Alpina and questions.

[DrunkPanda]

Introductions first..
I just picked up a gorgeous Aus Delivered E30. In Australia, Alpina usually shipped parts over rather than full complete cars/engines. The cars were then built in Aus with those parts. As far as I know Bavarian Motorsport was the only one allowed to do this in Aus.

So the car started life as a 318i and then the 2.7 engine, suspension, gauges and wheels were put in/on. Some might not classify this as a genuine Alpina since it still has BMW VIN, but its pretty much as close as you can get for an Australian delivered car.

Questions..
The engine temp on the vent gauge isn't reading, does the Alpina gauge get the reading from the ECU or from the actual sensor? If sensor, which one.

Did the 318i ever had disc brakes on rear? Mine has 4 wheel discs.

It also has a check panel, which isn't working. Do these have a main fuse? Is the only plug the one at the back of the unit?

Edit.. Luckily the previous owner also just completed an $8K rebuild on it as well, so new bearings, rings etc etc. So thats my maintenance taken care of for a while [emoji16]

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[coldweatherblue]

Gorgeous car.

I'm sure there is someone on here with Alpina knowledge to definitively answer your questions, but as a guess per E30s in general:

1. M42 318i's in the US came with disc brakes on all four corners.

2. The faulty coolant temp gauge is either a short in the cluster (loose bolt/ground, cracked solder connection, most likely) or a faulty sensor. Also could be a wiring short in between but more likely one of the above.

[fastestbox]

I'm intrigued by the fact of it being a 318 with a check panel. I'd love to add a check panel to my 318is, but everyone told me the panel is completely integrated with the body harness.

[DrunkPanda]

Gorgeous car.

I'm sure there is someone on here with Alpina knowledge to definitively answer your questions, but as a guess per E30s in general:

1. M42 318i's in the US came with disc brakes on all four corners.

2. The faulty coolant temp gauge is either a short in the cluster (loose bolt/ground, cracked solder connection, most likely) or a faulty sensor. Also could be a wiring short in between but more likely one of the above.

Yeah it could be a few things. The normal cluster gauge seems to read fine, reads normal temp. Just the Alpina digital gauge thats not reading, so that would lead to the sensor being fine. But I'm not 100%

In regards to check panel. It might be easier to install one when you have the whole car pulled apart to install new engine, cluster etc..
Or there is a small chance someone put it in just for looks. Although it does have a plug and cables attached to it.
It didnt work when i got the car so not sure on that either.

One thing i do know is that it has a nice 3.91 Lsd which gives it good get up and go.


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[Anthony B]

Hi mate all series 2 318i’s delivered to Aus had disk brake rears

You’ve picked up a brilliant looking Alpina

[e30m3s54turbo]

Late e30 came with rear disk brakes.
On Alpina vent gauge reads oil temp, oil pressure, diff temp and intake for vacuum.

[DrunkPanda]

Late e30 came with rear disk brakes.
On Alpina vent gauge reads oil temp, oil pressure, diff temp and intake for vacuum.

Yeah I got that, its just my oil temp just says "- -" So its not getting a signal, diff temp, pressure and vacuum work fine.

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[e30m3s54turbo]

The Alpina would use two areas on m20 for oil temp sensor. Check oil filter housing or the oil drain plug.
There is only two areas where wire loom disconnects to sensor. At sensor and 6” away from sensor. Check your connections.
The Alpina vent gauge has it own ecu.

[zaq123]

Cool car but it only has two Alpina parts: vent gauges and wheels. Wheels are from pre-87 e30 Alpina (based on Series 1 e30s, pre-facelift). Also "Alpina" badge looks original ....need better pics to tell if C2 badges are original.

With that being said, I really doubt it was built by anyone who is authorized to built Alpinas. For starters, they would never install c2 2.7L badge on facelift model. Maybe B3 if that is indeed 2.7 Alpina engine?

[DrunkPanda]

Cool car but it only has two Alpina parts: vent gauges and wheels. Wheels are from pre-87 e30 Alpina (based on Series 1 e30s, pre-facelift). Also "Alpina" badge looks original ....need better pics to tell if C2 badges are original.

With that being said, I really doubt it was built by anyone who is authorized to built Alpinas. For starters, they would never install c2 2.7L badge on facelift model. Maybe B3 if that is indeed 2.7 Alpina engine?

C2 2.7 Badges where put on at a later date by previous owner. They are original and have receipts for them.

Has Alpina Suspension and Alpina engine. According to all log books and receipts, obviously only real way to check would be pull the entire engine apart.

Have confirmed with Alpina in Buchloe that the company that was building/converting these cars was doing it in partnership with Alpina. Similar to how Sytner was in the UK.

Technically it is probably a B3 though yes

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[digger]

nice car and shed for that matter.

the australian guy behind bavarian motorsport Imre is a known as being extremely dodgey. i wouldnt believe anything unless you can physcially see and touch it

[zaq123]

C2 2.7 Badges where put on at a later date by previous owner. They are original and have receipts for them.

Has Alpina Suspension and Alpina engine. According to all log books and receipts, obviously only real way to check would be pull the entire engine apart.

Have confirmed with Alpina in Buchloe that the company that was building/converting these cars was doing it in partnership with Alpina. Similar to how Sytner was in the UK.

Technically it is probably a B3 though yes

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Alpina engine should have C2 stamp

[e30m3s54turbo]

Alpina engine should have C2 stamp

No it will not have C2 2.7 stamp.
Alpina motors have a Alpina part number.

[DrunkPanda]

Alpina engine should have C2 stamp

This is where it gets hard. I talked to Alpina about this (very nice people and happy to help and indulge my silly questions).

Alpina build complete engines for their factory cars. These have a Alpina engine number. These cars also bare the Alpina VIN. Pretty sure they are all LHD or at least large majority.

Alpina also shipped out engine parts, crank, pistons, heads etc to places like Aus, Japan, UK. In these countries people lile Sytner build the engine from Alpina parts, but the block itself is a BMW part and will bare the BMW engine number. So the only engines with an Alpina number are the factory ones built in Buchloe and a very small amount where Alpina shipped an entire engine which was rare.


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[rzerob]

Is your front bumper and valance one piece? From the pictures it looks like it is.