Fuzz Townshend takes us behind the scenes of the restos on the latest series of Car SOS. This week– is it or isn’t it a genuine BMW E30 C2 2.7 Alpina?
Every now and then a rare car can raise questions when it arrives on any scene. Lotus Cortinas are an example of this, there being many tributes or recreations out there, which never originally rolled out of showrooms so-specified. They do make an affordable alternative to the ‘real deal’ but can cause consternation when it comes to any person in a professional capacity attempting to judge what exactly is standing before them.
I’ll admit to having been a tad sceptical regarding provenance when I was told that we were about to undertake the restoration of a ‘genuine’ E30 Alpina, not having been a member of the recce team this series. It’s not as if I‘d have been anything like an expert witness in any case; these cars seem impossibly modern and haven’t yet appeared on my radar screen. I must keep up.
Faisal’s car appeared to have all of the ‘right’ bits, but these seemed largely bolt-on – or stick-on – items, many of which would, I’m sure, be all in a day’s work for a determined forger. What was needed was confirmation of the highest order.
The specification might well get Munich-made-motor nerds rubbing their iron-creased Calvin Klein jeans-clad thighs in anticipation of an ‘A’ grade but E30s are in no ways rust-proof. Despite the car initially looking quite decent, closer inspection meant that we quickly found that we had some critical repairs to undertake to the car’s ancient shell.
Plastic body kits are great at concealing rotting steel and brilliant at encouraging its progress, trapping damp grime against compromised, porous surfaces until the metal beneath gives in, turning to its oxide and losing its strength. Faisal’s car hadn’t escaped and was found to have rusted sills, arches, lower ‘A’ posts
