B6-523

I am writing a historic of the E21 B6. The problem is that i have a few(!)gaps in correct information considering the B6. Here´s my questions:
Did the B6 have the battery in the trunk or not, or did it change, when?
Was there something special with the front brakes(the doppelt belüftete which Alpina talks about)
Did the Deco-set change on the B6 from thick to thin ones(like E30 B6), if so when?
Make&model of oem stero&speakers?
Was the rear spoiler available in 2 different versions?,if so did it change sometime?
5 speed sport gearbox-optional equipment?
Where were the auxiliary gauges placed?
Where the Alpina style Recaro´s always standard equipment or did it change?
Limited slip diff.-standard or optional equipment?Thank you for any answers! I own a 1982 B6 Nr.523(as you propably quessed)Delphin metallic, 163Tkm, but engine (3,5l) not original

Mr Janne

Very interesting questions...I will try to answer the questions I can.
The front discs are drilled and have the size of 255mm.
All E21 have the thick deco-set, I think.
I´m not sure about the stereo either, but Alpina used to equip their cars with Blaupunkt stereo and Pioneer speakers.
The Recaros were standard equipment.
Regarding the limited slip diff. It was optional on the 200bhp version, costed 642Dm. And it dont seem to be standard on the 218bhp version either but I dont see it on the options-list.

I hope someone else have all the answers...

carmel

hi,
well as for the deko set it was only in solid strips and then the thin came in 1984 on the e-30. the extra gauges are set on the center speaker cover on dash board and has three guages, the gearbox came in 5 speed only, the 5 speed sport was a option after, 3:45 and 3:64 was offerd but mostly 3:45 were in the cars. the battery as i know was always in the engine not the trunk, the rear heckspoiler came only in one style and is no longer available. the extra gas tank was a option and is till available part number 16 10 126. the speedo should read 260k.m.h. does anyone have engine specs on these cars and have extra parts ? ??

Andy G

you could try the following link regarding engine specs etc, may shed a bit more light on what you are looking for. http://www.bmwe21.net/alpina.htm
Is this for a book, or just as information for your self, or for club information?

B6-523

Thanks for the answers guys!
For the record i´m writing the historic to the Finnish BMW club magazine. "alpina" what engine specs were you wondering about? I wonder were i could get precise info about the battery placement, because every place i read about the B6 it says that the battery is in the trunk, but i have not seen a engine room picture without the battery beeing there! In my car the battery is in the engine room but the battery holder has for sure not always been there because the weldings where very poorly made. Another quite interesting thing is that i have the standard (grey)Recaro´s in my B6. And i know they´re not from a another car because the paper under the backseat is still there and the VIN on it matches the cars.

Mr Janne

According to Alpina´s brochures the extralarge tank was standard. One thing that´s strange is that they claim the the 200bhp version have 100 litres and the 218bhp version 96. Anyone know why?

djmink

I have been doing quite a bit of research myself on these cars. From what I gather almost everything was an option on the Alpinas, from the close ratio 5 spd, to the decko kit, to the Alpina roundels, to the seats and so on. They even offered a zender front spoiler instead of the Alpina front spoiler we know so well. The rear deck spoiler, the diff cover, the aux gas tank, all options. As far as the rear spoiler it did change in 80 or 81. The earlier rear spoiler had more rubber that wrapped all the way down the trunk and the badges were on top of the rubber. The aux gadges on the earlier cars were on the top of the dash, and the later cars in the console in two different spots. One was under the radio, the other on the right side, taking the place of an air vent setup. The interior seats were offered as standard recaros, leather, or a Alpina interior that resembled velvet.
Im currently negotiating on one, that the owner only requested alpina interior, and wheels. No badges anywhere on the car, and the ugly zender spoiler, and a gold decko kit, . Not what I would want in an Alpina car, but a hard find nonetheless.

b9projectcar

I had a B6 E21, and i have been interested by those car a lot.

It's not true what you say about options: All B6 were similar and complete, not kit cars with options. The same gearbox, LSD, exaust, engine, wheels, interior for all. The additional fuel tank was not an option on the B6, it was on the B9 3,5 E28.
The only options that i know about were metallic paint, additional instruments for oil, and no stripes. In the 80's all Alpina were produced with stripes, and it was a free options to not have them. Today it's the opposite, you have to ask for the stripes. Absolutly no Zender kit on Alpina options.

The only car which was with a lot of options, was the C1 2.3, that is complicated to define as an Alpina. Because a C1 is authentified only with the engine, and normal Bmw 323i could be C1 2,3 converted by Alpina itself. The buyer had the choice to put all Alpina accessories, all was in option.
So a normal 323i except with a C1 2,3 engine is a real one, because only the engine number is the authentification of the car.

But the Alpina B6 is a complete car. All B6 with zender, or any body kit, were transformed by the different owners.

djmink

That is incorrect sir. If I can figure out how to post a picture, I will post the build sheet directly from Alpina on this car, and you will see for yourself, that in fact there was many options, and they were added to car as separate cost and line items. Many B6 cars after 79 did not have stripes at all.

b9projectcar

That' interesting so, because it's quite different than what i saw, eared, and read about the car. I would like to see it, so i will send you my email in private message, and i could then post the picture for you.
I would like to see that very much.

But maybe a lot of B6 were produced with the common Alpina accessories, that's why i thought the B6 was in one unique configuration. I've eared about leather option.
I'm sure that, at least at the early 80's, that the free option was to not put the stripes on the car. Perhaps for cars imported in France. I'm french, and articles i've read are french.
But if you look at the unofficial Alpina webpage, in stricky topic here, they don't tell anything else than a typical definition for each model from Alpina.

I will have a look to your documentation, and post it here. Thanks.

b9projectcar

Djmink> I would like to apologize for my answer to you, because i didn't want to say "it's not true", but " i don't think that...", i made a rude answer too quick, because i'm passionate about Alpina questions i guess.

So i hope i don't have offended you too much, and i would be happy to learn more about Alpina B6 E21, if you 'd like to send me the documentations you have. Thanks and sorry again.

djmink

No problem, I didnt take it the wrong way. There is a lot of speculation and false information posted on these cars. I have found the same thing in my research on them. The cars in the last couple of years seem to finally be getting their just due, as to how special they are. Alpina doesnt seem to care to much about old technology as well as promoting the lineage of their cars. The best information is build sheets and with a bunch of aggravation you can get them from Alpina if the owner doesnt have it. Fortunately I have it for this car, so I will post it from my computer at work tomorrow, because I cant seem to download it from this one.