A few pictures,CSL's from Monterey Car Week

[mpgandco]

I thought I would share a few pictures of my Black unrestored 1975 BMW CSL Batmobile, and Henry Schmitt's CSL Batmobile race car at the Historic car races at Laguna Seca Racetrack.There are also a couple of the BAT at Concorso Italiano.The Bat is one of only 2 ever produced in Schwartz "Black',46,000 documented original miles.
Henry owns BMW of San Francisco and had his best finish this year,6th place.Pretty good against those monster 934 and 935 Porsche's with much more HP.
If you have never been to Monterey in August,you should put it on your bucket list.There are about 6 car Auctions,Pebble Beach Concours,Historic Car races,Summer Concours and much more.You will see any car that you have ever dreamed about and most of them are being driven around town.

 

[JhwShark]

Nice looking...Laguna Seca is a great course and August at Pebble is better than the "clam bake/now ATT" in Feb!

I notice non-trap side mirrors(I think, not wearing my glasses) on the '75 Schwartz e9...is that stock??
Jon

 

[E911]

Power mirror option...

*** I notice non-trap side mirrors(I think, not wearing my glasses) on the '75 Schwartz e9...is that stock?? ***

My '75 has one on the driver side and a non-power on the passenger- could be original or added later.

 

[HB Chris]

Mike,

Sunday looks a lot quiter than Saturday.

JW,

By `74 cars were getting flag mirrors or the electric version of the flag. My `73 has flags not traps.

 

[JhwShark]

Thanks Chris!
I figured later MY's had evolved a bit.
Jon

 

[mpgandco]

The power mirrors are correct for my 1975 BAT.In late 74 they went to these mirrors.I have owned my Late 74 coupe for 30 years and it came with this power mirror on it.
My Bat was produced on March 6th 1975, so this is the correct power mirror.

Chris.....Great seeing you and your beautiful Malaga CS at Laguna!!.Yes,Sunday there is nobody out at the track,there all out at Pebble Beach Concours. Some of the best cars race on Sunday,including the vintage F1 cars.It was just me and Murray Fowler with his beautiful,500,000 mile coupe

 

[mpgandco]

A few more pictures.This car is #42 of only 57 Series 2 CSL Batmobiles ever produced.The first 40 were 1974 models and the last 17 were 1975 models.Only 2 were produced in Black.I have the Rear Wing and Roof Hoop,they have never been mounted on the car.The factory couldn't install them because of Government regulations,so they put them in the trunk for the customer to have installed.

 

[deQuincey]

fine car
beautiful color too
regards

 

[glenn in encinitas]

God I love these cars in Schwartz- just beautiful. See you got Carl to hang out too!

 

[acat2002]

The black color has really grown on me after first seeing this car posted FS a few years ago. If I've mistaken this car for another one (doubt it, pretty rare) correct me. Are you the new owner?

Regardless, it's a georgeous car!

Unrelated, but still pretty cool (to me) is that a good friend that lives down the street from me picked up the white '37 328 at the RM auction last Saturday! I can't want to see it. I'll post some pictures when it arrives in the off-topic section.

I will NOT miss Monterey next year for sure!

 

[mpgandco]

Yes that is the "Famous" Carl Nelson with his Fjord CSL,with Wings. It is not a Bat,it is a 227xxxx car. It was on his lift at his shop,almost done, for about 15 years.He put his guys on it and they completed it,in about a month, just to bring to Monterey.Props to Jeff and Ben at La Jolla Independent BMW,for putting in many hours to finish the car.Came out really nice.I stole parts off of it ,while parked in front of my house, while Carl was sleeping.He doesn't know it yet.
Yes I am the new owner of this time capsule "Schwartz" Bat.I bought it last August and just spent 3 months Cleaning and trying to preserve its original condition to display here in Monterey.

 

[mpgandco]

This must be the BMW 328 your friend bought.Very nice!!

http://www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cfm?SaleCode=MO10&CarID=r135&Currency=USD

 

[TodB]

Schwartz

More pics of Schwartz please, i.e. interior,engine, etc. Just lovely.

LOVE the lights. What are they and how did you mount them?

 

[CSL 1973]

Many thx for the pictures of your nice bat in the rare colour Schwarz.

As regards Carl Nelson's Fjord, is that also a Bat or a normal 2275xxx CSL with the wing kit mounted? If I remember correctly, Carl had a white CSL, with side skirts etc, some years ago?

