1980 BMW E26 M1

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RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
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.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
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.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
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

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
quotequote all
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

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
quotequote all
Stedman said:
A lovely, lovely car, but a shame about the screwcaps on the numberplate biggrin
There are no longer screw caps on the number plates! Look at the latest pictures by Chris.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
quotequote all
Cups Renault said:
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.
It quite quite amusing actually, Chris has just said "I bet you get some looks when you drive this" and right on cue you flashed and waved!

2 weeks time, 19th June, Castle Howard at the Yorkshire Post Motor Show on Fathers Day, I'll be in the BMWCC area.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Monday 6th June 2016
quotequote all
adamInca said:
Lovely. Stumbled on one in Copenhagen tucked down a side street. Was a little stunned smile


I believe that car was for sale in 2013 by Jens Winther in Roskilde near Copenhagen, maybe they kept it as it has their logo on the wing mirrors and to the right of the rear number plate. The car was reportedly originally bought by Simon Spies a rather eccentric Danish Entrepreneur. It's quite a high mileage car having done 106,000km when it was advertised for sale.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Thursday 9th June 2016
quotequote all
bermy boy said:
I've just sold mine through Barney at Classic Heroes, a white car with under 5000 miles on it. Sadly it's heading to Spain. I regretted it the day I sold it! I put a fairly optimistic price on it thinking maybe it wouldn't sell but at least I can tell the wife I tried! It ended up going to the first guy that saw it for virtually full asking price so I guess I should have asked for more! It was a very easy car to drive, not fast but a lovely sound and a special place to be. Everyone loved the car. Problem was the miles were too low so I always felt bit guilty driving it. It's been replaced by an F40 which I adore but I'll miss the M1 a lot.
I saw the car while it was at ML, a very original low mileage car.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Thursday 9th June 2016
quotequote all
deltashad said:
First impression of looking at the final restoration pics were OMG, it's V-reg. Old V. Sure that's 1980, it looks so modern and fresh could be a brand new car. Personally I think it looks better than most cars on the market today without looking like a classic. It's kept it's age incredibly well. I love your car.
I can't agree that it looks modern, especially the dash. Yes, I think it's a great design and it's stood the test of time as it still looks good, but it's definitely got 70's or 80's style.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Sunday 12th June 2016
quotequote all
Spent several hours yesterday removing, dismantling, cleaning, reassembling and refitting the front driving lamps.

The insides of the lenses and to a lesser extent the reflectors were coated in a layer of grime. The reflectors were carefully wiped and the lenses polished inside and out with Gtechniq G4 nano glass polish.

From this

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To this

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via this

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RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Sunday 12th June 2016
quotequote all
RemyMartin said:
I did this to my C6 difference is huge! Very noticeable. I cheated and bought new ones hehe not something I'd imagine is possible?
Amazingly I have a spare set of lights, being low at the front they are pretty vulnerable to stones. However, the new old stock that I have were actually WORSE than those on the car! I experimented taking one of the new ones to pieces first, so I've actually done 3 out of the 4 lights I have.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Sunday 3rd July 2016
quotequote all
No, did not see the race buildup, what was on?

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Sunday 3rd July 2016
quotequote all
Presumably it was covered on the Sky buildup? If so then I will have it recorded on the series link guff that I usually delete!

Thanks for the heads up.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
quotequote all
Yes! Given that there are only 3 M1's in the UK that have tax and an MOT it's a fair bet! smile What were you in?

I was just giving it a gentle run after changing the brake pads to check everything, I'll bed them in properly next time I'm out.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
quotequote all
One of the other two is Orange, so it's possible that's his, PPR 725W.

There are only 2 Orange cars that I know of that have been registered in the UK, the other was for sale in Dusseldorf and was also listed for sale by a company in Cambridge.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
Chunkychucky said:
Haha yes that's him! I'll have to get a pic next time I visit his barn
It was at the Silverstone Classic in 2013.



It's a poor picture, but is the Orange original? A white car (at least I think it's white, the pictures are black and white!) with the same registration was featured in an article called 'White Lightning'. That car was owned by Mark Wallman and was said to have a walnut dash fitted by Wood and Pickett.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
quotequote all
TheLordJohn said:
RichardM5 said:
Presumably it was covered on the Sky buildup? If so then I will have it recorded on the series link guff that I usually delete!

