Hello. Member from Arizona [Archive]

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wkohler

01-02-2012, 10:52 PM

Hi there. Registered for the site last week.

My name is Chris and I live in Phoenix, Arizona. I have an E28 B7 Turbo #0083. It's Polaris with Alpina cloth. The car has 137,000 km. No air conditioning and it was equipped with the gasoline-powered heater under the rear seat.

I bought the car from someone in Virginia. He had the car sitting in a warehouse for three years, having acquired it from someone who let it sit for some time before that. The car is complete minus the front spoiler. The interior is nice save for a couple of dash cracks, so there isn't much that needs doing cosmetically aside from paint and new exterior trim.

I haven't driven the car yet due to the length of time it sat. The motor cranks freely. I have redone the fuel tanks, replaced all rubber fuel hose and am currently waiting for my fuel pump to show up. Once that arrives, I can install it, reconnect the auxiliary tank, put some fuel in and start the car. Then, we'll see what else it needs.

Here's a couple of photographs showing the car when I got it (it's cleaner now):

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qsEuyivQu2M/TlcJ4qiupLI/AAAAAAAABms/3wzF9IWwHzg/s1152/DSC_0871.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-OEXO2u9L7uo/TlcJ5ZYd4DI/AAAAAAAABm0/n9_MXkQEiRY/s1152/DSC_0852.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WXZW1tMCC5Y/TlcJzrih04I/AAAAAAAABmI/QgCg2e6HpEA/s1152/DSC_0863.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jyWQW6OO4R4/TcdrEJOxuJI/AAAAAAAABZ4/XSQ-L-THPe8/s1152/DSC_0231.jpg

I'm pretty excited about the car. I also have two E12 M535i, an E28 M535i, an E28 533i and an E34 525it. I've got my hands full, but this is the main project at this point. I've been saving to do the car right, so hopefully we can see results soon.

Stirling

01-03-2012, 03:56 AM

Welcome to the forum Chris and thanks for joining us. Looks like you've got a terrific find there! Congrats on the B7.

Mark in Toronto

01-03-2012, 10:25 AM

Someday it would be nice to see all four e28 B7 Turbo's (known to exist in NA) together in one place for a photo shoot. An article in Bimmer Magazine would be cool as well.

RoyW

01-03-2012, 03:50 PM

Someday it would be nice to see all four e28 B7 Turbo's (known to exist in NA) together in one place for a photo shoot. An article in Bimmer Magazine would be cool as well.

There are 5 known example of the e28 B7 Turbo in NA... specifically, Sia's, Chris', Dave Frankel's, mine, and the one that was For Sale in the Roundel a number of months back in LA. I spoke by phone with that owner and he had just imported it from Japan... don't know if he sold it or still has it?

-RoyW

Stirling

01-03-2012, 08:01 PM

RoyW

01-03-2012, 08:27 PM

I think four of you are already here on this forum:
-Sia (http://www.alpina.ca/member.php?u=40)
-RonP (http://www.alpina.ca/member.php?u=43)
-RoyW (http://www.alpina.ca/member.php?u=35)
-wkohler (http://www.alpina.ca/member.php?u=13)

That should make it a bit easier to organize getting you guys together.

Now how are we going to track down the fifth? Do you think you could still locate that advert in Roundel?

RonP is not one of the 5 e28 B7 owners in NA (although perhaps he did once own a B7?)... he does however live in CA. The only one of the 3 B7 owners that I know that is not yet registered on this site is David Frankel. So, we'd still need to find out where the one in CA is... perhaps I'll give that guy that advertised car in the Roundel a call and see what happened to the B7 he imported from Japan and was trying to sell??

-RoyW

wkohler

01-03-2012, 10:41 PM

RoyW

01-04-2012, 05:11 AM

We're back to four. The car that was imported from Japan by CSi was sold on eBay and is now in Australia. That said, I thought there was another in Canada, according to one of the registry sites. I cannot remember which.

Edit: Checking the members list, I see RonP listed a "1985 B7 Turbo" as one of his cars.

Thanks for that update Chris... I was wondering what happened to that car, since it hadn't surfaced here in the U.S after that Roundel ad? And, perhaps the "Other Cars Owned" was being interrupted as past tense? That how I read it in RonP's case??

