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e12 530i alpina?
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:44 pm
by TimE12
New to this forum, just picked up a 1978 530i. Its badged as an alpina but how do I find out for sure? I had bmw run the vin and all they could tell me was production date and that it was an M30 engine lol. Any help on how I can get this info and some specs?
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:57 pm
by Mike W.
I doubt it's a true Alpina, they were all euro 528i based, not US model 530 based. Not to mention the US smog laws make importation very difficult.
http://www.alpina-automobiles.com/en/mo ... s/e12.html
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:03 pm
by TimE12
Yeah thats what I figured, thanks tho. You any good websites to pick up window trim, exhaust, repair manual, and stuff like that?
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 10:07 pm
by Lmarkey
Is that blue 78 from Escondido? If so, I looked at it. Its a US 78 that the original owner had Hardy and Beck in San Francisco upgrade at least the suspension. That at least I was told by the second owner who the guy selling it put me in contact with. Not sure if anything else was upgraded.
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 12:28 am
by TimE12
Sweet! Thatnks for the info. I saw the tags that it was a u.s. Model so I figured... no way... still a fun project so far tho, but definitely needs work
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 11:54 am
by Mike W.
TimE12 wrote:Yeah thats what I figured, thanks tho. You any good websites to pick up window trim, exhaust, repair manual, and stuff like that?
Blunttech can get dealer parts and has a good reputation, Tischer BMW (now known as something else, but I think still comes up in searches) is a dealer with very competitive prices. Finding a manual may be difficult, the Haynes is pretty good, but NLA. The factory ones pop up every so often, but are expensive, as in the $75-150 range. Autohaus AZ is also good on parts, but not so much on dealer type stuff.