A Rare Bird: The E30 Baur

[BMWtyro]

Davey,

I certainly have never seen either of those pieces of literature, and I don't recall ever seeing ground effects such as those installed on the car in the pullout. I wonder if that was something which Buar offered, or if it was strictly BMW Genuine accessories . . .

Very interesting -- thanks!

Jeff

[tomscat1]

This constitutes the largest convocation of Baurs of any kind in the US, as far as I know!

Well, ok, technically, WE didnt do it. RYNE did it! He is now the proud owner of FOUR Baurs! Wow. Congratulations, Ryne!


Ryne, of course, is 1rdmanahan1 from Texas in bimmerforums, where he is making quite a splash with his black Baur. You may recall this thread:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1750815&highlight=Baur
If you haven't seen that thread..... GO NOW! Do not pass go, do not collect $200! Check it out!

Beautiful stuff!

If you want to see his FOUR Baurs, with loads of pics (too many for here):
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/

1rdmanahan1: Baur Lover Par Excellence! Great job, Ryne!

[davey101]

From the Classic and Vintage BMW Enthusiasts facebook group

E30 Alpina C1 2.5 Baur TopCabriolet (base: E30 / 325i Baur TC2) 6 cylinder, 2494 cc, 190 hp (140 kW) - C1 2.5 production resulted in 50.. (some sources say 51) ..units that were produced between October of 1986 to July of 1987. Whether or not those production numbers included this particular model is unknown to us.

[tomscat1]

Nice, Davey. Looks like a Euro model not a US one, but thanks for posting!

BTW, I took delivery of a '91 5 spd ix today. Bit of a project, but I do love the ix!

[BMWtyro]

Davey,
Alpina package looks great, though I"m admittedly not fond of the "cowcatcher" (just a personal preference).

Tom,
Congrats on the puchase of the iX; I wish that I could find a nice one with which to replace my Jeep.

Jeff

[tomscat1]

This is the one I would love to own: E30 325ix Baur! Only 118 built (I believe), none in the US. Jeroen ('BAUR' fromThe Netherlands) owns TWO of these, the lucky son of a gun! Imagine that: an AWD Baur! Perfect!

The Rarest of the Rare Birds!

[Baur]

That "Alpina" is just an ordinary 323i

Gr Jeroen

[BMWtyro]

I posted this question as a stand-alone thread on the general E30 forum, but please feel free to answer here if you wish:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...0#post23542450

Thanks.

Jeff

[tomscat1]

Thanks to Tom W., a former and hopeful future Baur owner in the DC, area for the heads up on a couple of TC2 Baurs that are up for sale. I am listing them below for our Belgian and European friends, since both cars are presently in Belgium. Plus, I know this site is linked on some German BMW sites also.

Perhaps Jeroen and others may have an interest: one appears to be a parts car.
http://fr.kapaza.be/brabant-flamand/...c-62148510.htm


http://fr.kapaza.be/flandre-occident...k-57296943.htm
the parts car


Thanks Tom W.!

Other Baurs:
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/p/baurs-for-sale.html

[TomDC]

Hi all,
I'm the tom w. that tomscat mentions in previous post. I'm also a newbie to the bimmer forums (Sorry to add one more "tom baur person" to the list!)

Anyway, I'm a lapsed baur owner -- sold my 1983 323 (Polaris) baur about 10 yrs ago and regretted doing so almost immediately. Would love to hear from current owner. My baur can be distinguished by the original dealer badge on the trunk lid -- saying "Autohuas Amelung" (waldbrul, Germany)

I definitely have the "baur bug" again and would love to hear from anyone in the Washington dc area that has a baur or know of any baurs that may be available. I've been checking in on tom's baurspotting blog as well as usual places, but baurs are a rare bird indeed.

[BMWtyro]

Tom W,

Glad to hear that you are on the hunt for your next Baur. You'll find one; just be patient and keep looking. I live in rural McDowell County, NC and mine popped up for sale in Swannanoa, NC -- just outside Asheville -- less than 50 miles from my house. The Law of Averages suggests that you are likely to find a good Baur sooner in your "megalopolis" market.

Are you a BMW CCA member? I understand that the National Capitol Chapter is quite large and active, much as is the Tarheel Chapter, and membership provides a wealth of networking opportunities. A Tarheel CCA Area Coordinator who knew I was searching for an out-of-the-ordinary Bimmer alerted me when he saw my car come on the market. That was all it took in my case: the right word to a fellow Bimmerhead who watches the online classifieds religiously (Craigslist, in this instance).

