Pittraider18
Well-Known Member
Here is a better-ish pic of the full car from a local show about a year back.
E3 Alpina?
- Thread starter Bmachine
- Start date
plee31
New Member
Hello all,
Yes, tthis is my car/build. Thank you all for the compliments! It is iindeed a tribute to a super rare post delivery BAVARIA E3 B2's which was equipped with triple Webers, cam headers etc. The B2s was not a street legal engine at that time. During this build, I scoward the Internet and was only able to find less than a hand full of real Bavaria B2's cars which inspired me to build a tribute with a pinch of restomod. Great effort was put into this three year project which required a challenging window out paint job and probably the least sourced rubber window seals in existence along with the impossible to find ALPINA foot pedals located in the war torn region of Karkiv Ukraine! The original paint was Fijord blue. It is also sitting on Ground Control coilovers, front and rear suspension technique swaybars along with custom yellow powder coated Wilwood brakes. This car is lightweight and fast! LOL!! For more pictures go to Instagram @pblee31 thanks!!
-Phil
Yes, tthis is my car/build. Thank you all for the compliments! It is iindeed a tribute to a super rare post delivery BAVARIA E3 B2's which was equipped with triple Webers, cam headers etc. The B2s was not a street legal engine at that time. During this build, I scoward the Internet and was only able to find less than a hand full of real Bavaria B2's cars which inspired me to build a tribute with a pinch of restomod. Great effort was put into this three year project which required a challenging window out paint job and probably the least sourced rubber window seals in existence along with the impossible to find ALPINA foot pedals located in the war torn region of Karkiv Ukraine! The original paint was Fijord blue. It is also sitting on Ground Control coilovers, front and rear suspension technique swaybars along with custom yellow powder coated Wilwood brakes. This car is lightweight and fast! LOL!! For more pictures go to Instagram @pblee31 thanks!!
-Phil
plee31
New Member
Also, @BMW45 is absolutely correct! I did a deep dive study of this particular ALPINA because so little is known about the existence of Bavaria B2s. At the time, one could take their prepurchased Bavaria to ALPINA and have it modified to a B2 or B2s. some of the less than hand full ones I found did not even have the striped decal on the sides (as mine). Also to answer a few other concerns, this was originally a US spec version with the diving board bumpers, aluminum belt trim and rear quarter panel turn signals deleted similar to the 2800's. Also as previously mentioned about the located rubber window seals, they were new old stock at $1k each! at that point in the build there was no turning back and had to do it! LOL!! I purchased this car in its original state from an estate sale and Im only the second owner of this documented 51 year old, 75K original mile car. The original owners lived in Monterey CA and both husband and wife passed away in their mid 90's and left all of the maintenance records in the glove compartment. I hope I did them well with this restomod build!
https://www.alpina-archive.com/?page_id=9236
-Phil
https://www.alpina-archive.com/?page_id=9236
-Phil
Attachments
rblongboarder
Well-Known Member
Hi @plee31,
Over time, could you upload a series of photos of this vehicle to the E3 forums or this thread? I think there is a lot of interest in your vehicle and a build thread would be useful to other E3 owners on the site.
Personally, I'm curious to see details of:
JP / rblongboarder @ E9coupe
Over time, could you upload a series of photos of this vehicle to the E3 forums or this thread? I think there is a lot of interest in your vehicle and a build thread would be useful to other E3 owners on the site.
Personally, I'm curious to see details of:
- your interior, including the dash and recaro seats
- photos of the US to Euro bumper replacements
- body work
- suspension, wheels
- links to other alpina information
JP / rblongboarder @ E9coupe
Pittraider18
Well-Known Member
Yes! Like @Rlongboarder says, we would love a build thread documented on here if you find the time. I'd love to see more pictures here.
eastsideM3
Well-Known Member
Alpina did put a right drive Alpina e3 on the cover of their UK parts catalog. It was a very rare build. I’ve only come accross three, one on the catalog cover and another that I believe is a real car but has no documents owned by a friend in Germany.
My car was actually owned by a diamond merchant in Israel. He sent the car to Heidegger and traded diamonds for the most powerful upgrade he could get. The car started as an automatic and was converted to a CR 5 speed B2-s in 1979. It went back to Israel then was imported to Miami Florida and traded hands finally finding its way to Fort Lauderdale. Can you imagine finding this car at a local shop five minutes from your house?!? I still remember the day walking in and asking the shop owner if he had a alpina four door. There it sat on a lift in the back corner of his shop.
