My Dad was always a Road & Track reader when I was growing up, and he used to bring home his latest issue after a business trip for me to read. I vividly remember this March 1991 issue because soon after I read it, I went down to Trump's Hobbies in town and placed a special order for the . I painted it black on black because I have no skills building models and it turned out awesome! I wish I had a picture.

Paul Frere was a fantastic writer and an accomplished race car driver. He was well respected in his field and here are some of his quotes from the article:

[...] but the 535i-based B10 Biturbo is surely the most impressive of them all: a comfortable 4-door that blends Rolls-Royce silence with Testarossa performance, with road manner to match.

The B10 reached a maximum speed of 181 mph. At such speeds, the car feels entirely stable, with no suggestion of the front end getting light or any tendency to wander.

Thanks to the low inertia of the two small turbo chargers and to the electronic wastegate control, response is nearly immediate n al most any circumstance.

Ever since reading that article I've wanted to have a real Alpina. I'm going to have to keep an even closer eye on the classifieds having reread that article again! Please feel free to leave a comment with your Alpina experiences!

Here are a few e34 Alpina videos for you to snack on tonight:

dc

Related posts:

1. Paul and I Visit the 2009 Seattle Ducati Club BBQ I've been meaning to attend the DesmoNorthwest BBQ for at...

Here are my favs from this year:

And the gallery:

If you're a Porsche fan and in the Willamette Valley, you owe it to yourself to make sure this event is on your calendar for next year!

dc

No related posts.

quote from his ad:

Metric Mechanic 3.7L and System 300 exhaust ~330hp with 30K miles on the engine (147K on the car), SplitSecond MAF fuel controller, Dinan Chip, Dinan Cam Gears, BBS RK wheels, SS brake lines, UUC Short shift, Bilstein Sport struts, Suspension Techniques springs, BMPD strut bar, Kenwood CD/AMP/Infinity speakers, Sirius satellite radio, Zimmerman drilled rotors, PBR pads, painted calipers, new battery, light tinting of rear windows, new front spoiler and fog lights, new factory leather on seats and door panels, A/C fully operable, heated seats Fully maintained with comprehensive maintenance records since new- all synthetic trans/LSD/motor/brake/PS, always garaged, I drive 100 miles roundtrip on the freeway- so all highway miles, no accidents; needs nothing until next scheduled maintenance. Also have Frank Fahey track pipe with factory muffler and misc spare parts: old front spoiler, idle control valve, fan clutch, Dinan Stage 1 suspension, original radio, etc. Enthusiast owned- selling to make room in the garage

Check out the price on the Metric Mechanic 3.7 S38 motor. Yeah that's ten grand; not to mention installation. At $17k, this M6 is looking like a really good buy for the e24 enthusiast.

Good luck on the sale Colt!

dc

No related posts.

Beautiful 1983 BMW e21 320i For Sale in Oregon - Paul went so far as to say he was almost considering buying this car himself, but was instead inspired to continue the work on his own classic BMW after seeing Richard’s car! Considering he’s only asking $3200, someone should snap this up cheap!

1983 Alpina B9 #312 For Sale in Florida - The $14.5k buy-it-now option seems like a pretty good deal. There are very few real Alpina’s in this country anyway, and this one still has almost all of it’s original details. While I’m not an experienced collector, I have to imagine that 5-10 years from now, this car will have appreciated considerably. Then again, with over 100k miles and an approachable entry price, maybe it would be better to enjoy immediately. Can you imagine the response at your next BMW club day when you roll up in this?!

1985 Honda VFR400 NC24 - First things first, this is not an 85. According to this Wikipedia article, the NC24 wasn’t introduced until 1987, and this bike definitely sports all the important features of the later NC24 model. But when I first saw the listing as an 85, it made me wonder if the 25 year rule works the same way it does for classic cars in the U.S. - no import or registration issues with models not previously imported. Anyone know for sure? Also, was there a Rothmans edition of the NC24? It’s a cool bike for $3500 either way though!

Irish Green Porsches for St. Patrick's Day - As you can probably gather by now, I think the 912 is definitely the better value; especially at $15k! Of course a 912 is not a substitute for a 911. But it’s also not to be dismissed as anything less than a fantastic sports car. Add the fact that this one has an expensive rebuilt motor assembled with such focus and dedication, you can tell that this car is at least 85% of the experience of a 911 of the same era.

