dietel announced to have in program for 1979 a version of the E21 equipped with six cylinders of 2800 cm3 in rule with the normative antipollution one USA. The program did not go in port and Dietel folded over a kit of sovralimentazione for the 320i USA E21. I adapt it is to the version of 2000 cm3 is to that of 1800, agreed to extract about 150 HP and ebbe a good success of sale. Simultaneously it is dedicated all' importation in the United States and all' adaptation to the federal regulations sull' equipping of safety and antipollution of models BMW done not sell in USA from the head Office. Object of the cares of Dietel were above all the 323i E21 and the 745i E23, that came gained in Germany and equipped with the bumper to absorption and with the catalytic kettle. In 1981 Dietel it put in production two cars on basic 320i USA that took again the projects of the 1978/79: the before was the 328i, obtained transplanting in the chest of the E21 the engine of 2800 cm3 with catalyst of the 528i USA (169 HP); the other 330i was named (3000 cm3 - about 180 HP); the remainder of the mechanism took again that of the mountain one C1 2,3 European. Also these two cars, that were fruit of projects of Dietel, flaunted the Deko Set and the Mountain brands. The services reached levels of excellence, above all for the American standard. In the same one 1981, Mike Dietel, not yet satisfied some results reached, gave the road to the project 345i: to transplant six cylinders turbocompresso of the 745i in the shoots E21. The result, presented two years after, was a car deeply transformed (the cost esteemed some alterations amounted to about 65,000 dollars!), as did not limit to adapt us the mechanism to the new engine (310 HP @ 6000 r.p.m. with catalyst to three roads), but all the components, transmission (manual to 5 gears), suspensions, you restrain, et cetera had been replaced with those of other BMW more grosses. The hoops BBS (9x15 all' forecarriage, 11x15 to the retrotreno) put on enormous pneumatic Pirelli P7, 225/50VR in front and 285/40VR behind. To accommodate them itself dovettero ascend fenders stretched, that anticipated those of the M3 E30. The car is still existing and is of property of a Californian collector. "

I had the pleasure of being a passenger in that 345i at Laguna Seca driviers school for many hot laps and it was, errr, very fast...

[FerosFerio]

The Chamonix Dietel 333i was my former car purchased in Burbank Ca from a guy from Boston who drove an E9. The gas tank lines were rotten and after filling it up in the Grapevines at Hilt it leaked the better part of a tank on the ground at the pump. After having it flat bedded to Bakersfield It was fine the rest of the way home to Seattle. It was very capable on the track and beast. 

Edited December 8, 2020 by FerosFerio