ALPINA Experts Wanted for research thread.

[djjerme]

I have seen and myself part of a few E30 Alpina clones lately, and think it's time we get an end all/be all thread that culls all this info together.

There is a cubic ton of information out there, but I want to get it all together and organized so everyone has a single reference point.

The Alpina archive(s)/registry is a great source, but it is lacking A LOT of information, and has several holes in it's listings.

So if you have or are involved with a restoration/clone/copy..etc. and can PM me, I am going to start building this thread for sticky somewhere on this site.

[2002jm]

:)

Great idea: I have been thinking about building a b6 clone...have to sell the m-tech first;so this would be just what I need!
jm

[djjerme]

I'm a research whore, so I have tons of documents/pics..etc that I culled from multiple sources, and getting an increasing stack of parts (including a full extended tank setup) and figured it's time to get this stuff all together..

Think if we can get it all in one place and help others out..

[Van Westervelt]

I am building two. B6 3.5 and a South African 333i tribute. I have a plethora of parts for my builds and I am cutting original style stripes on my plotter.

[flyboyx]

if i have a question about alpina that no one can answer, i call susan @ ksk. she has always been very helpful.

check out the cars in my signature, i have it out there that i am also building a tribute.

I am building two. B6 3.5 and a South African 333i tribute. I have a plethora of parts for my builds and I am cutting original style stripes on my plotter.

there are really good quality reproduction stripes already available all over the internet for about a hundred bucks in more colors than you could imagine.

[e30rapidic]

i'll help. Here's my C2 clone

8)

[ThatOneEuroE30]

My B6 3.5 clone. Still got some parts to collect and add but shes slowly coming along.

[djjerme]

Great guys!

I am trying to get all the info I have in to logical form and something easily understandable..

My initial thought is to arrange it by year/model changes and options.

Then maybe addressing each area.

Also have a comprehensive db of chassis numbers (duplicated somewhat of the Alpina registry but with more info in regards to current status and more pics) but also want to maybe keep track of clone numbers. This way those building clones can choose the number they use a little easier..





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[flyboyx]

Great guys!

I am trying to get all the info I have in to logical form and something easily understandable..

My initial thought is to arrange it by year/model changes and options.

Then maybe addressing each area.

Also have a comprehensive db of chassis numbers (duplicated somewhat of the Alpina registry but with more info in regards to current status and more pics) but also want to maybe keep track of clone numbers. This way those building clones can choose the number they use a little easier..





Sent from my 710C using Tapatalk

I despise the idea of choosing a number alpina already issued. This seems dishonest to me. Also, there is a chance that you might be driving around in your car that you numbered at say 101, then a year or two down the road someone pulls that car out of a barn.

In the case of the b6-3.5s, I believe they built 62 of them. I think Choosing a number higher than the last car alpina issued for that particular model would be more acceptable and less likely to look like a fraud.

[Rev Run D]

Goes without saying but please correct me if I'm wrong

All Alpinas had:
Alpina modified engine
BMW VIN Plate Crossed out (or was it deleted?)
Alpina VIN on Strut tower
Alpina wheels (16x7, 7.5, 8 - what cars had which size?)

All Later (what date?) Alpinas had:
Alpina model emblems on front grille and rear trunk
Alpina emblem on trunk
Alpina plaque on center console under HVAC panel
Alpina plaque in engine bay above right headlight cover
Alpina Castrol Oil sticker in engine bay (where exactly?)
Alpina sticker on trunk tool kit
Steering wheel early had 4 spoke steel spokes, late had 3/4 leather wrapped spokes.
Foot rest
Instrument cluster with grey trim, Alpina badging and red needles
Front & Rear spoiler
Exhaust (whats the specs on the Exhaust?)
Exhaust manifold (what's the specs on the manifolds?)
Alpina Tire Pressure sticker on DS door opening
Shocks/Springs/Swaybars (what's the specs on these pieces? e.g., shock rate, spring height/rate, swaybar thickness?)
Upgraded DME/Chip

Optional:
Wood Shift knob - rosewood or palisander for MT What kinda wood for AT?
Wood trim (what kinda wood)
Exterior Deko stripes (bumper lip & sides)
Alpina Cloth Recaro seats (Sports seats never were covered in Alpina cloth)
Alpina Cloth Door panels
Big brakes (what size? fronts only?)
Vent Gauge (manifold pressure, diff oil temp, engine oil temp/pressure)
Floor mats (2 kinds: Alpina logo repeat on Green or alpina stripe - when was the switch?)
Rear mud flaps (Stated they fit only early, but fits all years according to Mel Abrahams)
Cat (some models)
Extra Gas tank for extended range

Questions:
Did all alpinas have standard sports seats in leather? (was comfort and/or vinyl an option?)
Were Alpina valve covers painted black with polished BMW lettering and stripes? How about the Intake Manifold?
What models had the 3 and what had the 4 spoke leather wrapped steering wheel?

Notes:
The green tach stripe that people call Alpina stripe is not Alpina E30 correct.

