Front electric window lift musings.

[bengal taiga]

I just noticed hjacobs' very pretty shift knob http://e9coupe.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2263 and it is very smart looking indeed. I noticed the air conditioning console and at the same time wondered about which E9's were equipped only with rear electric windows. I can't recall seeing an air conditioned coupe without electric window lifts all around. I guess its because if someone ordered air, I might expect they would order the entire gamut of accessories. Then again, I guess people had their reasons for specific options.


I was under the impression that excepting most CSL's, most North American market coupes were equipped with electric lifts on all 4 windows because that was what Hoffman ordered. Another E9'er told me he assumed delivery of 2 coupes in NJ with manual crank front windows. He could not recall if this was 1971 or 1972. But said he did not want electrics in the front because someone from his dealership said they (the lifts) were trouble prone and that his cars would be spending much time at the dealership to fix them. I never paid much attention to this story.

Anyone else hear the same story?

Does anyone have a North American market E9 without full electric window lifts/cranks?

TIA

 

[jhjacobs]

I'm not sure of the background on this but my E9 is a 71. My 72 E3 was manual all the way around. Back in the era when these cars were built electric windows had a bad reputation in general (not just BMWs). In fact, just like the Brit who have Lucas refrigerators and consequently never learned to drink cold beer, Germans with Bosch refrigerators suffer the same affliction. These stereotypes, in my personal experience, originated in this time frame. I also seem to recall that Mercedes may have still been using vacuum to power windows in the early 70's - does anyone know about this?

Thanks for the complement on the shift nob - I know it isn't everyone's taste.

 

[PaulinPa]

My 69 parts car has cranks in the front and powered rears.I had heard at one time that the German design philosophy was the driver could reach both fronts to wind down the windows but could not reach the rears(safely) hence powered lifts.Supposedly they also could not understand why we wanted automatics or air (Mercedes too) And look how long it took BMW to put the oh- so- essential cup holder in their "modern" cars.

 

[dave v. in nc]

vacuum

I'm pretty sure the door locks were vacuum on mom's 72 280SE, but seem to remember the whirring of electric motors for the windows...Dave V. in NC