1971 BMW 3.0

1971 BMW 3.0 CSL (E9) Ultra Lightweight 1 of 169 Homologated Numbers Matching BMW COA

The BMW 3.0 CSL was developed by BMWs Motorsport Division (later to become ///M) in conjunction with Alpina. This car was homologated for European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) competition. 169 of these special extra lightweight cars were built. There are estimates of fewer than 50 remaining today as most were used for competition. Due to aluminum panels, Plexiglass and other weight-saving measures, these 1st series cars were 440lbs lighter than regular E9s and nearly 300lbs lighter than a CSL City Pack car. Only 69 of the homologated lightweight vehicles were built in Inka Orange.

Unique differences of these early homologated CSL cars include:

Aluminum doors, hood, and trunk lid
Thinner gauge steel on the unibody
Unique hood and trunk lid metal prop sticks
Special hood clips with pins
Vinyl CSL graphics running both lengths of the car
Plexiglas rear side windows and rear windscreen
Rear windows fixed and roll-up front windows (no electric windows)
Lightweight glass
Plastic composite rear bumper and no front bumper
Lightweight Scheel-Mann fiberglass bucket seats
Lightweight interior
Bilstein suspension
Special springs and 20mm reduced ride height
7×14 Alpina alloy wheels (7×16 Alpina alloy wheels currently installed)
Chrome fender lip extensions (not with car at this time)
Black vinyl side stripes with 3.0 CSL text
Trunk lock and tool kit deleted
The CSL trunk lip spoiler and front air dam were added at a later date.

This CSL was built on November 24th, 1971 and was sold new by Automobiles Pyrénées of Andorre-La-Vieille, Andorra (between France and Spain) on March 27th, 1972.

The first owner was Steve Van der Lan, a Dutch diplomat living in Spain. In the late 80s, the car was imported to the Netherlands by George Ditvoorst. The car stayed in the Netherlands for the next 15 years until it was imported to the U.S. in April 2003 with 89k km by Chris P., a California enthusiast. It was found to be an original survivor example that had not been in competition and was wearing all of its original metal panels.

For the next 5 years, Chris worked to further improve the car including a mechanical and undercarriage refurbishment by Casey Motorsports of Petaluma, California. The process was well documented with many photos. Highlights of the work done during his care include:

Original CSL Ducktail spoiler sourced
Correct CSL sway bars (20mm front and 16mm rear) purchased and restored
Complete engine rebuild
Remove engine and completely tear it down
Found cylinder #3 damage due to long-time sitting in storage
No signs that the engine had ever been rebuilt
Engine components sent to machine shop
Block was bored out to 2nd over (89.mm + 0.50)
Connecting rods reconditioned
Rods balanced
Crankshaft journals were polished
Crank was spin balanced with flywheel and clutch
New pistons, which were balanced with connecting rods
Rebuilt cylinder head with updated guides and seals
Valve job
New rocker shafts and rockers
Engine block refinished in correct black engine enamel
Media blast all aluminum parts
All new (or restored) hardware in correct finish
All new bearings, timing chain/chain components, oil pump, gears, and seals
Rebuilt starter and alternator
Ignition wire set/Pertronix electronic ignition
All cooling hoses and water pump replaced
Radiator restored/upgraded to 3 core unit
Carburetors disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt
Air cleaner assembly powder coated to match original finish
Front and center mufflers with other exhaust components

Suspension refurbishment
Remove front and rear subframes/disassemble
Powder coat all necessary parts
Zinc plate all hardware
All new bushings
Front control arms and idler arm
Tie rods (left, right, and center)
Upper strut bearings
New Bilstein front struts with upper strut bearings and spring pad
Original rear Bilstein shocks reused
New wheel bearings and seals
Install Alpina sway bars with new brackets and bushings
Custom adjustable sway bar end links
Custom alignment
Axle half-shafts disassembled, cleaned, repacked, and refinished
Differential removed, disassembled, media blasted, refinished, and resealed

Transmission work
Remove and disassemble
Checked all internal parts
Media blasted case
Resealed entire transmission
Installed new driveshaft flex disk and driveshaft center bearing
Transmission mount
Resurface flywheel
Clutch kit
Clutch slave and master cylinders
All new hardware
Brake work
Disassemble brake components, clean, and media blast
All hardware sent out for zinc plating
New brake rotors/discs and brake pads
New hard and flexible brake lines
Brake fluid reservoir
E-brake cable and brake shoes
Brake master cylinder
Rebuild front and rear brake calipers as well as refinished with high temp coating
Underside chassis refurbishment
Scrub down entire underside while on dolly
Pressure washed
Sanded and cleaned surface rust areas then treated/coated with Wurth
Entire underside shot with Wurth stone guard undercoating
All hardware cleaned and zinc plated
While drivetrain was removed, the engine bay was refinished
Cleaned wiring harness and rewrap
All electrical components cleaned and restored
Misc. engine hardware/brackets refinished
Rear spoiler installed using special purpose 3M adhesive tape
Front CSL spoiler refinished and reinstalled