Cheers

 

[mpgandco]

Yes, Carl's car is not a Bat and it may have been white at some time.I think it is a # 227xxxx car.It is probably the same car, as he has owned it since I have known him and that is about 25 years.He had the wings laying around ,so he installed them.He also has the original Aluminum Deck lid painted in Fjord that he can swap back and forth.
Thanks for all the compliments on the Black Bat.I was just sent some better pictures from a friend in North Carolina that I will post.

 

[acat2002]

This must be the BMW 328 your friend bought.Very nice!!

http://www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cfm?SaleCode=MO10&CarID=r135&Currency=USD

Correct, that's it. Sorry I meant '39, NOT '37.
there were three (3) 328s up for auction. One was sort of a dog, one had very nice race provenance and there was this one right in the middle. The white one has some good ownership provenance in terms of collectors, but no race provenance. More interstingly though, is the reported sale price of $539,000, when I heard first hand that the hammer price was $490,000 ($515,000 w/ buyer's premium). RM estimated the value between $550,000 and $700,000, so to me it looks like they try to save face a little and also monkey around with market comps which keeps their propaganda machine going. I always sound cynical, but where and why do they report $539,000? maybe they include sales tax?

In any event, I can't wait to drive it!

mpgandco-did do find the transaction pleasant when you purchased the Swartz? there was a lot of chatter and banter regarding your car a few years back and I was curious how it turned out. I understand if you did not want to get into details over the forum.

 

[mpgandco]

In a way, I am actually glad that the sellers had a bad reputation.With all the BS on Bring a Trailer and Ebay,nobody would go look at the car,including myself.If anyone of them had looked at the car they would have bought it and I would not own it at this time It is the real deal!!The car is in amazing original,unmolested condition.46,000 documented original miles,It still has the original "Lightweight" Windshield.The wood,original lightweight CSL Carpet,Black Headliner and whole interior are in excellent shape.It drives as a 46,000 mile car should.The Wings have never been mounted on the car,but I do have them and they are painted Black.It has all the original Lightweight panels from new and the gaps are as it left the Factory.All the original Factory engine decals are there and in excellent condition.
With the help of a good friend who knew the owner and the car,I was able to drive up, inspect the car and buy it.My friend actually worked for the Factory BMW CSL race team in the early 70's and knows these cars.He was one of the original 9 Employees for BMW Motorsport in the 70's.Without his help, I would have never been able to even view the car,much less buy it.I owe him,dearly.
Believe it or not it was in an old,run down single car barn/garage out in the sticks.Kind of a barn find,but one in which everybody knew of the car.The car was not being marketed at the time when I purchased it.
What is very valuable to me is that I am in contact with the older Couple who owned the car for 20 years and brought it over in 1982.He verified the mileage and condition of the car.He lives down in Pismo Beach area,about 2 hours from me.We speak every couple months or sne day we are going to hook up and I am going to let him drive his beloved Black CSL Batmobile again.He was kind enough to send me a picture of the car before it was DOT'ed in 1982.

 

[acat2002]

mpgandco-congratulations! Based on what you've stated, that is truly a great find.
I remember at that time seeing the car featured on eBay and BaT and was left wondering why such a valuable example (if indeed it was as represented) was sitting in some run-down Topenga Cyn hippy village in Malibu (or wherever it was).

Like most keyboard tuff-guys, I offered skeptisicm on both BaT and here regarding the seller's story. It's always easy for those of us with no skin in the game to offer critisism when it comes to viewing vintage cars over the internet. In the end it seems like those who are willing to "show me the money" and take the time and effort to properly verify these cars (you) are richly rewarded. Verifying the provenance and your factory pal were probably essential.

 

[CSL 1973]

Carl Nelson CSL White vs. Fjord

mpgandco:

Many thx for the info about Carl's CSL.

However, I doubt if the "old white CSL" and the Fjord is the same car. On my picture of the white Carl Nelson CSL, it has no cut-outs for the front bumper, complete set of E9 Zender side-skirt + race wings (front and rear), skirts below the rear bumper, tinted windows etc. Of course, it is possible to modify a CSL and then bring it back to original again as the Fjord looks like. But it's pretty unusual that someone put back the cut-outs for the front bumper (like on the Fjord) without using a bumper.

If you have the opportunity, maybe you could verify with Carl if the Fjord is really the same as the white, or simply check the VIN of the Fjord (I know the VIN of the white one).

It would be interesting to sort out.

Cheers

 

[bmwmadman]

mpgandco or Mike:

I saw your car up in the BMW coral at Laguna Seca. It was a very nice treat to see in person. The car is VERY original and well kept. For the very little patina, wear and tear on the car there seems to be a good story behind it. Keep it original and I hope to see it again soon...

Gary