Really enjoying these posting - re the history of some of the "lost" TISA's
#182 chamonix - I owned ~1971 to maybe 1995 it had two Restall racing seats (some of the other TISA had only the driver's seat). I bought it from San Jose BMW in the days of nasty car salesman. He touted the rebuilt engine which had a new coat of silver paint on it. It also had Solex's which they had changed from Webers because "the Webers were too hard to keep tuned." The dealer subsequently came across the Webers and sold them back to me. After I moved to LA, It was serviced by Hyde Park BMW where the service manager Carl had raced TISA's before (and had lots of spare parts which he kindly used to keep my delicate 5 speed going). Driving to LA down I5 around 1973 just before the Grapevine, the engine stopped dead and had to be towed back to Bakersfield. When the dropped the pan, it was apparent why the engine was "rebuilt" - it had thrown a piston out the side which was repaired by welding the it back together and putting in a new piston - the problem at hand though was the crankshaft was fractured clean through.
#177 chamonix or gray - after calling multiple foreign wrecking yards, I found 177 in LA (maybe H&E wrecking on Rosecrans?). 177 was interesting - one Restall race seat and other standard TI. It also had the 100 liter gas tank which took up half the trunk. It was also fitted with a Halda rally computer. For a couple of hundred bucks, they sold me the short block which I unceremoniously dropped the oily mess into the trunk of a rental car and drove it up to Bakersfield after which my car was revived.
I drove the TISA as a daily driver for many years then put it aside. I think at some point I had a 2 liter short block put in (I know heresy!). It was hard finding anyone to work on it with most BMW shops passing. I eventually sold it to a guy from as I recall San Diego who was going to vintage race it. Never have seen it again. One of the biggest mistakes of my life in retrospect.
So I question for you TISA affectionados - I had a friend in the early BMW club period, Bob Forrest, who owned a car he said was one of 7 2000 TISAs originally built for British racing. I would guess Bob is no longer with us and the cars whereabouts olr history ???
Thanks !!
jim silva
