1974 BMW 3.0csi Resto-mod

The BMW E9 needs no introduction, as one of the most successful racers of all time in 3.0csl guise, that gorgeous silhouette just has to be one of the prettiest coupes of all time. A perfectly resolved design, with subtle and clean lines – an art form long lost unfortunately. A very early pillarless design means that with the front and rear windows down, you can still have the cleanest of lines even in the summer too, they thought of everything. BMW’s strongest era of design language shines through without being grotesque, the kidney grilles, twin lamps and of course the Hoffmeister kink, all in perfect proportions.

 

This particular example looks very well, all thanks to a very thorough restoration that has been undertaken by the current owner to the tune of £120k! But up close it really does show. A full body restoration, the full interior with upgraded leather was carried out by the best of the best – SM trimming, an up-rated and rebuilt engine & 5 speed gearbox, uprated differential, rebuilt brakes and upgraded suspension and means that this csi is not only as fast (if not faster) than a csl, but it looks incredible. Even the smell of the new leather interior is so sumptuous.

 

So, what’s it like to drive then after all of this work? Incredible, in a word. The car starts every turn of the key, thanks to the modern Emerald ECU, Jenvey throttle bodies and WOSP starter. It has a nice raspy sound that isn’t normal from an M30 engine, but is a welcome addition that clearly shows its purpose. The engine is a later 3.4 litre unit from a 635csi, so it has more torque and power naturally; but that wasn’t enough, we have a Schrick cam, gas flowed head and around 230bhp on tap, all put to the road via a 5-speed box and a custom LSD, so the car really does go, the Bilstein shocks and custom springs keep the body in check and the brakes are fully rebuilt and slow the car down every bit as well as it goes. In the corners the steering through the Nardi wheel is sublime, smooth feedback and with superb accuracy. This is an unbelievably well put together car.

 

Even the most adept driver will appreciate the attention to detail in this build, a lightened flywheel makes rev matching a pleasure. Even the glass is so clear and well-polished you can easily hit every apex in sight. The body is ceramic coated, the underside Lanogaurded. It is really to go and use – can you think of a better way to get to Le Mans this year / do a Euro trip? The full stainless exhaust just makes the whole experience that much more enjoyable. The perfect BMW resto-mod. If this was an Alfa 105 Coupe, it would be £150k or more, so this makes it somewhat of a bargain, as a lot less E9’s have been upgraded in the same way as the 105 coupes, what a great alternative!

There seems to be no BMW equivalent builder creating cars in the same vein as Alfaholics, so this one may be as close as you’ll get until a company decides to fill that gap in the market. With every single component carefully thought about, sought and set up to the finest of tolerances, this really is a benchmark for any future BMW classic builds to follow in its footsteps. The spec list for this car is simply enormous. Suffice to say it is available upon request, but if you can think of an item to question as to whether it has been “done” during the build, the answer is going to be yes!

 

Starting life as a German delivered car, with the city pack and the Alpina wheels and front splitter all as options, it was a nice car to begin with before the build commenced, but nothing was going to stop the dream becoming a reality.

 

The engine, gearbox, clutch, flywheel, differential, suspension, brakes, interior, ECU and any ancillary mechanical components have been upgraded or restored. The body had a full bare metal restoration. Any panel that had any rust was replaced and then painted in Nachtblau changing from its original Fjord blue. Then protected underneath and in the seams and ceramic coated, to keep it in show condition on top and underneath. The interior is simply stunning. SM Trimming really hit the nail on the head with this car, more sumptuous than even an original car. Even the boot has better leather than you’d find in the highest end supercars.

 

The car is even equipped with the rare original tool kit and every last switch works. It is such a well finished article that you’d be hard pushed to find fault with it. Even if you do, there’s a secret hidden switch to change the ECU map, so that you can drop a gear and disappear! The only question is; where will this beautiful GT car be taking you this summer?

 

Check out our video of the car here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XO-8FZHC38

 

TOTAL NUMBER OF PREVIOUS OWNERS: 8

TRANSMISSION: 5 Speed manual

Engine: 3.5 litre inline six

Power: 230 bhp

0-60 mph: 7.5 seconds

Top Speed: 140 mph

PRICE: £89,995.00 – Open to sensible offers.