Outside color: Chamonix (085)

 

 

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The 1974 BMW 3. 0 CSL ‘Batmobile' VIN 4355010 listed was manufactured February 1. 1974 and delivered to the BMW Importer ‘Moorkens' in Kontich/Antwerp (Belgium) on March 19. 1974. It is number 10 of the 3. 5 series or ‘second batch' of CSL's. of which only 57 were produced. This is an original ‘Batmobile'. given the name because of the aggressive factory aerodynamic package including the rear wing. air scoop and front fender spats. The BMW Group Archive indicates this CSL was used as a BMW company car between the time of manufacturing and delivery to Belgium. It returned to Germany. date unknown. and was found at a dealership in Essen. Germany in 2000 by the current owner. Dennis. Dennis purchased and imported the CSL into the United States and it underwent a semi-restoration process with Korman Autoworks. Inc. in Greensboro. NC. There they addressed rust issues. body work. paint. the engine/transmission and suspension. The CSL was repainted the original color. Chamonix paint code 085. The original 3. 2L motor. which suffered mechanical issues. was replaced with a rebuilt later model 3. 5L motor featuring a Schrick cam and Bosch Motronic (The original 3. 2L motor with the matching number is still available). The original intake and runners were reused to retain factory like aesthetics. An upgraded later model 5 speed transmission was also installed. Suspension was improved with Bilstein shocks and upgraded sway bars. Alpina 16” wheels. a very popular upgrade from that era. replace the factory 14” wheels. The original 14” spare wheel and tire remain. however the other 14” wheels are not available. The interior was. and still is in good factory condition and no improvements or changes were necessary. Much of the visit with Korman was documented and can be viewed on their website http://www. kormanautoworks. com/3. 0r. htm. The Batmobile has remained in storage since the semi-restoration. only being driven a few miles each year. One occasion which. Dennis entered the 2010 Deutsche Marque Concours De' Elegance taking 2nd place. This vehicle does have a Virginia title. passed Virginia state inspection at one time and was driven on public roads here in the United States. When driven. it performs very well. The tuned engine feels and sounds great. raw and very exciting power. Handling has always been a strong suit of BMW and this one does not disappoint. The look and feel of the no frills interior will tug at any vintage BMW enthusiast. An over sized lightened steering wheel. factory bucket seats. no sound proofing or creature comforts shows BMW was serious about advancing into and setting the standards high in the sport coupe market. This is a beautiful CSL with many perks. however it's not perfect and to be fair and open we'll address the known items. We will depict the true condition of the car in the pictures provided as best we can. The paint is in good condition however there is a large chip in the paint on the driver side next to a small dent. Not all exterior hardware is ‘factory style' but can be replaced. Most of the rust issues were corrected during the semi restoration however the driver side floor pan was never addressed (because it was not rusted through. it was sand blasted and re-painted only). Note the small hole in the front corner of the driver floor pan. No repairs were necessary on the passenger side as it was in good condition. The passenger door is showing bubbles in an isolated area at the front edge. Much of the exterior weather stripping/gaskets show signs of age and dry rotting. The speedometer is not connected to the late model transmission therefore the speedometer and odometer do not work. All other gauges work properly. including the clock. Lastly the differential has a slight leak (no other leaks). Brief History of the BMW CSL ‘Batmobile' The BMW CSL. built on the E9 chassis. was inspired by the highly competitive and booming racing industry. BMW was after a stronger and lighter coupe and they achieved just that. Four series of the CSL's were produced: 1. 2. 3 and 3. 5. Series 1 cars did not differ much from the factory 3. 0CSs. essentially the same car only much lighter saving 440 lbs. with light weight panels. bonnet. boot etc. The series 2 cars received fuel injection and a slightly larger motor. The series 3 car was a game changer. The organization which would later become BMW Motorsport was eager to homologate their competition only 3. 5L race engine for production-based racing. That homologation required BMW to manufacture and run a larger engine in their road car. This resulted with the BMW 3. 0 CSL 3. 2L. Big motor. aggressive aero dynamic packages and very few ever produced. Series 3. 5 had only a few minor cosmetic changes from the series 3 and even fewer were made. Only 167 Batmobiles total were manufactured. 110 of which are series 3 or ‘first batch' and the last 57 built are considered series 3. 5 or ‘second batch'. What we have in this listing is the very rare series 3. 5. 2nd batch Batmobile. CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES The BMW is for sale locally and I reserve the right to end the auction at any time for any reason. If your're seriously interested in the BMW. I encourage you to make a personal visit to inspect and look over the car. The CSL is stored in Leesburg Virginia and is available Monday – Friday. Call (703) 777-6301 to schedule a visit.

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This 1974 BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile is number 10 of  57  ’second batch’ series cars, and was brought to the US from Germany for what the seller calls a “semi-restoration”. The original matching-number 3.2L engine was removed due to mechanical issues, and a later 3.5L was installed in its place, although the original engine is still available. A host of other modifications were made at Korman Autoworks, and all are reversible and aimed at making the car a better driver. Find this one in Leesburg, Virginia with reserve unmet at $75k.

 

Nothing stirs up quite as much excitement in the Bimmer camp as these cars do, and this example, decked out in the wild factory-aero kit, looks fantastic. The restoration by Korman Autoworks may be older, as there is now rust on the driver’s floor pan that could need addressed. The Chamonix paint appears clean, but wears a thick coat, and should be redone at some point, as well as the undercoating in the wheel wells. The original 14″ wheels unfortunately aren’t available, but the 16″ Alpinas are an attractive replacement in the meantime.

 

The interior looks good with the original Scheel seats and Petri wheel, and the carpeting looks very clean. All the trim is intact and wears a nice finish, and the only issues here are the non-operational speedo and odometer, which weren’t connected to the upgraded transmission. The seller points out that much of the exterior rubber and weatherstripping should be replaced due to dry rot, which shouldn’t be too difficult.

 

The 3.5L engine has been rebuilt utilizing a Schick cam and Bosch Motronic, and is said to perform very well. The original intake and runners were retained to maintain a factory aesthetic, but we’d lose the flashy white colors in favor of the stock cast aluminum look. A later 5-speed transmission was installed, while the suspension received Bilstein shocks and upgraded sway bars were installed to keep the car planted. The seller indicates the differential has a small leak as well.

 

These cars always raise eyebrows whether they’re original or not, and the market is usually well-stocked with well-sorted copies. If the history with this one proves to be legitimate, the larger hurdles appear to have been jumped here, and there may still be enough room here to jump in and enjoy some seat time while finishing the restoration, as this one deserves both.

 

 

Modifications: Shrick, Shocks, Springs, engine

 

owner:

• 2014: For sale in Lyon France for euro 33 000. 112 600 km (questionable information)
• 2010: found it at a used car lot in Essen DE. Restoration at Korman, Greensboro, NC. For sale in VA