Discussion
I am in the process of re-commissioning my TWR BMW 335i and wondered if anyone could help me with information about TWR and the BMW's it built and raced in the 70's and 80's? My own car was based on an e21 323i that was converted using Alpina parts and the engine from the 635csi. As far as I know only 3 cars were built and two remain. Mine is chassis number 3.
Any info / help / advice on TWR BMW's would be much appreciated.
This link will tell you a bit more about my car...
A chance look at the bay of e, and a subsequent e-mail and Miss Marple'esque detective session have brought about the purchase of a very rare e21. When I say very rare, what I really mean is very, very rare. In fact, it is one of 3 known cars and possibly one of only two known survivors. Anyway, the car in question is a TWR 335. A 323 converted to 3.5 m30 with a liberal sprinkling of Alpina parts.
The link below takes you to a write up from the era when the car was new.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4354348089_691...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4355091964_c94...
The specification includes 3.5 m30 engine, Alpina gearbox casing and LSD with extended cooling fin cover. There are also Alpina spoilers and a Recaro interior. I still have work to do before it will be back on the road but it should be a bit of a beast with 240bhp and loads of torque.
The boot floor, rear turrets & beneath the rear screen are all spotless with no rust or rot.
The head has been removed to allow the bores to be inspected and there is no wear to speak of. There certainly no ridge at the top of the bores and the bores themselves are in great condition.
Before I fit the new front panel etc, I am going to take the chance to paint and detail the engine bay. The is a brand new custom rad all ready to slot in. There is a brand new head which I plan to have flowed before I fit the Schrick cam to compliment the bigger valves already fitted. It's being built up to 240bhp specification.
You can see just how little room is left between the block and the bulkhead. I'm going to fit a tubular manifold and exhaust system. Hopefully, I will be able to get http://www.christullettexhausts.com to fabricate it as they did a great job on MIB. I have plenty to do before I need to worry about that though.
Obviously there are staggered Alpina rims which will also be refurbished at some point. I'm not going to stress too much about cosmetics though. I'm more concerned with getting it mechanically sorted. The pretty stuff can wait.
I've decided to keep all the period ICE and fit it here rather than in MIB. I think it'll make a nice final touch to the mint Recaro interior.
The next job is bringing it home and putting it in my garage. As luck would have it, I've finally found one just around the corner! Once it's here I can start writing a massive ''to do'' list.
The interior is Recaro but they've trimmed the seats to match the doorcards etc. I was unsure about the authenticity of the steering wheel however, it seems it is the one supplied by TWR.
With regard to the period ICE, I have managed to get the final missing components and now have the amp and pre-amp to match. I just need to decide which speakers to go with although that's a way off yet.
If anyone can offer help / advice to aid getting my car back on the road I would love to hear from you.
Any info / help / advice on TWR BMW's would be much appreciated.
This link will tell you a bit more about my car...
A chance look at the bay of e, and a subsequent e-mail and Miss Marple'esque detective session have brought about the purchase of a very rare e21. When I say very rare, what I really mean is very, very rare. In fact, it is one of 3 known cars and possibly one of only two known survivors. Anyway, the car in question is a TWR 335. A 323 converted to 3.5 m30 with a liberal sprinkling of Alpina parts.
The link below takes you to a write up from the era when the car was new.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4354348089_691...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4355091964_c94...
The specification includes 3.5 m30 engine, Alpina gearbox casing and LSD with extended cooling fin cover. There are also Alpina spoilers and a Recaro interior. I still have work to do before it will be back on the road but it should be a bit of a beast with 240bhp and loads of torque.
The boot floor, rear turrets & beneath the rear screen are all spotless with no rust or rot.
The head has been removed to allow the bores to be inspected and there is no wear to speak of. There certainly no ridge at the top of the bores and the bores themselves are in great condition.
Before I fit the new front panel etc, I am going to take the chance to paint and detail the engine bay. The is a brand new custom rad all ready to slot in. There is a brand new head which I plan to have flowed before I fit the Schrick cam to compliment the bigger valves already fitted. It's being built up to 240bhp specification.
You can see just how little room is left between the block and the bulkhead. I'm going to fit a tubular manifold and exhaust system. Hopefully, I will be able to get http://www.christullettexhausts.com to fabricate it as they did a great job on MIB. I have plenty to do before I need to worry about that though.
Obviously there are staggered Alpina rims which will also be refurbished at some point. I'm not going to stress too much about cosmetics though. I'm more concerned with getting it mechanically sorted. The pretty stuff can wait.
I've decided to keep all the period ICE and fit it here rather than in MIB. I think it'll make a nice final touch to the mint Recaro interior.
The next job is bringing it home and putting it in my garage. As luck would have it, I've finally found one just around the corner! Once it's here I can start writing a massive ''to do'' list.
The interior is Recaro but they've trimmed the seats to match the doorcards etc. I was unsure about the authenticity of the steering wheel however, it seems it is the one supplied by TWR.
With regard to the period ICE, I have managed to get the final missing components and now have the amp and pre-amp to match. I just need to decide which speakers to go with although that's a way off yet.
