Description
This is lot number 122 in the Bonhams Zoute sale on October 6th, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
One of only approximatively 482 produced
Highly desired and sporty powerful 80bhp 328 engine from new
Delivered new to Berlin, Germany
Matching numbers engine, body panels etc.
Fully restored between 2018 and 2023 (purchase invoice of 400, 000 on file)
Well-documented example
Belgian registration document
"Priced, new, at a little under $3, 000 in Germany, the 327 was one of those cars which cannot be described it must be experienced. Its sheer performance, roadability and comfort defy description, yet the mechanical specifications appear neither unusual or unorthodox today. However, in 1938 the BMW was something of a pioneer with its tubular frame, independent front suspension and good power to weight ratio." Road & Track, 1954.
Introduced in 1938, the 327 sports-tourer used the shortened, boxed, ladder-type chassis of the 326 saloon, shared by the 320, but with semi-elliptic rear springing in place of torsion bars. The gearbox was a Hurth four-speed manual unit with freewheel between 1st and 2nd gears, enabling clutch-less gear changes at low speeds, while there were hydraulic brakes all round and centralised chassis lubrication.
BMW's pushrod six had by now been enlarged to 1, 971cc and developed around 55bhp in the 327, which could also be ordered with the 328 sports car's engine at extra cost. The 328's engine featured an ingenious new cylinder head, designed by Rudolf Schleicher, which incorporated hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined valves without recourse to overhead, or twin, camshafts. Instead, the engine's single, block-mounted camshaft and pushrod valve actuation were retained, thus avoiding an expensive redesign. Two rocker shafts were employed, one situated above each bank of valves, giving the engine an external appearance almost indistinguishable from that of a twin-overhead-camshaft design. Downdraught inlet ports contributed to the motor's deep breathing, and its tune-ability made it a popular choice for British racing car constructors, most notably Cooper, during the 1950s. The 328 engine produced 80bhp as standard, an exemplary output for a normally aspirated 2. 0-litre unit at that time, with considerably more available in race trim.
When fitted with the standard engine the 327 was known as the 'Fast Tourer', and with the 328 unit installed as the 'Sport Cabriolet'. Deploying the 328's state-of-the-art engine in a more civilised and comfortable package, the 327/ 328 is relatively rare, with only 482 completed up to 1940 when production ceased. Autocar magazine had got its hands on a 328-engined Type 327 Sports Cabriolet in 1939, achieving the highly creditable maximum speed, for a 2. 0-litre car, of 156km/ h while testing the BMW at Brooklands. Having a very good power-weight ratio, these cars are much favoured by the Historic rallying fraternity for their unrivalled combination of refinement and high performance.
One of approximately 482 produced, this BMW 327/ 328 Sport Cabriolet was delivered new with a white paint and red interior to the German Army headquarters in Berlin on 7th September 1938. After the WWII the car moved to Canada and comes with an important file of correspondence containing numerous letters sent and received around 1970 by Barrie D Quance the owner at that time, a pre-war BMW enthusiast who owned several of them, in Canada. In his application for membership in the BMW Car Club of America, he mentions 'my pride and joy is a 1938 327/ 8 cabriolet'. We learn in a 1972 letter that he wanted to restore it carefully, and contacted several collectors whose advertisements he found in specialised magazines, as well as dealers such as Tony Mitchell Ltd, a Frazer Nash BMW specialist in England. We even have a list of parts he was looking for in a letter dated 14th February 1973, addressed to American and Canadian collectors. There is also correspondence with the BMW archives in Munich.
Around 2017 the BMW moved to Europe and in the period 2018-2023 was fully 'nut and bolt' restored by Oldtimer Racing in Prague with no expense spared, the total cost of the project (including car) was a staggering 400, 000 (invoice on file). The 327/ 28 was completely stripped down and rebuilt with great care, using original parts or expertly re-manufactured components retaining the original (numbered) body panels. The body's timber frame was completely renewed, while the elegant and modern dark grey livery was chosen by the current owner. Offered fresh from its painstaking restoration with only some 100 kilometres on the clock since September 2023 when the car was finished, it will need some careful shakedown kilometres. A comprehensive file of photographs documenting the restoration comes with the car and the aforementioned history file. Also on file is the current Belgian registration document and some older in-period photographs.
A superb opportunity to acquire a beautifully restored and extensively documented pre-war sports convertible with elegant styling, once revolutionary for its time and highly regarded by the rally community for its exceptional power-to-weight ratio.