Thanks for the heads up.
Yes, the build up just before the race.
There were some big names driving, too.
Sky coverage, more chat, not much action

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ6sRBgp-SQ

ORF coverage, German commentary, more action. I'd not be best pleased with Marc Surer if that was my car (about 2:27), Gerhard was not wrong when he said they would be going for it when talking to Brundle!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ATm-ULtfNY&fe...

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Monday 15th August 2016
quotequote all
Picked up a class win in the BMW National Festival concourse on Sunday, well please with that!



Probably driving a little enthusiastically on the way home and picked up an unwilling passenger


RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Monday 15th August 2016
quotequote all
olly22n said:
Mega.

Get some period plates on it!!
I have a set without the 'GB' part, but they are not in the font used before 1 September 2001 (I think), I don;t know where you can get them made using the older font. As the car was built in 1980 it needs to have the white and yellow reflective plates.

RichardM5

Original Poster:

1,741 posts

137 months

Thursday 15th September 2016
quotequote all
As many of you will know, it’s BMW’s 100th anniversary this year. To celebrate it, last week end they held a festival which included inviting 1000 cars from various clubs, nominally 10 from each club, for display in the Munich Olympic Park which is just the other side of the road from BMW Welt.

I was invited in the M1, so a road trip was on!

To protect the front end paintwork I hastily applied some Xpel Tracwrap the night before leaving. Not a very good job, I nick named it Crapwrap, but it would serve the purpose and was to be removed after the trip anyway.

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The trip began early on the morning of 7th September, odometer reading 1,705 miles, leaving home in Yorkshire.

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Exactly 4 hours and 241 miles later, I collected a friend in Surrey to share the driving, followed by a quick stop at Munich Legends to say hello as we were passing and have a bit of lunch. They had two other M1’s, their own and the BMW UK car. M1 spot count, 3.

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From there on to the tunnel, slightly concerned about the reported problems, but there were no problems at all.

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An evening blast down the almost deserted A26 saw us arrive at Reims to stay the night. Odometer now at 2230, so 525 miles in the day.

Brilliant blue sky on the Thursday morning at 8:45 in Reims, the precursor to a very hot day.

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More empty French AutoRoute on the A4 to Metz

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We weren’t speeding officer, no, really we weren’t!

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Then down to Strasbourg to pick up the A35 briefly before crossing the Rhine on the 500 to enter Germany, still not a cloud in the sky and temperatures nudging into the 30’s.

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Pushing on up the 5 to Karlsruhe and starting to see what a 36 year old car makes of coming home to the derestricted Autobahn

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On to the 8 and past Pforzheim to Stuttgart and Munich

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The Germans get 100 Octane V-Power Racing, not cheap though!

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Pushing on a little more on the final derestricted run into Munich

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Due to the navigator (me!) going entering just ‘Munich’ in the sat nav and not the hotel, we took the circuitous route, right through the middle of the city.

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Realising our (my) mistake, we then drove out towards the hotel just south of the Olympic Park

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Finally getting into the hotel underground car park by about 6:30pm.
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The odometer now reading 2668, 963 miles in two days.

Turned up at the Olympic park on the Friday just before 9:00 to find 2 other M1s had already arrived

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M1 count, 5.

As the day went on, more cars arrived, everyone had been given a slot to reduce queuing. A few Z8’s were quite early

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Including a several Alpinas

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By Saturday there were well over 20.

A definitely used, but beautiful 507

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The co-driver, a big Alpina fan, was beside himself when he spotted this 8 series B12 5.7, number 057, the last one made, complete with carbon fibre bonnet and de-badged

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Including the intriguing manual box without a clutch pedal

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With an E92 Alpina GT3 on one side

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And a rare Glas Coupe arrived and parked on the other side, it sounded great

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And a couple of other Glas cars were doted around

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All sorts of other old and rare BMWs were rolling up

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A lovely 327

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A rare E28 Touring

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And a stunning E34 M5 Touring

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The 8 series were out in force

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So were the Isettas

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Including this one complete with period ski set!

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And a 2 door (one at the front and one side door)

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Motor bikes were included, although there weren’t anything like as many as there were cars

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There was a Dixi too

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There were also rows of Z1’s and Z3’s. By the time we returned to the car, another 3 M1’s had arrived

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M1 count, 8. There was also a Black M1 belonging to the owner of Mint Classics in Munster who specialise in selling M1’s, taking the count to 9.

On Friday afternoon we had a factory tour, interesting but no photos allowed. They make the 3 and 4 series, M4 and M4 GTS. By the time we got to the engine plant work had stopped, they produce the modular 3 and 4 cylinder engines and the older N20 4 cylinder engine.

