Year - 1938
Colour - Brown and Cream
Interior - Brown leather and brown carpet
According to BMW Classic this BMW 327 was built in 1938 to the rare 327/80 specification. This utilised the 80hp BMW 328 Sportscar engine and gave the luxurious 327 drop head grand tourer sportscar performance. Originally finished in black with red piping the car was sold by BMW Halle in 1938. That is the last that is known about the car until it surfaced in California in 1968, finished in brown and cream.
The car was bought by well known VSCC racer Tony Day in 1974 when he saw this car advertised in Motor Sport magazine in 1974. The car had been brought back to Europe from America and was on sale with Dan Marguiles in Chelsea. Tony bought it for £1,700 and ran the car for a year before consigning it to his garage. Some 20 years later, having retired and with all his children grown up, Tony had the car overhauled mechanically, initially with well-known specialist Mark Garfitt. He then started to compete, and over the next 20 years was a regular at sprints and hill climbs organised by the VSCC and the BMW Car Club Historic Section. Although having to compete in the same class as the lighter and similarly powered 328 meant that victories were rare, Tony and 'LFF 116' were a familiar sight at Prescott, Shelsley Walsh, Brooklands, Goodwood and Silverstone. During that time the beautiful straight six engine was rebuilt twice with bills on file in excess of £40,000.
As stated earlier, this car started its life as an 80bhp model, courtesy of its 328-type engine, designed by Rudolf Schleicher, which incorporated hemispherical combustion chambers. However, when the BMW surfaced in California, it had been fitted with the lower specification 'head of the 55 horsepower engine. Ever the racer, Tony sourced and refurbished a Bristol 80bhp head and the car is now very quick indeed. The car is set up for competition, fettled for many years by various historic BMW specialists, as the boxes of bills testify. To improve driveability, the gearbox and differential have been modified to incorporated Bristol internals (with added synchromesh) while 'racing' additions include an electronic rev counter, an electric cooling fan, and the obligatory ignition cut-out switch. This is a well-campaigned car so drives exceptionally well, but the body is as it was bought in 1974 and has a well used, patinated air.
It was a very expensive and rare car when new and this car is very early. In fact it was produced before the 327/80 was even announced. Its first owner must have been someone of prominence and wealth. Research in Halle may shed more light on this and how it ended up in the US when it was allocated a New York plate in 1968 (still with the history file). Perhaps it was war booty?
Tony Day finally hung up his helmet at the age of 94 and the car was sold to the current vendor. After having been sat for some time the vendor procured extensive (c£15,000) recommissioning work with ourselves and Bristol and BMW specialists, Spencer Lane Jones. The brakes and suspension were extensively overhauled and the car now handles and stops as it should. In the current vendor’s ownership the car competed at the (sadly) last ever Brighton Speed Trials and at Brooklands (where it won class awards in the sprint and the auto tests). It always attracts interest and has won awards at various car shows, most recently when it won the prestigious Classic and Sportscar Magazine Trophy at the Hampton Court Palace Concourse of Elegance.
LFF116 is a fascinating car, ready to go, and at a very reasonable price!
Specification:
Chassis no. 74212
80 horsepower model
Recently recommissioned at a cost of over £15,000
Last owner for nearly 50 years
Extensively campaigned in historic rallying and racing events
Ready for prestigious events such as the Flying Scotsman RallyLarge history file