CSL on UK Ebay

Other than the guy has almost no feedback and he's selling it for someone else.
 
Looks nice alright, was registered very late so sat around somewhere for nearly two years!
 
Even Mrs Malc had a look, but I was told that just because there was space in my scrap store I wasn't allowed another one!
I see it has jumped to nearly £3000 with several days to go. It will be interesting to see what it goes for
Malc
 
nice. It'll be interesting to see how much it goes for.

Shame they're isn't any side or detail shots.
 
Car looks nice and original but :

- Sound deadening (can be seen on the firewall, engine bay)
- Power-steering (liquid tank can be seen in the engine bay)
- Power windows (switches can be seen on the radio console)
- Tool-Box in the boot lid (grey plastic covers as well)
- Stock CS / CSi carpet
- Stock CS / CSi system to open/close the bonnet
- ... etc...

IMHO not a genuine CSL lightweihgt. Anyway definitely not a car I would put my money on if I was on the market. One more time, U.K. CSL models are not really what true CSL enthusiasts are looking for. This is also why their prices remain so low compared with German CSLs (or CSLs in other countries like Italy, Switzerland etc...). RHD CSLs and more generally all comfort CSLs (e.g. town-Kit cars and cars close to any stock E9 CS) will definitely and for ever remain besides the CSL true market. Just my 2 $
 
what makes them csl's is the thinner gauge steel and ally panels. All Uk csl's seem to have both of these features which are hard to replicate! The add ons such as power steering and windows can easily be eliminated. A lot of left hand drive cars have steel doors which would add a lot of weight and make the net effect versus a rhd csl with the he comfort pack negligible.

To sum up rhd csl's have the important aspects which make a csl.
 
The add ons such as power steering and windows can easily be eliminated
Click to expand...

Correct.

But doing this you are basically telling us "How to make a genuine lightweigt CSL from a city package one". From my perspective totally wrong. A true anachronism.

This is easy to do but one can forget the historical aspect of a car (what about authenticity?).

Look at some Porsches : we basically exactly have the same song with 2,7 RS cars. A very big number of the Touring versions (M472) have been "modified" to Lightweight versions (M471).

This is a quick and easy step. As well, it is really very easy to check at Porsche how the car was delivered and how it was when original.

Do not get me wrong, I see your point, but I stick to my words. A CSL like the one on UK eBay, like a city-Package CSL or even a CSL that has been "modified" to a true lightweight will never be what it should be.
 
"How to make a genuine lightweight CSL from a city package one".

I think your on the wrong track with that one... so are you suggesting that a CSL with city pack is not a genuine CSL ??????? we also should say the same about cls`s with air con, and csl`s with steel doors, csl`s with steel boot lids.

One more time, U.K. CSL models are not really what true CSL enthusiasts are looking for

Unless you live in the UK and drive on the left side of the road........ I have not yet meet one single UK enthusiast who would trade sitting on the wrong side of the car for no power windows and no power steering. How many have you meet that would ???
 
Marc,

Please scrupulously read what I am writing !

so are you suggesting that a CSL with city pack is not a genuine CSL ???????
Click to expand...

my remark was "How to make a genuine lightweigt CSL from ... etc..."

In other words, I just say a city pack CSL is not a true lightweight as some other cars really are (plexi windows, light black carpets, no front bumper, fiber rear bumper, no power steering, fixed windows, no air-con... etc...). I think this is undisputed?

we also should say the same about cls`s with air con, and csl`s with steel doors, csl`s with steel boot lids
Click to expand...

Absolutely... BTW the cars you are referring to are in a certain way city pack CSLs (May I remember you L stands for "light"... or did I miss something?). I however reckon the BMW UK importeur made the city pack decision for all the customers and without having asked them...

With your last remark, you are absolutely correct... although there are UK enthusiasts enough (I know at least a couple of them) that drive on the wrong side of the car to have the kind of car we are speaking about.

Again, I do not want to be unpleasant (sorry if you feel it is the case). I just share my opinion about what I call a true lightweight CSL and what I call the remainder of the CSL production. I will never change my mind on this.
 
Yes, there are easily two sides to this argument. However, don't lose sight of the fact that CSLs were production cars that had to find buyers; if a car sits on the lot long enough, the mfgr./dealer will do just about anything to get rid of them.

