BMW Re-Releases 73 Year Old Gearbox
As the owner of a geriatric, but otherwise well maintained car, you know that getting parts can be a bitch. Depending on company policy, ex-factory supply of parts can cease after 12, or, if you are the lucky customer of a more dedicated maker, 15 years after the end of regular production. BMW now goes against that trend and offers parts for a car that went out of style 73 years ago.
Manufactured between 1936 and 1940, the BMW 328 ranked as a dream sports car in its days and remained a dream for most. With a total run of just 464 units, it was a rarity even during its production years. A substantial number is still around today. Most suffered from the unavailability of the original Hurth gearbox, which led to the use of synchro gearboxes from other manufacturers and the committing of a cardinal sin amongst collectors: A departure from the true original.
73 years after production of the 328 stopped, BMW Classic and supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG laid up a small production run of 55 gearboxes. According to BMW Classic spokesman Stefan Behr, the units are not remanufactured, but new: “What’s special – apart from the technical complexity – is the fact that the parts are approved by FIVA and FIA. Cars with the unit may start in races sanctioned by these bodies,” Behr said.
Through optimized materials and a reinforced bearing for the second gear, the “new-old” gearbox is even better than the original, but it complies faithfully with the factory status in the later production period of the BMW 328. The first prototypes of the new-old gearbox already demonstrated their reliability in the 2012 Mille Miglia, the world’s best-known classic car race.
The gearbox joins a growing catalog of some 40,000 parts maintained by BMW Classic as replacements for the many BMW collector’s items out there. Other makers pay homage to heritage in glossy brochures and glitzy museums, BMW actually keeps history alive.
BMW does not only have an open ear for the needs of owners of their historic cars, it also is receptive to questions of TTAC’s commentariat. Asked a few times what the gearbox would cost, and countering the rumor spread by Cjmadura that its $50,000 , Herr Behr revealed that the price of the gearbox is “19,748.33 EUR, in Germany, including VAT.” That would translate to $25,755.34, or only half of what Cjmadura figured.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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The other thing is that, as 3D printing becomes cheaper and more advanced, you will be able to print your own parts one day. Star Trek replicator-style. In any case, I've heard Mercedes is great about this stuff, as some commenters have already mentioned. By the way, Ford/Lincoln didn't have a particular Panther part I needed once several years ago, and my car was probably 17 or 18 years old then. I got the part easily off Ebay from a merchant for a reasonable price. The internet has made this stuff easier than it used to be too. For a European car, with some search fu and a free translator, you can search European stocks too.
I dunno, $25,000 is a lot of money for just a gearbox. For that much you could put a small block Chevy crate motor in it, a Muncie Rockcrusher, a Ford 9" rear end, slap on some Torque Thrust D's, and a nice side exhaust with glasspacks. You'd probably have enough for a nice Grant wood steering wheel and a stereo system with a subwoofer too. I'm sure those cars didn't have much of a radio back then.