If anyone can offer help / advice to aid getting my car back on the road I would love to hear from you.
Well on Friday evening, despite the M25 and all the traffic, I managed to get to collect the TWR on a trailer and take it to the workshop where the re-commissioning will be done. This was actually the first time that I had got to see the car outside and not while stuck in the corner of someone elses garage! It seems it is even better than I first thought and the bodyshell is arrow straight down both sides with no rust issues etc. I'm really happy with the purchase. Anyway, there was also a whole host of spares included along with body panels etc. I may well sell some of this stuff in an effort to raise funds for the work that does need doing? Sadly it was too dark to take any photos but I shall take a load next week when we go right through the car and parts, to write up a plan of attack. I would like to think that we will have an MOT by June 18th 2011 which is 29 years to the day since the car was built by TWR.
Now that I have what history there is, I was able to start tracing previous owners etc. The first discovery, and incredible co-incidence, is that the car was actually supplied with the exact same Pioneer ICE as I bought for it at an autojumble a few weeks back! I'm really glad to be able to put the car back to how it was originally supplied all those years ago.
It also transpired that the car was originally supplied as an Alpina C1.
Anyway, I will continue to post information as and when I find it but I have managed to trace the original Service Manager that worked on the car and he remembers it well. Best of all, he was able to confirm exactly what parts were Alpina and which were Hartge, the only other people doing a 3.5 conversion as far as I am aware?
Now that I have what history there is, I was able to start tracing previous owners etc. The first discovery, and incredible co-incidence, is that the car was actually supplied with the exact same Pioneer ICE as I bought for it at an autojumble a few weeks back! I'm really glad to be able to put the car back to how it was originally supplied all those years ago.
It also transpired that the car was originally supplied as an Alpina C1.
Anyway, I will continue to post information as and when I find it but I have managed to trace the original Service Manager that worked on the car and he remembers it well. Best of all, he was able to confirm exactly what parts were Alpina and which were Hartge, the only other people doing a 3.5 conversion as far as I am aware?
I know. This was a step further taken by Tom Walkinshaw Racing who were UK agents for Alpina prior to Sytners taking over in around 1983 when TWR concentrated on their affiliation with Rover and Jaguar. My car started as an Alpina C1 prior to its conversion to 335 spec. If you check the links above it confirms that TWR took the e21 further than Alpinas B6.
Hi John,
After your last mail I spoke to the guys at Auztec and they told me about the extensive work your car is having done. In fact, they said the shell was almost complete and ready for paint. I believe yours is the car that my cars original owner drove? He was so impressed he asked them to convert his C1 straight away. He would have bought your car but it just wasn't for sale! Ken Hosken, the service manager at TWR, remembers the cars well and was pleased to hear they still survive. I also heard that chassis number 2 was destroyed by fire too. Ken was also able to give me some technical details. It seems that not only did they use an Alpina gearbox, but they also used the Hartge item. He said the Hartge had a longer throw gearlever. He is also going to try and find any relevant history that he has in his loft. I shall obviously keep you posted John.
I hope to go take detailed photos of my car this week. Fortunately, it remains pretty much rust free and doesn't require too much bodywork. The engine, however, needs a rebuild and will be blueprinted and built to 240bhp specification as it was originally. Meanwhile, I'm going to use an e12 M535 engine I have sat waiting. I need to find out what exhaust system was used though? I have a 6 branch manifold being made now but am unsure if a twin, 323 style system was retained or not?
It seems very few people knew the TWR 335 even existed and it's certainly way rarer than the Alpina B6 too. I believe they were only available in LHD too?
My next task is to try and trace Dru Montagu, the original owner. If anyone has any knowledge of him please let me know?
After your last mail I spoke to the guys at Auztec and they told me about the extensive work your car is having done. In fact, they said the shell was almost complete and ready for paint. I believe yours is the car that my cars original owner drove? He was so impressed he asked them to convert his C1 straight away. He would have bought your car but it just wasn't for sale! Ken Hosken, the service manager at TWR, remembers the cars well and was pleased to hear they still survive. I also heard that chassis number 2 was destroyed by fire too. Ken was also able to give me some technical details. It seems that not only did they use an Alpina gearbox, but they also used the Hartge item. He said the Hartge had a longer throw gearlever. He is also going to try and find any relevant history that he has in his loft. I shall obviously keep you posted John.
I hope to go take detailed photos of my car this week. Fortunately, it remains pretty much rust free and doesn't require too much bodywork. The engine, however, needs a rebuild and will be blueprinted and built to 240bhp specification as it was originally. Meanwhile, I'm going to use an e12 M535 engine I have sat waiting. I need to find out what exhaust system was used though? I have a 6 branch manifold being made now but am unsure if a twin, 323 style system was retained or not?
It seems very few people knew the TWR 335 even existed and it's certainly way rarer than the Alpina B6 too. I believe they were only available in LHD too?
My next task is to try and trace Dru Montagu, the original owner. If anyone has any knowledge of him please let me know?
