Vintage BMW racecar identification

[jgerock]

Peter - that looks like a brake booster mounted on the passenger footwell.  I cannot tell from the engine bay picture how the builder did that.

 

And a coverplate for the handbrake section.

 

I spy the factory hole plugged in the firewall to the right of the original heater box location. That's where I've routed the WB 02 sensor cable on both my cars.

 

Would love to see the other little details on this car once you take delivery.

Edited December 30, 2016 by jgerock

[tisalover]

Jim, you have a good eye the car does in fact have a diabolical brake booster in the passenger foot well which boosts only the front brakes. Sorting out the brakes is the one challenge I see with the car that might not be so easy. I'm hoping to simplify it, and perhaps go with a nice modern master cylinder and brake bias valve to get the front and rear pressure s correct.

 

Steve, it is an extraordinarily small world. I too was born in Reading hospital and spent my formative years in the old part of Wyomissing Hills, on Park Road. You may have gone to Wyomissing high school with my elder siblings, (Karl , Scott and Jacqueline) who would've graduated in 1971 or thereabouts. Bill Norton, who races a Vincent powered formula 3 car also would've been a near contemporary of yours. Back in the day Bill used to drive an NSU and Renaults and other unusual cars. Bill Shields still races in the Hillclimb circuit, and has his same shop, carriage craft, on the top of the hill overlooking wyomissing.  John Flannery was a great guy, (John also worked on a vintage Mercedes I had, and would tune my moms three cylinder saab among other things, she was terribly fond of him )- the last few years at the Duryea Hillclimb parties he would bring special brewd ales, and I would always hang out with him for the great stories and good company. Some of John's racecar history lives on, his Volvo 544 was sold across the pond, and reportedly raced by the Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason at times. (I expect Nick Mason's real Ferrari GTO got too valuable to drive on the track). My dad used to do all of the high-performance Volvo cylinder head tuning for Bob Alspach and worked for him in the 60s. Bill Shields told me that it was my dad who taught him how to set up Weber carburetors.  

Jim, you are always welcome and we have a spare bedroom if you need a place to stay. Steve if you are ever down this way and have time to visit, you're also extremely welcome. We could maybe even find something fun for you to drive.

 

Best regards, Peter

 

 

 

 

 

 

[otisdog]

"P.S. Apparently WFO stands for Wide F**king Open"

Absolutely!

I believe the term originated in the mid to late 70's on the AMA national motocross circuit...it certainly was in wide usage there at the time. Its' usage was usually accompanied by the right (throttle) hand cranked all the way back towards the wrist, fist balled so as to approximate  holding the throttle.

As another aside, Donny Emler, who was a Honda factory mechanic on the circuit, went on to found FMF expansion chambers, which has morphed into FMF pipes with the death of 2 strokes in dirt bikes.  FMF supposedly means "Flying Machine Factory" but Donny couldn't really use "Fast Mother F**cker"...

Sorry for the massive OT...

 

Oh...great car! You have a nice stable...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2016 by otisdog

[tisalover]

I just got some more exciting news on this car 's history.   Apparently it was the Pennsylvania Hillclimb championship B sedan series champion for three years in a row. It also was a touring Class champion winner at least one year.The owner Also ran it at the mount equinox Hillclimb in Vermont 4 years and won his class several times. He also, much to my amazement,  had an earlier BMW racecar. It looks Like it was a BMW 1800 TI. The black and white picture is of the original Granada red hillclimb car during its prime. The second picture is the original owners first race car, a new class Sedan.

I had no idea the car had such a winning past before it was turned into a GT three car.     Best regards, Peter

[alpina02]

I love that you store your racecar brakes on your extra Restall seat

[ray_]

All very cool, Peter!

 

Just as another data point, on (at least one of) my '73(s), the VIN is stamped on the left side rear lower seat support sheet metal, top lip. Barely visible here:

 

Cheers,

 

 

[tisalover]

Thanks Ray, I suspected that it would be stamped somewhere else --this is what I was thinking of.  Best Regards, Peter

[Flunder]

good story

 

Edited March 20, 2017 by Flunder

[TobyB]

... and some of us just flog the crap out of them, and keep on fixing 'em....

 

I was a lot faster back then,

t

 

[tisalover]

Well this project is about to move forward, I sent the fuel-cell to be completely rebuilt. The brakes were rebuilt by Hoerr racing, who are authorized to handle Alcon and Girling brake rebuilding. I had to order new shock absorbency from BilStein, the front Shock absorber  are for 2500/2800. With some luck the car will be up and running this spring. I figure I need to take the car 45 mm Weber carburetors off and clean them, flush all fluids and hope for the best.

And yes Toby -The right thing to do is to "just flog the crap out of them, and keep on fixing them."

 

That is life, some people collect things, and other people celebrate and embrace them. Just as food was meant for eating,old BMW 2002 race cars BMWs were meant to be driven and enjoyed. I will let you know when it is up and running. Here on the BMW 2002 FAQ we are very different from those BMW owners who discuss their favorite wax, and it's coconut's scent. We are not Q-tip wielding obsessive-compulsive clean freaks, in general. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

Best regards, Peter

[markmac]

Its a great story.  The pic of the Fuel Safe cell is awesome.  70's/80's font on the Fuel Safe, Huntington Beach, Made in the USA.  Hopefully they can preserve all of that (and I should think they could since its just the can. Looking forward to seeing it come together.  Very cool.