Now this is a gorgeous car.
I’ve always loved the body lines of the BMW e9 coupes, and this one has received some improvements that make it even more desirable. For one, the original carbureted M30 has been replaced with a fuel-injected M30B35 for better reliability and lots more horsepower.
The e9’s are notorious for rust, but this particular car was stripped & repainted by Hardy & Beck in Berkeley, CA. Hardy & Beck also provided the wheels, which fit the car’s style to a ‘T’. Up until last week the car was owned by one of the “>mye28.com members“; he bought it a little over a year ago, but some recent financial & life difficulties forced him to sell. It was listed on CraigsList with some of the gorgeous beauty shots shown below, an oddity that caught some attention at Jalopnik. Bring-A-Trailer also picked up on it. All the attention led to it being sold pretty quickly in spite of the $25,000 price tag.
Much as I like the looks of this car, there is just no way I could own it unless I could garage it and only bring it out on the nicest of days. And considering the car, its relative rarity & value, that would be only fitting. So, like so many other cars, I’ll just enjoy it vicariously by way of the photos.
Here’s the copy from the Bring-A-Trailer post on the car, including the owner’s description.
Hardy & Beck Build: 1973 BMW 3.0csi Coupe
This 1973 BMW 3.0 csi was stripped and repainted in Polaris Silver in 1996 by the BMW specialists at Hardy & Beck in Berkeley, California. That shop also produced the wheels seen on the car, a design well suited to the coupes and highly sought after in vintage BMW circles. Mods like the Metric Mechanic 3.7L powerplant are well chosen and with a few tweaks this could be one of the best hot rod coupes out there. Find it here on Craigslist in Tacoma, Washington for $25k. Special thanks to BaT reader Rob S. for this submission!The seller gives an honest review of the car, stating that it isn’t perfect and that no E9’s are truly rust free. We like his style, and the build sheet of this car speaks for itself. The Cibie lighting is well executed and the front end looks unique thanks to the Alpina style spoiler instead of the more common CSL treatment. Out back the black bumper is a good look particularly on silver cars. The modern Alpina badge is already long gone says the owner, so just lower the rear suspension a tad and you’d have our ideal E9 exterior aesthetic.
The interior features good looking 1-piece buckets and an excellent 4-spoke Alpina steering wheel. Some photos are shown with all windows in the down position, so we know that they all function. The shot below is from when the seller bought the car in February, as posted here on the E9 Forum.
Given the 280hp engine and dog-leg box, we don’t think this car could be built for the asking price. Add to that a reputable and documented paint job and so many of the right performance parts and we think this is one of the better E9’s to come along in a good while. Drive it north to the Spring Thaw event and you’d have one of the best cars there.
And here’s the post from Jalopnik on the car.
These Photos Are Too Beautiful For Craigslist
The average Craigslist “for sale” post comes with images that look like they were taken by near-sighted meth addict using a broken cameraphone. But these gorgeous images of an impeccable 1973 BMW Euro 3.0CSi? We think you wanted Jameslist.
1973 BMW Euro 3.0CSi. No sunroof, no AC. Imported from Italy in 1985 by Hardy and Beck in Berkeley, CA. California BAR certified. Owned and serviced by Hardy and Beck employees until about 2003. Receipts all the way back to the Italian government releasing the car.
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This car is not original, it isn’t perfect, it isn’t for everyone. It’s modified tastefully and is an excellent driver. Lots of power, completely reliable, and beautiful. It’s the one car I said I’d never sell but changes in my life and plans for the future make it a necessary sacrifice. $25,000 OBO. Please email me for more info. Thank you.
No, Ryan, thank you. And thanks to B2dp for taking the photos. Now someone buy this beauty.
Tags: e9