At what the CS/CSi/CSL sold for when new, especially in England (where the economy was a mess at the time), I'm thinking that most, if not all, CSLs received options in order to make them more attractive to buyers.

In my mind, this does not detract from them being CSLs, though. It just makes the cars that were set up with lux options homologation specials that weighed a bit more than originally planned.
 
perspex said:
I just share my opinion about what I call a true lightweight CSL and what I call the remainder of the CSL production. I will never change my mind on this.
Click to expand...

Perspex,
I agree .. and I don't.
When I bought my CSL (I could actually choose between several at the time!!) I went for the 'lightest' one.. the car that had as many of the lightweight traits as you are talking about: leightweight doors, bonnet, boot, plastic rear bumber, outside bonnet locks, limited sound proofing, thin carpets etc.
However mine is also specced with electric rear windows and power steering! I think the truth is that there is no one 'correct' CSL just different degrees of 'purity' from the 'hardcore' leightweights (of which I believe very few left the factory) right up to the 'comfy' UK RHD models.

Personally I also prefer the 'purist' models, but the RHD versions are still true CSLs if you ask me.

I came across an ALPINA CSL (with a VIN of the 2nd CSL series) which had the 250hp Alpina engine, but none of the leightweight body parts. To many this is probably an even more desirable CSL despite it not being leightweight.

Cheers
 
I can see where your coming from, but I think your argument is flawed, or maybe it's just your use of the word 'genuine'.

The porsches you speak of were sold as two different cars, thus the M471 ( RS Sport ) and M472 ( RS Touring ). This example would surely apply to converting a CSI to a CSL by adding an aluminium bonnet, bootlid and door skins, which would obviously not make it a genuine CSL, or adding a spoiler and airdam to a CSL to make it a fake bat.

Like i said, i understand your point, but a CSL is a CSL. The variations like the town kit add differences to the model, but a CSL with electric windows is no less authentic or genuine than a CSL without.
 
It is a CSL, even if it has a city package, as long as the vin # confirms it.
I am surprised there are any left in the uk (I am an ex-pat living in Ca) given the thinner sheetmetal, lack of rust proofing etc. I just can't belive how cheap they are there, how much do you think that CSL would reach in the us (if LHD).
PJ
 
In other words, I just say a city pack CSL is not a true lightweight


dose not matter how you read it, you are still claiming that city pack csl`s are not true lightweights. They most certainly are, according to my vin number and BMW mobile tradition.
 
Woah Guys!
If all of you are correct then the dear old bucket is a CSL, even though it's a Csi...
That's because of the thousands of little perforations have made it very light weight :wink:
I think it's all down to one's own perspective of what a particular model should be and is..
Personally I think the deigned shape is the making of the car. Yes the "go faster" versions are the "holy grail" to some and that's fine. For me, no, as I think all the spoilers, wings and things on a CSL bat make it look ugly. In addition with careful engine and injection management work I will make my Csi's perfromance on a par if not better than a contemporary CSL
At the end of the day I hope the person who buys it, not me I hasten to add :cry: , has fun with a small piece of automotive history
Malc
 
Sounds like we're arguing semantics here. All cars produced by BMW that had the lighterweight monocoques should be categorized CSLs. I think that's the least common denominator, although I've never seen anyone measure exactly how thin the main steel panels (i.e., the roof) are on a CSL vs. a non-CSL. Virtually every other component of the car could be reproduced or faked, but I can't imagine any way you'd get a complete body made of the thinner gauge steel.

Whether or not cars (such as my beloved # 227 5396) that have city packs, are true lightweights depends. They're authentic CSLs, but they're clearly not as "leicht" as models which have plastic windows, and aluminum doors. There is one other interesting point though. No one would dare say that the Bat cars were not genuine lightweights, but they had steel decklids and an additional 30-50 pounds worth of induced drag added to them (front airdam, wingsplits, roof hoop, rear wing) so theoretically they're not as light as other model variants.

I suppose your definition of what makes a CSL "lightweight" depends on your perspective, but for my part, if the car had a VIN which falls in line with what the factory claimed, it's at least a genuine CSL, and we know how many there were made. They are, if not lightweight, certainly rare.
 
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