Two Very Low Mileage M3’s, $60,000 Each! - Not to play that overused ‘economy’ angle yet again, but these seem like high prices to me in today’s market. On the other hand the owners clearly know the rarity of their cars and are counting on educated and wealthy buyers. Who knows when we’ll see examples like these for sale again.

1986 GSX-R 750R Limited (GSXR750 RG) - Don’t you just love homologation specials?! The very best of everything and no expense spared. And when they’re nearly 25 years old and never raced, AND hardly even ridden, they’re truly a rare find. This one is currently at $12k (appears reserve has been met) with about 4 days to go.

1988 BMW e30 M3 in Diamondschwartz - The owner even has a picture of him doing a compression test on the motor. Assuming the car needs a few things here and there and you had to drop two or three grand into it right away; could be a a really nice car in a pretty desirable color.

Lovely and Original Alpine White 1991 BMW e30 M3 For Sale with 64k miles - You know me, I’m a sucker for low miles. Make sure the maintenance has been tended to with a thorough pre-purchase inspection by a qualified BMW technician. This car is already over $17k, reserve not met. With 3 days to go, make your predictions!

1993 Honda CBR400RR For Sale in San Fran Area - It has the all important title, but with that kind of mileage is $5k too high? Leave a comment with your experience.

Porsche 996 Prices are Dropping - It’s no secret the 996 is not one of my favorite Porsche 911’s. That said, I’m a big fan of the Boxster of the same generation; and when the the 996 and Boxster suddenly share the same price point, well let’s be serious, which would you really rather have? My thoughts exactly.

1985 Yamaha RZ500 with Clean U.S. Title - Wouldn’t hurt to have a description on this listing, especially with the high opening bid of $12,500. This one is a bit higher than other RZ500’s listed on this blog, but the pictures sure do look good! 4 days left, bid now!

Not 1, Not 2, But 3 Wes Cooley Replica GS1000S Suzuki’s For Sale! - $4900 doesn’t really seem that bad for such a cool and historic bike. I got up close and personal with a GS1000S at the Barber Motorsports Park Museum earlier this year, and it was a standout for sure!

Stay tune for some more sweet news about where I've been hanging out other than on dancrouchblog.com...

dc

Related posts:

1. It’s Been Quiet Around Here, But It’s Been Going Off Over at RareSportBikesForSale.com I know my personal blog has really been neglected this...

quote from Craigslist posting:

60 Photos @ WWW.WINDYCITYMOTORSPORTS.COM We at Windy City Motorsports are very pleased to offer for sale this very rare, and ultra cool 2000 BMW M Coupe. As if the M coupe itself was not bad ass enough, an Active Autowerke supercharger system has been installed to boost power and performance. This intercooled supercharger kit sells for $4,500 plus labor, and bumps the horsepower to 360 at 7.0 PSI of boost. All on 91-93 octane pump gas! This car is an absolute BLAST to drive!!! It is finished in Cosmo Black metallic over a super clean black leather cockpit. Buy with confidence knowing it is an AutoCheck certified accident free vehicle, and is laser straight. Rolling stock consists of the original BMW Motorsport lightweight wheels wrapped in brand new Kumho ASX high performance all season tires. The fluids are fresh, and the brakes are new on all 4 corners. It is ready to enjoy.

55k miles, 360hp, black on black (not that terrible two tone many have), and a somewhat rare sight really. I've always liked the M Coupes and they look so purposeful in person. For $18900, I'm turned on!

dc

No related posts.

quote from seller's Craigslist posting:

This is an amazing car that has been covered and stored in a dry So Cal. garage for 15 years. It has the 2.2L engine with dual Zenith carbs. About a year ago, I replaced the fluids, got two new batteries, replaced some fuel pump and line and started it up. I then pumped up the tires and drove directly to my local Porsche specialist. They rebuilt the carbs, did full tune up, rebuilt brakes and changed lines, installed water shields, replaced exhaust return tubes and conducted a general safety inspection. Next were four new Kumo 205/60 15's and an Audio Shoppe custom installed Pioneer P4900 IB CD deck (detachable face and Ipod ready) and 4 speakers. It's been back to the mechanic for a few adjustments since, but that is the major work done. Since then I hve put on about 900 trouble free miles. It has a period aftermarket steering wheel with Porsche emblem.. and the horn works! The original manual, full set of service manuals and tool kit bag.

