CSi / CSL air box color

[rsporsche]

okay, according to information that i received while doing the 'FAQ - what color goes where' on a coupe, the air box color is listed as close to RAL 7022 (Umbra Grey). so here are some pics - what do you think?

ral 7022

here are a couple of CSL air box pictures, one is an older (excellent) restoration

the other is a more recent restoration from a 'noted' restorer

i think we would all agree that these are different colors, but are a grey with some green in it.
here are some other RAL colors
RAL 7039

ral 7010

ral 7043b

 

[e9Leveque]

Looking at mine (which looks original and not repainted) it does have a green undertone to it that the 7022 doesn’t seem to capture. Always hard comparing a screen to real life though, but the 7043 seems the closest.
(Note that I decided to use that brassed radiator tank in lieu of my black-painted one while I had the radiator apart to install auxiliary pusher fan. Excuse the random wiring / temporary position to make sure the fan works. I’ve learned not to tuck everything away pretty until I’m sure it all works!

 

[HB Chris]

An old post from me: closest color match for a carb air cleaner is RAL 7043, D-jet is RAL 7022. Neither is perfect but pretty close.

 

[rsporsche]

yes, that's what my notes show. in looking at the pictures + ral color charts, i would think either 7022 or 7039. here's another pic of the polaris car and its either 7022 or 7010

this is 7022

this is 7010

then there is the picture of another unrestored CSL - this one looks a little bluer of a grey

and another golf CSL

and a nice ceylon 3.0 csl - may have been refinished.

this 7015

this one seems to match 7012 or 7015

 

[Markos]

I’m still not convinced that BMW didn’t change the color on the airbox to a lighter grey. There are enough CSL’s kicking around with light grey airboxes (restored by experts) that have me curious. I’ve been down this road before with other parts, and will gladly follow up with photo evidence if/when I have it.

But to start, this is MAH-1094 from November 1972:

This is M-AH 1077 from august 1972:

Grp 2 Homologation Doc:

 

[Keshav]

I’m still not convinced that BMW didn’t change the color on the airbox to a lighter grey. There are enough CSL’s kicking around with light grey airboxes (restored by experts) that have me curious. I’ve been down this road before with other parts, and will gladly follow up with photo evidence if/when I have it.

But to start, this is MAH-1094 from November 1972:
View attachment 221896

View attachment 221897


This is M-AH 1077 from august 1972:
View attachment 221898

Looks like this car has a standard right inner fender? Last pic

 

[rsporsche]

I’m still not convinced that BMW didn’t change the color on the airbox to a lighter grey. There are enough CSL’s kicking around with light grey airboxes (restored by experts) that have me curious. I’ve been down this road before with other parts, and will gladly follow up with photo evidence if/when I have it.

what i can tell you is that @Gerrit was involved with the restoration of this car. so this is the best image i have, and i saw this car in person ... yes, its indoor lighting so that can alter the reality.

 

[TomHom]

....these times they didn't care about a tiny bracket...

 

[rsporsche]

here is another question about the CSi / CSL airbox. anybody know at one point when the clamps turned from flat stock to the rod stock. i know you can still buy new clamps made from rod stock, like the 1st picture ... but the boxes being sold by @TomHom have the clamps made from flat stock like this image below. the other cars with the 'rod' stock are restorations - both are Bat2 cars. the one below and the ceylon car are 2275xxx cars

 

[sfdon]

Ours are done in RAL 7022

BUT - we sometimes see one come in with a gray color to it

 

[Markos]

here is another question about the CSi / CSL airbox. anybody know at one point when the clamps turned from flat stock to the rod stock. i know you can still buy new clamps made from rod stock, like the 1st picture ... but the boxes being sold by @TomHom have the clamps made from flat stock like this image below. the other cars with the 'rod' stock are restorations - both are Bat2 cars. the one below and the ceylon car are 2275xxx cars

View attachment 221910

Almost all of the restorations use the rod stock. As you can see they were flat stock in August 1972.

 

[rsporsche]

the color looks great Don ... even in the shop lighting there is variation in the photos depending on the orientation of the panel. the more vertical the panel is, the less 'green' it is. but this answers my question - 7022 looks great and close enough for me.

Almost all of the restorations use the rod stock. As you can see they were flat stock in August 1972.

the ceylon 2275 car has been restored and still has the flat stock clamps + the ones that @sfdon has redone has the flat stock - presumably re-zinc'd. i haven't seen any original pics of a bat 2 car to see whether the rod stock or flat stock clamps were utilized. not really an issue, just a curiosity which the bat 1 + bat 2 cars came with. the airbox i am buying has the flat stock clamps - i have some of the new rod stock ones on the way ... for an e28 air box ... but only 4 of them, not 7 that is used on the CSi / CSL box. i will take the ones i get and have them re-coated in yellow zinc.

 

[Markos]

the color looks great Don ... even in the shop lighting there is variation in the photos depending on the orientation of the panel. the more vertical the panel is, the less 'green' it is. but this answers my question - 7022 looks great and close enough for me.


the ceylon 2275 car has been restored and still has the flat stock clamps + the ones that @sfdon has redone has the flat stock - presumably re-zinc'd. i haven't seen any original pics of a bat 2 car to see whether the rod stock or flat stock clamps were utilized. not really an issue, just a curiosity which the bat 1 + bat 2 cars came with. the airbox i am buying has the flat stock clamps - i have some of the new rod stock ones on the way ... for an e28 air box ... but only 4 of them, not 7 that is used on the CSi / CSL box. i will take the ones i get and have them re-coated in yellow zinc.

Unfortunately BMW pretty much never has photos of their engine bays in their brochures. Road test magazine are the best option but if it is a b&w article forget about it.

This is the color that I’m trying to determine if factory. This car doesn’t really look restored.

 

[sfdon]

Look inside the box- never mind the outside.

Same goes for the carb version- look inside.

 

[sfdon]

If the box is blue inside, it would be blue outside

 

[sfdon]

Front sub frames came in black and in the green color same as the pedal box.
You can tell the original color when you remove the subframe from the frame rails.
I personally don’t care for the green color for sub frames or pedal boxes.

No idea why there were two different versions

And I think it’s important to not have too glossy of a Paint or Powdercoat on the Front subframe. They were never shiny.

 

[HB Chris]

The flat clamps were not on the US 3.0 coupes starting in summer 1971 as 72 model year. They were on all 2800CS.

 

[rsporsche]

Unfortunately BMW pretty much never has photos of their engine bays in their brochures. Road test magazine are the best option but if it is a b&w article forget about it.

This is the color that I’m trying to determine if factory. This car doesn’t really look restored.
View attachment 221919

no, it doesn't look new. but it does have the rod stock clamps.

The flat clamps were not on the US 3.0 coupes starting in summer 1971 as 72 model year. They were on all 2800CS.

yes, but with the CSi / CSL that was after the 2800cs.

Front sub frames came in black and in the green color same as the pedal box.
You can tell the original color when you remove the subframe from the frame rails.
I personally don’t care for the green color for sub frames or pedal boxes.

No idea why there were two different versions

And I think it’s important to not have too glossy of a Paint or Powdercoat on the Front subframe. They were never shiny.

i'm with you on the black vs. green. with ceylon, i much prefer black. ... and satin seems right, not semi-gloss or gloss.

 

[HB Chris]

I’m saying flat clamps ended by mid 1971.

 

[Markos]

The flat clamps were not on the US 3.0 coupes starting in summer 1971 as 72 model year. They were on all 2800CS.

Agreed. I think @rsporsche is referring to the CSI clamps, which started flat and may or may not have ended all wire. I have no evidence that they did.