Thanks for the positive comments guys.
I'm off to the workshop on Monday and we shall be getting the car up on the lift for a thorough inspection. A previous owner had intended to track the car so removed all the underseal. As a result we will be able to see any corrosion although, so far, there seems to be nothing to worry about. I am currently researching which products to use to protect the underneath, chassis rails etc?
I have managed to track down all the parts needed to complete the build including a mint headlining and carpet. I am going to order fresh windscreen and rear screen rubbers too. Fortunately, the interior has survived really well and the Recaros are pretty much mint.
The 6 branch is being made by a company in Somerset and I plan to just fit twin silencers like the original Alpina C1 system. I would like to use race spec silencers though.
Anyway, I'll post more photos and info as I get it.
I'm off to the workshop on Monday and we shall be getting the car up on the lift for a thorough inspection. A previous owner had intended to track the car so removed all the underseal. As a result we will be able to see any corrosion although, so far, there seems to be nothing to worry about. I am currently researching which products to use to protect the underneath, chassis rails etc?
I have managed to track down all the parts needed to complete the build including a mint headlining and carpet. I am going to order fresh windscreen and rear screen rubbers too. Fortunately, the interior has survived really well and the Recaros are pretty much mint.
The 6 branch is being made by a company in Somerset and I plan to just fit twin silencers like the original Alpina C1 system. I would like to use race spec silencers though.
Anyway, I'll post more photos and info as I get it.
Well I was able to get over to M-tech this morning and Dave got the TWR up on his ramp so that we could go over it with a fine tooth comb. Apologies for the picture quality and poor light and an i phone camera are a bad mix.
Anyway, the whole shell is 100% rust free. In fact, it has to be one of the most solid E21's I have come across personally. The fact that a previous owner has laboriously
removed all the underseal with a scraper means that there are no hidden surprises.
This is the only blemish along with a rear corner of the bonnet that has a little ding that's happened whilst in storage. Certainly nothing to worry about.
The metal around the diff remains rust free and the cover and fins should clean up nicely. Obviously the LSD with get fresh oil.
The suspension all seems to be in good order and looks to have been fully refurbished in recent years. The springs are progressive rate.
The brakes look awesome too. I'm guessing the fronts were taken from the 635 that donated its engine. The hoses with be replaced with braided items along with new fluid & pads.
The gearbox will obviously get fresh oil too. The internals are a combination of 6 and 7 series ratios combined with the standard 3.45 diff.
The bootlid has been replaced for some reason but this is also mint so just needs painting. Apart from this and some localized repairs, that should be about the only paintwork needed. The gutter trims, rear windows etc all need to be replaced and / or re-fitted.
All the wheel arches are spotless as are the doors. In fact, the doors look factory fresh inside and out.
The boot currently contains a load of parts. There's a brand new head, polished rocker cover, polished inlet manifold and assorted other bits and pieces.
There a brand new cam and the original Alpina strut brace remains too.
There are certain bits I am still in need of but that's mainly interior trim. Dave @ E21 Revival has supplied me with a decent carpet ( thanks Dave ) and I have an early Alpina steering wheel as was originally fitted.
The staggered Alpina wheels will get new rubber once the wheels themselves have been refurbished.
Rather than just fit the engine I got from Jason, we have decided to rebuild the original, blueprinted TWR engine instead. If, further down the line, it looks as if it's too far gone we can always revert to the original plan. It just makes sense to get the original engine up and running again. As soon as the cars running we can get the front end on and think about the first M.O.T in 21 years!
Anyway, the whole shell is 100% rust free. In fact, it has to be one of the most solid E21's I have come across personally. The fact that a previous owner has laboriously
removed all the underseal with a scraper means that there are no hidden surprises.
This is the only blemish along with a rear corner of the bonnet that has a little ding that's happened whilst in storage. Certainly nothing to worry about.
The metal around the diff remains rust free and the cover and fins should clean up nicely. Obviously the LSD with get fresh oil.
The suspension all seems to be in good order and looks to have been fully refurbished in recent years. The springs are progressive rate.
The brakes look awesome too. I'm guessing the fronts were taken from the 635 that donated its engine. The hoses with be replaced with braided items along with new fluid & pads.
The gearbox will obviously get fresh oil too. The internals are a combination of 6 and 7 series ratios combined with the standard 3.45 diff.
The bootlid has been replaced for some reason but this is also mint so just needs painting. Apart from this and some localized repairs, that should be about the only paintwork needed. The gutter trims, rear windows etc all need to be replaced and / or re-fitted.
All the wheel arches are spotless as are the doors. In fact, the doors look factory fresh inside and out.
The boot currently contains a load of parts. There's a brand new head, polished rocker cover, polished inlet manifold and assorted other bits and pieces.
There a brand new cam and the original Alpina strut brace remains too.
There are certain bits I am still in need of but that's mainly interior trim. Dave @ E21 Revival has supplied me with a decent carpet ( thanks Dave ) and I have an early Alpina steering wheel as was originally fitted.
The staggered Alpina wheels will get new rubber once the wheels themselves have been refurbished.
