1977 Alpina 3 series?

[twodachs]

It's my understanding that Alpina trim/mods were available starting with model year 1978. Could a 320 built 01/77 have Alpina accessories?

[Alex Baumann]

Yes, it could.

Where did you find the car? Can you give more details?

In the past, a company in California, called Hardy and Beck, produced a number of E21 Alpinas and called them BMW/Alpina 320i in North America, but they were not authentic Alpinas, although they had some Alpina goodies. The company was shot down by Alpina a couple of years after operation for being frauds.

Hardy and Beck went to Miller and Norburn in the late 80s, AFAIK.

[twodachs]

Thanks Alex. The 320 in question has an steering wheel and wheel hubs with the Alpina insignia. What other "goodies" should I be looking look for? Overall does having psedo-Alpina modifications add or detract from the value of the 1977 320 ... does it impact performance ... thumbs up or down?

[Alex Baumann]

Honestly, I am not very familiar with the Alpinas in the USA.

The Alpina experts are residing on the forum below. I am sure they will gladly help you on that. The probability that some of them actually know the car is high too.

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/index.php

[BLitZeD310]

Yes it can, I think they actually started in late 75 with the E21. They put the same M10 from the 02 into the E21 with the A4 injection system.

Other goodies to tell apart are the LSD with Alpina fins, Alpina springs/suspension, rear sway, Alpina wheels, rear deck spolier, front spoiler, mudflaps, extra fuel tank, guage cluster, front stablizer bar, Alpina cloth interior, steering wheel, shift knob, gauges, dogleg tranny, badges, and most imprtantly the ID tags on the motor, engine bay and the plaque like ID tag in the center of the passenger side dash.

Keep in mind not all of these were offered with the early Alpina cars. For alot of good info refer to this site http://www.bmwe21.net/e21/alpina/

[CSBM5]

During the late 70's and early 80's, Miller and Norburn were the Alpina distributors here in the US. They sold primarily suspension (progressive springs, bars, bushings) and appearance items (airdam, rear spoiler, Alpina striping kit, seats). You may have just come across a car with some Alpina mods added to it.

As far as Hardy and Beck going to M&N in the late 80's...I have no idea what that means. In the very late 70's, Preston Miller split off from M&N and opened a race shop here in Raleigh. Somewhat later, M&N moved from their dump into a nice facility in the mid 80's in Durham, but within a few years they went out of business. I can't recall exactly when they disappeared, but it was in the early to mid 90's? I still have their catalogs from back then...I should dig them out and post them on the web I guess.

[Alex Baumann]

Great infos. I am sure that you guys have definitely better first-hand info than I do. My information was based on the Alpina section of the forum, whose link I posted above. As far as I know, it is the best Alpina source available on the internet.

The bit information I posted was from the archives of that forum.

[twodachs]

Here is the link to the ebay 320 with Alpina trim.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6007&item=4561001826&rd=1

[iateyourcheese]

The car apparently smokes...



http://i14.ebayimg.com/04/i/04/73/8b/9d_12_sb.JPG

[Mr Paddle.Shift]

So how does Dietel fit in?

[CSBM5]

Here is the link to the ebay 320 with Alpina trim.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6007&item=4561001826&rd=1

Wow...maybe a great car for a collector if it can be checked out and verified. Good find.

It looks to be a mostly stock E21 with no A/C. It appears to have the Alpina 6" x 13" (and perhaps 6.5" x 13" rear) wheels with perhaps 205/60-13 junk tires, an Alpina steering wheel, and an Alpina front air dam. The springs look to be stock (notice the SUV ride height), so I doubt it has any of the Alpina suspension parts. The more desireable (rare) Alpina wheels would be the 6" x 15" front and 7" x 15" rear versions that were typical on cars M&N did. None the less, these are very rare wheels that look to be in original condition (note there were junk take-off copies of these wheels available, so I would inspect them to ensure they are the real thing).

Re Dietel -- from what I recall, he became an Alpina distributor for the western part of the US around that same time (late 70's). I'm not sure if these were exclusive marketing arrangements with Alpina or whether Dietel and M&N could sell in each other's territory...it's been too long.

[Alex Baumann]

What happened to Dietel? Are they still around?

[Mr Paddle.Shift]

Nah..Dietel has been defunct since the 80s I think. I was told there were a few *distributors* for Alpina parts in the 70s and 80s in the US. Dietel apparently is the *mother* of all, having the rights to sort of rebuild the cars into Alpina specs.

Then at some point, Dietel might have replicated some of the Alpina parts and sold them as Alpina originals. This fact has to be verified again. Since then, Alpina called off the deal and Dietel ceased to exist. Again, I could be wrong.

One could still find Alpina-Dietel creations in Roundels occasionally. Although, just the other day, I found a true Alpina E30 on Ebay US. That one has a WA not WB VIN.

[BLitZeD310]

That ebay car is a pure joke.

Its a great period correct example and a excellent condition E21, but this is shill bidding at its best. No way would an E21 be sold for 10k unless it has some incredicle backround. This is nothing more than an E21 with a Century turbo kit, and Alpina wheels that he most likely bought off eBay. This ridiculous shill bidding needs to stop and eBay needs to look into this. Notice the winner has zero feedback and kept jacking up the price, makes no sence, give it a month and it will be back up again. Hell I have that same turbo kit with only 3k miles on it sitting in my garge, does that mean I can buy a North American E21 throw that on and sell it for 5k? I think not.

I also wouldnt say its Alpina trim, no disrespect intended, I would consider it "trim" If it had 15x7's, front sploiler, rear deck, and all the other Euro bits. Also that is not an Alpina fromnt spoiler its a FOHA. If you look at my sig that is a genuine Alpina spoiler. It is also my understanding that Alpina never bought any NA E21's and marketed them, so if it has the diving boards and an M10 with the K-jet its not Alpina.

And by the way KSK is the sole rights distributer of Alpina parts. They have the most outrageous prices for their Alpina catologe. You could call any German importer and have it sent to the States for less than what they sell it for... Ask me how I know ;)


Here is the picture of my kit, that is *cough*4sale*cough*

[BLitZeD310]

Whoops I got that car mixed up with another E21 that is on eBay. Both seem to have very fishing bidding, this (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4560889092&category=6007&rd=1) is the one that I was refering too, my bad for jumping to conclusions.