4 Bar vs. 5 Bar Front Grille what is the story?

Jeff,

August `72 would still have the early "sardine can" motors. If someone provides the VIN change date from the parts books I can tell you what month that would be. I think it is early in calendar 1973.
 
If August 1972 is still Sardine Can Motors then why NO Emergency Holes?

The late motor no holes theory does NOT work!

If my car has NO emergency holes but has early Sardine Can Motors then so much for the Early/Late motor theory right?
 
I suppose so, just one of the many mysteries concerning BMW in the `70's! Peter and Carl would probably have an opinion on this topic.
 
From the Bluebook.... any one have a picture?

Note: If the electric window lift should break down, the
windows can be opened and closed by hand, using the plastic
rack provided in the toolkit. To open or close, remove cap in lining
on side.The pinion on the window lift gearing can be turned in the
direction desired by means of the rack.


Does anyone still have one?
 
The "comb"

I have heard of this mysterious tool but have never actually seen one. No matter, I do not have the access holes...
 
61Porsche The problem is I have the Tool but NO Hole in the Door Panels

Jerry,

Even though the BOOK says what to do... That is the dilema and what I was talking about!

My E9 Production date 8/72 has the Tool in the Tool Box but there are NO Emergency access holes in the front door panels!
 
Window motor access holes

All that I can contribute:

My door panels have the plugs. I wish they didn't as I don't mind taking the cards off for maintenance when needed.

The holes look to me to be stamped rather than some owner did them. So maybe next time you have one off see if there is a preforation of sorts.

I know Mercedes stopped using the tuna can type motors before BMW, perhaps 68 or 69.

Show us a picture of the mystery tool. At least I can say I saw one once.

Just like the center grilles, something got lost along the way. Only recently have the early grille part numbers gone away.

Shipping- just like Porsche; the cars would sit for a week or two at the factory or later at warehouses. Wether waiting for a shipping quota or not; but that's what I know.

Hoffman loaded up the US cars. I suppose to run up the price and profit for what he percieved the market to be with the other marques. To some, he was a genius; to others a tyrant. If it weren't for the few racers around that had small dealerships supporting their sport and factory sponsership of cars then BMW might not be what it is today. I know it took guys like Brumos several years for the breakaway even though they had signed agreements! And Hoffman got paid to go away. The point is that only he had the records and maybe someday someone will find them in some dusty storage for us to see finally.

Then there's always Hans and Fritz on the assembly line.. maybe it was time for lunch and it just didn't get done like the book says. It's not terribly unusual to find an extra bit of something here and there even now after all this time.

I say just enjoy the quirk... you know it's original. Maybe someday a concours judge will dot you for it! Then you can tell him where to put the dot! In the most diplomatic way.

I've long thought about why we don't have a guideline for restoration for us. We should.. the cars are wonderful machines.. they were expensive then.... and the guys that hold the secrets might think to help us.. before it gets put in the box for the last time so to speak.

Start an originality section to post to? At least when we take it apart for refinishing or whatever we can put it back the way it's meant to be.
 
This is the access tool, I remember my old 73 seemed to have one with more teeth (where are the window access tool police, and what year did it change?). I store it in the tool kit alongside the big wrench. I estimate it would take a week to get a window down using this thing so I went ahead and rebuilt them all. There is an article in the Registry about the window motors and holes, I will see if I can find and post it.

IMG-20110526-00304.jpg



IMG-20110526-00306.jpg


Stan said:
I have heard of this mysterious tool but have never actually seen one. No matter, I do not have the access holes...
Click to expand...
 
Stevehose said:
This is the access tool, I remember my old 73 seemed to have one with more teeth (where are the window access tool police, and what year did it change?). I store it in the tool kit alongside the big wrench. I estimate it would take a week to get a window down using this thing so I went ahead and rebuilt them all. There is an article in the Registry about the window motors and holes, I will see if I can find and post it.

IMG-20110526-00304.jpg



IMG-20110526-00306.jpg
Click to expand...

Boy, wish this tool was available when I had to manually raise the driver's side window close from the fully down position due to a dead battery. Just a very tedious and unpleasant task, it took just about 1000 flicks of the finger on the tooth spindle to fully close the window (yes, I counted) :).
 
According to Carl Nelsons 1988 article NO Hole means Late Motor.

If you read what Carl Nelson writes in his 1988 article it conflicts with what was written in this post. Because my 7/1972 supposedly has early Motors but also has NO emergency access holes.

HELP POLICE!!!!
 
Help--No access holes--

If you were to pull the door card--you will likely find there is a hole ready to be punched out if not already available--or simply cut the vinyl for fitting an access plug--have a look.

BTW--the BLUMAX also has one of the unobtainable nylon "combs"--the rare emergency window tool. And it does save fingers being bitten when urging an over-run window--I'm sure there are members who have experienced the "bite" from the wheel when the motor suddenly engages.

Someone should undertake re-producing the "comb".
 
Facelift gray area late summer of 1973

A nice thing to own a car manufactured around late summer 1973 is that I'm not banned using a 4 bar black plastic grill or a 5 bar anodized aluminum.

Thing is, I'm using both of them. This year is the "5 bar" look. I most admit that I think this front is the most stylish.

From factory is the 4 bar black plastic (see below for manufacture date...)
 
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