BMW 3.0CSL 2285231

Seller's comments: we are therefore thrilled to be able to offer this very special 72,000 mile, 3 owner CSL which we have known for many years, and has a truly special history.

The Chairman of Fairfield BMW based in Leigh on Sea originally sold the car to the original owner. He personally drove the car from the docks in Dover to his dealership ready for delivery to the first owner.

The new owner was a true enthusiast and enjoyed the car greatly until 1979 when the car suffered the common CSL Achilles Heel of a cracked cylinder head.

The famous sports car driver and BMW Touring car driver Brian Muir was by then running his garage and was working closely with Alpina in the UK. The car was taken to him and the owner asked Brian Muir to recreate one of the famous Alpina road going CSL’s in performance, but retaining the original CSL Town package look.

Brian Muir built a specially tuned, lightened and balanced 3.3 litre motor. The four speed gearbox was replaced with the gearbox favoured by Alpina and used in many of the period Group 2 cars. A 5-speed close ratio dogleg box built by ZF (not the Getrag 265 now used in many current conversions). Alpina springs, Bilstein dampers and an Alpina adjustable rear anti-roll bar were choice chassis enhancements by Muir.

At the same time the front seats were trimmed in leather (although carried out ‘in period’, the lucky new owner may want us to put these back to the original Scheel seat cloth).

The age of the 1st owner and the now enhanced performance of his beloved CSLmade him decide to sell the car back to Fairfield BMW. On driving the car and being astonished by the enhanced performance, the Chairman of Fairfield BMW personally decided that the car was so wonderful, and unique, that he should hold on to this CSL for himself. He had fond memories of this CSL having driven the car back from the docks and sold it to the first owner. The tough financial climate of the 1990’s, a new larger dealership premises eventually led to the Chairman’s decision to retire and sell Fairfield BMW.

His beloved CSL passed to the new owner of Fairfield BMW, a decision he still greatly regrets to this day.

Our friend and customer was a salesman with Fairfield BMW during this period. The new owners of the dealership decided to carry out no expense spared restoration of the car and finished her off with a bare metal respray. The car was then given pride of place, at Fairfield BMW, in front of the chief salesmans desk.

The CSL sat taunting him for many months until he could hold out no longer. A favorable price was negotiated between him and his boss and the car passed to the lucky third owner who was busy earning his living selling new BMW’s for Fairfield BMW (E36’s, E34’s, E32’s E31’s etc).

During the last decade the car has been fastidiously maintained and cared for with a few cosmetic chores and preventive maintenance. From a full rebuild on the rare ZF gearbox, new clutch, wheels refurbished, to name but a few jobs carried out to ensure the car is still in the superb structural and mechanical condition it is in today.

We have driven countless CSL’s and this road version has to be one of the best and most exciting examples we have enjoyed and with the benefit of all the modifications being carried out in period. 204 HP was seen at the rear wheels when the engine was tested on the dynometer an uplift of about 20%.

We have carried out a thorough report on the car in our workshops and will be carrying out the following work before the car is handed over to the lucky 4th owner who we all hope will carry on enjoying this special CSL as much as the previous enthusiast owners.

Carry out PDI
Carry out inspection II service
Change brake fluid and coolant
Replace front roll bar bushes
Fit new rear brake pipe
Replace differential seals
Fit new radio antenna
Replace missing water pump pliers from toolkit
Fit bulkhead sound deadening correctly
Replace bonnet prop hook
Replace battery clamp
Replace header tank cap
Replace brake fluid reservoir screw
Tidy diagnostic plug wiring
Replace door catch grommets
Replace rear bonnet seals
Replace sill trim screws
Replace drivers door brake
Secure handbrake grip
Refit speedo trip knob and cable
Rectify intermittent interior lights
Replace gearbox to exhaust bracket
Carry out thorough rust proofing and Waxoyl car
Road test and MOT car

NB. The car will be supplied with the original engine block to ensure the continuity of the original chassis and engine numbers. Many original bills and documents are also included with the car providing a superb provenance and unique history.

Owners:

1. 1999-> 2013 circa: 3rd owner: Howard Harrington, bought for 13,000 pounds
2. 2nd owner: Fairfield BMW in Leigh on Sea
3. 1rst owner: local owner.
4. Delivery: Fairfield BMW in Leigh on Sea
5. Production

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