[Rev Run D]

Neat NLA parts I found doing research:

Alpina illuminated key battery

Alpina Recaro Child seat

[flyboyx]

Goes without saying but please correct me if I'm wrong

All Alpinas had:
Alpina modified engine
BMW VIN Plate Crossed out (or was it deleted?)
Alpina VIN on Strut tower
Alpina model emblems on front grille and rear trunk
Alpina emblem on trunk
Alpina plaque on center console under HVAC panel
Alpina plaque in engine bay above right headlight cover
Alpina Castrol Oil sticker in engine bay (where exactly?)
Alpina sticker on trunk tool kit
Steering wheel early had 4 spoke steel spokes, late had 3/4 leather wrapped spokes.
Foot rest
Instrument cluster with grey trim, Alpina badging and red needles
Front & Rear spoiler
Soft line wheels (16x7, 7.5, 8 - what cars had which size?)
Exhaust (whats the specs on the Exhaust?)
Exhaust manifold (what's the specs on the manifolds?)
Alpina Tire Pressure sticker on DS door opening
Shocks/Springs/Swaybars (what's the specs on these pieces? e.g., shock rate, spring height/rate, swaybar thickness?)
Upgraded DME/Chip

Optional:
Wood Shift knob - rosewood or palisander for MT What kinda wood for AT?
Wood trim (what kinda wood)
Exterior Deko stripes (bumper lip & sides)
Alpina Cloth Recaro seats (Sports seats never were covered in Alpina cloth)
Alpina Cloth Door panels
Big brakes (what size? fronts only?)
Vent Gauge (manifold pressure, diff oil temp, engine oil temp/pressure)
Floor mats (2 kinds: Alpina logo repeat on Green or alpina stripe - when was the switch?)
Rear mud flaps (Stated they fit only early, but fits all years according to Mel Abrahams)
Cat (some models)
Extra Gas tank for extended range

Questions:
Did all alpinas have standard sports seats in leather? (was comfort and/or vinyl an option?)
Were all Alpina valve covers painted black with polished BMW lettering and stripes? How about the Intake Manifold?
What models had the 3 and what had the 4 spoke leather wrapped steering wheel?
The green tach stripe that people call Alpina stripe, I've never seen one on an Alpina what gives?

You have a lot of partial truths in the first half of your entry. I don't know if it's possible to say "all Alpinas had" anything except maybe a set of wheels. The earliest cars had an unrecognizable front valance some engine mods and alpina wheels. That was about it.

Original wheels are certainly not soft line. If you see wheels like those on the car in my sig, they are kopi copies or perhaps late style e36 wheels.

Later cars that came from the alpina factory were generally pretty loaded up with their mods but this depended solely on whoever ordered the car and how deep their wallet was.

The seats could have been bone stock sports or they could have been the optional euro recaro ls-c. The recaros could have had alpina cloth or perhaps leather with a blue and green stripe.

As to the dash cluster green stripe you mention, it is an aftermarket bullshit mod. E21's had that stripe. Someone just thought it was a good idea to modify a sticker to spruce up e30 clusters. I think it's cool but certainly not original. It won't have any place on my build.

[djjerme]

I despise the idea of choosing a number alpina already issued. This seems dishonest to me. Also, there is a chance that you might be driving around in your car that you numbered at say 101, then a year or two down the road someone pulls that car out of a barn.

In the case of the b6-3.5s, I believe they built 62 of them. I think Choosing a number higher than the last car alpina issued for that particular model would be more acceptable and less likely to look like a fraud.

This is why I wanted to create a db of the numbers, so people could chose numbers outside the system.

My own clone, I ended up just using the last few digits of the vin anyways - it just happened to work out.

I agree - trying to pass off a clone as anything but is wrong. That being said, properly done clones can command a decent premium, especially if you use authentic parts to build it.

Also, I found out from other Alpina historians, there's a makers mark so to say on various parts of the engine to identify a real Alpina power plant. I am waiting for confirmation on the variations and it's probably something I won't include - just to keep forgeries from happening.

..also, Alpina would sell the C-pack early on which was most everything but the engine so you could in essence build your own "clone" using the real stuff. I have a pricelist from the era that includes all the options.

[Rev Run D]

You have a lot of partial truths in the first half of your entry. I don't know if it's possible to say "all Alpinas had" anything except maybe a set of wheels. The earliest cars had an unrecognizable front valance some engine mods and alpina wheels. That was about it.

Original wheels are certainly not soft line. If you see wheels like those on the car in my sig, they are kopi copies or perhaps late style e36 wheels.

Later cars that came from the alpina factory were generally pretty loaded up with their mods but this depended solely on whoever ordered the car and how deep their wallet was.

The seats could have been bone stock sports or they could have been the optional euro recaro ls-c. The recaros could have had alpina cloth or perhaps leather with a blue and green stripe.

As to the dash cluster green stripe you mention, it is an aftermarket bullshit mod. E21's had that stripe. Someone just thought it was a good idea to modify a sticker to spruce up e30 clusters. I think it's cool but certainly not original. It won't have any place on my build.

Thanks for the info! Lemme edit my post

[e30m3s54turbo]

In the past I have had a few Alpina B6 2.8 e21 and a Alpina B6 2.8 e30. Also a US spec Alpina 345i. I might have some info about Alpina cars. If you want to contact me just pm me.