Croc Posted July 23, 2017 Author Share Posted July 23, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted July 23, 2017 Author Share Posted July 23, 2017 (edited) Edited July 24, 2017 by Croc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 I love that MichaelD waives at the cameraman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 I just sent out a photo link to those who attended. You can view the over 390 photos (3gb) via the Amazon share drive. Let me know if you did not receive the email or if you have tech issues with getting access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGTorque Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 some wonderful pics there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 I just realized I can post the album link here for everyone to access and view the photos. https://www.amazon.com/photos/share/MK85syHNL0zAGZWFV7LkSEWjNiGEWsn1yWWC2z661ff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted July 26, 2017 Author Share Posted July 26, 2017 And for those who saw it in the pits but missed it on track - the BMW in action briefly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelD Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 A true History lesson. Sorry I missed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Certified Lotus Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Croc, that car is so cool just sitting. Seeing it in motion is pure sex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDingo8MyBaby Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I absolutely love the livery on that CSL, Mike. Can you share its history with us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 A coupla shots of Croc's German Caterham.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 (edited) I absolutely love the livery on that CSL, Mike. Can you share its history with us? To be upfront its not a CSL by original manufacture although it is close to CSL race spec (and will be once the new engine is finished). Its history is fuzzy and continuing to evolve. I only recently in the last week got a purported picture of it in its late 70s guise from BMW who have been extraordinarily helpful in scouring their archives. Absolutely wonderful people. A lot of work is still needed to confirm further. Likely timeline 1975 - Manufactured in Germany and sold in France as a BMW 3.0 CS Coupe (road going car) in Malaga Red (similar to a burgundy color). Late 1970s to early 1980s - Based on two photos, one B&W that I got with the car and a color pic from BMW with my chassis number written on the back it was a lightly modified Group 2 car for circuit and hillclimb work in silver with advertising by Gitanes in blue text on the side. Location was likely France/Switzerland/Germany area. Thought to be a amateur/privateer car based on the pictures. I guess it still had its original 3.0 straight 6 at this point? Late 1980s or more likely 1991-92 - I have a photo of it in Germany in CSL spec with a hybrid Group 4/5 body work in white wearing Martini stripes and regular front spolier. No idea what it was doing until then. The change in bodykit is validated by the body holes in the fenders uncovered during recent restoration. The changeover to a 3.5 B38B36 straight 6 (1991 M5 roadgoing donor - German market) likely occurred around this time. Sometime in the next 10 years it morphed to wearing BMW Motorsport stripes on white body with a Group 5 cow catcher front spolier which is what it was wearing when it landed in my hands. At the time of the restoration its history above was unknown. Clearly the bodykit it was wearing was historically incorrect plus it needed a bunch of work make it raceworthy so the decision was made to take it back to IMSA GTO/Group 4 consistently and to honor a great BMW racing pioneer, Alf Gebhardt, who raced an E9 CSL at Daytona in 1978 and 1979. The livery I followed is the 1978 livery which I think suits the car beautifully. It was never a BMW Motorsport car or a Martini car so those liveries are out of the question. It does not have a detailed fully documented history so a tribute livery makes sense to me - something to evokes the 1970s look. Plus these cars look absolutely brilliant in black. The restoration process being followed is bringing it to full race CSL spec with the correct aluminum panels and all the exterior/interior bits that they should have. A new gearbox landed in my home last night. Differential is on order. Engine discussions are being undertaken currently. Its running an S38 engine and crappy dogleg 5 speed box missing synchros to help dial in the handling. The bump steer under brakes has been the killer but we made a breakthrough on that problem this week. If you have ever recommissioned a car, you know the work that goes in to making the package come together and then actually drive well. I still have a multi page punch list of items Taking aside the bump steer, the car handles superbly. It really is a fun car to drive and remarkably quick despite a down-on-power engine. The original shakedown run in my hands occurred last October. The video of this is: The shakedown notes are below the video at: And I have the gold BBS wheels sitting in the garage. They look even better than the silver wheels. Now I just need some fake chest hair, lots of gold neck chains and some 1970s glasses to fit the billing with the car's look! Kitcat and Yellowss7 can assist here I think? Edited July 28, 2017 by Croc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDingo8MyBaby Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 If you have ever recommissioned a car, you know the work that goes in to making the package come together and then actually drive well. I still have a multi page punch list of items Taking aside the bump steer, the car handles superbly. Funny enough, I went through a similar process on my series 2 - not the least of which was fixing the bump-steer. Great choice with the livery, though the Gitanes livery may be fun to do at some point too. Sorry to hi-jack this thread. I hope I'll get the chance to make it out to this event at some point to see it in person and check out all those fantastic sevens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Certified Lotus Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Croc, the engine sounds great on your BMW. I would be freaking outing with that much steering input! You are a far better driver than me........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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