Rather than just fit the engine I got from Jason, we have decided to rebuild the original, blueprinted TWR engine instead. If, further down the line, it looks as if it's too far gone we can always revert to the original plan. It just makes sense to get the original engine up and running again. As soon as the cars running we can get the front end on and think about the first M.O.T in 21 years!
As it's raining and I'm stuck at my desk I thought I would do a bit more research on the cars history and it's previous owners.
I'm having the head pressure tested prior to having it flowed this week. I'm leaning towards having e34 inlet valves fitted but as I know very little about M30 engines I am having to rely on other people.
This was the bill given when the car was returned as a C1. The conversion to 335 was another £8K.
TWR's factory back in the day. Spot the C1 in the background. It looks like an early car going by the chrome door mirror?
I spy the 2 County Championship cars over there in the back-ground. Those rear wings were rather large. I've managed to contact someone who bought all of TWR's parts stock when they'd finished working with the E21. It seems as though all those ''identical'' 323 engines might not have been all they appeared.
I'm having the head pressure tested prior to having it flowed this week. I'm leaning towards having e34 inlet valves fitted but as I know very little about M30 engines I am having to rely on other people.
This was the bill given when the car was returned as a C1. The conversion to 335 was another £8K.
TWR's factory back in the day. Spot the C1 in the background. It looks like an early car going by the chrome door mirror?
I spy the 2 County Championship cars over there in the back-ground. Those rear wings were rather large. I've managed to contact someone who bought all of TWR's parts stock when they'd finished working with the E21. It seems as though all those ''identical'' 323 engines might not have been all they appeared.
I found this yesterday...
Some of the drivers race suit patches.
Never mind the cars even the badge is rusting!
Some BMW press releases with race results, championship standings, prize money etc.
They were the days...
When I get a bit more time I will type everything out but here's the car specifications to be going on with...
Anatomy of the BMW County Championship
The BMW 323i's which are representing their respective counties in this year's BMW County Championship initially started life as standard road cars. They were transported straight from BMW Munich where they were taken to Tom Walkinshaw Racing at Kidlington, Oxford. Tom, together with Hugo Tippet, the team manager and 6 racing technicians then modified the cars to racing specifications which were as follows :-
BMW 323i - County Car Specification
Some of the drivers race suit patches.
Never mind the cars even the badge is rusting!
Some BMW press releases with race results, championship standings, prize money etc.
They were the days...
When I get a bit more time I will type everything out but here's the car specifications to be going on with...
Anatomy of the BMW County Championship
The BMW 323i's which are representing their respective counties in this year's BMW County Championship initially started life as standard road cars. They were transported straight from BMW Munich where they were taken to Tom Walkinshaw Racing at Kidlington, Oxford. Tom, together with Hugo Tippet, the team manager and 6 racing technicians then modified the cars to racing specifications which were as follows :-
BMW 323i - County Car Specification
- 2.3 litre engine balanced throughout
- Gas flowed cylinder head polished and raised compression to 9.8:1
- Brake tested to deliver 170bhp
- Heavy duty clutch
- Front struts specially rebuilt to TWR Racing settings, with stiffer springs and adjustable abutments.
- Competition rear dampers have adjustable bump and rebound settings with stiffer springs.
- Adjustable front anti roll bar of 24mm fitted in addition to standard one.
- Rear one of 19mm also fitted.
- Limited Slip Differential fitted with reinforced rear crossmember mountings.
- Racing brake pads front and rear have been specially made with additional ventilation to the discs.
- Mahle wheels 6Jx13 are fitted with Dunlop racing tyres.
- Body stripped of all interior trim, fitted with FIA roll cage front and rear, competition high back driving seat, BMW Motorsport steering wheel, four point racing harness, 2.5 kilo FE1301 plubed in extinguishing system, battery cut off switch and reinforced fuel tank.
- Specially made fibreglass bonnet and boot lids fitted. The boot lid carries a rear wing and there is a special racing air dam at the front.
- A special free flow exhaust system is fitted complying with the 1980 RAC noise regulations.
Edited by e21BMW on Saturday 9th October 14:24
Well things are progressing - slowly but I've done pretty much all I can myself now and am currently ground to a halt while I wait for parts etc. The manifold - despite the stupidly expensive price tag - seems to be taking ages and won't be ready till the 1st November! I almost went with their exhaust system too but as it wouldn't clear the Alpina diff cover etc, there seemed no point As the manifold is done in 50mm pipe, I think I'm going to stick with that for the whole system and retain twin silencers 323 style. I know it's more weight but as it came from TWR that way it makes sense to keep it original looking. If not, I would quite fancy side exit like the County Cars in some of those photos. It would sound awesome!
