'72 Atlantik 3.0S

Gransin

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
1,528
Reaction score
1,271
Location
Vasa, Finland
Hi guys,

Since one old BMW isn't enough, both me and my dad have been looking at E3s the last couple of years, but never quite found "the right one".
That last part is tricky, because we never really knew what that might be. A project? My family situation right now prohibits almost all projects other than doing the have-to's around home.
A rolling project? There was some of those around, but knowing ourselves, it would quickly spiral into a non-rolling fullblown project.

We started looking at some decent E3's but most of them had rust problems, which we wanted to avoid at all cost, and then we started talking about a nice Atlantik e3 that had been for sale on and off over the last two summers here in Finland. We didn't consider it when it was for sale since it was over budget, but after having a look at the cheaper 'decent' ones and figuring how much they would need to get into shape, we realized that the Atlantik one maybe wasn't such a crazy alternative.

We found out who the owner was, and after a couple of weeks we were able to meet and check out the car. A deal was made and we brought it home with us!

The car started its life as Portugal's diplomatic car here in Helsinki, from 1972 to 1975. After that it was bought by a doctor that owned it from 1975 to 2017, which documented everything and had the car maintained/serviced at the same BMW dealership all these years. It was then bought by another BMW enthusiast which we bought it from now.

The car is in pretty good shape, it's been used, but very well taken care of all its life.

The BMW 3.0 S Automatic VIN 3151143 was manufactured on December 1st, 1971 and delivered on December 27th, 1971 to Portugal. The original colour was Atlantik, paint code 041.

Currently it's sitting in the garage awaiting some ordered parts, so I'll use the sellers pictures for now. I don't know how big of a project this will be, but I'm sure we'll be tinkering with it every now and then.

1.jpg


2.jpg


3.jpg


4.jpg


12.jpg


11.jpg


13.jpg


14.jpg


15.jpg


16.jpg


21.jpg


22.jpg


23.jpg


24.jpg


First gas stop after purchase:

5.jpeg


So nice to drive for a 50 year old car, straight ahead! Notice the original stickers on the original windscreen.

6.jpeg


And now it's resting in the garage, waiting for some small parts etc.

7.jpeg
 

JMinPDX

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Site Donor $
Messages
1,254
Reaction score
1,273
Location
Portland OR
Nice find! Atlantik Blue is just a great color. All models look great in it. It would be my 1st choice if I could pick any factory color.
 

HB Chris

Well-Known Member
Site Donor $$
Messages
19,418
Reaction score
8,757
Location
Huntington Beach, CA
Awesome find. It looks like it only needs the plastic kernels on the door latches to be complete. Can you take pics of all six wrenches, both sides as well as both sides of both pliers. It looks like you have an original set of tools based on the large pliers. Congrats!
 

Gransin

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
1,528
Reaction score
1,271
Location
Vasa, Finland
Thanks guys!
Can't wait for some better weather, and I've ordered seatbelts for the rear seat so the whole family can enjoy it, will be so much easier than trying to fit everyone in the coupe.

@HB Chris I'll take pictures of the tools as soon as I have some time, and post them in the tool discussion thread?
 

dp

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
1,110
Reaction score
166
Location
US
My very first BMW was an Atlantik 2800 E3, a 1969 that I bought in 1987, less than 20 years old! Looking at your pictures brought me back. It was uncommon to find them in such lovely shape 33 years ago, you chose wisely to go back, see, and buy this one! Congratulations and welcome to the fold!
 

CSteve

Well-Known Member
Site Donor $$
Messages
3,765
Reaction score
1,279
Location
Bucks County, PA
My first Bavaria was an Atlantik 74 3 liter. Cornered like a two seater sports car of the day. All stock. And with two young children travelling to the beach for two weeks, who needed an SUV when there was that cavernous trunk. Also owned a loaded 76 si and two parts cars.
And four coupes. Currently driving a 76 2002 coming full circle from my first BMW a 1971 1600, the only BMW I bought brand new. $3,000. What a road trip it has been.
 

dang

Administrator
Site Donor
Messages
4,247
Reaction score
3,262
Location
Rocklin, CA
Funny, the first thing I noticed on the car was the faded roundels on the hub caps (I just ordered a set last week so it was fresh on my mind) and it looks like it was the first thing you replaced. I also just noticed that the center hub caps are different on the early vs late cars.
 

