My baikal e3

[Blue Plates]

hello all,

I've owned this car for a few years now, it has a crazy back story, but I don't know much about the original parts. The motor swap was done by the original owner so im just having fun with it until winter, then I'll address issues that'll take it off the road. Plans are a m30b35 motoronic FI and 5 speed swap when the current motor gives up the ghost or I finish the b35.


Specs:
1970 Bavaria (CA car for 45 years)
3.0 FI M30
IE coilovers
Riken wheels w/ 180 treadware tires

My question: what bodies/models came with the vents on the C pillar? I don't see too many of them.

 

[Mike Goble]

I believe the vents on the C pillar ( the B pillar is in the center ) are on 71 and earlier models. My 72 has the vertical slat.

 

[Bwana]

Awesome stance. Do you know what the suspension mods are?

 

[Blue Plates]

Thanks mike, C pillar indeed!


The suspension is stock strut tubes with a perch welded on 1" lower with bilstein inserts and eibach springs.

 

[GolfBavaria]

First of all that is a badass E3! Nice! Regarding your question. Macha would know for sure, one of the sites go-to guru's but I'm guessing your car is not a Bavaria and instead a 2500 or 2800. I don't recall ever seeing those slats on a Bavaria. I see your Bavaria Badge. Another tell tale is no waist trim. Is your interior vinyl or leather?

 

[Blue Plates]

It's got blue recaros in front and a vinyl rear bench.

 

[GolfBavaria]

It's got blue recaros in front and a vinyl rear bench.

Huh, with vinyl rear seat and the taillights looking like Bavaria, it's quite possible you have one of the first Bav Imports? Have you researched your VIN or got a Cert. of Authenticy from BMW?

 

[Blue Plates]

I haven't researched the VIN, how do I do that?

I'm the second owner, the original owner was a drug dealer in LA (currently in prison) who flew to Germany in 1970, had this car built, shipped to LA. Upon arrival, they stripped the door cards off and stuffed them with cocaine. A hot blonde would then drive it up from Mexico. He eventually got caught, left the car to an in law of mine who wanted it gone. It sat for 10 years before I got it. I gave it to my dad because he fell in love with it, and after he drove it for 2 years, he snapped the key way off of the cam and shipped it up to Oregon to me.

I think it was either built like a tank from BMW, or the PO added poly bushings, larger swaybars, the 3.0, and the recaros.

 

[Sean Haas]

Email here - [email protected] . For free they will give you the details via e-mail as follows, a certificate costs 50 Euros. Here's what you get:

The BMW 3.0 S Bavaria VIN ******* was manufactured on June 05th, 1973 and delivered on June 19th, 1973 to the BMW importer Hoffman Motors Corp. in New York City. The original colour was Malaga, paint code 021.


If you need this information in written form, we can issue a confirmation letter (or dating letter) for a fee of Euro 50,--. If this would be helpful for you please contact us again with your postal address and a credit card number with validity date. For security reasons, you can give us your credit card data by phone or in two separate emails.


We hope this information is helpful for you.


Yours sincerely,


Julia Oberndörfer

 

[autowerks]

Nice car, like the wheels too, Size and Brand please? Thanks

 

[Blue Plates]

Thanks, I just sent an email to get more info!

The wheels are 15x8 Riken Turbo wheels that started their lives as a three piece wheel and were welded. Tires are Yokohama advans are 205/50/15

 

[Blue Plates]

Dear Mr Martin,

Thank you for your email.

The BMW 2800 US VIN 2420354 was manufactured on February 10th, 1970 and delivered on March 05th, 1970 to the BMW importer Hoffman Motors Corp. in New York City. The original colour was Baikal metallic, paint code 042.

We hope this information is helpful for you.

 

[Sean Haas]

It's a Bavaria, BMW archives seems to use the European moniker on some of their information. I believe the Max Hoffman imported 2800's and 3.0's were all Bavarias. While the email I showed above uses the name "Bavaria" the certificate they sent me for my car uses the "3.0s" European name only. The 3.0 engine showed up as an option beginning in 1971, prior to that they were all 2800's.

 

[Blue Plates]

Whew! Good to know.

 

[autowerks]

Thanks for the info Blue Plates

 

[jefftepper]

First of all that is a badass E3! Nice! Regarding your question. Macha would know for sure, one of the sites go-to guru's but I'm guessing your car is not a Bavaria and instead a 2500 or 2800. I don't recall ever seeing those slats on a Bavaria. I see your Bavaria Badge. Another tell tale is no waist trim. Is your interior vinyl or leather?

My folks had a '71 Bavaria back in the day and it had the vent slats in the C pillar, the waist trim, and the earlier style tail lights that were also present in my father-in-law's 1969 2500.

 

[GolfBavaria]

It's a Bavaria, BMW archives seems to use the European moniker on some of their information. I believe the Max Hoffman imported 2800's and 3.0's were all Bavarias. While the email I showed above uses the name "Bavaria" the certificate they sent me for my car uses the "3.0s" European name only. The 3.0 engine showed up as an option beginning in 1971, prior to that they were all 2800's.

So like I thought after looking at it more, it's a rare 2800 Bavaria. Don't see too many of those. One of the first Bavaria imports from Hoffman. Makes it even cooler! Ever want to sell, give me a jingle. They made 13,210 in 1970, the original motor would have been 2.8L, not 3.0L. Interesting story!!!

 

[duct-tape]

The m30b30 never came in the bavaria. The b30v did, but the b30 non-v was the uprated e9 motor with 20more hp.

In 71, the bav was not labelled bav until it was imported to the us.

 

[Blue Plates]

So like I thought after looking at it more, it's a rare 2800 Bavaria. Don't see too many of those. One of the first Bavaria imports from Hoffman. Makes it even cooler! Ever want to sell, give me a jingle. They made 13,210 in 1970, the original motor would have been 2.8L, not 3.0L. Interesting story!!!

Thanks!


Duct, I'm guessing the swap was done by the PO. What's a m30b30v?

 

[duct-tape]

Duct, I'm guessing the swap was done by the PO. What's a m30b30v

as far as i know, it was the carburated version of the injected m30b30. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M30
the b30v was lower compression and got about 5mpg less than the 20hp stronger injected b30. The swap was probably done before the b35 came out in 1988. very smart choice by whoever did it.
for those that are sticklers about very original cars would still be supportive of that choice of swap. When the factory ran them as racers and alpina cars, they used the m30b30. (alpina got the turbos) but that block is grenade-proof. you could rebuild it a 100 times if you needed to.