My car was actually owned by a diamond merchant in Israel. He sent the car to Heidegger and traded diamonds for the most powerful upgrade he could get. The car started as an automatic and was converted to a CR 5 speed B2-s in 1979. It went back to Israel then was imported to Miami Florida and traded hands finally finding its way to Fort Lauderdale. Can you imagine finding this car at a local shop five minutes from your house?!? I still remember the day walking in and asking the shop owner if he had a alpina four door. There it sat on a lift in the back corner of his shop.
There is a good ad pic of one that @robbeddington posted just the other day on Aug. 27th 2025.
Factory ad based on the contact info. Doesn’t hurt that this is the issue of Auto Motor und Sport that pitted the Alpina CSL against all rivals.
Dougal Cawley
Active Member
Does anyone have any period data as to which tyres were OE? was it still 195/70VR14? or did they fit 15" wheels with these?
www.longstonegomme.it
pictures of brochures or any data about the OE tyres would be great if anyone has any?
215/60 VR15 PIRELLI CINTURATO CN36 N
Il Diametro di Calettamento del 215/60WR15 PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ CN36 N4 è 649 mm e il Larghezza è 230 mm. Per ulteriori informazioni sul 215/60WR15 PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ CN36 N4 vedi sotto o contattaci via email all'indirizzo [email protected]
www.longstonegomme.it
pictures of brochures or any data about the OE tyres would be great if anyone has any?
No 15” wheels ever on the e3 from BMW.
CSBM5
Well-Known Member
At least in the USA, that's true for the E12 also. I think it would apply to the E23 too, since it had 14" wheels and then switched to TRX weirdo-wheels in 1985 onward. The E28 528e had 14" wheels through its lifespan, and the 533i/535i used the weirdo TRX wheels. I think you have to get to the 1988 E32 735i to find the application of 15" wheels on a factory BMW here in the USA (225/60-15).
Dougal Cawley
Active Member
Ha ha!
"Weirdo-wheels"
I love that you guys in the States have the same dissent toward millimetres as Michelin clearly have toward inches. I can see what a pain in the bum bum it must be for Michelin, one of the worlds best tyere manufacturers, to have to deal with an inch size wheel in France. Over the year Michelin have made some amazing leaps foprward in tyre design and tried to enforce it on millimetric wheels, and everyone has nicked all there great ideas and put iot onto an inch wheel. when these TRX tyres came out the TRX was the Betamax and the Pirelli Cinturato P7 was the VHS
we still sell both
BMW 5 Series Tyres
Buy classic BMW 5 Series tyres online. Premium classic tyres for the E12 and E28 5 Series, M5, M535i, 535i, 533i, 528e, 528i, 525, 520i, 520, 518, 530i, and more.
www.longstonetyres.co.uk
I relalise they are unconventional but TRX tyres are actually great tyres, and i thoroughly enjoyed watching the Holey Grail on Betamax. I would probably enjoy Debbie Does Dallas on TRX
not sure i agree with your analogy Dougal - the VHS was not the better performing product, it was the better marketed product - the Betamax had much better picture, it was just made by Sony as nobody wanted to pay the licensing. the TRX tires sucked and the P7 was amazing.
Dougal Cawley
Active Member
Though you are right P7 are fab tyres. Specially the ones built today
www.longstonetyres.co.uk
These tyres are built with the right carcass structure that suits cars of the 1970s and '80s far better than a modern tyre; They are built with improved modern compounds offering more grip, and factories just have better quality control; than was possible in the day so you get the same feel and handling charcteristics, but just a little bit better.
However the same applies to the TRX. They were fab in the day, and you can't deny that, its why Ferrari fitted them, its why TRX technology won the F1 and World Rally, but the TRX today benefit from the same scenario.
they are both great tyres.
PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ P7
Buy classic PIRELLI CINTURATO P7 Tyres online. Classic Low-profile extra wide sports tyres developed in the 1970s by Pirelli for classic performance cars!
www.longstonetyres.co.uk
These tyres are built with the right carcass structure that suits cars of the 1970s and '80s far better than a modern tyre; They are built with improved modern compounds offering more grip, and factories just have better quality control; than was possible in the day so you get the same feel and handling charcteristics, but just a little bit better.
