Engine block ID

shanon

shanon

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Howdy Coupster,

Trying to ID my engine block/size for my mech. Thought it might be a the original 2.8L block with a later '73 head........not sure now.
Here's the number stamped above the starter:
+2460844+

anywhere esle I should look?

TIA!
-shanon
'70 2800cs VIN#2202577
 
246xxxx doesn't come up as a coupe vin:
http://www.bmwcsregistry.org/Coupe_Information/e9production.html

Maybe it's a an E3 block? I ran it through the realoem etk and it comes up as a 325ix :roll: which means that vin wasn't used as the last 7 of a 17 digit vin on a later big six.

Anyone know where to find E3 vins?

Edit: oops, it turns out E3 vins are on seniorsix.org:
http://www.seniorsix.org/e3info/vins.html

...and 246xxx is not an E3 vin, though 216xxxx is (USA 2800 auto). How clear is that number on the block?
 
thx for the reply and sleuthing MP-

yep, stamp is fairly clear. I remember fielding this question when I first got the car and learning that the blocks were stamped 2.8, 3.0 etc., under the carbs (correct?), somewhere around the center. This block has no such stampings, and oddly, the side-loader LSD had no painted S either, just 11/38 and a tiny 's' nearby. LSD confirmed with both sides spinning the same direction.

Someone then commented on the possiblity that it being an early CS (Dec 69 mfg date, Vienna delivery) example, it could have preceded BMW 'stamping' certian parts as on later cars. Which lead me to believe that it had the original 2.8L. Not sure now........but would like/need to find out what's under the hood.

But the car's provenance is a fun mystery, some PO converted it to rear discs, put in dog-leg 5spd, installed 32/36Webers, re-sprayed it Ceylon (engine bay, doors & jams, apparently complete trim removal), and rebadged it a 3.0.....It was 'federalized' when imported (date unknown) with side markers and a MPH speedo. Original VIN plate is gone and has a CA replace VIN plate matching the firewall VIN stamp.

My guess is that some savy Euro spy/secret agent got in trouple and smuggled himself and his beloved 'Q' car out of the Alps to sunny LA at some point in the mid '70s....... 8)

-shanon
 
Early differentials do not have a painted "S", just the stamped "S". The painted ones started in about '74.

The block WILL have a ~2" tall cast number on the intake side. It will say "2,5/2,8", "3,0/3,3" or "3,5". I've never seen an M30 block without these numbers, even the factory crate engines have them.

A couple of examples from the garage:

My turbo block

[Broken External Image]:http://velocewest.googlepages.com/35block.JPG

A spare 3.3 (what, like you don't have one?!)

[Broken External Image]:http://velocewest.googlepages.com/30block.JPG
 
Drumroll......

and the winner is:
it is an E3 - US spec 2800A sedan
series is 2460001 - 2460862, so this was out of a late car.
This is from the original orange E3 parts books.
The diff could well have come from the same car, since every early 3.45 LSD I have come across came from an E3 2800, which apparently had LSD as standard equipment.

(edit)
In looking at the table Michael P mentioned, the author seems to have left out the 68-69 2800 sedans.
 
thanks for the pics Tony.

I looked again under the intakes, still no casting to be found....I guess my 'spy' theory is being supported. I speculate my 'spy' got an unidentifiable motor at the same time he fled the Alps and had all his fingerprints removed.....I wonder if HoffmanMotors Corp. was involved with the spy's escape from Europe at some point in the early '70s.... see below.

But our friends at Mobile Traditions had this to say:

"The engine No. 2460844 is from a BMW 2800 Automatic US (a sedan) built on October 15th and delivered on December 7th, 1970 to the BMW importer HoffmanMotors Corp. in New York City."

It's a 2.8L, about two months older than the car. I had hoped the motor to be original/period correct, I guess this is as about as closed as I could hope for my car with such a 'mysterious past'.... 8)

thanks again,
-shanon
'70 2800cs #2202577
 
Hee hee... Spies everywhere, apparently.

I was always confused by the Mobile Tradition response regarding delivery location-- My car is a '73 U.S.-spec CS, and as per Mobile Tradition, was delivered to Verona, Italy. As confirmed by the original owner (whom I subsequently located via an old title in the door pocket) the car stayed in Rome until 1981, and was then imported to the States.

I didn't know you could do that, but somehow he did.

He must have been a spy....
 
I had a US spec 71 2800CS, 2270077, which I was told was bought new by a US serviceman stationed in Europe, Spain I think, and later brought to the US.

Also, I can remember when I was in the USAF stationed in Viet Nam in 1968-69 reading of people who bought european delivery cars at enough of a savings over the US price theat they were able to pay for a european vacation as well as shipping the car home for the price they would have paid for US delivery.
 
BMW, Volvo, Saab, and Mercedes were all doing the buy as US spec car in Europe, have a holiday and ship it back in the 1980's and 1990's, don't think this goes on anymore - In some cases they were called diplomatic sales and there was some kind of tax dodge going on
I am pretty sure this loop hole has been closed. In the UK if you want to import any car that is not "historic" you have to of owned it in another country for at least 6 months and prove you were resident there too to avoid import duty and VAT, providing dodgy reciepts etc doesn't work anymore either because HM Custom and Excise decide the value of a vehicle when it arrives
Malc
 
Well, embarrass moi... :oops:

I just went and looked at my 2800CS, and there's no marking on the side of the block! I guess earlier blocks are not marked. The later 2.5/2.8 blocks from the e12's are.
 
Glad you posted that, Tony. I couldn't find one on my 2.8L either and was wondering if there was something wrong with me (not a stretch)...
 
The early M30 blocks did not have the cast in displacement numbers. I don't think BMW started doing that until '77 or so.
 
Ha, ha, glad you all checked your 2.8L blocks too, I was going nuts trying to find it! Now I'll stop looking............

:wink:
-shanon
 
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