-RoyW

Mark in Toronto

01-04-2012, 08:52 AM

We're back to four. The car that was imported from Japan by CSi was sold on eBay and is now in Australia. That said, I thought there was another in Canada, according to one of the registry sites. I cannot remember which.

Edit: Checking the members list, I see RonP listed a "1985 B7 Turbo" as one of his cars.

I'm pretty sure number 181 on this registry is Dave Frankel's car:

http://www.thealpinaregister.com/displaycars.php?range=72&model=261

wkohler

01-04-2012, 10:14 AM

David's car is #116.

Mark in Toronto

01-04-2012, 10:32 AM

David's car is #116.

Hmm, then #181 is missing. I recall that Sia looked at that car before he purchased his B7. Sometime thereafter, it was sold to a client in the U.S..

AlpinaMan

01-04-2012, 11:21 AM

Hmm, then #181 is missing. I recall that Sia looked at that car before he purchased his B7. Sometime thereafter, it was sold to a client in the U.S..

Chris, looking forward to see your final rebuilt of the B7, looking good as its stand.

And yes, that car (#118) need it complete rebuilt and would take lots of $$$ to bring that back to its original glory. It was a shame that the previous owners neglected that car for so long.

Stirling

01-04-2012, 03:21 PM

Maybe Ron's is an e24?

RonP

01-04-2012, 03:24 PM

Mine was an e28 and now belongs to Roy Wicklund. It had a custom a/c mount built by Alpina as the original owner wanted to have air con.

Alpina B7

01-05-2012, 06:53 AM

Hmm, then #181 is missing. I recall that Sia looked at that car before he purchased his B7. Sometime thereafter, it was sold to a client in the U.S..

Speaking as the owner of the E28 1985 Alpina B7 Turbo/1 #0181 I can tell you you're not the 1st person I've seen/heard mention that my car was sold to a client in the States. I'm not sure how that rumour was started, but I can tell you the car was imported into Canada from Germany in 2000 and has never left the Toronto area since then.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g136/100Pacer/21d2de94.jpg

Eric

Mark in Toronto

01-05-2012, 07:07 AM

And there you have it, we are at four e28 B7's that are known to exist in NA: Sia, Chris, Roy, David and Eric with a possible fifth that Roy spotted in for sale in the Roundel in the LA area.

AlpinaMan

01-05-2012, 01:06 PM

Speaking as the owner of the E28 1985 Alpina B7 Turbo/1 #0181 I can tell you you're not the 1st person I've seen/heard mention that my car was sold to a client in the States. I'm not sure how that rumour was started, but I can tell you the car was imported into Canada from Germany in 2000 and has never left the Toronto area since then.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g136/100Pacer/21d2de94.jpg

Eric

Hahahahhahahahahah, I remember the place that this picture was taken. It was an old propane cylinder storage yard that half of the yard was shared between two other used car dealership and the guy that I suppose to deal with had his trailer at the end of the yard and your car was park right were the propane fence was separating three businesses. What a small world.
Obviously your B7 was for sale at that location, so I went to see it and the sales man gave me the key for a test drive, at the first corner the passenger mirror fall off, so I stopped and picked it up. As soon as we got in to Allen Road South and I shifted the second gear to third suddenly some huge noise came out of the car and all of a sudden we lost most of the power, pulled on the side and opened the hood and see the connection between the big pipe and the throttle body was just disintegrated and we decided to limp back to the dealership before something else blow up on us.
That particular day I honestly was out there with my cheque book to purchase the car, but after seeing all these I started checking the car in and out and the rest is history till I found mine a month later.
I see that you still have your car and hope you have fixed your B7 till now and enjoying the ownership, also if you are up to it let us know that we can get together in Toronto sometimes.

Sia

RoyW

01-05-2012, 03:25 PM

And there you have it, we are at four e28 B7's that are known to exist in NA: Sia, Chris, Roy, David and Eric with a possible fifth that Roy spotted in for sale in the Roundel in the LA area.

Mark... that would be five in NA (counting the names you referenced). And, the one I saw in the Roundel that was in the L.A area has, per Chris' comments earlier in this thread, left the U.S. for another country.

-RoyW

Stirling

01-05-2012, 03:29 PM

Mark... that would be five in NA (counting the names you referenced), and the one I saw in the Roundel has, per Chris' comments earlier in this thread, left the U.S. for another country.

-RoyW

Right, four on here:
-Sia (AlpinaMan),
-RoyW
-Chris (wkohler)
-Eric (Alpina B7)

and one not here yet - Dave F.