Also, don't discount the value of shopping for a good TC2 here in the South. It is somewhat easier to find rust-free (or nearly so) E30s down here, and those of us in the "community" will gladly watch out for a good one to suddenly appear for sale for you.

Best of luck in your quest.

Jeff

[tomscat1]

Hi all,
I'm the tom w. that tomscat mentions in previous post. I'm also a newbie to the bimmer forums (Sorry to add one more "tom baur person" to the list!)
Anyway, I'm a lapsed baur owner -- sold my 1983 323 (Polaris) baur about 10 yrs ago and regretted doing so almost immediately. Would love to hear from current owner. My baur can be distinguished by the original dealer badge on the trunk lid -- saying "Autohuas Amelung" (waldbrul, Germany)

I definitely have the "baur bug" again and would love to hear from anyone in the Washington dc area that has a baur or know of any baurs that may be available. I've been checking in on tom's baurspotting blog as well as usual places, but baurs are a rare bird indeed.

Hi Tom W, and welcome aboard!

There are a couple of Baurs currently on the market, as you know, listed on Baurspotting, but they are at some distance from you.
I am also aware of a couple of other very interesting examples that are in your general area, but they are not currently on the market. That complicates the process of acquiring them.

Additionally, both of the cars are E21 TC1s, rather than E30 TC2s, and both would require considerable work. I am not sure that they are what you are looking for. Both of them are rare and unique in their own way, but they are not ready-to-drive-away vehicles

The good news is that this E30 forum, along with the E21 Forum, reaches a large audience of enthusiastic car guys who have made numerous contributions to our Baurspotting efforts over the past year or so. Thanks to their eyes and ears, we have located and identified many Baurs that we may not have found otherwise. I am very optimistic that with their help, and your patience, you will find something that suits your needs.

In the meantime, I invite you to also check out the E21 thread chronicling our Baurhunting efforts since December 2010:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...baur+TC1+in+US

Some great stories, tons of pics, and great info.
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/p/baurs-for-sale.html

http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/

Welcome again!

[TomDC]

Thanks for the welcome. Yeah, i agree jeff that one should pop up nearby sooner or later. Also, thanks for bmwcca suggestion -- i was a member many moons ago. I think i even have some old Roundels in sotrage for some reason!! Will look into rejoining.

That said, I may have something in the works. I do not want to jinx myself though so will not say anything more until its a done deal.

Regardless, it would be great to hear from others in the dc area re baurs and e30s in general.

[tomscat1]

Tom W.,

In the unlikely event that you need some encouragement to join the local National chapter.... here are three:
The first is Lothar Schuettler (blue shirt) with his 1956 BMW 502 Baur at Saratoga last summer. He drove it there, btw!


The second is a stunning 3.0CSi that took a prize at last summer's (Aug 6, 2011) Bimmerfest East in Aberdeen MD. I didn't catch his name, but he is also a National Chapter member and a friend of Lothar's.





The third is Lothar's car (pic attached below):

This is Satch Carlson's take on the black 1937 328 excerpted from The Roundel, I think.....
"BMW takes top prize at Hilton Head Island concours
Lothar Schüttler's BMW 328 wins Best Of Show Share
Lothar Schüttler's stunning black 1937 BMW 328, which wowed the crowd at the BMW CCA Oktoberfest in 2009 and posed with BMW's 328 Hommage Concept at the Legends Of The Autobahn concours at Monterey, has won another prestigious concours award: Best of Show at the tenth annual Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance.
But Schüttler's 328 was just one of many outstanding BMW restorations on the island. Oscar Davis enteredthe Bugelfalte ("trouser crease") roadster from the famous 1940 BMW team, along with a BMW 700 hillclimb roadster. In fact, BMW's status as the honored marque for 2011 guaranteed winners in at least two classes, Pre-war BMW and Post-war BMW. The award for the pre-war class went to a stunning black-and-white 327/28 cabriolet owned by Annie and Steve Norman of Edmonds, Wash., while Don Deflethsen took home the post-war award with a bright red BMW 503 that was finished a week before theconcours."

In addition, I believe that once a year Lothar hosts the National Chapter for a Tour of his garage. It is his own little Concours D'Elegance. He owns BMW Excluservice, in Rockville, MD.

Check this out:
http://www.bmwvccca.com/images/Article-Dec09-Lothar.pdf

Amazing.

