Hi lads
What is this car? , in your opinion ie cs or CSL ??????
BMW E9 3.0 CSL - restored
Back to BMW for Sale
Vehicle price: £158,995
Registration date: 1973
Mileage: 31,050
Transmission type: Manual
Vehicle BMW E9 3.0 CSL - restored
A unique opportunity to own one of the few fully restored E9 CSLs in RHD.
This handsome and thoughtfully restored CSL is known to us from way back – it looks and drives like the fast GT it was always meant to be. Having been fully inspected by none other than the Legend that is John Castle, veteran of the BMW Car Club CSL register – who has seen more CSLs than most humans alive – who better to pass the job to?! Have a read through John's comprehensive report, which describes the car to a tee....
John Castle:
"This car is well known to the BMW Car Club CS Register. The present owner is the 5th with the 3rd owner keeping the car for 26 years in a heated garage. During this period the engine was replaced by Munich Legends using one of the last BMW factory reconditioned engines available. It was then sold at H&H Auctions on 21 June 2014 to a well-known amateur competition driver who sadly died before having any work undertaken on the car. The car was re-sold by H&H on 15 April 2015, the auctioneer having consulted the Club on the description to be used in the auction catalogue because the VIN number stamped into the shell was VIN 2285487 although the car had been re-shelled using a CSA shell in the late 1980s. The car was sold to the present owner.
Bodywork & Paintwork.
The car was stripped and sent to Envirostrip for the removal of all old paint and rust. It was then fully prepared and repainted in Polaris Metallic Silver (Code 060). It will be finished with high quality BMW Motorsport (Martini) side stripes. The underside was painted and then treated with U-Pol Raptor, a very modern underbody protective coating. Both bumpers and the door and window trims were re-chromed. New BMW anodised waist trims were fitted with "in period"* new bonnet, wing and front grilles. All the green tinted window glass was reused. Overall this painstaking restoration of the bodywork has been to the very highest standard and the shell is probably in a better condition through the use of modern materials than when it was manufactured.
Chassis & Suspension.
All the suspension parts were de-rusted primed and finished in satin black. All new suspension bushes were fitted and the front wishbones replaced with new. Both brake servos were replaced, the brake callipers overhauled, all new brake pipes were fitted with new discs and pads. The two fuel lines are new. New springs calibrated to lower the car by about 20 mm have been fitted (This matches the left hand drive CSLs) with Bilstein Sports shock absorbers. Thicker anti -roll bars have been fitted front and back. The power steering pump was replaced.
All interior wood has been re-veneered, the interior panels have been restored and re-used and the Scheel seats have been recovered. Headrests are being made. The car has a completely new "in period" carpet set. The roof lining is the original.
Engine & Mechanicals
Reconditioned CSL engines were to the final specification of 3277cc, introduced for the 3.3 litre E3 saloons in 1974, compared to the original UK City Pack displacement of 3003 cc when the car was built in early 1973.
The cylinder head has reground valve seats, new valve stem seals and has been internally cleaned and pressure tested. The cylinder bores were checked and glaze busted, all bearings and oil seals replaced. The water pump was replaced and the starter motor and alternator tested and re-used. The radiator has been replaced by an alloy crossflow type to benefit from their increased heat transfer potential.
A gas flowed stainless steel exhaust is fitted.
The gear box and differential were checked and the three differential oil seals replaced. The propeller shaft was completely overhauled with new universal joints and centre bearing and then re-balanced.
Wheels and Tyres
The car has been fitted with new, replica, Alpina 16" wheels with Michelin 205/55 ZR16 Pilot Exalto tyre This is a popular upgrade to take advantage of modern tyre technology. The old 14" wheels have been retained to accompany the car if a future owner wants to re-fit them.
Summary
The VIN number of the car shows that it was in the last batch of 500 right-hand drive "City Pack" versions of the CSL built for the UK market. Production finished in February 1973 and the car would have been stored in Belgium before being called forward to the UK when sold in September. The reason it was re-shelled is not know. 2285486 will therefore be slightly heavier than when it was built because the main outer shell panels will be in 18swg steel rather than the thinner original 22swg. But the weight difference will be marginal because many of the lighter weight body panels have not been available since the 1980s and almost all CSLs which have been restored since then will have used the 18swg panels, which are still available. The car has retained the iconic lightweight alloy bonnet, doors and boot lid which gave the car its "Lichtmetal" (L) suffix – CSL. The owner has chosen to make the re-shelling clear by omitting the "+" signs which BMW stamped into the shell at the time, before and after the VIN number, to denote that it not the original shell. This is very commendable.
The engine is a genuine BMW factory reconditioned unit as it is coded 33 indicating 3.3 litres (BMW rounded up the displacement), E indicates "Petrol Injection" and "D" indicates D-Jetronic. 1096 is the serial number and "A" indicates remanufactured. By good fortune this upgrade will compensate for the slightly heavier car because it increases the mid-range engine torque by 23ft/lbs.
This car, as restored, is of outstanding appearance and condition making it almost a benchmark example of the City Pack CSL. More and more CSLs are being modified, either with 16" wheels, lowered suspension, upgraded engines, and 5 speed gearboxes to improve performance for modern road conditions. This car is modified by having a different shell but otherwise almost exactly replicating the original specification except for some additional safety and reliability modifications.
*The BMW E9 CSL coupe is becoming increasingly rare as all but the well maintained and/or restored models from the original batch of 500, such as this one, have been scrapped. At present it is estimated that there are about 220 cars remaining worldwide. Supply is outstripping demand. Most are owned and retained by enthusiasts so that few come to the open market and this is continuing to increase values significantly. BMW has a division devoted to old car support, BMW Classic, so that a range of the repair parts and panels are available for the specialist restoration sector in the UK. Reinstatement is now a very viable an option for an E9 in the event of an accident which might otherwise attract an insurance write-off."
It is worth noting that the valuation placed on this CSL by the club was significantly more than the current asking price....
Our technical team have carried out a fully comprehensive condition report and are very pleased with the result. Only a few minor tweeks and adjustments are needed – and will be done prior to the new owner taking possession – to make this one of the loveliest, most exciting and driveable BMW classic coupes available today. At Munich Legends we have had the privilege to work with many, if not the majority of the CSLs that ended up in the UK over the last 30 years. We rate this car as one of the nicest driving (its quick) and best presented CSLs you can buy.
For more information on this absolute gem, or to book a viewing, please contact our showroom team on
[email protected] or call +44 1825 740456
Factory Equipment: