'38 BMW

This car looks like it's coming along great. Are you going to have to do anymore work to the frame?

This car looks like it's coming along great. Are you going to have to do anymore work to the frame?

I don't think so. The only rot was on the right front below the A-pillar. The collision repairs on the left front from the 1950's or perhaps earlier remain sound, so I think she;s structurally sound.

Cheers!

That is one great looking car...well worth the tough restoration.

I never complain about the quality of ancient hidden repairs, because if someone did not try to save it decades ago, it would no longer exist.

Hi Folks -

Another quick update: This time Doug has fabricated and is fitting some metal on the left side of the cowl. Next up will be the panel immediately forward of this one, which is apparently quite a complex bit to get right. His comments follow:

"The panel just forward of the new cowl piece is junk and so I've started making a new replacement. It has a pretty complex reverse saddle curve toward the front and It's highly visible so it's taking a bit of time to make sure it comes out correct. I made a hammer form to get the basic shape and then made a set of steel dies for the Pullmax to put in the final shape, albeit it's just one profile out of several that I need to make for this panel. And, because of the complexity it has to be made out of several pieces, which will then be welded together. "

For your amusement, the color combo I'm considering looks something like this, which I believe to be fairly close to original for my own car:

Cheers!

CJ

I just saw this on RU22's photo page and thought it important to share:

It is apparently a badge belonging to a slave laborer who worked at BMW during WW2.

Knowing something is one thing, seeing real tangible evidence of it is entirely another, and this brought me up a bit short. I don't want to throw cold water on anything, but I think it's relevant.

RU22, I hope you don't mind my posting this. If you do, I'll pull it.

I know way too much about BMW's history

#1 is for Munich. I am told by a friend that they can't connect a name with the stamped number but I know the person was Polish.

IF you ask the factory archive will tell you what they think the original colloers were. I say think because what the think is a production book is infact a sales book with some notes changed after production. AND Lacking some serial numbers

Some more progress on the old beastie. This time on the left front, fixing some ancient collision damage and rust.

Patch aft of the front wheel:

Fitting of side panels, repairing wrinkled bits:

I've decided to leave the wrinkles in the firewall simply because I don't want to completely erase the history of the car. I know perfectly well that it'll hurt the value and many will not understand the decision but tough nuts. It's my car, it's been in my family for 50 years, and at 100 mph at night in a snowstorm, it doesn't matter much. This old lady's going to be a driver.

Not to hyjack your thread but was there another brand of convertible made in Germany that looked similar,a kid I went to grade school withs dad had some kind of German convertible but it was not a BMW and I think the name started with a w if my memory is correct. Its been over 40 years since I seen it.

Wanderer perhaps? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wanderer-w25k.jpg

It could have been a Wanderer,if I remember correctly it did not have a floor shifter but was near the column but came out of the dash something like on the early 50s Nash rambler. Its been the early 70s the last time I seen it.

This is a bump….. how goes the progress? If you like I can now get the cam card, and send you the specs.

We are back in Poland Not much happening …. my health is slowing me. I am beginning to go thru the mods to a 501 head to fit it to a prewar 327 engine. It's involves cutting the front of the head off and fitting a prewar water pump. Main advantage is the quench combustion chamber. If you find an old 501/6 engine they have a bunch of nice parts that fit into the prewar block…… all takes a buit of effort but the resulting power and reliability is well worth the effort

Hey there - sorry for being so slow in the uptake. I've been busy lately and shall be starting a new job soon, so not much has gone on lately. Any information you'd care to share would be deeply appreciated. My email address is christopher-dot-m-dot-judd at gmail dot com. I'll probably import an engine from Europe as they're pretty thin on the ground here. I know they have a stouter crank and I plan on running slightly higher compression, but I'll be worrying about that more when the car is home.

Cheers!

CJ

Here's a quick post-turkey day update on the wrinkled and rusted pile of metal that approximates an ancient BMW.

Close-up of rear wheel well rust - note the old brazed repair

Fabrication of the left rear quarter panel:

Thanks to Doug, it's coming along well and will actually move under its own power again. She'll never be a concours queen, but will certainly be good enough for local cruise nights and commuting to work in nice weather, I think.

You guys keep moving. One day it will see daylight ...... It's just a long job.

Still very much enjoying this thread, good to see you guys still moving ahead and maintaining the momentum. I actually think about this car every few months randomly, such a cool backstory.

Thanks very much for the encouragement and kind words. It'll be a while yet, but I'm looking forward to having the car home so I can have some fun out in the garage.

Hi Christopher,

Very impressed with the work you are doing on the car.

I was at a car show in Australia and there was this beautiful 1937 BMW 327 Cabriolet. It was for sale ( auction ) and featured in the little book I kept.

Reading your work and looking at this I thought you might be interested to see it. Nice colour combination ( nice price range too ! )

Keep up the great work and look forward to following your progress.

Cheers

Ian

Oh I found a few clearer shots I took of the car I just came across. Enjoy

really love this line(s) on this car .... one thing(s) for sure, not many are around on the road ... keep up the great work =0)

BMW 327, 327/80, and 328s are all full classics

Oh I found a few clearer shots I took of the car I just came across. Enjoy

That looks like nice example! I find the treatment of the grille interesting; it's not original at all, but I find it attractive. Being that my car is missing its original grille it gives me something to consider. Thank you for posting it. - CJ

There were several body makers doing these cars. Lots of customs. I remember a 327 w/335 engine. In BMWs sales book it was a special order. Headlamps changed from round to oval. I remember two coupe with fully opening rear trunks

There were several body makers doing these cars. Lots of customs. I remember a 327 w/335 engine. In BMWs sales book it was a special order. Headlamps changed from round to oval. I remember two coupe with fully opening rear trunks

Indeed!

There's a '41 coupe with the 335 engine in MA and my own 327 has the early VW headlight conversion, as does the one that was immediately ahead of mine on the assembly line. During that car's restoration I noticed many detail similarities between my own car and that one, so I emailed the shop doing the work and it turned out that the two cars have consecutive chassis numbers. That one is 73272 and mine is 73273.

http://www.jellybeanhotrods.com/38bmw.html

http://www.jellybeanhotrods.com/38bmwUnveil.html

VW Headlamps ARE NOT a conversion they are a factory design development. Chassis numbers have very little to do with details as they were basically a handmade car

OK, but there were a few details such as the dashboard configuration with the pentagonal radio opening and the cigar lighter and 326 type ashtray on the far right side that indicate the fact that this is a relatively early production model like my own.

You could choose a custom body maker. Make the car very different from others. You could get a 327 fitted with a 328 engine. And have that performance (almost) in a mush more comfortable weather tight car

Hi Christopher,

Must be the time of me finding 38 BMW's. I went along to a car show on the Mornington Peninsula were about 800 cars turn up. I was walking along and this car pulled up and low and behold a 38 BMW. Took a few shot again for you....interesting as this one has solid rims !!

Again hope the photos help.

Cheers

Ian

Hi Ian

327 rims differ from 328. Several firms sell new 328 rims solid and otherwise. Many come from here in Poland

It's interesting when you look at other cars and see and learn about the differences. I gave the owner of this BMW this forum address and I'm hoping he'll contribute to this post.

Here is my present BMW project

http://www.simon-coach.com/the-projects/archives/08-2014

The magic Hungarians now have the body done and I sent the wheels to get restrung. The rear fenders are new and some of the wood too, I have three original engines to choose from including the matching numbers one with standard bore. I need to mix and match the best pieces. I'm in no hurry

Spectacular......what a great project.

Ian

I collected BMWs since the 1970's sold some to buy more each time something that was more special. This car is a one off as are most of the 328's we own. I sold all the 327s owed over the years. The combination of wood rot and corrosion we just over my skill level. The damage shown in this thread are pretty much typical for 327s. They are wonderful cars but have no separate frame like the other sports cars. I've raced several and the 327s are quick but more heavy handed too.

I'm glad you like the little 315/1 it's lower and shorter that a 328.

Beautiful car. Who is the body builder? Does the body get covered with fabric?

Yes West it will be leatherette covered. Fenders and radiator are painted hood is engine turned. This is a Weinberger one-off "low chassis "car. It is a couple inches lower at the cowl than my factory light weight 328 race car

Ian - What a lovely 328! Thank you for posting the photos. As RU22 says, the 327 is about 600-lb heavier than the 328 so there definitely is a weight penalty performance wise, but it doesn't matter to me. RU22's 315/1 does really look like a beautiful car. Hey, it looks like I'm not alone in having a project 327 here - check the white one from Ukraine a few threads up.

Judd

The 327 is a great road car you'll be happy with it.

I get 328 HP numbers from the 319/1 engine I building for the 315. After all that's my game. Prewar BMW really do respond to a little tuning.

Very nice project!

Really love the lines of these cars, just simply beautifull....

The 1940 327 has a little different body

Please post photos of your car

The 1940 327 has a little different body

Please post photos of your car

There are a couple here and it does indeed wear the later fenders:

http://forums.aaca.org/f190/1940-bmw-327-sportcabriolet-386941.html

I could be wrong, but I think I may have seen photos of this car elsewhere on the internet recently as well (PreWarCar.com?)

There are a couple here and it does indeed wear the later fenders:

http://forums.aaca.org/f190/1940-bmw-327-sportcabriolet-386941.html

I could be wrong, but I think I may have seen photos of this car elsewhere on the internet recently as well (PreWarCar.com?)

That's right, I found the car on prewarcar.com.

Having 7 cars allready I didn't want to buy another car, but this one I couldn't resist...