[BMWtyro]

Tom W,

I can vouch for Lothar Scuettler as a gentleman and a stand-up guy; in addition to being a top-notch BMW mechanic/restorer, he is a customer of mine. I own a carburetor restoration business and I have done carbs for two or three of his cars including a single two-barrel Zenith for one of his '50s Baroque Angels and the triple Solex carbs for the '37 328 discussed in Tomscat1's last post. I have also run into him at BMW shows and find him always to be gracious. Please don't overlook BMW Excluservice as a source of repairs for your future Baur.

Best of luck with the potential deal which you currently have working!

Jeff

[tomscat1]

Here is some other relevant info on Lothar. He was one of the guys who was importing grey market BMWs back in the day, including Baurs.... and here is the story of one that he brought in, that is now owned by a member of bimmerforums:
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/201...rovenance.html

http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/201...aur-in-va.html

Full disclosure: I bought my 1982 323i Baur from bimmerforums member 'vev' mentioned in the links above.

[BMWtyro]

Here is some other relevant info on Lothar. He was one of the guys who was importing grey market BMWs back in the day, including Baurs.... and here is the story of one that he brought in, that is now owned by a member of bimmerforums:
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/201...rovenance.html

http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/201...aur-in-va.html

Full disclosure: I bought my 1982 323i Baur from bimmerforums member 'vev' mentioned in the links above.

Wow, Tom; I didn't know that Lothar had been a grey-market importer! I wonder if he could tell me anything about the importation of my car. I'm not sure that I have even mentioned my purchase of it to him yet, but I'll be certain to do so.

And the story of that E21 "widebody" is quite ineresting. Perhaps "vev" in Northern VA could assist Tom W. in his BaurSearch . . .

Jeff

[TomDC]

I remember BMW Excluservice in Rockville. I will definitely stop by there once I find my baur. I actually used to take my Baur to Alexandria Bavarian in Virginia.

It's great to read all the baur stories/history. I can remember my own story of being flagged down in the middle of the street by some guy who immediately said "enjoying the baur?!" he
then told me his mom drives a baur. We became friends and still are -- I just called him to tell him that I'm looking to get a baur again and asked about his moms car. It was a 318i baur and she then had a m50 motor swap. She sold it some time ago in California.

[Baur]

My red one in the snow (where a 325iX belongs?)











With a friends'car








Gr Jeroen

[davey101]

[BMWtyro]

Jeroen,

"The first open top car to keep out the rain (and snow) even when its stationary", right?

Looking at your car raises a question for me: what is the correct way to mount a Euro tag? Are they pre-drilled to screw onto the front bumper via the holes carrying nylon bushings on 9-1/8" centers (approx.) in my Euro bumper? Or are those bushings instead used to mount a tag bracket for a "holes-free tag" installation?

Jeff

[tomscat1]

For those who may not have seen this yet.... this was an April Fool's joke Ad published by BMW in March 1981.
I got a chuckle out of this. It is apparently an ad from the UK.



Three clues.... The article appeared around March 1981; the contact person listed is "Miss April Wurst", a play on 'April First"; and Hans Blohn, head of the Aerodynamic Unit In Munich, a k a "Herr Blohn". An April Fool's Joke!

Here is the original post on my blog:
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/201...1-baur-ad.html

I love this ad!


BTW, you may be surprised how many folks read this and think that this is a serious ad.... that it is just another amazing German engineering invention!

[Baur]

Hi Jeff,

Normally the nylon bushings.


But since 2008, we (in the Netherlands) got an other system, with 3 letters next to each other (from 1951, the usual code was 2-2-2, now it is 2-3-1). And that meant eather lowering the plate, drilling through the last "R" or drilling higher holes in the frontbumper. I chose the last option.


Gr Jeroen

[BMWtyro]

Thanks, Jeroen.

I'm going to buy a custom "vanity" Euro plate for my Baur at some point. If I can still get one made to the old specs (which I probably can since it will be totally bogus, after all) then I should be able to install it on the front of my car without the addition of a bracket. Good deal.

Jeff

[tomscat1]

Jeroen,
Please check out post #486 in the E21 forum "Baur TC1s in the US". We have some confusion over Baur #1273 (from the Registry) and Baur 1239 (on sale on eBay now in Germany), which appear to be the same car. !!



Any help is much appreciated.

Jeff,
I attached a Euro plate to the front of my E21 Baur with no problem. I dont have it with me today, but I can look at it later if you need me to.