A tour of the new BMW Classic facility had been laid on for both Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. Friday was for ‘overseas’ and Saturday for ‘locals’. As I’d been put in with the German M1 club we had passes for the Saturday, but we blagged our way into the Friday session!

Visiting the Classic facility in the original factory, which BMW had to buy back, was amazing. There were loads of cars that you’ve maybe heard about or seen articles on but somehow don’t believe actually exist.

The BMW Turbo, one of 2, the other was in the BMW museum

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The 1940 328 Kamm Coupe Mille Miglia

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And the 2006 Homage

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A ‘standard’ 328

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And the 2011 Homage

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A mint yellow 507

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CSL Art Car

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2002 GT4

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M1 ProCar (there was another and 3 road going M1’s) and some original Minis (not really in the right place IMO!)

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M1 count now 14.

Prototype E65/66 7 series extra-long wheel base L7, they only made an E38 L7.

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The bonkers ‘goldfish’ with V16 engine that’s so big the radiators had to be put in the boot, feed with air via two large scoops in the rear wings

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Loads of other nutty concepts too, no M8 or E39 M5 touring though.

Also visible were the Classis work shops where they do work on their collection and restore customer cars (for a considerable fee!). There were several cars at various states of repair, including a 507, another road going M1 and the Piquet ProCar with the map of the Nurburgring on (supposedly done as a joke so Piquet and Stuck would not get lost!)

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M1 count, 16.

Food and a presentation were laid on, but we skipped that as we got talking to ‘Dr Ralph’ outside about various nerdy details!

A few other cars turned up on Saturday, such as this E46 M3 GTR look alike and E93 M3 GTS.

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A quick walk round BMW Welt resulted in another ProCar, again driven by Piquet, this time in Marlborough livery on a ‘grid’ of other racers

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M1 count, 17.

There was also another area for cars near the BMW museum, amongst others an M4 GTS

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And a gaggle of 1Ms

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The BMW museum itself contained lots of interesting stuff, the second Turbo which looked to be in much worse condition than the other

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Yet another 507

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The GINA Visionary concept with flexible fabric body

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And the Vision concept

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Lots of engines, including this intriguing version of the M10 4 cylinder engine

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And the final M1 spot of the week end, taking the total to 18.

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On the Friday evening there was a concert during which cars from various decades were driven on stage, together with photos and video on the big screens. Strangely, the 40’s didn’t get much screen time! For the 60’s they drove Elvis Presley’s white 507 on stage which has been restored to ‘as new’ from a total wreck by BMW Classic. Difficult to take pictures as it was dark, but here is a panorama before the stadium filled up, it’s only the 180 degrees in front, the back seats were not used and it was over half an hour to the start

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And one during the concert

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The screens were massive, the central one having a moving section that went up and down depending on the act performing, there was some truly amazing ‘Break Dancing’, classical music, some German performers and Simply Red. Most of the dialog was in German so was lost on me. We escaped just before the end to avoid the crush.

The return journey was pretty much the reverse of the outward one. Getting onto the autobahn early on a Sunday has its advantages

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Traveling at this speed felt effortless with plenty of power in reserve and absolutely rock solid on the road, but I did not want to push too hard as the wheels are Magnesium which weakens with age.

Another beautiful sky on the quiet French toll roads

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The tunnel was quite quiet, although this was the Flexi Plus lane as I did not know what time we’d be arriving in Calais so forked out the additional cost so we could get any return train.

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Again, no problem with the tunnel, no sign of anything either, but I’d feel a bit apprehensive getting to it in the dark.

Finally the car was left at Munich Legends for some work on the suspension and a few other bits, but that’s a different story.

Everything on the car worked flawlessly, with the one exception of the fan for the air conditioning. The A/C cooling worked fine, but the secondary ventilation fan sounds like it’s got something stuck inside and occasionally stopped blowing. Switching the A/C off for a few minutes and then back on cured the problem for a while before it came back again.

Final odometer reading, 3416, a total of 1711 miles.

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We drove for a little over 30 hours and consumed 286.57 Litres of Supper Unleaded over the 1559 miles between fill ups, that’s an average of 24.73 mpg. Given the age and performance of the car, together with the fact that we were cruising at 80-90 mph in France, giving it some welly on the exit from the toll booths and doing 100+ in Germany on most of the derestricted bits, I think that’s quite incredible.

An amazing car, amazing trip and memories to last a lifetime. Many thanks to my friend for making the trip so enjoyable too!