Gransin

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
1,528
Reaction score
1,271
Location
Vasa, Finland
Funny, the first thing I noticed on the car was the faded roundels on the hub caps (I just ordered a set last week so it was fresh on my mind) and it looks like it was the first thing you replaced. I also just noticed that the center hub caps are different on the early vs late cars.

Haha, yes that was fixed the day after we got it home, happened to have 5 of the correct stickers for the caps lying in the spares bin.

Today we removed the rear lights because they had the light output of a weak candle at best, unfortunately the gaskets were horrible and now looking for new ones, does anyone know if they're available anywhere? I couldn't find any at the usual places but I'll try the dealer tomorrow.
Part #'s should be 63211353739 and 63211353740.

The reflectors were shot, so they're getting the polished aluminium tape treatment, and a high output set of bulbs from @Mo Brighta
Still looking into a third brake light solution, I got Andrews third brake light in my coupe, and that's great but can't get them anymore. Anyone got any tips?

IMG_20210405_092519.jpeg
IMG-20210405-WA0004.jpeg
 

Mo Brighta

Well-Known Member
Messages
117
Reaction score
45
Location
Golden, CO
The reflectors were shot, so they're getting the polished aluminium tape treatment, and a high output set of bulbs from @Mo Brighta
Still looking into a third brake light solution, I got Andrews third brake light in my coupe, and that's great but can't get them anymore. Anyone got any tips?
Hey Robert- Good news, I think. I contacted my US Hella wholesale supplier, who found an LED brake light by Hella -- but not the adjustable one I used to sell. That one allowed you to AIM the LED hot spot (the bright area) up and down to point directly into the eyes of the following idiot drivers, or at least where most of them were sitting. SO I did a bit of sleuthing, with the exact Hella part number (taken off one I documented before being sold).

Guess what? I found it! Now, I just have to get the nice people at Hella New Zealand to sell me a box. I want to order in small quantity, maybe a dozen or two, so I don't have to go through this again in six months. Going directly to Hella USA is pointless, frustrating, and gets zero results; believe me, I have tried. They won't even talk to me unless I want a palette, which is something like 48 cases. SHAZBAT!!!

I'll let you know what my contact on the inside says. If I can speak directly to New Zealand, I will do so ... at least they speak an approximation of English! (wish me luck)

Anyone else needing an LED center brake light that adjusts, holler at me. I'll start a list for a 'group buy.'

Andy
 

Gransin

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
1,528
Reaction score
1,271
Location
Vasa, Finland
Hey Robert- Good news, I think. I contacted my US Hella wholesale supplier, who found an LED brake light by Hella -- but not the adjustable one I used to sell. That one allowed you to AIM the LED hot spot (the bright area) up and down to point directly into the eyes of the following idiot drivers, or at least where most of them were sitting. SO I did a bit of sleuthing, with the exact Hella part number (taken off one I documented before being sold).

Guess what? I found it! Now, I just have to get the nice people at Hella New Zealand to sell me a box. I want to order in small quantity, maybe a dozen or two, so I don't have to go through this again in six months. Going directly to Hella USA is pointless, frustrating, and gets zero results; believe me, I have tried. They won't even talk to me unless I want a palette, which is something like 48 cases. SHAZBAT!!!

I'll let you know what my contact on the inside says. If I can speak directly to New Zealand, I will do so ... at least they speak an approximation of English! (wish me luck)

Anyone else needing an LED center brake light that adjusts, holler at me. I'll start a list for a 'group buy.'

Andy

Hi Andy,

Sounds great - but since driving season is just around the corner over here, I've already ordered a flexible led strip with fifteen red 5050 smd leds, quite similar to the one I've got in my coupe. It's not as easy to install one of these in an e3 since the rear windscreen gasket isn't as big/bulgy on the inside, so I might still have to figure out something else - please send photos if you have some/when you get some of the hella version. Price is a factor as well.

Today we got the rear lights finished with the aluminium tape mod on the reflectors and a good cleaning of the lenses. Also been tidying up other stuff on the rear end, and also cleaned the inside of the four Hellas in the front - turned out like new, they were a little bit foggy before. All the grilles got a good cleaning as well.

It wasn't easy to see if the rear lights + brake lights were turned on in regular daylight before, they were so dim.
Now they're working as they're supposed to - what a difference! Can't wait for the high output bulbs to make this even better :cool:

IMG_20210410_100327.jpg


IMG_20210410_111701.jpg


IMG_20210410_112247.jpg


IMG_20210410_114326.jpg


IMG_20210410_114639.jpg
 
Top