The original head is long gone so I'm looking into getting the replacement flowed etc. This is all a learning curve for me as a) I'm no mechanic b) I only have a basic understanding of what goes where and does what and c) my budget / savings are all but gone. Were I just looking to get the car restored to sell at some vastly inflated price it wouldn't matter as I'd know the money would be coming back again soon. However, it's a keeper and if I'm going to do it, I want to do it right. So, with the head, I am looking to maximise it's efficiency without throwing bundles of cash at it. I'm thinking mild porting & polishing, new camshaft and re-build with new rockers, dual oil spray bar etc. I know I could go balls out for big power etc and maybe fit a later head & pistons etc, but I want to retain the feel of the original car that TWR built. The bottom end seems in good order but it makes sense to give the bores a freshen up and I also have an e34 M5 clutch & flywheel to go on. The flywheel is considerably lighter too! I'm fortunate enough to have a choice of camshafts and it depends which I use as to which injection I run? Ideally, I will go with the later Motronic set-up which will still look period while giving better performance & reliability. As long as I can get the same sort of power as TWR did, which was about 240bhp, I'll be happy. 250 and I'll be happier still!
The interior is the job I can do myself. Well most of it anyway. The seats were recovered when the car was just a 4 months old. Why? I have no idea. The only Alpina C1 parts that were deleted were the side decal set and rear spoiler although the spoiler was eventually retro fitted. I don't know if Alpina cloth was part of Recaro / C1 specification? Anyway, they are still in BMW cloth and are mint. The carpet was gone so I have bought a nice replacement which I plan to dye black. I don't know what colour it was supplied with but I like black and it's one detail that will hardly detract from the overall look. I have an early Alpina steering wheel & gear knob ready to go on and replace the early e30 item. I also have Alpina clocks. Sadly there were no extra gauges for oil pressure, temp' etc so I may fit the same sort as are in my daily. They can easily be fitted without having to cut or drill holes anywhere and I like the security of knowing things are ok. The headlining was removed although I have got a perfect replacement that is still nice and white. I'm going to get a professional trimmer to fit it though as it looks like a b
h of a job and not one I want to attempt.
The first job though, is to get the car on a spit and turn it on it's side prior to treating and protecting the underside. There is a particular chemical ( I don't know the name? ) that acts like an etch primer. You spray it on with a schultz gun and it changes colour as it cures, from green to a satin black. It's an almost rubberized finish that protects from stone chips etc too. The shell has survived really well for the past 30 years and I want to be sure it stays that way. While the cars on it's side we can also replace fuel & brake lines as well as poly bushes throughout. There is also a whole front end to be fitted and painted but it makes sense to fit the engine first. It also means the chassis rails have their ends exposed and can easily be rust proofed. Then there's new hoses, rad etc. The list goes on.... Final job will be to re-fit the bonnet, wings & bootlid and paint where required before getting the rims refurb'd and fitted with decent rubber. The LSD will be up for checking and an oil change too.
If I'm honest, I don't think I really understood just how much work was going to be needed in getting this car back as it should be or just how much it was likely to end up costing either. Mind you, if it was just about cost I don't think I would have bothered anyway. I would have just bought something already done! I can't wait to be able to drive this car though. I feel like a kid in the weeks before Christmas!
Finally got the steering wheel I was after.
It even has the TWR embossed centre pad although I prefer the look without it.
The original head is long gone so I'm looking into getting the replacement flowed etc. This is all a learning curve for me as a) I'm no mechanic b) I only have a basic understanding of what goes where and does what and c) my budget / savings are all but gone. Were I just looking to get the car restored to sell at some vastly inflated price it wouldn't matter as I'd know the money would be coming back again soon. However, it's a keeper and if I'm going to do it, I want to do it right. So, with the head, I am looking to maximise it's efficiency without throwing bundles of cash at it. I'm thinking mild porting & polishing, new camshaft and re-build with new rockers, dual oil spray bar etc. I know I could go balls out for big power etc and maybe fit a later head & pistons etc, but I want to retain the feel of the original car that TWR built. The bottom end seems in good order but it makes sense to give the bores a freshen up and I also have an e34 M5 clutch & flywheel to go on. The flywheel is considerably lighter too! I'm fortunate enough to have a choice of camshafts and it depends which I use as to which injection I run? Ideally, I will go with the later Motronic set-up which will still look period while giving better performance & reliability. As long as I can get the same sort of power as TWR did, which was about 240bhp, I'll be happy. 250 and I'll be happier still!
The interior is the job I can do myself. Well most of it anyway. The seats were recovered when the car was just a 4 months old. Why? I have no idea. The only Alpina C1 parts that were deleted were the side decal set and rear spoiler although the spoiler was eventually retro fitted. I don't know if Alpina cloth was part of Recaro / C1 specification? Anyway, they are still in BMW cloth and are mint. The carpet was gone so I have bought a nice replacement which I plan to dye black. I don't know what colour it was supplied with but I like black and it's one detail that will hardly detract from the overall look. I have an early Alpina steering wheel & gear knob ready to go on and replace the early e30 item. I also have Alpina clocks. Sadly there were no extra gauges for oil pressure, temp' etc so I may fit the same sort as are in my daily. They can easily be fitted without having to cut or drill holes anywhere and I like the security of knowing things are ok. The headlining was removed although I have got a perfect replacement that is still nice and white. I'm going to get a professional trimmer to fit it though as it looks like a b
h of a job and not one I want to attempt.The first job though, is to get the car on a spit and turn it on it's side prior to treating and protecting the underside. There is a particular chemical ( I don't know the name? ) that acts like an etch primer. You spray it on with a schultz gun and it changes colour as it cures, from green to a satin black. It's an almost rubberized finish that protects from stone chips etc too. The shell has survived really well for the past 30 years and I want to be sure it stays that way. While the cars on it's side we can also replace fuel & brake lines as well as poly bushes throughout. There is also a whole front end to be fitted and painted but it makes sense to fit the engine first. It also means the chassis rails have their ends exposed and can easily be rust proofed. Then there's new hoses, rad etc. The list goes on.... Final job will be to re-fit the bonnet, wings & bootlid and paint where required before getting the rims refurb'd and fitted with decent rubber. The LSD will be up for checking and an oil change too.
