Alpina B9 restoration

38430 Views 76 Replies 23 Participants Last post by kees, Feb 28, 2007

b9projectcar

Discussion Starter · Aug 4, 2005

Hello everyone :byebye:

I'm a new member here, from France.
I use to read M5board very often, but i decided to register.
I own an Alpina B9 3,5 E28, that i found in the south of France, lying in a very poor shape. I got it for nothing, and fortunatly, the car was running great, even if it hasn't drive for 5 years.
So happy to own an Alpina i dreamed about lovelove, i decided to restore it.

Even if it's very rusty, very high mileage (370 000 kms), completly burnt by the south sun, it was an Alpina with such an amazing driving pleasure.
The car was running as new. I didn't know a lot about the car.
First i wanted to buy it only for some parts and the beautiful wheels.
The previous owner was a garagist that died. His brother sold me the car.
But the car was originaly from belgium, and had still the red and white driving plate.
Fortunatly, the first owner of the car, was living in France, and was a friend of the garagist who died. He made the sale papers to me, 5 years after having given the car (without any sale contract).

So he told me about his first hand car: He changed the engine at 250 000 kms, and the car had a full and expensive maintenance untill he gave it at 370 000 km, under the pressure of his wife: "You can't make expenses on a 370 000 kms car no more !!" He would have driven it untill today if he would have the choice. He was completly in love with the car.

So, since last october, i did a lot of work on the car, myself or in a bodyworkshop. The restoration is not in the "rules of the art", my purpose is only to have a safe and nice car, and having a big enjoyement in the restoration.

I register now, because more than words i can offer you a lot of photos of the project, as i've just launched my web site about it.
It's an adaptation of a post-it topic in a french forum called 6enligne.net.
It's in french, but you can see the photos in the "restauration" section.
In "recit de voyage", you have all the photos when i bought the car.

Here's the link: http://sfiedos.free.fr/alpinab9/

I hope you will enjoy it :wroom:

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61 - 77 of 77 Posts

b9projectcar

Discussion Starter · #61 · Oct 3, 2006

12

Hi Alpina enthousiasts !
The engine arrived yesterday :M5thumbs:

Engine and gearbox in good condition, except the cooling fan bended on some corners.

No "mayonnaise" in the oil, no head gasket damage.

Here you can see the cylinder head number

here the completly rusted 4230 number of engine on the lug. Dear Alpina fans, please check this number before asking Alpina if the engine is genuine.
they don't care about Vin numbers and B9/1 type. The only thing important is this number.

It's so rusty that i put the numbers in red on the photo:

the electric wires were badly cuted, a bit of shame. It wasn't difficult to take off the rubber, disconnect the motronic, and keep the motronic in the same time.

i'v taken out the air and fuel arrival, so easy when engine is out of the car.

better view to see the engine clearly.
For Todd, the red sticker only tells this is bad to use a normal key to fit the cylinder head. You have to use a dynamometric key.

then i opened the cylinder head cover, and it's a beauty, so clean, cams are almost not used. Very happy !

only one bad point, the alternator and power steering pump were damaged a bit in the crash, so the supports are bended, and the aluminium support is broken at the bottom. I have to replace those parts, and check if the engine isn't damaged due to the move of accessories.

But, it's in good way to be in my car soon :byee55amg

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alpinacsi

· #62 · Oct 3, 2006

Congrats! Now get it in the proper home.

When you get a few minutes, can you send me a picture of the intake. I would like to see a better picture like the one you have with the intake sitting on the floor from the valve cover side.

Thanks and good luck, Todd

b9projectcar

Discussion Starter · #63 · Oct 3, 2006

Hi Todd,

you mean a photo like this one ? :hihi:

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alpinacsi

· #64 · Oct 3, 2006

Actually a closer shot like this one. I want to see a better shot of the hoses that come off the throttle body to AFM boot. I am trying to see if mine has been Americanized or what it should be like.