Now for the other side of the coin. The car backfires something fierce when down shifting. Mechanic says it’s a timing issue. It has the Marelli distributer and needs to be converted to the Bosch. That will allow the timing to be set properly and should cure the problem. Only the seals that could be reached with the engine in the car were changed. It leaks a bit (most do) but new seals won’t hurt. Paint is not original, but a very good match, I think it was painted in 1979 or so. It has a couple paint dings, the biggest is in the right rear quarter (a slight crease about 2 inches long). The dash has a couple of cracks, the headliner is a bit dingy and the right turn signal works every other day or so.

All in all a VERY GOOD car, and with a little more attention would be a GREAT car.

The previous spot I had for Eric was $15k but needed paint. This car likely needs some freshening from the long time it sat, but the paint should be good (though maybe not original color or quality). Worth a look as early 911's still show good value and are rarely spotted at this price... for now.

dc

Related posts:

1. 1984 Alfa Romeo GTV – Great Shape, Even Better Price! Paul sent me an IM tonight with this link and...

1990 Honda VFR750R RC30 For Sale in Rochester - The title and registration, combined with the the obvious care and thoughtful upgrades, make this bike a standout. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one listed for sale in recent memory. What do you guys think of the $16k asking?

An RVF400 and VFR400 For Sale in the Bay Area - Naturally the VFR400 with original looking bodywork would be my pick. Too bad it doesn’t have registration. The RVF400 is probably the cooler bike mechanically, but restored plastics would be at the top of my list. But with a title and registration, and an asking of only $3k, it’d be a great rider while you tried to determine if it was going to be a track bike or light restoration for the street.

Honda NSR250 MC18 For Sale - With no title, this great little bike will be attractive to collectors and track day enthusiasts. As a track day bike, do you pick something like this or a new Aprilia RS125? I sat on the latter this past weekend at the Seattle International Motorcycle Show, it’s amazing how beautiful it is in person…

1988 BMW M3 w/ 38k Miles Back on eBay - in my previous post, I guessed that the winning bid would be around $25k. Considering brand new M cars are apparently immune to the sales slump, do you think this legendary M car will find a buyer this time?

2001 Ducati MH900e Mike Hailwood Evoluzione - The seller has it listed with a $13.9k buy-it-now shown. Having covered only a few thousand miles, this looks like a great buy considering brand new Sport Classics go for about this much!

1995 Aprilia RS250 Chesterfied Replica - Oh man… I’m very tempted to get myself the best xmas present ever and buy this before the auction ends in a few hours. It’s even titled and street legal. It’s only a couple hours away and I’ve taken all of next week off… But I probably won’t though, so I’m posting it here in case someone else can snag it.

1998 Bimota SB6R For Sale on eBay - For a buyer with some skills or connections to a good technician, this could be a steal. Current bid is around $7k. What do you think it’s worth once it’s running properly?

Stunning 1991 Porsche 928 GT For Sale with 5 Speed - I’m a big fan of the 928 anyway, but in this color, trim, and with the 5 speed, I think this looks like a great example. Current bid is just under $14k (no reserve auction) and 8 days to go. I’ll update after auction for the final sale price.

1993 Ducati Superbike 888 SPO: Just In Time For Christmas - The only other Ducati’s of this vintage and price range that I would consider would be a 748, or a Superlight. And even in that company, I think the 888 is the bike of choice.

1998 Suzuki RGV 250 SP Lucky Strike Replica in Washington - This bike looks incredible, but the only problem is the asking price. It’s $16k! It does have very low miles and a title, but this is an outrageous premium considering the market and other examples of the Lucky Strike replica’s that we’ve posted on this blog.

1988 BMW e28 M5: Possible Project Car? - Obviously this one has a lot more miles than most cars I post on here. And I don’t know what showroom they’ve been hanging out in, but this car clearly isn’t that condition. Despite the fact that this car could’ve really benefited from a detail before shooting pics, the car looks complete and pretty good shape. If the motor was sound, this could be a pretty cool project car considering the asking. Which way would you go: fix it up as a nice driver or maybe enjoy as a weekend track toy?

No related posts.