If I'm honest, I don't think I really understood just how much work was going to be needed in getting this car back as it should be or just how much it was likely to end up costing either. Mind you, if it was just about cost I don't think I would have bothered anyway. I would have just bought something already done! I can't wait to be able to drive this car though. I feel like a kid in the weeks before Christmas!
Finally got the steering wheel I was after.
It even has the TWR embossed centre pad although I prefer the look without it.
Well a bit more progress as parts arrive. The manifold arrived which means the exhaust can be fabricated. The head is currently being flowed and they quote a 23% increase in flow rate, plus they are machining the inlets to accept the slightly larger e34 valves. New guides, rockers etc and Schrick cam complete things with the head.
As the original additional fan no longer exists, the good people at Kenlowe stepped in with one of their 14'' fan kits.
Thank-you Kenlowe!
There is a manual adjuster which is far easier to use than the alternative which meant fiddling around with an electrical screwdriver.
The M5 clutch & flywheel pretty much completes the engine and transmission side of things.
The last person to actually have the car on the road said that he has the original air-box that TWR fabricated. By all accounts, it's pretty basic but it will still be nice to replace another original part. If it cannot be found I will be on the hunt for a local fabricator to knock something up.
Anyway, here's another photo I thought you might like?
Talking of TWR, I decided to do a bit of mix'n'match with steering wheels and boss. At first glance the drillings to mount the wheels with the allen bolts look identical. When I actually undid them all there was actually about 1 or 1.5mm difference. Not much, but enough to stop the allen bolts winding in straight. In the end I used a jewelers file and ''adjusted'' things slightly. With the Alpina wheel and the TWR wheel side by side, you can also see the slight differences between the two.
Once I had got all 6 bolts started in their thread, as here, I just took the time to wind them in a half turn each in turn, so they went in evenly.
All I need to do now is clean it all up and repaint the bolt heads. I know it might not be 100% original but its far closer than the early e30 Alpina wheel, that the car came with, and the TWR engraving is a nice touch. The leather is mint too.
Requests for info also made it into the latest issues of Octane magazine & Practical Performance Car along with a couple of photos. Hopefully, once the rebuild is completed to a high enough standard, it will get a proper full feature? It would be quite good fun to put it up against a new 335i.
Anyway, hopefully there are no more expensive bills in the pipeline and things can progress as planned. The goal is still to have the car MOT'd by early next year so fingers crossed!
As the original additional fan no longer exists, the good people at Kenlowe stepped in with one of their 14'' fan kits.
Thank-you Kenlowe!
There is a manual adjuster which is far easier to use than the alternative which meant fiddling around with an electrical screwdriver.
The M5 clutch & flywheel pretty much completes the engine and transmission side of things.
The last person to actually have the car on the road said that he has the original air-box that TWR fabricated. By all accounts, it's pretty basic but it will still be nice to replace another original part. If it cannot be found I will be on the hunt for a local fabricator to knock something up.
Anyway, here's another photo I thought you might like?
Talking of TWR, I decided to do a bit of mix'n'match with steering wheels and boss. At first glance the drillings to mount the wheels with the allen bolts look identical. When I actually undid them all there was actually about 1 or 1.5mm difference. Not much, but enough to stop the allen bolts winding in straight. In the end I used a jewelers file and ''adjusted'' things slightly. With the Alpina wheel and the TWR wheel side by side, you can also see the slight differences between the two.
Once I had got all 6 bolts started in their thread, as here, I just took the time to wind them in a half turn each in turn, so they went in evenly.
All I need to do now is clean it all up and repaint the bolt heads. I know it might not be 100% original but its far closer than the early e30 Alpina wheel, that the car came with, and the TWR engraving is a nice touch. The leather is mint too.
Requests for info also made it into the latest issues of Octane magazine & Practical Performance Car along with a couple of photos. Hopefully, once the rebuild is completed to a high enough standard, it will get a proper full feature? It would be quite good fun to put it up against a new 335i.
Anyway, hopefully there are no more expensive bills in the pipeline and things can progress as planned. The goal is still to have the car MOT'd by early next year so fingers crossed!
