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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The First E21 Baur

See also:
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/11/first-baur-restoration-project_23.html
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/11/first-baur-restoration-project_23.html

Thanks to E21Robb for posting the link to this Italian E21 fan club in bimmerforums today. 
There are several pages devoted to the Baur TC, as well as other E21 cabriolets.  It is worth checking out. 

N.B.:    The information posted below is not my original material, but it is taken from the E21 Baur page on the link above.  It was originally in Italian, and I used Bing Translator to convert it to English, more or less.  :)   I just thought that the first E21 Baur built should definitely have a place of Honor on a blog devoted to Baurspotting, and it will remain in the Archives.

"The series 3 E21 Topcabriolet Baur
Since the beginning of the project was planned, E21 to derive from a two-door sedan version. As was the case with its progenitor 2002 Convertible version, the discovery of the BMW 3 series was entrusted to the Bodywork Baur of Stuttgart, which boasted a great experience in theme of scoperte cars and a collaborative relationship with BMW started in the 1950s. Already on 13 March 1976 the first car of preproduction was ready, and was registered on 9 April. Was a 320 carburettor metallic silver colour, with light alloy rims BBS and cloth beige interior, an unexpected pairing from BMW. This car was used for photos of the first catalogue of 1978 and the owner's Handbook, and still exists; owned by a German collector, has been fully restored and exposed by the Club Baur at the Techno Classica in Essen 2008.



















The first Series 3 E21 open, exposed at the Techno Classica in Essen 2008 after restoration. Compared to internal sources, mounts an in imitation leather black (photo "blackboxes66")


As for 2002, the Lancia Beta Spider Zagato and the Opel Kadett Aero, produced in small series by the same Baur, the body coach was a big pedestal inglobante the rear, with functions of rollbar and compensation of loss of rigidity of the body, and a top panel divided into two parts, a rigid separately for the front, you could put on brackets attached inside the hood and trunk, a cloth with plastic window back, that you ripiegava at the base of the rear window. This solution allowed you to maintain than the sedan the torsional rigidity of the bodyshell and roll-over protection structure, and offered further advantages in terms of ease of use (for example, you could mount the ski), but gave exposure to wind less than that of traditional spider and cabriolet.
However, it took two years for the series 3 were unveiled in version opened to the public. In those years, the question of open cars was at an all time low: before launching the production they wanted to be certain that there would be a sufficient market outlet for amnmortizzare investments.
Finally, in March 1978, Baur and BMW broke the delay and presented, however a bit muted, the car to the press.
The production cycle was similar to that of the previous 2002: Baur received from complete factory cars, which were partially dismantled for the removal of the Pavilion and mounting structure reinforcement, which included the rollbar. Then the cars were completed with the replacement of the Interior and other finishing components.
In parallel with the production of new cars, Baur turned into Topcabriolet also specimens that are used; Unfortunately, you don't know how many cars modified subsequent to the sale."

Other E21 Cabriolets:

Karmann Cabriolet:


Callaway, Dietel Enterprises,  Hardy & Beck, Hartge, Schnitzer, etc...... sheesh, who ARE these guys at this website!!!  Almost enough to make me want to learn to speak Italian!


Production numbers, model year differences in pictures:



Much, much more.  What, you are still here?? Go see this website already!









 
 
For those of us who are unable to speak Italian, use Bing Translator:
Clumsy, but better than nothing.


Here is the link to the Google Map of Baur TC1s in the US, showing what we have found to date;
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=212684510055146301929.000499ed9e00262f15966&z=3

I will continue to update this map as we go along.

UPDATE: New Google map: 
BMW Baur Locations Around the World  (only one post so far.... want to add your Baur?  Email info to me.)










 

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