Launched in 1968, the E9 Coupewas one of the most handsome cars ever made by BMW,sleek andelegant with an airy cabin, slim windscreen pillars and a large glass areaUtilising the 3.0-litre, M30 6-cylinder, the twin carburettor CSproduceda useful 180bhpNicely finished and expensive when new - the 3.0 CSA cost more in the UK than an Aston Martin DBSOnly 355 were producedin 1974 with total CSA production worldwide numbering a paltry 3,667UK-delivered in right-hand drive, this automatic CS issuperbly finished in Ceylon Metallic with alovely original interiorOriginally used as a showroom centre-piece, driven minimally and latterly stored, the car was recently fully recommissioned (photos listed)Just two previous keepers, 15,600 miles, lots of history,its full original book-pack, oldregistration book and Heritage CertificateIn 2015our vendor was on the look-out for a low mileage, matching-numbers BMW 3.0 CS. After much searching, he came across UPL 610M, first ordered and owned by a Mr George Allen, of Portadown County Armagh, in Northern Ireland back in 1973. Mr Allen was a prominent local businessman and owner of a car dealership in Northern Ireland, called Allens Autos (a garage sticker is still on the car) andfor many years, the car was ondisplayin their main showroom beforeGeorge took up personal ownership. Given the access George Allen had to other cars, it was rarely used and by the early 1990s still had less than 16,000 miles on the clock.In November 1991,Kevin McGarrity (a Belfast-born Formula 3 racer)took ownership of the car and,right up until 2014, he kept it tucked away in a discrete lock-up garage in Londonderry. Kevin had fully intended torestorethe BMW, however, by 2014 with it left unattended in the lock-up, the car was beginning to look very tired, and had deteriorated to the point where Kevin felt it was beyond his abilities.Consequently, the car was advertised on Car & Classic, where it was spotted by our vendor. After several lengthy conversations, a deal was struck, and five weeks later the car was shipped over from Belfast and delivered to the workshop of specialist classic restorers AV Classics in Bedfordshire for a complete external restoration.AV Classics set about logging the extent of the work that was required along with the necessary parts.The entire interior had survived very well and it was decided to leave thatintact, however, the bodyworkwas a different story. Although the structural integrity of the car was very good, some of the exterior panels were poor and were replaced with genuine OEM parts. The AV Classics bare-metal paint process is an exacting 14-coat procedure, using PPG paint products and 3M preparation materials. During the initial manufacturingprocess at BMW, as new metal is let in, it'sprotected by a localised application of copper spray. During the restoration, prior to commencing the respray, the copper spray protection is removed, and the shell isgiven a full coat of etch primer and epoxy primer which is baked for 30 minutes at 60 degrees. A thin skim of filler is applied to any areas that require final shaping and panels are filled and correctly gapped.The epoxy primer was further hand-shaped and sanded back with 80 grit and finally finished in 180 grit. This 3.0 CSA was now ready for the paint shop. The paint shop prepared the body with 3 to 4 coats ofhigh build primer before being baked for 40 minutes at 65 degrees. After baking, the material is allowed to settle so that any sinking can take place. The primer coat is flatted and shaped by hand with 120 grit and finished in 180 grit. The shell was then re-primed with a further 3 coats of high build primer, baked again and allowed to dry before being hand blocked and flatted again with 240 grit followed by 320 grit. It was finally finished by DA sanding with 500 grit. The prepped BMW shell was now seam-sealed and wasready for the final colour application of the base coat. This BMW Ceylon Metallic 008 (original to the car) period colour was applied in threelayers followed by threecoats of clear coat. The car was then low baked for 30 minutes and then left to air dry for a few days. Once all the material was cured the car was then polished. Finally, the paint was flatted and polished with progressively finer grades of papers starting with 6,000 grit ending on 12,000 grit and machine polished to create a perfect glass-like finish. The conclusion of the paintwork was done by well-respected Porsche paintwork guru, David Jones, with many photos available to help document this.AV Classics were also instructed to strip and rebuild the original mechanical parts, but wherever possible to keep the integrity and as much of the originality as possible. The original engine and transmission/running gear were dropped from the car stripped, assessed, and refurbished as required. All consumable items, brake and fuel parts, bushes and seals were replaced. Where parts were required, these in the main were sourced in Germany either from BMW Direct or through Christopher Bier, who was able to source obscure new old stock, OEM CS and CSI parts. In the spring of 2016, the car was finally reassembled,the interior (in its entirely original state) was refitted and the car was runfor the first time in many years. After two short shakedown tests performed by AV Classics, the car has still covered less than 16,000 miles.Our vendor has since used his shiny BMWlightly for a couple of years, retaining its newfound pristine condition, and gradually nudging the recorded mileage towards the 16,000 miles mark. Pushed for space in his garage, he has reluctantly taken the decision to sell the car. With a recent fresh MOT, this lovely E9just needs to be driven and enjoyed.Today, these exciting and charismatic German Grand Tourers enjoy an enthusiastic following, and well-preserved examples are increasingly sought after.You can now book a one-to-one appointment (up to one hour) to view this lot at our central location between 16thand 30thJuly. Please contact Joeon 07779 082707/[email protected] to secure your appointment or to discuss the car in more detail.The health and safety of both our customers and team remains the utmost priority, we are therefore operating to strict COVID-19 guidelines and full instructions for arrival and inspection protocols will be given when making your appointment.Lot 346 - 1974 BMW 3.0 CSA (E9)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTYZR2NZBII&list=PLpda0JQHP0SqBFMhPLG64ALbH042UjD__&index=27true