• 1981 VW Scirocco Survivor For Sale: 16k Original Miles! - Oh the memories! Such a great looking design and when was the last time you saw one this clean in original black and tan?!
• 1976 Volkswagen GTi Period Modified Car For Sale in Portland - Another class of '92 fantasy car!
• 2001 Audi S3 Euro-Import: Be the King of Your Audi Club! - There can't be but a handful of these in the states. Better be an uber fan for the asking price though...
• 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo with Low Miles For Sale in Gray on Black - Always a sucker for a low miles 951 for sale!
• 1987 PORSCHE 928 S4 with 5 Speed Manual: Perfect eBayMotors Listing - The photos for this sale ad are good enough for bedroom wall posters! Black on Parchment: Hot!
• Honda CBR900RR: What’s the Market Like For These? - When was the last time you saw one of these in good condition? Me neither.
• Fancy a Brand New 2009 Aprilia RS125? - Aprilia finally brings over a 2 stroker for us! But it's not road legal
• 1990 Honda MC21 NSR250R SE: Low Miles, Titled, and Great Price - Rebodied MC-28 in Repsol livery. Yum!

Thanks for reading, and if you have an outstanding German Car For Sale or a Rare Sportbike, I'd love to list your ad for free! Just drop me an email.

Thanks!

dc

Related posts:

1. It’s Been Quiet Around Here, But It’s Been Going Off Over at RareSportBikesForSale.com I know my personal blog has really been neglected this...

But without further ado, a summary of posts from other sites I blog on that I hope dancrouchblog.com readers will enjoy:

{update: Image thumbnails removed due to technical issues. I hate working from the road!!}

• 1987 BMW 325IC b+b For Sale, as in Buchmann of Germany! - This car is loaded with hard to find (possibly impossible) period aftermarket pieces of Bachmann of Germany.
• Euro Spec 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo For Sale - The car pushes some buttons for me: Great color, rare European specification, and great looking upgrade rims.
• 1985 BMW e24 M635CSi For Sale: aka RARE and Affordable! - This is my pick of the week without a doubt. This low miles, European spec example is a bargain at $16k if it checks out. Other M cars of the period are routinely listed at or over $20k.
• 1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S ‘Silver Rose’: One of the most Rare 951 Configurations - One of the most sought after configurations amongst Porsche 951 enthusiasts.
• 1991 Bimota YB8 For Sale with only 1 Mile on the Clock! - It's a crime this bike was never ridden. But if you need a museum piece for your living room, this would fit the bill nicely!
• 1994 Honda RVF400 For Sale in San Fran - As you know, I'm a sucker for 400cc gray market bikes!
• 1993 Ducati Superbike 888 SPO: So Are These Rare or Not? - I'm joking a bit in the title, but it sure seems like these are coming up for sale more often than I'd expect.

Thanks for reading at dancrouchblog.com and my other sites. Please let me know if there are vehicles or topics that you'd like to see addressed. Leave a comment!

dc

Related posts:

1. It’s Been Quiet Around Here, But It’s Been Going Off Over at RareSportBikesForSale.com I know my personal blog has really been neglected this...

When I saw this car and made contact with the seller, I had that feeling that I've had before when I've spotted 'the one'. The same feeling I had when I bought the M3 for instance. The right mileage, history, maintenance and upgrades. You know, a great example being passed from one enthusiast to another. But alas, there will be another someday...

Here's a preview of the online resource guide I'll be putting together for prospective 964 buyers:

Porsche 964 Known Issues

• The early 964 motors leak oil, and potentially lots of it. Many consider it not a matter of how much, but how soon it will be severe. Later 93 models have a correction to the motor to solve this issue.
• The flywheel is also notorious for failure in the 75-100k mile range. Again, the later models address this issue and can easily be retrofitted.

Porsche 964 Online Resources

• 6SpeedOnline - A growing community with a lot of vendor support. And where I spotted the classified ad for the car featured in this post.
• Pelican Parts Forums - This is THE online gathering place for Porsche enthusiasts. There is a dedicated 964 discussion area and also a fantastic classifieds area.
• John's Porsche 964 Web - While the site is very 1999ish, the content and membership is very robust. There is a ton of first hand experience, advice, reviews, and picture on this site. A must read for the Porsche 964 buyer.
• JW's Porsche 964 Site - Another first hand account enthusiast site that has excellent data on actual ownership costs, magazine reviews, and links.

