1980 BMW E26 M1

[dinkel]

Snubs said:

How did i miss this thread? I think this is just about the most jealous i've ever been. The M1 is in my top 3 most wanted cars, for sure.

What a project

Wow - just wow. Where and when can we see it?

[RichardM5]

Phil-j393l said:

Its a beautiful read for Friday. Did you have original photos of the car before it got over dressed ?

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from before it was painted silver.

[RichardM5]

cteagles said:

I spent some time with Richard Last week and photographed his M1, seeing it in the flesh - its perfect.



View some more on my website

Thanks for the photos Chris, we got lucky with the weather, shortly after you left it was chucking it down. However, a little rain may have softened the sheep st that got splattered under the wheel arches, that stuff really does stick when it dries out!

[RichardM5]

Ahonen said:

The OP's car looks wonderful. The engine bay is pristine.

Lovely cars, M1s. I used to run the M1 Procars owned by Mike McInerney in the Classic Endurance series. The chassis was superb and despite a 300bhp deficit to the Porsche 935s (450 against 750) we won almost every race over several years. The M1 was a long way ahead of its time and in many ways you forgot that it was a historic racecar because it had proper double wishbone suspension and a very strong chassis.

I used to deal with Lee, I think, from Park Lane BMW for many of our parts and it was always surprising just how many items BMW retained for the Procars in Munich ("Pair of rear magnesium uprights? Yep, they're on the shelf."), but the smaller trim parts were always difficult to come by, like windscreen seals and the like. The remaining road car parts stock was bought by Sam Hignett's dad (Sam owns Jota Sport, the WEC team) a few years ago and he still has many items.

Anyway, here's a shot of our two on the very last race I did with them at Paul Ricard, October 2011:



The lead car in this shot was actually never a Procar, it was raced in the IMSA series in the States. Here it is in period:

Edited by Ahonen on Friday 3rd June 12:23

Those look amazing, I can't imagine what it would be like to drive a Procar, that really would be a dream come true.

Do you have any contact details for Sam Hignett's dad? I'm always on the lookout for parts and thought I'd found the ex BMW UK stock.

[gwc1997]

Saw it at newby hall a few weeks back, it's absolutely gorgeous! Planning on taking it to any other shows over the summer?

[Ahonen]

RichardM5 said:

Those look amazing, I can't imagine what it would be like to drive a Procar, that really would be a dream come true.

Do you have any contact details for Sam Hignett's dad? I'm always on the lookout for parts and thought I'd found the ex BMW UK stock.

I have sent you a PM with a few names and numbers on it. Apparently they handle very well, with a very good balance. We ran on crossplies, which is always going to give you a nice, forgiving feel at the limit, but we used to put in lap times that wouldn't have been too bad on a British GT grid around 8-10 years ago which, for a 1979 car on 16-inch wheels and no brakes, is pretty reasonable. And they were faster on the Mulsanne Straight at the LM classic than the Ferrari 430 GT2 we used in the modern Le Mans 24 Hours in 2009.

[RichardM5]

gwc1997 said:

Saw it at newby hall a few weeks back, it's absolutely gorgeous! Planning on taking it to any other shows over the summer?

Currently planning on the following

Castle Howard on Father's Day 19th June.
Fast Car Show at Donington Park on 30th and 31st of July on the Pistonheads stand. May sneak into the Silverstone Classic on Friday 29th too.
BMW Car Club GB national festival at Gaydon on 14th August.

[cteagles]

RichardM5 said:

cteagles said:

I spent some time with Richard Last week and photographed his M1, seeing it in the flesh - its perfect.



View some more on my website

Thanks for the photos Chris, we got lucky with the weather, shortly after you left it was chucking it down. However, a little rain may have softened the sheep st that got splattered under the wheel arches, that stuff really does stick when it dries out!

Really lucky! most of my drive home it was awful weather.

Sheep st and rain.. still good fun though!

[RichardM5]

Here are a few more of Chris's pictures.

CT-66 by Richard Parkinson, on Flickr

CT-65 by Richard Parkinson, on Flickr

CT-63 by Richard Parkinson, on Flickr

CT-51 by Richard Parkinson, on Flickr

CT-44 by Richard Parkinson, on Flickr

CT-41 by Richard Parkinson, on Flickr

CT-28 by Richard Parkinson, on Flickr

CT-18 by Richard Parkinson, on Flickr

CT-9 by Richard Parkinson, on Flickr

CT-8 by Richard Parkinson, on Flickr

[Miles Hardy]

Wow. That is a collection and a half. Well done for choosing to spend the cash on something different and Bavarian! I've had many a BMW classic in my short years, but not one of these, a bit out of reach. But it's great to see it getting the respect it deserves.

Random question, is there a BMW classic car club, to avoid the gym loving "mouth breathers" that run e46 320i's? As it'd be great to get some meetings arranged on the level of some in the USA / Stanceworks style?

If anyone knows about a classic club, please email me! Thanks, Miles

[cteagles]

Miles Hardy said:

Wow. That is a collection and a half. Well done for choosing to spend the cash on something different and Bavarian! I've had many a BMW classic in my short years, but not one of these, a bit out of reach. But it's great to see it getting the respect it deserves.

Random question, is there a BMW classic car club, to avoid the gym loving "mouth breathers" that run e46 320i's? As it'd be great to get some meetings arranged on the level of some in the USA / Stanceworks style?

If anyone knows about a classic club, please email me! Thanks, Miles

BMWCCGB has some great members with some lovely cars. They are a huge club and i'm sure you could get something organised with them focusing on classic BMWs. Drop me a PM and I can put you in touch.

[MarshPhantom]

Great work, the white/black combo suits it too.

[Lotusgone]

I first saw the M1 at the Procar event, Hockenheim GP weekend in 1979 (Lauda romped it). A beautiful car, thanks for all the work to keep such a great example on the road.

[Frrair]

Wow, they have aged really well, your work restoring it has all been worth while, it's a fabulous machine.

Thank you for sharing the story.

[Cups Renault]

Think I saw the rare and exciting vision of this legendary car heading up Otley Road, possibly on the way to the shoot. Thank you for brightening my day and certainly makes a change from the usual paper millionaire chariots round this way. True exotica.

[Stedman]

A lovely, lovely car, but a shame about the screwcaps on the numberplate

[RichardM5]

Cups Renault said:

Think I saw the rare and exciting vision of this legendary car heading up Otley Road, possibly on the way to the shoot. Thank you for brightening my day and certainly makes a change from the usual paper millionaire chariots round this way. True exotica.

That's quite possible, it was Wednesday 25th May. A blue one series flashed and waved when I was driving up Otley Road.

[RichardM5]

Stedman said:

A lovely, lovely car, but a shame about the screwcaps on the numberplate

There are no longer screw caps on the number plates! Look at the latest pictures by Chris.

[road_rager]

What a great car and pictures!

[Cups Renault]

RichardM5 said:

That's quite possible, it was Wednesday 25th May. A blue one series flashed and waved when I was driving up Otley Road.

Yep that was me, paying respects to an grand automotive elder. Brilliant sight to see and a great collection you have. Hope to pass this magnificent car again sometime.....or better still if there any Newby Hall/Harewood type events would be good to take a closer look.