However the same applies to the TRX. They were fab in the day, and you can't deny that, its why Ferrari fitted them, its why TRX technology won the F1 and World Rally, but the TRX today benefit from the same scenario.
they are both great tyres.
Attachments
i hated the TRX on my 533i - VERY expensive, traction wasn't great and they wore out quickly. the tires also hardened quickly and became difficult to drive, especially in the wet.
Dougal Cawley
Active Member
Hmm; That is funny because one of the phenomina caused by the exceptional carcass of the TRX was great longevity. Sometimes Michelin shoots itself in the foot by making such exceptional carcasses (like the TRX), that the tread doesn't move while in contact with the road that the Michelin tread as well as giving loads of grip would last for ages, and people then ended up with old tyres on their car, which has been the only justifiable critisism of the TRX in my experience. Effectually they were too good.
Lesser tyre manufacturers dont have the ability to make a carcass which maintains such even tensions as a Michelin. the knock on effect is the tyre moves and stretches and contracts while in contact with the road, wearin the tyre faster and giving less grip.
Also, funnily enough, My Dad had a 535i some considerable years ago. We took the 16" wheels off it an fitted it with a set of TRX. it was too long ago to remember what brand the tyres were, However the ride was light and day better, there was more grip, but the real advantages were its stance on the road and how confident you fwealt in its predictable handling, so i just don't hold with critism of the TRX having had that experience my self. It is not justified. TRX are remarkable tyres. I punished them hard. (Oo that car did guzzle petrol)
Lesser tyre manufacturers dont have the ability to make a carcass which maintains such even tensions as a Michelin. the knock on effect is the tyre moves and stretches and contracts while in contact with the road, wearin the tyre faster and giving less grip.
Also, funnily enough, My Dad had a 535i some considerable years ago. We took the 16" wheels off it an fitted it with a set of TRX. it was too long ago to remember what brand the tyres were, However the ride was light and day better, there was more grip, but the real advantages were its stance on the road and how confident you fwealt in its predictable handling, so i just don't hold with critism of the TRX having had that experience my self. It is not justified. TRX are remarkable tyres. I punished them hard. (Oo that car did guzzle petrol)
CSBM5
Well-Known Member
I agree. I bought a 1985 535i in 1985 with the OE fitted TRX tires, and they were basically junk compared to what I was using on my other cars at the time (Goodyear Gatorback S, BFG Comp TA). They were especially squirrely in the rain too. Like the vast majority of others at the time, I couldn't wait to get rid of them. I used them for about 5k miles and switched to 16" Rial wheels and Pirelli P700s which was a huge improvement in every aspect of performance. Back in 1979 C&D included TRX tires in a tire test, and they were middle of the pack performers behind the P7, P6, Stahlflex 3011 even a Continential tire of some sort as I recall, and this was on a car specifically tuned to use TRX wheels/tires.
It they had actually been great performing tires and lived up the hype, the whole concept might not have collapsed costing Michelin many many francs in the process...
A UK magazine (edit: Motor magazine, May 1985 issue) at the time did a test of an E28 M535i and swapped to 16" wheels and tires showing a dramatic improvement in handling performance and especially wet handling. I've got a copy of that too someplace around here.
Last edited:
don't think you are going to develop a following here with this argument. maybe the carcass was good, but the tread + traction sucked. i bought a new set of Michelin TRX to replace the ones that came on my car, with 10k miles on them, i gave them to my mechanic to give to anybody that needed a replacement ... i bought 16" wheels and a nice set of Continental max performance rated tires and paid less for the wheel / tire combination than a new set of TRX junk. that's first hand experience that i never care to repeat. as i remember, at least in the USA, TRX tires were only available from Michelin and i think Avon also were available from Tire Rack. those tires kept me away from Michelin for many years, I have primarily used Bridgestone, Pirelli + Continental ever since ... i bought a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S for my 911, weren't as good as the Bridgestones they replaced. i am a believer in Michelin restaurant ratings
Dougal Cawley
Active Member
Ha Ha. Well we can at least agree on one thing. you rarely go wrong with a Michelin Restaurant rating.