Well the exhaust is finally done although it took a bit more work than was first expected. The reason for this was the manifold that was supplied by a supposed e21 ''specialist''. Despite the promises to the contrary and expense the manifold touched in several places on the car body and steering column. It was also of pretty questionable quality considering it cost well over £500. Thankfully, the exhaust system that the suppliers stoc k will not clear the Alpina diff, or else I might have spent a further £700 on an equally poor quality part. As it is, my exhaust guys were able to modify the manifold prior to making a bespoke twin silencer system. Hopefully, at just over £1000 the exhaust & manifold will be the biggest single expense and we can now concentrate on getting the head work done and the engine back in one piece.
I think the engine is the next stage of re-commissioning the TWR car. The only external changes we plan to make are to the injection system as we are fitting the later Motronic system from a later 635csi. This should make for increased performance and reliability. Well that's the plan anyway! The head is having new valves, guides, rockers etc but we are also going with slightly larger e34 inlet valves. There's also a new camshaft from the guys @ Cat Cams which, with the other mods, should see us make around 260bhp which will do nicely. Hopefully, there will be quite a hike in torque too!
I'll post some new shots of the progress we've made as soon as I have them. Meanwhile, this is my 323/2.7 daily that Dave modified for me with Gaz golds, split-rims, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sq1OeTzKDM
I think the engine is the next stage of re-commissioning the TWR car. The only external changes we plan to make are to the injection system as we are fitting the later Motronic system from a later 635csi. This should make for increased performance and reliability. Well that's the plan anyway! The head is having new valves, guides, rockers etc but we are also going with slightly larger e34 inlet valves. There's also a new camshaft from the guys @ Cat Cams which, with the other mods, should see us make around 260bhp which will do nicely. Hopefully, there will be quite a hike in torque too!
I'll post some new shots of the progress we've made as soon as I have them. Meanwhile, this is my 323/2.7 daily that Dave modified for me with Gaz golds, split-rims, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sq1OeTzKDM
Unfortunately Christmas is going to get in the way and delay work on the TWR. Mind you, I guess I should be glad that it's tucked up warm and dry with the recent weather.
Anyway, the exhaust system is finished but before any more of the mechanical stuff can be done, the whole shell needs treating / protecting as a previous owner stripped the floors to bare metal in an effort to shed weight prior to going racing. I'm having it done properly with an etch primer and a chemical that can be applied with a Schultz gun rather than a brush. Obviously the chassis rails will be treated too. I'm lucky the shell has survived in the condition it has considering the lack of protection in recent years. It has never had any welding and is totally free from rust or rot.
One of the previous owners has contacted me and promised to send me all the bits & pieces he has amongst his possessions. I know that this includes an aluminium air-box that was fabricated by the guys at TWR but I'm unsure about condition or what else is there? Hopefully, it won't be too much longer till I get the call to tell me that it's all ready to collect? No doubt Christmas will delay this too!
I'm still waiting for the good folks at the DVLA to send me the new V5 document after awarding me the original registration number that the car had when new. It was changed due to cherished transfers but never returned. Finally, all the service history ties up and shows the correct details.
I have managed to get pretty much all the parts needed to complete the recommissioning and even found a replacement Alpina boot spoiler thanks to German eBay. The only changes I am making are to the injection system which is being updated with the later Motronic as opposed to the troublesome K-jet. It will still look correct/period but should be way more reliable and allow me to run a different chip that will make the most of the head work and hotter camshaft. I think we should be able to get around 260bhp and a chunk more torque.
I've had the cotton buds out and been cleaning up all the period Pioneer ICE I have sat waiting to be fitted. I'm still thinking that I might have an i-pod jack fitted to the head unit. I'm going to fit a sub too but it might have to be hidden under the passenger seat or rear bench. Mind you, I'll be listening to that engine and twin silencer exhaust system most of all.
I would really like to fit some gauges for oil pressure, water temp' & oil temp' but Alpina & Hartge only ever made a dash top pod for LHD cars. I have an idea of how I could make a RHD version but it really needs to look right. If anyone else has any suggestions I would love to hear them.
Since Tom Walkinshaw sadly died last week, I have had several e-mails expressing an interest in this car but it is not for sale. I'm pleased people are interested but this car was never bought as, or seen as, a financial investment. I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to own it and cannot wait till the day comes when I get to drive it. It's going nowhere!
Anyway, the exhaust system is finished but before any more of the mechanical stuff can be done, the whole shell needs treating / protecting as a previous owner stripped the floors to bare metal in an effort to shed weight prior to going racing. I'm having it done properly with an etch primer and a chemical that can be applied with a Schultz gun rather than a brush. Obviously the chassis rails will be treated too. I'm lucky the shell has survived in the condition it has considering the lack of protection in recent years. It has never had any welding and is totally free from rust or rot.
One of the previous owners has contacted me and promised to send me all the bits & pieces he has amongst his possessions. I know that this includes an aluminium air-box that was fabricated by the guys at TWR but I'm unsure about condition or what else is there? Hopefully, it won't be too much longer till I get the call to tell me that it's all ready to collect? No doubt Christmas will delay this too!
