INTERESTING Details.. 1974 E9 has at least 25-30 changes from a 1973

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execmalibu

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I was looking at some of the differences between a 1974 and a 1973 and there are at least 25-30 changes that I noticed and I know there are a lot more... Surprising that BMW would spend the money on engineering,design and tooling for a car that was being discontinued...

Everyone knows the bumpers and wheels are different but here are some of the other differences that I noted in case you are restoring a 74 or want to buy parts from a 74 and beware they are different!...

1. Bumpers
2. Wheels (look like Alpinas)
3. Steering wheel (4 Spoke)
4. All (4) Roundels are raised letter and are painted
5. The rear side post Roundel is not chrome but is bright dipped
6. Antenna is on the Drivers windshield post
7. The upper dash is different in numerous ways
a. The Safety belt light is on top
b. The gear indicator light is in front of the speaker
c. There are dumby buttons under the dash
d. The aluminum trim is one very long piece (not one long and one short)
8. The door for access to the hood release has a turn knob instead of a chrome push button.
9. There is a telescoping steering column
10. Seat belts are different
11. The seats are totally different and the pleats are horizontal
12. The door panels are covered differently
13. The panel under the dash are different.
14. There are (2) reset circut breakers on the panel above your knee
15. There is a removable Flashlight in the access panel for the hood release.
16. The tool kit is one piece and laid out differently
17. The trunk upper panels are different
18. Electric Mirror
19. Turn Signal on Left side of column like other cars
20. Center Grille 5 bars are Black and outer is thicker at bottom
21. Trunk has huge supports for Bumper
22. Covers for rear wheel wells/shock mounts are different,
23. Smog stuff
24. Covers for exhaust manifolds are different
25. Trim on bottom of seat near the handle has no holes for 3 screws
26. The tools for jacking up the car are in the left quarter panel
27. The license lights are different
28. The rear license panel is different
29. Trunk caddy on left side
30. Wood panels in the trunk are different
31. Gas tank is different
32. U Shaped headrests

More to follow later
 
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The cars

Odd....I have a '74 with numerous differences other than what you have noted. Mine had an electric antennae mounted right rear, for instance. Seems to me that almost every E9 car is a bit different, especially the later cars, and this pure speculation on my part.... A case of hand build from bits on hand that particular day....E3 parts, 1600/2002, what was on the shelf to finish the job. Not necessarily a case of re-engineering, more that they were winding down, also DOT regs.
 
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74 different, and of course better :)

i believe there are also structural differences in the rear - sven was looking at my car when i was doing the bumper conversion and said there were more structural reinforcements around the rear bumper mounts, gas tank, and spare wheel well, compared to his car (which i believe is a 72).

peter (coupeking) also said the 74 was better in every way (except for the hideous bumpers) than all other years - but he may have been just saying that so i would buy his car - and it worked :).
 
The later 73s had the seatbelt indicator on top of dash, two window circuit breakers (same time they changed the window motors), turn knob for hood access door, antennas were installed by the dealer so it could be anywhere, manual or electric. The 74 should have electric side mirrors too. I think the c pillar roundel was only chrome on early 2800. And the 74 has bottom mount gas tank.
 
Yes

Alan,
Good for you to pipe in. For sure the rear was beefed a bit to accept the DOT bumper shocks. It was cool to visit with Sven. Picked me up at SeaTac and placed the lap top computer (in my lap of coarse) And said "watch this"....megaS....cool show as all parameters I could watch in real time, auto-tune mode, a real treat. Word of warning to those contemplating a home lift.....I remember one comment from Sven's lovely bride "yeah, keeps him out of my kitchen, but....that used to be MY SIDE!
 
Yeah

Seat belt indicator.....hate that. Mine does have the electric mirrors.....I deleted this. The switches.....man, they be ugly. Rule of Italian driving applied here.
 
Pamp some things were definitely highly re-engineered and redesigned...

Pamp,

I do not think that they were necessarily using parts on hand or thinking in terms of winding down for a lot of the items that were only on a 1974 E9...

Something minor like re-locating the Auto gear indicator light is not major engineering task but still requires different tooling to make the dash and a different wire loom etc and this was completely unnecessary....

BUT....

Redesigning the entire steering column to telescope is a major exercise in engineering, design and fabrication. There must be a least 20-30 intricate parts that needed to be engineered, designed and machined and this would be a huge time and monetary expenditure for a car that was being terminated. The same goes for the electric mirrors...

Speaking of Electric Mirrors do you still have the ones you took off?
 
The telescoping column was why they moved the auto indicator and coupes were made through 75 in Europe so it lasted two years.
 
My mid 72 (USA) had the seat belt indicator light on top of the dash above the center speaker grill. It is gone now.

Are there not also a bunch of engine compartment wiring differences?

The AC mounting bracket for the dryer is below the coil instead of behind it.

Did the 74's have a Low beam relay?

Headlight wipers?

Black grilles on hood and front fenders?

Motor mount stops at the front of mounts? My 72 support frame does not have the holes for bolting those on. Came up in a recent post.

Probably many more little things not yet mentioned.
 
Sven I am sure there are a lot more changes...

These are just the obvious changes that I can easily see... I am absolutely sure there are numerous other minor changes through out the entire car...

Chris my 1972 and 73 have the chrome roundels on the side pillars and they were cloisonet... Were as the ones on my very late 74 are raised letter and also raised around the blue/white which is very thin paint... The ring is bright aluminum and not chromed pot metal like all of the others I have seen...
 
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Body in general on the type 2 cars was stouter, stronger seams, likely "less rust-prone", in addition to front suspension differences I think I've even seen braces in the doors. Gas tank and mounting are different, Re: the discussion about the telescope column/indicators and all these other changes they do seem silly if you think they were just for the E9 (they weren't) and that by mid 73 they were planning to stop production (they weren't) All the mechanical changes were also done at the same time in E3s and BMW was still selling scads more of those and production for both E3's and E9's continued into 76.

Exec, I've always had earlier E9s but a while ago got a 74 (from Sooner) and have been watching your posts and the zeal and interest you show for your car...thanks for your discussion here!
 
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US spec

Many of the changes applied only to the range of CS cars made for the US market in 74-75. These were necessary to comply with current/new legislation.
These changes did not apply to the cars made for the European market.

One change, that I personally don´t like, which applied to all cars, were the new front seats.

Interesting topic, whoever brought it up!
 
Structural reinforcing extends to dash sheetmetal also.There is an extra piece that makes it impossible to drop gauges out the back of dash.Must pull gauge hood and pod into passenger area,PIA!
 
very cool thread

It's funny, I have a 1974 and I recognize some of the items on the list, but some-i.e. electric mirror- I don't have.

Could someone post some of the engine differences- I think there was a drop in compression ratio on the engines for 1974 as well.

I think this was a very interesting time in the history of BMW. They had serious financial trouble in the 60's (so I hear) but as an aircraft engine company and post WW2 manufacturing facility they must have faced some serious challenges just staying around. I would imagine that there are some people on the forum who could fill us in on the gory details and that would make an interesting read. -Anyone?

Also, I don't know enough about the different years to contribute to the list, but if I find anything unusual I will post it.
 
My '74 (built Oct. 73) does not have the electric mirror, and it has a low-beam relay. IN the AC, there is no "vibration damper" that apparently was used in older piston-type compressor systems (mine is a rotary type, another difference...) Were fuel shut-off solenoids new with the '74s?
The variations are directly proportional with the number of beers Fritz und Hans had for lunch...
 
Peter:

"BMW Bavaria's Driving Machines" authored by Jan Norbye and the editors of "Consumer Guide," published by Beekman House in 1984 is a very good history of BMW and goes into detail about their financial difficulties in the 50s-60s. Found a copy in a used-book store for $7.
 
OK.... Lets see how really Obsessed, Demented, Sick and downright Pathetic we ALL are

I am warning you guys this tiny detail sh!t gets very addicting... Much Worse then Crack Cocaine you will soon focus every minute of your life only on your E9...

Soon you will start to obsess for hours, then days, then months then constantly about the tiny E9 details. Then your wife and family will leave you, you will loose your job and your house and your dog will even run away in terror... But fear not! Your E9 will have the correct slotted screws and tiny decal under the dash hidden behind the AC blower...

You guys should hold on to something anchored before this thread gets really out of control...

OK.... Are you ready?

Who has or has seen an owners manual for a 1974 with photos of things like the bumpers, electric windows, telescoping column etc?... Is there such a manual?...

I come from years of collecting Porsches and we are all absolutely pathetic arguing over things like how far (within a 1/8 inch) the undercoating goes.
 
The column

I have never found the telescoping column to be useful....does any one actually adjust this to anything but the full, towards the dash position? Being able to move the wheel down a few degrees would be nice. The one plane? Not "ergonomic" at all.
 
In his usual humorous way, Jeff makes a very good point. One of the things I've always liked about the vintage BMW crowd is that they don't seem quite as obsessed with originality as some other marques. When wrestling with this I've looked at it two ways. First, what will insure the most value when I'm ready to sell and second, what will return the most ownership pleasure. The second derives from what you personally prefer/enjoy and the importance to you of what your fellow enthusiasts will say. I recommend thinking hard about these variables and decide what matters the most to you. In the engine swap world almost anything is possible.

By the way, I'm working through this process myself with access to an S38, an M30B35 with motronic 1.3, a low mileage factory rebuilt M30B30 and the original M30 with the VIN stamped on the block but needing a complete rebuild.

I'm inclined to go with the motronic 3.5 and put the original engine in dry storage for the next owner.
 
pamp said:
I have never found the telescoping column to be useful....does any one actually adjust this to anything but the full, towards the dash position? Being able to move the wheel down a few degrees would be nice. The one plane? Not "ergonomic" at all.
Click to expand...

Actually the 74 E9 is very forward looking, it anticipates a predicted human race split into two branches with distinct settings for the steering wheel. Just look at the pictures:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6057734.stm

The "upper class" setting addresses their 6-7 ft height with the telescopic steering wheel pushed in. Oil changes every 1.5k miles are recommended to factor in the 120 year life expectancy of the upper class.

Upper class women would develop smooth, hairless skin, large clear eyes, pert breasts, and glossy hair, but with their larger frames future women will slam E9 doors even harder.

The pushed out setting can be used for the "underclass" which is expected to evolve into dim-witted, ugly, squat goblin-like creatures. If you think this is far out, I think one of them cut me off last week in traffic on 101.
 
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