The car was finished in June of 2005 and over $50k (in todays dollars) was invested during this owners care. Chris sold the car to a Los Angeles developer in 2008. That owner only had the car for a year before he realized the impact of the financial crisis and had to sell it just a year later. It was sold to the current owner in 2009.

The current owner lives in Florida but kept this E9 here in Southern California for the past 16 years. During his ownership, fewer than 1,500 miles (2,500 km) were added. A couple of years after he purchased it, he decided he wanted the cosmetics to look as good as the mechanicals and underpinnings. The exterior was repainted in its correct factory color Inka Orange. Also, the carburetors were upgraded to Webers, and 16 factory Alpina wheels were installed. Despite not being driven much, the storage facility regularly exercised the car as well as performed routine fluid flush/services.

The exterior of this CSL is in excellent condition and looks very fresh. The paint just went through a multi-day paint correction with ceramic coating, which gives it a deep shine. There are minimal signs of use with no significant chips, scratches, or dents. All the body panels appear to be original with the correct factory aluminum hood, doors, and trunk lid. The steel parts of the body are thinner gauges specifically designed for the 169 ultralight homologated CSLs. The Plexiglas windows (rear and side rears) are original with correct stampings and minimal scratching. The front side windows and windshield are glass and in good shape with correct factory stampings as well. The brightwork is in good shape with no major blemishes and just some light pitting on some of the chrome parts. The rear bumper is the correct factory lightweight plastic unit and is mounted properly. The body gaps/panel fitment is quite good, especially considering the aluminum panels. All the exterior lights work. The 16 factory Alpina wheels (not reproductions) have been restored and have no signs of curb rash. They are wrapped in Yokohama tires with more than half-life remaining. However, they are dated 2003 and need to be replaced soon. They show no signs of age, which is a testament to the car being properly stored and lightly driven. The brakes have near full life remaining.

The interior is equally as nice with minimal signs of wear. The factory-correct Scheel buckets have no tears or rips. The rear seats look unused. The headliner has no stains, tears, or sagging issues. The carpet has no major wear or stains. The door panels look fresh with good fitment. The dash has no cracks and all the gauges work. The wood accents have no delamination and are wearing the correct satin finish. The sun visors appear to be original and not too puffy. The correct leather-wrapped 380mm Momo Alpina steering wheel is in excellent shape.

The trunk, engine compartment, and underside all look fresh. The trunk has the correct (extremely rare) trunk lid support prop. A trunk lock has been added for functionality. The trunk floor panels are not warped and properly finished in grey vinyl. The spare tire well shows no signs of corrosion and the fuel tank is in similar condition. The engine compartment is very tidy with no signs of leaks or any other issues. Proper factory engine decals have been ordered and will be installed by a marque expert upon arrival. The wiring is tidy and all the components look correct and in their proper finishes. The underside is immaculate as well with no signs of any prior damage or repairs. It is very dry and correct.

This E9 drives amazingly, and the massive weight reduction is easily felt. Thanks to electronic ignition, it starts easily on the first try, even after sitting for a few days. At operating temperature, it holds an even idle. The power is surprisingly good with strong acceleration throughout the rev range with no hesitation. Thanks to the Weber carburetor update, the power delivery feels more powerful, especially on the lower end of the range. The 4-speed manual transmission shifts smoothly through all the gears with no grinding. The clutch engages properly as well. The brakes have excellent initial bite with no fading or pulling. The handling is crisp and direct, yet it easily handles uneven road surfaces with no tramlining. Overall, this example is very comfortable and a fun experience. It would be a joy on any appropriate driving event.

This BMW is currently registered in Florida but is legal in CA and is smog-exempt.

This CSL comes with 1 main key that works the ignition and door locks, 1 key for the trunk, BMW Certificate of Authenticity (copy), spare wheel with tire, set of 4 custom Cocomats, 1 driver original rubber floor mat, jack, 2 CDs with photos of the restoration, and a pair of 3ring binders with documentation (reference articles, service receipts, email copies of communication with prior owner, importation paperwork).