Why This 964 With 130k miles Looks Attractive to Me

• This car has reported full receipts. On German sports cars this is a very good first indicator of previous owners who cared for the car. And it's not cheap, which will help provide state of mind in knowing there isn't thousands needed in immediate expenses.
• This car has a rebuilt motor and was built to include all the 964 upgrades to make the engine as reliable as possible.
• Because this car is a must own someday car for me, I have to include that I'm also attracted to this car because it was the high school fantasy dream car for me. I even assembled this (recently reissued) Fujumi model of the Porsche 964 Carrera 2 at 17 or 18 years old, in you guessed it, black on black.
• I even like the upgrades of the tasteful H&R springs, chip, strut bar and sport exhaust. All upgrades I'd probably choose to make myself, that are already in place!

I consulted my close friend and Porsche specialist, Paul at Sports Car Shop, about my analysis and gut feeling concerning the approachability and value of this car. It went like this:

[22:07] Dan: it's got mileage and isn't perfect. While it will live in the garage, it won't be the end of the world if it stay in the driveway for a week or two. True or False
[22:07] Paul: True, Porsches are "real" cars, not just garage queens that fall apart at the first sign of moisture.
[22:07] Paul: Next?
[22:08] Dan: A Carrera 2 with good maintenance and 130k miles is a good deal at 18.5k. True or False
[22:09] Paul: True, Maintenance is key but the Carrara motor is a direct descendent of the venerable 3.0 SC engine, a bullet-proof high-mileage motor if taken care of.
[22:11] Paul: uh oh, this looks like a long one, I'm getting a beer
[22:12] Dan: Even though this motor is not numbers matching, having been rebuilt with the right corrections (barrel/case seals, vented distributor, flywheel upgrade) and having only 25k miles on the drivetrain, is likely an inevitible expense with early 964's. Isn't it valuable to a driver to know that this car is good for at least another 75k miles even if upgrades weren't performed. True or False. And how much does a cheap to dealership range cost to rebuild a 964 motor anyway?
[22:12] Dan: Yes, beer me too!
[22:15] Dan: mmm, Grolsch, good call!
[22:17] Paul: True, an engine rebuilt to stock specs should have a life expectancy of at least 100k miles. A rebuild is not cheap and almost out of the question if a specialty shop or dealership performs the repairs, somewhere in the $10-20K range. A quick freshen-up without new pistons or head work is a bit chaper, but in the end a used engine is the only "budget" solution. I still am curious why this car
[22:17] Paul: needed an engine so early in it's life?
[22:18] Dan: the email states excessive oil leaks, which is inline with what I've read in terms of buyer's guides for the 964
[22:18] Dan: (Link: http://www.porsche964.nl/reviews/964-2003.php)http://www.porsche964.nl/reviews/964-2003.php
[22:19] Paul: Then a reseal, not a rebuild is what's in order. I've seen and repaired a number of these with leaks from the valve and timing chain covers, rear main seals, and front seals.
[22:19] Dan: sounds like I need to call the guys who rebuilt the engine ahead of time to inquire
[22:20] Dan: according to the email, the dudes who rebuilt the engine are reputable, but I should do my own homework
[22:21] Paul: agreed, call and ask those exact questions, 'what was rebuilt, what was replaced, and why?"
[22:21] Dan: what are acceptable answers and what are not?
[22:23] Paul: I suspect that the car had an extensive engine-out service to repair the oil leakage (a 993 we did recently with some upgrades but no rebuild ran $13,000). but was not "rebuilt. The owner may have misunderstood because of the magnitude of the work and the cost involved.
[22:24] Paul: or, he got a great deal and you could too!
[22:25] Dan: well even with that caveaot in place, I still tend to think as an infatuated buyer that the expensive upgrades have been performed (if documented) and it could still be a deal and even an appreciating car. Especially black on black
[22:26] Dan: And personally, I love the design 90 wheels and I'm glad they're part of the picture
[22:26] Paul: there is no doubt that whatever has been done to it in the past if it's a clean, well-running car it's worth the asking price.
[22:26] Dan: and in the end, this is my point
[22:27] Dan: especially if the right mods were in fact made, from what I've read, that's the only stuff to bitch about on this platform.
[22:27] Paul: As an investment you could always recoup your money
[22:29] Paul: the 964 is underappreciated, the cool classic style of a 911 with the modern grunt of the 993 engine, what's not to love?

So anyway, I will regrettably be passing on this car. But if you're in the PNW and in the market for a 964, you should go check this car out!

Disclaimer: I have not seen this car in person nor has Paul. While I presume a visual inspection will reveal detailed documentation of service history and the overall quality of this car, I can only assume the buyer be educated or employ a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) before buying to be sure.

dc

No related posts.