1938 BMW 327 Cabriolet

Chassis No. – #73482

Engine No. – Unmarked – 2.0L BMW

Body – #250531

Exterior Color – Black & Red

Interior – Black English Leather & Wool Carpet

Cylinder Config. – Inline 6

Valve Config. – Overhead Valve

Carburator – 2 Solex Single Barrel Downdraft

Cooling – Liquid

Transmission – 4 speed BMW w/ 1st & 2nd Overrun

Brakes – 4 Wheel Drum

Odometer – 40791

Units Produced – 1200 approx.

Restored by Jim Smith 1981

ASKING PRICE $135k

Mail

SOLD

Chassis #73482 began its life delivered to the BMW dealer Buchner & Linse in Munich on August 17, 1938. In the late 1970's the car was on it’s way to the scrap yard in the USA, when the driver was stopped by a BMW dealer who asked if he could buy it. Smith purchased this car from Mill Valley Imports, CA in 1981. It was dissembled with parts strewn over 3 shops and some of parts missing. The metal and wood were in very good condition, the best Smith had seen compared to his first 327 restoration. Restoration took place in his shop in Sonoma, CA and took him 1300 hours.

Upon readying this car for sale the original head was found to be cracked. A remanufactured head has since been installed with all new gaskets to restore the car to running order.

In 1991, Ron Kimball’s photograph taken at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco was featured in the book “Convertibles” by Micheal Benson. It is also featured in the book "BMW Cars" by Michael Buckley, with beautiful photos taken by Nick Dimbley.

CONCOURSES & RALLIES

1990 BMWCCA Layffette Concourse d’Elegance - 2nd Place

1991 Place of Fine Arts, Art & The Automobile, San Francisco, CA - People’s Choice

2011 45th Annual Palo Alto Concourse d’Elegance at Stanford

2011 Legends of the Autobahn, Montery (Complete Jim Smith Collection)

BOOKS FEATURED IN

“Convertibles” by Micheal Benson

"BMW Cars" by Michael Buckley