New to Alpina

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Ben B9
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 6:55 am

New to Alpina

Post by Ben B9 » Thu Sep 05, 2019 3:15 am

Hello from Perth Australia.

Late last year I purchased a Black RHD Sytner 1983 E24 B9 3.5/1 #5-377. I am pretty sure I saw a post on this forum from the previous owner. Car was in a well used state and it has received a quick clean up so it can be driven and enjoyed. I will get some photos to post on site. Plan is to drive her while I work thru restoring mechanicals and then complete the full restoration on the body that she deserves. I am interested in collecting parts for the restoration if anyone has spares available. Main parts I require are Rear shocks (to get rebuilt) and a cylinder head. I am very impressed with Alpina. They have been very helpful. They will even remake me a cylinder head. It is very $ but I find pretty amazing that the support is still available.
I have owned a range of cars and been quite heavily involved in rally, classic rally and tarmac. I do nearly all mechanical work myself and most panel and paint.

Cheers, Ben

Bob
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Re: New to Alpina

Post by Bob » Thu Sep 05, 2019 10:01 am

Welcome. :mrgreen:
Ben B9 wrote:
Thu Sep 05, 2019 3:15 am
Late last year I purchased a Black RHD Sytner 1983 E24 B9 3.5/1 #5-377.
Is your car 5 or 6 series based? The E24 was a 6 series but the build number starting 5- implies it should be a 5 series which would be an E28. Love to see some pictures.
B3 3.2 TOURING #062

AG
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Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:51 pm
Location: Cambs

Re: New to Alpina

Post by AG » Thu Sep 05, 2019 11:43 pm

#5-377 is indeed an e24 B9, Originally a UK car, black with an anthracite interior. Nice to hear its still alive and to be worked on.

Do you have the original rear shocks still fitted? If so they can be rebuilt but sourcing some genuine replacements are going to be very hard or expensive if sought from Buchloe.
Former BMW CC 7 register chairman

2000 e39 B10 V8 Touring
1985 e23 B10 (sold)
1995 B3 saloon switchtronic (sold)

Ben B9
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 6:55 am

Re: New to Alpina

Post by Ben B9 » Fri Sep 13, 2019 9:39 am

Thanks for the replies,

Yes I will get some photos once the door rub strips are back on. She is tired but presentable.
Unfortunately rear shocks are not original and have been replaced. I haven't checked the fronts but am hoping they are originals so I can get rebuilt. If they are original they have done very well. 175k miles and they still feel decent. Alpina will supply me a full new set but I would prefer to put the money towards more critical repairs. I am not expecting to find an original set but doesn't hurt to get the feelers out.

Question on the front seats. The car seem to have the original anthracite seats which I assume to be Recaro's. Are Recaro's just BMW sports seats or are they Alpina replaced? The back part of the seats have a full leather one piece cover, ie there is no separate back piece. Google seems to mainly give me pictures of the separate back seats. E21 Recaro seats look very similar to mine.

Again I will try an get a bunch of photos to upload. No doubt a 36 year old car will have been messed with. I will be interested in everyone picking photos apart so I can slowly restore her properly.

AG
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Location: Cambs

Re: New to Alpina

Post by AG » Fri Sep 13, 2019 4:53 pm

The sport seat is BMW's own Recaro designed and supplied seat, it was offered as an option on many of their cars/ranges and is an excellent seat. It didn't change much throughout and it was a cost option, however if you have aftermarket Recaro seats in your B9 then they could have been a dealer fit at the time as they were available to order. Best get a picture up as the 'Recaro' type available varied, can have a deeper side bolster to the BMW 'sport seat' or could be split in 2 with various methos of adjustment available. Regards the rear panel to the seat, the BMW sport seat has a single plastic rear panel to the seat back and isn't normally trimmed in leather although they could have been IF the interior trim was full extended leather.

Most I've seen, and if the Recaro seat was part of the Alpina conversion are normally trimmed in the Alpina fabric and not in the same material as the BMW interior but in those days anything went, if the purchaser wanted Recaro seats but wasn't prepared to pay for the retrim, then thats what he chose!
Former BMW CC 7 register chairman

2000 e39 B10 V8 Touring
1985 e23 B10 (sold)
1995 B3 saloon switchtronic (sold)

Ben B9
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 6:55 am

Re: New to Alpina

Post by Ben B9 » Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:34 am

Thanks AG,

I will get some more detailed seat photos but here are a few of the car. Work in progress and she will eventually go for a total restoration.
re seats: Build sheet (notes) from Sytner states anthracite leather. They match the rear seats as far as colour, stitching etc but the leather has a slightly different grain. I would be very surprised if they were fitted latter, wear seems to match age and km's. No removable back panel.
I put on the Silver stripes came with the car, they are meant to be gold. I find the silver too much. I think the gold might suit it better.

Ben
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hap
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Location: Scunthorpe, North Lincs

Re: New to Alpina

Post by hap » Sat Sep 21, 2019 11:38 am


AG
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Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:51 pm
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Re: New to Alpina

Post by AG » Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:13 pm

I'd say the front seats are probably original to the car however something of this age, there's no real way of telling without maybe removing the seats and having a look at the part numbers.
Former BMW CC 7 register chairman

2000 e39 B10 V8 Touring
1985 e23 B10 (sold)
1995 B3 saloon switchtronic (sold)

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