History of my car

I bought my car the 20/06/2004 in Alter in Belgium at an amateur of old cars who makes deposit sale for others impassioned. There are other cars to see on its site oldtimerfarm.be. This car belonged to an employee of an airline company party to work in Africa and not being able more to benefit from it.

Then, I had to begin the administrative steps for the registration of the vehicle in France. The car going back to 1972, makes it possible to have a step reduced for the change of country. I awaited many weeks before having a final registration. Indeed, the prefecture requires a compliance certificate which one can get at BMW or for the DRIRE (Regional Instance for Industry of Research and Environment). At BMW for 130 €, with the DRIRE for 65 €. But the DRIRE, provides this document only if the vehicle exists in its data base, i.e. that in the series of the type exists in the form of 17 digits. However, this system of classification exists only as from the Eighties at BMW in any case. Thus return to box BMW, which sends a document to be filled which requires of you the job numbers of the type with 17 digits, and the number with engine. There, one turns a little in round. Especially, that after information taken at Mobile BMW Tradition, the number of engine until the end of the Seventies is same of the chassis number. Therefore, I sent my file at BMW France by putting the job number appearing under my cap and by communicating the mails of BMW Mobile Tradition. BMW returned me a certificate of partial conformity, because the tires present on my vehicle was not in conformity with the card of homologation, 205/70 VR 14 instead of 195/70 VR 14, and BMW could not guarantee the quality of braking any more. I thus had to make a presentation with the DRIRE of my vehicle equipped with the tires in conformity. However this size is quasi untraceable in France or at exhorbitant prices (145 to 185 € by tyre). By chance, I found two of them used Michelin XDX, and then two new FULDA in Belgium with 80 € by tires. Finally the 12/10/2004, I passed by again the vehicle with the DRIRE and fact registered in France. For your information, the person of the DRIRE said to me that if I had had the good tires immediately, BMW would have sent a complete and nonpartial certificate to me. However, I filled to me even the file, therefore if I had lied and put the size of duly approved tire, I would not have had to pass by the DRIRE.

After investigation at BMW Mobile Tradition and BMW Historical Files, my BMW 3.0 CSi comprising the chassis number WINE 2260026 was manufactured on 3 August 1971 and delivered on August 9, 1971 with the Belgian importer Ets. Moorkens S.A. in Kontich. The original color was Malaga, a dark red, with for code painting 021.

August 19, 2004, I had the surprise to find my car photographs some in french magazine of oldies cars La Vie de l'Auto N° 1137. JBesides I thank this newspaper which accepted that I publish this article on my website.