1972 Bavaria Restoration

Dick Steinkamp

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I took 548 pictures and 25 videos during the restoration of my Bavaria over the last 11 months. Some were just to document the build, some so I remembered what something looked like before I took it apart o_O , some so I could ask here what this or that unknown part was for. I boiled the 548 down to 75 (which is still too many) that show how the car came together.

They are here...

 

Markos

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Amazing job Dick! I remember seeing this car on craigslist and I couldn’t see par the 17” wheels and primer. Well executed!
 

Dick Steinkamp

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Amazing job Dick! I remember seeing this car on craigslist and I couldn’t see par the 17” wheels and primer. Well executed!
Thanks,Markos

That's pretty common with failed/abandoned projects. Eventually the seller realizes no one is coming to look at the car for what he is asking for it and comes to the realization that most of the money is lost if the car is to actually go away. I think this is the 4th failed project I've done.

This one is a rust free SoCal car with lots of documentation back to the original owner in San Diego. The guy I bought it from had spent a fortune having a pro getting it (mostly) paint ready. He then realized he'd have $50k into a car worth $15k when he was done.

I have always lusted after these Bavarias ever since they were new. I was a broke 24 year old in 1971. A dentist friend had just bought one (he still has it BTW) and let me drive it. I was hooked. This one was the right car at the right time for me.

Markos, thanks for turning me on to Seth in Ballard with that parts Bavaria. I got LOTS of parts from that car. Seth treated me well. We still communicate and I've promised to bring the car by his shop in the near future.

Thanks to everyone else here also. Without this group I'd still be scratching my head trying to solve problems and I'd still be looking for parts.
 
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CSBM5

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Dick,

Just stumbled onto this thread and viewed all the pictures. Wow, what a fantastic resto job you've done on that car! It's wonderful to see this beautiful Bavaria all finished looking like new after what it looked like when you acquired it. Too bad it's so far away and can't make an appearance at The Vintage next year or even the upcoming CCA gathering at the HQ locally here in Greenville next weekend.

After buying my Dad's 72 Bav back in 1980 (he bought it new in April 1972 when I was 13) and then owning it for 14 years, it's hard to fathom acquiring parts 40 years later. Of course in the early-mid 80s, I could get most anything I needed to refresh some aspect of the car from the dealer. Now? Wow, great to have access to a parts car or two, or three.

Hey, I spy the front strut spacers still installed (to increase bumper height for USA regulations) -- surprised these made it all the way to 2020. It was so common to ditch those (and saw off two of the bolts shorter) back in the day. I had to learn the hard way upon pulling down the hood lever the first time after removing them about the bolt length. :)

Looking forward to more from your Bavaria in the future!

Regards,
Chuck
 

Dick Steinkamp

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I still can't get over the "11 months" part.

1. I'm retired
2. Due to COVID, travel was out this year as were many regular activities that involve other people
3. The project is the hobby for me. It's my entertainment. I don't tire of it.
4. The professional prep for paint had mostly been done before I bought the car. That would normally be my biggest task with a restoration.
5. I have an understanding wife. :)
6. This forum was a huge help.

I'll add a few photos to "Media". Thanks for the invitation.
 

Dick Steinkamp

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Hey, I spy the front strut spacers still installed (to increase bumper height for USA regulations) -- surprised these made it all the way to 2020. It was so common to ditch those (and saw off two of the bolts shorter) back in the day. I had to learn the hard way upon pulling down the hood lever the first time after removing them about the bolt length. :)

Chuck

Thanks, Chuck.

That's the first time I have heard about those spacers. Makes sense. I'm not tempted to remove them, however. I like the way the car sits. Maybe because that's how I remember them?

50334729816_30b78b8028_o.jpg


I've changed the stance on many of the cars that I have built and I think I've done more hot rods and modified cars than stockers, so I'm not at all against changing ride height, wheels and tires, etc. Just not for me on this one. We only have to please ourselves when we build a car. :)
 

bavbob

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Dick, mine is a 72 as well. You had the old seat belts, mine are stock, three point behind the B pillar. Your entrance threshold is chrome/steel, mine is grey plastic. What is your date of manufacture?
 

CSBM5

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Thanks, Chuck.

That's the first time I have heard about those spacers. Makes sense. I'm not tempted to remove them, however. I like the way the car sits. Maybe because that's how I remember them?

I've changed the stance on many of the cars that I have built and I think I've done more hot rods and modified cars than stockers, so I'm not at all against changing ride height, wheels and tires, etc. Just not for me on this one. We only have to please ourselves when we build a car. :)

Absolutely!

Back in the day when changing to aftermarket springs, the spacers almost always needed to be removed to get proper front-to-rear ride height balance; otherwise, if the spring maker "made up for the spacer height" with a shorter spring, front suspension travel was limited too much...ask me how I know, lol. I think it was springs from Quickor Engineering that I first bought along with Bilsteins, and the car stance was almost perfect if not a touch low up front. About nine months later the Bilstiens were showing a lot of stiction, enough so that if would actually not function freely. Turns out, after sending them off to Bilstein for warranty repair, they reported the struts were bottoming internally excessively enough to damage them.

Bilstein granted me a "one time" exception, sent me new strut inserts, and I installed those with Korman springs (think there were manufactured by Suspension Techniques back then) which, once the spacers were removed, had perfect ride height about 1" lower than stock.

Ah for the old days with the E3...:love:
 

Dick Steinkamp

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Dick, mine is a 72 as well. You had the old seat belts, mine are stock, three point behind the B pillar. Your entrance threshold is chrome/steel, mine is grey plastic. What is your date of manufacture?
Bob,
Mine was made July 19, 1971. (SN 3100645). One of the first 3.0 Bavarias. It was first sold on January 22, 1972. It has always been titled as a 1972. I think that all 3.0 Bavs made in 1971 were titled as 72s, but I'm not sure. Mine also has the painted rear panel of earlier Bavs and the brushed stainless dash instead of wood.

I don't think the Germans were as concerned about "model years" back then. Changes were pretty much running through the 10 years of E3 manufacture. The only ones I would think applied to a specific model year would be the DOT EPA changes required to US cars to meet specific model year requirements.

My thresholds are dark gray plastic with the stainless overlay (2 piece)


50334729626_037a4a8781_o.jpg
 

HB Chris

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Bob,
Mine was made July 19, 1971. (SN 3100645). One of the first 3.0 Bavarias. It was first sold on January 22, 1972. It has always been titled as a 1972. I think that all 3.0 Bavs made in 1971 were titled as 72s, but I'm not sure. Mine also has the painted rear panel of earlier Bavs and the brushed stainless dash instead of wood.

I don't think the Germans were as concerned about "model years" back then. Changes were pretty much running through the 10 years of E3 manufacture. The only ones I would think applied to a specific model year would be the DOT EPA changes required to US cars to meet specific model year requirements.

My thresholds are dark gray plastic with the stainless overlay (2 piece)


View attachment 104151
Yes, all 3.0 Bavs both manual and auto were first produced in July of 1971 and are 1972 models, there are no 71 3.0 Bavs. Same with the US/NA 3.0CS, there are no 71 3.0 as they are all 72 MY as well and production also started in July 71. The DOT/EPA sticker will confirm this as well.
 
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