CSL with Steel Doors From the Factory?

E9coupeOZ

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Hello everyone, I have been on the outside looking in on this fabulous forum for many years and now find my passion for the E9's I own and look after drawing me in to discuss facinating topics.
I found a few people mention within the "Price Check CSL" thread that their CSL's have steel doors not Aluminium? Can anyone expand on this area and explain why this would be possible. I am curious to know if these steel door cars left the factory like that? If it was an option to choose steel doors? Also why would you choose steel doors on a light weight homologation special when Aluminium Doors were standard? (am I right in saying they were standard?)
I ask this as I have had some spirited conversations recently with different people where I have always believed all CSL's left the facrory with Aluminium Door Skins and Aluminium Door Hinges. I have also an email from my regular contact at BMW archive stating they have no records of steel doors as an option or any leaving the factory with steel doors.
Group, please enlighten me with your knowledge!
Scott
 

glenn in encinitas

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steel doors were available on city package cars, as were steel bumpers, power steering, power front/rear windows and some even had A/C.

This was the reality of cars that would, it was assumed, see regular driving on the street. It also allowed BMW to sell enough to meet the homologation requirements.

One of my cars, CSL 2275045 is as described above, all stock from the factory. I believe Tom Rakestraw's CSL is pretty similar, if not identical.
 

RogerB

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glenn in encinitas said:
steel doors were available on city package cars, as were steel bumpers, power steering, power front/rear windows and some even had A/C.

This was the reality of cars that would, it was assumed, see regular driving on the street. It also allowed BMW to sell enough to meet the homologation requirements.

One of my cars, CSL 2275045 is as described above, all stock from the factory. I believe Tom Rakestraw's CSL is pretty similar, if not identical.

My VERY original CSL 2275030 was one of the first city package cars. It has steel doors, steel bumpers, manual steering, manual front windows, fixed glass rear windows. This is all as it came from the factory.

RogerB
 

schnell540

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My CSL, which is not a city pack left the factory with no A/C or bumpers (other than rear fiberglass), power steering, etc. But it has steel doors. Did it leave the factory that way? I dunno. I was busy in high school in New England, no where near the factory.
 

E9coupeOZ

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Thanks for all your feedback relating to your own cars, and it seems like there are more steel doors than I could have ever realised. Maybe I should be asking how many CSL's have Aluminium Doors? But I am still curious to know if any of the members can provide some documentation they may have stored away explaining the variation of some CSL's having steel doors. I can see that the City Pack cars are the most likely candidate for the steel doors, but there is no documention I have unearthed as yet to show if it was an option to specify if you placed a factory order or for example all city pack cars had steel doors as part of their equipment level. I have recently personally inspected the White CSL Batmobile (2275514) that is for sale in Japan and was surprised to find steel doors on this car. This Batmobile is certaily not a city pack and a car that should rate highly to have aluminium doors as we all know the requirement to have a steel boot/trunk lid for stronger rear wing support. If anyone wants more information on the rust that this cars has please feel free to send me a PM.
Thanks again
 

Tierfreund

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A minumum of 35 years and the well know effect of electrolytic contact corrosion which, due to the steel frame (the "aluminum doors" of the CSL were, as far as I know only aluminium door skins) contacting the aluminium skin, combined with well known Karman build quality and the legendary know-how of Karman in regards to corrosion (for knickers, they hadn´t even figured out how to prevent the normal steel bodys from rusting on the way to the dealer) plus plenty of exposure to splashing water from the front wheels.
I´m surprised, there are any CSL with aluminium doors left. For most of it´s life the CSL would not have been worth enough to warrant the remanufacturing of an aluminum door when a steel door would have been available used and cheap.

I´m not saying that some CSL might not even have been built with steel dorrs, but I´ve never seen any documentation to that regard.
Just saying that some CSLs that now have steel doors may not have been built that way.
 

soxrus

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steel vs. alloy door

The real test for alloy doors is to check the "Door Hinges" ..... Alloy doors (SKINS AND INTERNAL BRACING ONLY) will always have aluminum door hinges, top and bottom ......... The door frames are steel on both versions !!!!!

I know of NO "Carb" (1st 169 "true lightweight") CSL's with steel doors, unless changed because of collision or corrision ......... only injected 2275 and 2285 CSL's ...........

I have owned city package CSL's with steel and aluminum doors and have documented many others ......... the single thing which seems consistent is that "power" front windows ......... NEVER appear on aluminum doors ........ or I have never seen a CSL so equipped !?!? I always considered this to be because of weight and the rigidity needed for "power" windows ...... !?!? If anyone knows of a "power window" CSL with alloy doors please check the door hinges and forward me the serial number and proof of the CSL's originality !!!!!

If using a magnet to test for aluminum doors, always check the door hinges ..... if they are steel and the door aluminum ..... then the doors have almost without doubt, been retrofitted ...... the reverse would also hold true if steel doors were mounted on alloy hinges !?!?

Be Safe all, Jimmy
 

30csl

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Hey Jimmy, most rhd csl's had aluminium door skins and electric windows.

Hope all is well,

Rohan
 

piezopaul

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Gents,
According to Motor Trend August 1972, the street package (same as the city package?) included bumpers, glass windows and steel doors. My City Package CSL has all three. Others?....- Paul
 

Gerrit

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steel/aluminum doors

To simplify:

The CSLs had aluminum doors except those equiped with the option "town package" *

The option "electrical regulator door front"?!(power windows) was available to both cars with or without the aluminum doors.

The metal type of the hinges matches the metal type of the door.

Those rules are valid for ALL production CSLs

Hope this helps,
Gerrit

*This option started with VIN 2275014.
RHD cars were not cars with the "town package" option but rather UK specification cars which explains the aluminum doors
 

E9coupeOZ

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Excellent information on this topic!
The Bat in Japan had Steel Doors & Steel hinges, when I was there with my trusy magnet last month.
I have in my workshop a RHD City Pack CSL, with Steel Doors and Aluminium Hinges Top and Bottom (both sides).

Anyone else like to share what their CSL's have fitted and if they can confirm they are factory original?
 

30csl

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The RHD csl you have must have had its doors changed to steel from what the combined knowledge here says.

Has it got much history with it?
 
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