Amazing that two of these cars are in one city. Is yours still for sale Eric?

wkohler

01-08-2012, 01:06 AM

Well, thought I'd quick update the status of my car. It's a running car now. I got it started today. Even drove it around the block a few times. It feels very good. I obviously didn't get on it, but that will come in due time after I go through the car thoroughly. Sure beats pushing it in and out of the garage, though. ;)

Gaalpinaowner

01-09-2012, 01:03 PM

and then there was 5....:D
I am here and thanks for finding me Mark in Toronto

AlpinaMan

01-09-2012, 03:42 PM

Chris, nice! How was the ride in comparison to any other BMW that you own? I know it

Alpina B7

01-10-2012, 07:00 AM

Hahahahhahahahahah, I remember the place that this picture was taken. It was an old propane cylinder storage yard that half of the yard was shared between two other used car dealership and the guy that I suppose to deal with had his trailer at the end of the yard and your car was park right were the propane fence was separating three businesses. What a small world.
Obviously your B7 was for sale at that location, so I went to see it and the sales man gave me the key for a test drive, at the first corner the passenger mirror fall off, so I stopped and picked it up. As soon as we got in to Allen Road South and I shifted the second gear to third suddenly some huge noise came out of the car and all of a sudden we lost most of the power, pulled on the side and opened the hood and see the connection between the big pipe and the throttle body was just disintegrated and we decided to limp back to the dealership before something else blow up on us.
That particular day I honestly was out there with my cheque book to purchase the car, but after seeing all these I started checking the car in and out and the rest is history till I found mine a month later.
I see that you still have your car and hope you have fixed your B7 till now and enjoying the ownership, also if you are up to it let us know that we can get together in Toronto sometimes.

Sia

Yes the turbocharger rubber hose slipped off so I sourced a brand new one from Alpina and haven't had a problem since. Also installed a free flow exhaust system soon after purchasing it. It's been a pleasure to drive since.

AlpinaMan

01-10-2012, 01:49 PM

Yes the turbocharger rubber hose slipped off so I sourced a brand new one from Alpina and haven't had a problem since. Also installed a free flow exhaust system soon after purchasing it. It's been a pleasure to drive since.

I am glad to hear that your car is back to normal Eric. let's get to gather sometimes when the weather warms up, or you could join us for a week of driving at RTT.

http://rollingthetwisties.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1TSch-APSs

wkohler

01-12-2012, 09:38 PM

[QUOTE=AlpinaMan;291]Chris, nice! How was the ride in comparison to any other BMW that you own? I know it

Gaalpinaowner

01-13-2012, 07:57 AM

Chris - big progress. That car sat for many many years. You will have it in tip top shape in time, I have no doubt. God those seats still look mint everytime I see pics of them. I look forward to all the updates you have on the progress.

AlpinaMan

01-13-2012, 11:13 AM

I drove it a couple of miles to put some fuel in it. Not a particularly great road, but it definitely rides nice and it's very tight. I didn't get on it, though the first time the turbo spooled, it was quite the occasion. Comparing it to my other E28s, I can tell the suspension is something special. The tall gearing takes a bit of getting used to (I don't see any reason to get out of 2nd in town), but it adds to the experience.

The current project going through the cooling system, ignition system, valve adjustment, etc. Also, the brakes need some attention. I'm used to all this stuff by now having rehabbed a few cars that have sat a while. Nothing unexpected. I was just very excited hearing the motor come to life and to find no faults in the drivetrain. I've had the car seven months and moving it under it's own power was a celebratory moment.

:D

Awesome! Glad to hear that you are enjoying your B7Turbo and planning on bring it back to life.:cool:

paul 84b7

01-15-2012, 11:21 PM

wkohler

01-15-2012, 11:31 PM

does anyone know what happened to the guy in LA named Brooks who had a green B7 Turbo Saloon? I met him @ BMWCCA O'fest in Pasadena with his car . I have only been in touch with him once since then, a long while back. So there might be another here in States .

Mitch Brookhyser. I met him at Bimmerfest two years ago.

He owned the green one that is now with RoyW. As far as I know, he still has his Kastanienrot E12 B7 Turbo and his E9.

I was told he had some information about my B7 Turbo, but I haven't talked to him outside of my Bimmerfest encounter.