Thanks, Todd

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m5 killer

· #65 · Oct 3, 2006

i salute you in england we would say thats the dogs bollocks, well done you have put some serious work in to that it reminds me of my younger days when i did my project cars if we ever meet theres a bottle of crystal waitng for you:cheers:

shes alpina blue with two turbos and kills m5s her name is m5 killer...then theres hartge e30 cab with a monster engine her name is bird and shes a naughty girl. then theres the other cabrio the 320 clk jasper blue with every extra available. oh yes and the 4x4 cossie she only comes out for a laugh.....and weve now got bird2 shes got 470 horses two turbos and is japanese (SUPRA)......also being added R1 yamaha and a monster 4wd japanese killer just for fun in the mountains:M5rev:also just added to the fleet is a 2002 porsche 996tt in silver full options and auto with the old tip-tronic:hihihi:just arrived vw touareg v10 tdi diamond black, fully loaded tiptronic with 22" rims. just arrived gunmetal grey toyota celica gt4 2.0 turbo 4wd 360 bhp with t4 turbo, running out of space for cars, RS4 CABRIOLET IN PHANTOM BLACK JUST LANDED :M5rev:

Bmw pat

· #66 · Oct 31, 2006

Hey, I'm new here and just discoverd this tread. What a nice restauration. If you have any part questions for the alpina b9 I have the complete original parts book with parts numbers. It also covers b10 3,5 and b7 turbo.

b9projectcar

Discussion Starter · #67 · Oct 31, 2006

M5 killer> sorry for answering so late, and thanks for the invitation.
If i go sometime in England, for sur i would be happy to visit you and your BT queen of the road

Bmw pat> Thank you for your help, and for the comments. All that concerns the B9 is a big interest for me, so if you could send me some details, scanned documention, i would be very grateful.
I'll send you a private message with my email.
Thanks.

alpinacsi

· #68 · Dec 28, 2006

How is the progress on the engine install?

b9projectcar

Discussion Starter · #69 · Dec 28, 2006

2

Hi AlpinaCsi,
i wanted to wait untill my website will be updated, but as you're asking for some news here are the pics:

I have cleaned and painted a lot of parts of the engine, done some maintenance, and next week or maybe in two weeks the engine will be installed. I hope it will run fine, but i'm sure of it !
Alpina has confirmed i have the good Motronic. Refering to the matching numbers, the motronic is a regular Bmw with only a switch to fit in position 5.
I will soon inform you about the updates of my site, and about the installation.

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alpinacsi

· #70 · Dec 28, 2006

Thanks for the update! I looks like it is progressing nicely so let us know when the website is updated.

Thanks, Todd

kees

· #71 · Dec 29, 2006

Very nice!

b9projectcar

Discussion Starter · #72 · Feb 11, 2007 (Edited)

2

Hi !
little newsletter for my website about the B9 !
I've updated the site from may to february, the new pages are marked in red in the restoration section. Thanks for reading.

http://sfiedos.free.fr/alpinab9/textes/resto/a-resto-index.htm

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aw/ir02smg

· #73 · Feb 11, 2007

b9projectcar,

my french is only good for gastronimic terms. however, the pics speak very eloquently of your labor. will be tracking your progress!

alpinacsi

· #74 · Feb 12, 2007

Thanks for the updates!!!!!

cefd

· #75 · Feb 12, 2007

toujours aussi impressionantes ces photos, ma triumph prend forme elle aussi, j'aurai du prendre autant de photos que toi, histoire de suivre les etapes de la restauration... Bravo encore

(as always, pictures are impressive, my triumph is getting there as well, i should have taken pictures like you did, in order to keep a trace of the restoration steps... Congrats again)

b9projectcar

Discussion Starter · #76 · Feb 27, 2007

hi Alpina friends !

The engine has started again yersterday, without any other problems than seeking a bad connection on the starter, and a forgotten air depression tube before the air manifold :noSMG:

So good to hear this engine running quiete well. I just started a little bit, i must now check the growing temperature, and ajust the water level, etc...
The camschaft gives it a very different noise, more low and chaotic.

Good good good !

here a small video of one of the first start.

http://sfiedos.free.fr/alpinab9/resto/photos/28-changement-moteur/alpina-demarre.divx

Another good news, is that i'm becoming the owner of another Alpina B9, in beautiful condition :wroom:
i get it the next week, it just has a full service (head gasket, exaust, settings) and i just have to turn the key and drive, wow, i'm so happy about my two B9 now.
A new topic about the car next week ! :byebye:

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kees

· #77 · Feb 28, 2007

b9projectcar said:
Another good news, is that i'm becoming the owner of another Alpina B9, in beautiful condition :wroom:
i get it the next week, it just has a full service (head gasket, exaust, settings) and i just have to turn the key and drive, wow, i'm so happy about my two B9 now.
A new topic about the car next week ! :byebye:

Look forward to some pictures and information about your new purchase! :byebye:

Good news about getting your current B9 up and running again as well!

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