I'm still waiting for the good folks at the DVLA to send me the new V5 document after awarding me the original registration number that the car had when new. It was changed due to cherished transfers but never returned. Finally, all the service history ties up and shows the correct details.
I have managed to get pretty much all the parts needed to complete the recommissioning and even found a replacement Alpina boot spoiler thanks to German eBay. The only changes I am making are to the injection system which is being updated with the later Motronic as opposed to the troublesome K-jet. It will still look correct/period but should be way more reliable and allow me to run a different chip that will make the most of the head work and hotter camshaft. I think we should be able to get around 260bhp and a chunk more torque.
I've had the cotton buds out and been cleaning up all the period Pioneer ICE I have sat waiting to be fitted. I'm still thinking that I might have an i-pod jack fitted to the head unit. I'm going to fit a sub too but it might have to be hidden under the passenger seat or rear bench. Mind you, I'll be listening to that engine and twin silencer exhaust system most of all.
I would really like to fit some gauges for oil pressure, water temp' & oil temp' but Alpina & Hartge only ever made a dash top pod for LHD cars. I have an idea of how I could make a RHD version but it really needs to look right. If anyone else has any suggestions I would love to hear them.
Since Tom Walkinshaw sadly died last week, I have had several e-mails expressing an interest in this car but it is not for sale. I'm pleased people are interested but this car was never bought as, or seen as, a financial investment. I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to own it and cannot wait till the day comes when I get to drive it. It's going nowhere!
The good fellows at www.zeroexhausts.co.uk finished the exhaust this week. The manifold actually came via Fritz Bits but, despite being supplied for an m30/e21 conversion, needed modification to stop it fouling on the steering. Anyway, the system itself is a dual 50mm with twin free flow silencers. It should sound lovely and it looks pretty sweet too!
The car should be back at the workshop on Wednesday and then the head can come back off and go to have the flow work done. As I may have mentioned before, we are also fitting the slightly larger inlet valves from an e34 to combine with the Cat Camshaft. Obviously there will be all new followers etc and I'm told there's a way of incorporating dual oil spray bars but that needs some more research.
Thanks to Tony BMW I now have a replacement for the missing oil cooler. It comes from an E12 M535i so I'm 99% certain it will be exactly the same as the original.
Anyway, a few piccies...
The car should be back at the workshop on Wednesday and then the head can come back off and go to have the flow work done. As I may have mentioned before, we are also fitting the slightly larger inlet valves from an e34 to combine with the Cat Camshaft. Obviously there will be all new followers etc and I'm told there's a way of incorporating dual oil spray bars but that needs some more research.
Thanks to Tony BMW I now have a replacement for the missing oil cooler. It comes from an E12 M535i so I'm 99% certain it will be exactly the same as the original.
Anyway, a few piccies...
Excellent! Your old car is currently being subjected to a full nut & bolt restoration. ( You may well know this? ) As far as I am aware, the bodyshell is near completion although I don't think the owner is in any hurry to complete the build. In fact, it was when the original owner of my car drove yours, that he decided to return it and have TWR do the 335 conversion. It was only about 3 months old at that point.
I don't suppose you have any photos of the engine bay? Was there an airbox of any kind or was it just the usual BMW item? Also, did you run it with an open diff? Any help, advice or info you can give me, no matter how small, would be much appreciated.
I don't suppose you have any photos of the engine bay? Was there an airbox of any kind or was it just the usual BMW item? Also, did you run it with an open diff? Any help, advice or info you can give me, no matter how small, would be much appreciated.
Edited by e21BMW on Tuesday 11th January 10:00
Funny you should mention the head as the original from mine became scrap years ago. This time, I am rebuilding the new casting with a new camshaft, new followers and e34 inlet valves. I am also going to have dual oil spray bars in an effort to make things more reliable.
I also e-mailed Tiff Needell as he road tested your old car and he has fond memories of it. If you PM me your e-mail address I will pass it on to the cars current owner. I understand he has had it for some years now.
Evidently TWR did build 3 cars. 2 were 3.5's and the other a 2.8. The 2.8 no longer survives and mine was the only one to be built with the ''240 bhp'' engine. I am fortunate enough to be in touch with the sales manager who original supplied the car when new. I got an e-mail from one of the national BMW magazines today and they've requested to do a full magazine feature once it's completed.
Mine also benefits from an LSD so with modern rubber and 240+ bhp it should be quite a handfull.
I also e-mailed Tiff Needell as he road tested your old car and he has fond memories of it. If you PM me your e-mail address I will pass it on to the cars current owner. I understand he has had it for some years now.
Evidently TWR did build 3 cars. 2 were 3.5's and the other a 2.8. The 2.8 no longer survives and mine was the only one to be built with the ''240 bhp'' engine. I am fortunate enough to be in touch with the sales manager who original supplied the car when new. I got an e-mail from one of the national BMW magazines today and they've requested to do a full magazine feature once it's completed.
Mine also benefits from an LSD so with modern rubber and 240+ bhp it should be quite a handfull.
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