My E12, M535i Turbo project

[Twinz]

My,10 cents worth question...
If i remove the rear seats, and passenger seat (of 335 sedan and everything else stock) will my car be the same weight as a 135?

lekker off topic...but since we discussing fat issues :mmm:

 

[CLASSICMAN]

He also pedalled a M535i around in the mid to late '80s. He ran the Winfield 745i in the Wesbank series and will go down in History as the only person to have raced a 7 Series world-wide.

You're giving away your age SirSparky!!! (So am I )

 

[SirSparky]

at least we still young hey..... imp:

 

[Nic_s]

Tony Vienna is a legend... even I know that :thumbsup:

I have some picks somewhere... Will post when I get a chance.

 

[CLASSICMAN]

Tony Vienna is a legend... even I know that :thumbsup:

Whose the VIENNA here? You mean Viana:hammerhead:

 

[Nic_s]

Tony Vienna is a legend... even I know that :thumbsup:

Whose the VIENNA here? You mean Viana:hammerhead:

Yes... that one :facepalm:
I'm a developer (IT) and write code all the time, but as a result my spelling is useless sometimes.


Anyway... picks as promised.
Old Race BMW's (Click Me)

 

[E12 535i Turbo]

If I can add my 5c worth........

I'd be interested to know where you got the information about the "120 lightweight 535's" being built. I have done quite a bit of research on e12 BMW's when I bought mine, and when I was tracing a 530mle. All the information I have come across in that time is that the ONLY lightweight 5's ever built were built in SA and were 530's built in 1976.

Two original racecars were built by a BMW AG / Schnitzer / BMW SA collaboration to race in the then "Star Newspaper" series at Kyalami. In order to homolgate them, 100 road cars had to be built and sold, which BMW SA did. They sold so well, that another 100 or so were built and I think the grand total of 204 road going 530mle's were built. All of this in 1976. The jury is also out on how the cars were actually lightened. It is common knowledge that holes were drilled all over the car and the term "swiss cheese" has been used many times to describe the cars. It has never been verified though that the cars were actually pressed out of thinner gauge steel and there were no ally panels used.

Having said that, it is more likely that this may be Tony Viana's ex race car and that they lightened it in the same fashion - removing plates and drilling holes. It is highly unlikely that it is a lightweight version in the true sense. I may be wrong, but anyway - you are still building an awesome car!!

If it IS Tony Viana's ex race car it will have been homolgated by the FIA and you have a very rare and expensive car in your possession.

This is really valuable info.

All of the E12 535i's (1982 upwards i think), came standard with aircon, electric windows, central locking and power steering. Tony was racing the 535i in Group N at that time and BMW had to make plans to make the cars lighter as competition was fierce between the Alfa's and the BMW's. I think the best option at that time was to build a model with less luxuries, hence making it lighter! To homolgate the so called light weight 535i, BMW had to biuld a hundred units but I think they eventually ended up biulding a hundred and twenty units.

You are correct, I do not think that it is a light weight in the true sense, but it is different from the other E12 535i models. There is no power steering, no central locking, no electric windows and no aircon. I suppose they saved a couple of kg's by removing it.

What is also different is the dash. It is lower and rounder than the original, quite high and square dash of the other 535i models.

The engine is the 93,5mm bore and came standard with Mahley flat top pistons, unlike the 92mm bore of the common Motronics motor used in other 535i's.

Thanks and Regards

E12 535i Turbo

 

[E12 535i Turbo]

The late Tony Viana

The famous 535i he raced against the Alfa's!!!!!!!!!!

His M5 Racer

His 745i unique to South Africa

His Race against Willy Hepburn

Regards

E12 535i Turbo

 

[Twinz]

Eish!!!....wow...what a legend :thumbsup:

 

[rudutoit]

Legendary stuff!

It's way before my time, but my dad had a bit of a racing career in group N's back in the day (He had an escort and an e28) and I have heard the stories!

As for the car that this post was about before we got WAAAY off topic... The stripes are a bit much but hey, different strokes for different folks! I am into the "sleeper" look and it is fun to scare kids in GTI's when they don't expect it!

But I think that this teaches us a lesson, no matter what the car or what the mods, if the guy who bought the car and modded away hours of his spare time ENJOYS the car then it is a job well done! Next time you pull up to that Guy from Brakpan in his flared and raised body putty colored Cortina, take a moment to check his smile!

You are one brave soul to turbo the 535, they were awesome cars! (there was a time that they were the fastest things normal people could buy!!) And to Turbo one and drive it takes balls!

 

[Bmw.wp]

It's good to see how the old e12 and e28 bmw are still loved and respect. :thumbsup: i like how the e12 535i turbo looks :drool: because if you see a e30 325i cruised pass you with a set 17inch and a 40mm drop its indeed eyecatching. Now you dont see a e12 with a bodykit and 17 or 18inch mags cruised around often do u.? :thinker: so its more of a eyeopener for those boyracers to see how a old school e12 still have the looks and power to shut them up because they dont expext it. so i'll just just put a new bumper and a set of the m5 magswheels on mine with a tint and i'm sorted. bmw all the way surprise you still nowadays. :excited:

 

[Demontec]

if i may ask a stupid question...who the hell is tony viana?

Tony Viana was a Group N racing driver back in the days. 80's/ 90's I think. Think he died of cancer a few years ago.

I remember him in his 325is when they took on the Opels back in the days.

Not sure what other classes he raced in, but I do recall somewhere that he had a turn in a 745i as well. (I stand corrected)

IIRC the entire Vianna family (Wife, Son and himself) were murdered at his home in Walkville around 2011 or so

Very sad story

---

if i may ask a stupid question...who the hell is tony viana?

Tony Viana was a Group N racing driver back in the days. 80's/ 90's I think. Think he died of cancer a few years ago.

I remember him in his 325is when they took on the Opels back in the days.

Not sure what other classes he raced in, but I do recall somewhere that he had a turn in a 745i as well. (I stand corrected)

IIRC the entire Vianna family (Wife, Son and himself) were murdered at his home in Walkville around 2011 or so

Very sad story

Just realised this post was from 09' :thumbdo:

Maybe there were 2 Tony Viana's

 

[babyboss]

E12 Still Around ?

 

[Tris]

Yep

The owner used to run a few classic cars group page on Facebook.

Last I know of is that the cars body was being brought back to stock form.

He does ride in an Avus blue E36 M3