1982 BMW 323i Baur

1982 BMW 323i Baur
Memorial Day 2010 First Drive 1982 323i BMW Baur Lapisblau M20 5 speed #4154 of 4595 made. The car was imported to California by Dietel Enterprises. I have since changed the wheels, installed the clear turn signal lenses, and I am in the process of installing a new cabriolet roof. I have to do something about those bumpers, too. :) I love this car! To see one of the reasons why, check my post "Score One For the Good Guys" on 6/26/2011.

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Some Assembly Required Department: 1969 BMW 1600 Voll Cabriolet project - $5000 (san anselmo)

UPDATE May 29 2017:  Small Baur World Department!*

Thanks to Michael Hilber for reminding of this craigslist post that recently appeared in the San Francisco Bay area.  I had seen it, but it has been a busy week around here, and it slipped into the foggy recesses of my memory.

1969 BMW 1600 Voll Cabriolet project - $5000 (san anselmo)  



The operative word here is "PROJECT"!

Here is a pic of this 'once and future' 1600 Voll Cabrio!  Before it was disassembled.  Like.... completely. 

Here is a pic of this Cabrio at the present time. Some assembly is required.  ;)  Remember:  installation is simply the reverse of removal.  So this should be a piece of cake, right?  Riiiiiiight!  ;) 



Here are the seller's comments:
Please read the entire ad first before responding. This is a sad story.
For skilled body shop, body person or person with deep pockets.
Not for the amateur or easily intimidated.
Car was disassembled by a professional body man for donor floor pan replacing and rust repairs.
Sheet metal was blasted and painted with epoxy primer.
New rear inner and outer wheel houses were fitted to the donor body pan.
All spot welds drilled out, new rockers with rectangular steel channel added for rigidity.
Then the body man got Lymphoma and had to stop the project.
I had hoped to have another body shop complete the project.
That particular shop put me off on another job for several years and the owner is now in jail.
I have recovered the car twice now from both body shops and it is still in pieces.
At this point I have decided to move on and place the car up for sale.
The car needs someone younger or with more energy and skill than I have.
Needs some panels to be fabricated where the rust dissolved them.
I have the interior, drive train wiring and canvas top.
Seats are cloth and vinyl in good condition.
Has 1600cc engine and 4 speed transmission.
Car was basically stock without mods.
Also have a box with new glass from BMW.
1682 of these full baur cabriolets were made between 68 and 71 by BMW.
Clean title non oped in my name. Price is firm.
Send me a reply if interested describing your skills and or desire to own a rare BMW
Please respond only if you have the ways and means to re assemble the car.
I would estimate it to be several hundred man hours for full restoration.
I have a work record of work done to this point totally almost 160 man hours disassembling this and the donor car's bodys.
Prices are now on the rise for these rare BMWs making the project viable financially.
First photo is from before the car was disassembled.
The body parts were sand blasted and sealed with epoxy primer.

    https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/6148026950.html
    This project is not for the faint of heart, but I really hope someone will take up the challenge.  A red Voll Cabrio sold at Amelia Island Concours a couple of years ago for over 70 grand.
    Thanks for the reminder Michael! 
*UPDATE May 29 2017:  Small Baur World Department!*  
I received the following message from our friend and fellow Baur owner, John Margherita, late last night:
"Tom,

Pretty sure I owned that car 25 years ago. The one car I'm sorry I ever sold.

Here's is a picture from the day I sold it in 1992. I sold to a guy in San Anselmo CA and took a partial trade for a 1974 2002tii.
Really sad to see it in this condition. Wish I was still on the west coast."

"This is the buyer driving it away."  25 years ago! 

I sent John the following:
 "Amazing, John! Please let me know what you find out. I am revising the Baurspotting blog post to include this info as we speak! I will await verification.... hopefully he will respond in a timely manner."

And I awoke this morning to find this message from John:
"Verified! Here is his response:"


Hi John, 
Yes, this is the car I bought from you.
I had a great run with the car for the first 10 years I had it. It was getting pretty shaky on the bumps so I bought a car with a rust free floor pan and had an excellent body guy doing the work until he got sick.
There is a bmw guy I met last year who may undertake the rebuild that thinks someone named Misha owned this car and says it had a musical history. I don't recall anything you mentioned about that when I bought it. Thought of trying to contact you but you beat me to it. 
Wish me and the car luck. If you want to undertake the job, let me know and I'll sell it to you. No one has fully committed at this point.
Best,
Al"

Small Baur World, indeed! Thank you, John! 

And there may be more!  "Misha"..... who could this Misha be?  Well, it occurred to me that I had heard that name before.....Mikhail Baryshnikov was known as "Misha'. That might be worth looking into. Just saying'.  ;)   

We are actively seeking any info on the Provenance of this Baur Voll Convertible! 

So stay tuned, folks!  

No comments:

Post a Comment