B10 3.3

[Moss_89]

Hi all!

Picked up my first Alpina yesterday (not my first BMW by a long way). Fancied something that needed a bit of tidying up and, well, I'm a sucker for an E39!

1999 B10 3.3 #047

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard. Do post up what you are undertaking to make this ship shape again.

[woolley11]

Looks nice - good choice

I’ve the sister no #047 but a 2001 B10 3.3 Touring.

Enjoy

[Moss_89]

Thanks

I think it's lived quite a happy life, but the last 5 years maybe it's seen a steady decline in upkeep... as they do.

So, first up is some much needed maintenance, full service, brake and suspension refresh etc. Then as the summer nears I'll start to address the paintwork. Bootlid and front bumper repaint and some little touch ups... but no rust to repair

I want to decode the vin, as if it left the factory with side decals, I'll be ordering them the second I find out!!

That touring looks super smart

[KennyP]

Nice one chap!

[Fast3000]

Congrats and enjoy!

[Farrell69]

Congratulations on the purchase of my old car, I only owned it for 3 years picking it up from Scotland and driving it all the way down to London, still remember that now, was a good day.
There was no visible rust to be seen anywhere and it looked quite good at first but within the first year the rust started appearing around the arches and sills, also the bonnet and boot started looking really dull. I think the guy I brought it from had obviously covered up the rust very cheaply and had it painted over, apart from that all the mechanicals were all very good and it drove lovely except for drinking loads of oil, I was the one who spent £800 on the new springs and also serviced it twice in the short time I owned it, I did enjoy my time with it and would of kept it if I had loads of cash to throw at it. Be nice to see it looking great again, good luck with it.

[Moss_89]

It's so good to hear from a previous owner!

When I was considering the purchase, hearing that it had spent its start of life in Scotland was a real worry for me. Its got various corrosion on the underside as I expected but nothing structural or in need of immediate attention. The paintwork seems to be doing alright, no sign of rust coming through the paint as yet!

It will be going for some paintwork and wheel refurb in the summer... I won't be able to live with the flakey bootlid for much longer

As for the rest of the car, its going to under go a fairly extensive mechanical over haul and just become a good all round driver and usable classic! (The new springs were very appreciated )

Depending on how carried away I get, I am thinking its going to have about £3-5k put into it over the next 12 months. I'll be doing most of the work myself so that's mostly on parts

[MikeR]

[Moss_89]

Parts! Parts! Parts!

Managed to get some time today to start with the renovations

Purchased a perfect pair of original headlamps of a fellow member. After a new set of adjusters and a good clean they are like new and I couldn't be happier.

Inspection 2 is all sorted and replaced the boot and bonnet struts.

The rest of the parts are a complete gear linkage which is next on the list and a couple other bits for along the way.

Ignore the front bumper, its had a fairly poor paint job and it seems the paint runs away when I get the jet wash out

As for the boot picture, I'm after some advice please... I've just put a cheapy emblem on as the old one was crooked and made in China I assume! However, the fact I'm missing a letter from each side badge and the Alpina isnt straight frustrates me more than it should! The boot lid is being repainted in the summer and I shall put all new genuine badges on, but until then do I...
A) De-badge it until summer.
B) Try and find some letters to fill the gap.
C) Stop being so stupid and live with it until summer.

[JamieHill]

Hi Moss_89

Where are those headlights from, they don't look original.

Wouldn't you of been better off keeping the original ones & putting new lenses on.

Cheers

[Moss_89]

Hi Moss_89

Where are those headlights from, they don't look original.

Wouldn't you of been better off keeping the original ones & putting new lenses on.

Cheers

Hi,

When I bought the car it had face-lift lamps fitted that were cheap aftermarket ones (Depo ). So I sourced a pair of genuine BMW Hella pre-facelift units to revert it back to standard.

[Moss_89]

Simple little fix that's bugged me from day 1. Also some nice new cupholders and a Parrot delete

[B5s_Touring]

It’s the smaller things sometimes that make the biggest difference to you on a personal note I often find great work

[Moss_89]

Another silly little add-on