Any info on this old image?

[Epic]

Hi Folks.

The below photo has been an inspiration for me and the restoration of my car. I'd love to know more about it. Likely that it is an old Alpina garage or something but I cannot seem to verify where the image has come from. A search will show that it is all over Pinterest but that is it. Does anyone have more information about this image and its history? Thanks

 

[Tommy]

I did a little google search on the license plate. KF refers to Kaufbeuren, Bavaria, about 60 km west from Munich. That's the town where Burkard Bovensiepen started his business. So it's probably the original ALPINA workshop before moving to Buchloe in 1970. 

[Lorin]

The only info I have on that picture is that it is AWESOME!

[resra]

But look at the choice of wheels on the cars....cosmic, 100+ etc. looks more british to me. Alpina factory cars would probably wear what Alpina offered to their customers for sale at the time. 

[tzei]

Looks like normal night shift to me. Race day tomorrow... err today. Schnell schnell jungs!

[Conserv]

2 hours ago, resra said:

But look at the choice of wheels on the cars....cosmic, 100+ etc. looks more british to me. Alpina factory cars would probably wear what Alpina offered to their customers for sale at the time. 

Or are we simply seeing Alpina sampling some of the rims that were typically offered in really wide sizes in these early years, e.g., 13 x 7, 13 x 8 sizes, and wider? The largest portion of Alpina’s client base in the early years were German street cars, fully subject to TUV approval and inspection. Consequently, many of the rims they offered, whether steel, bimetal, or alloy, top out in a range from 5.5” (Alpina steelies and bimetals) to 6.5” (Alpina alloy turbines). But were Alpina turbines even around in ca. 1969? And did the 3-piece racing rims exist in these early years, or were they a 1970’s “thing”? I don’t know enough Alpina history to know.

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[irdave]

Are they just early grills painted black?

[Epic]

It is a cool picture and as I said, my current inspiration. Nice investigative work on the licence plate @Tommy. I have these comics in 13x6 and it was shared with me that the original owner got them from the dealer in BMW Wollongong (NSW Australia) when he purchased the car in 68-69. My car is beige too so you can appreciate the attraction to this image. I must finish it with the black tops too.

[zinz]

18 minutes ago, Epic said:

My car is beige too so you can appreciate the attraction to this image. I must finish it with the black tops too.

 

Not to quash your dreams, but Alpina livery was Colorado orange with matte black accents in that picture.  The colors in the photo above are either washed out from the florescent lights, or stylized in photo shop.

 

 

Ed

[Epic]

4 minutes ago, zinz said:

 

Not to quash your dreams, but Alpina livery was Colorado orange with matte black accents in that picture.  The colors in the photo above are either washed out from the florescent lights, or stylized in photo shop.

 

 

 

Ed

These cars could well be Colorado. You're right.

 

Has there been any history of other colours prior to the original workshop in 1970?

[Conserv]

These are Colorado cars with black tops, just as Ed said.

 

If you want the Alpina look on an early ‘02, that’s the way to go.

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited June 30, 2020 by Conserv

[02Les]

Were Cosmic mk11 wheels available in 1970? I thought it was more like '72 when they phased out the mk1s.

[Oldtimerfahrer]

I would agree that it looks like a picture from their shop, too bad only one car has visible plates. From the hood badging I would guess they are all prepared for racing.

I remember reading/seeing that Alpina did sell Cosmic rims, but it would be odd on a racer.

Les, the ones in the picture on the left are RA004 I think, they came on two variants with differing weight and bead style on the lip. I have both types, but mine are both 5.5x13. One is earlier (lighter) for tube type tires, the other much heavier with a thick outer lip presumably tubeless. Both share the same visual effect, but the early ones were often done up with polished spokes and black background (like here in the picture) while the later ones were just silver and not polishable without putting them on a lathe. Seems they changed the molds at some point to update to tubeless but kept the same look.

Andrew

[uai]

And before 3pc Alpina rims were available they used Limmer rims.

That Photo is authentic.

[Andersson]

Alpina workshop 1971.