The BMW 507 Ultimate Build Thread!!!

[TimG]

It is looking great, Dave. I'm enjoying following your progress.

[markinnaples]

Love the progress Dave.

Have you made any final decisions on drivetrain? I know you were considering several BMW power plants. I'm guessing you'll source one from a junkyard?

[A12pilot]

Thanks, Tim. I’m glad you’re enjoying the progress! I’m extremely pleased and can not wait to have a body formed up and move onto the next phase!

Mark, the overall chassis will be from the Mercedes SL unibody like I had previously mentioned, and the engine/trans combo will be a SBC with a 2x2 intake, front mounted distributor kit from Summers Brothers, custom valve covers, and exhaust manifolds all to mimic on first glance, that you’re looking at at the factory BMW V8. The transmission will more than likely be a T5.

The Mercedes donor unibody will give me the 2dr structure I need along with a functioning top. My plan is to make the car functional too with a factory top that actually seals all around the joints. In other words, I don’t want to go through all this and not have correct trim, weather stripping, stainless mouldings, etc. Both front and rear suspension will be torsion bar. The front will be from a Mopar (64-70 style) and the rear will be my own design and use an 8.75 Mopar rear too

Maybe the next car I do will be a Z8 for a sister ship! At least I can still buy parts for that one !

Cheers
Dave

[markinnaples]

Thanks for the update. I must have missed the SL Mercedes as a chassis basis I guess. Makes sense since they're similar layouts under the body. Which generation SL are you going with? The R230? That seems like the most readily available modern SL chassis and the new and used parts supply is probably almost endless.

Love how it's coming along.

[A12pilot]

Headlight buckets are in along with stainless trim rings for fitment. Now I can cut the holes out and know where to end the mounting flange.

The guy that provides pest spraying services for the house was out today. He's a former parts manager at a BMW dealership and his jaw dropped when he saw my creation! I think that's a compliment!

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

I was able to score a carbon fiber dash molded off of a real 507 dash. It should be here in a few weeks, and this well help fine tune the measurements of the interior based on what I’ve calculated so far. WOOHOO!!! The gauge pod is easily fabricated and I’ve already talked to a place that can make the gauges for me.

I already have a factory Becker Mexico radio, speaker, amp, as well as the throttle, choke, wiper and vent knobs. Moving right along! Time to do a video recap to show how I’ve got to where I’m at since a few BMW aficionados somehow got wind of this project and are pretty intrigued to say the least!

Cheers
Dave

[big gear head]

So are you going to stop flying and start production of 507s? Could be a lot of money in it.

[JKZ27]

Originally Posted by big gear head

So are you going to stop flying and start production of 507s? Could be a lot of money in it.

Or, write a book titled "How to build anything awesome in 6 months or less" by Super Dave.

Nice work, exciting build.

[A12pilot]

Originally Posted by JKZ27

Or, write a book titled "How to build anything awesome in 6 months or less" by Super Dave.

Nice work, exciting build.

BWAHAHAHA!!! OK, now that’s hysterical right there! Thanks for the encouragement, my friend! It’s comments like that which keep me moving forward!

Well, if I somehow find myself on the unemployment line, I might just do that Freddie! But nah, I think there’s probably a bunch of copyright issues and such on doing that. This will be a one-off creation for myself. Although I may possibly build another for a “Herr und Frauline” pair. Although I may donate one to Ashton since a man of his magnitude and elevation needs a pimp-daddy ride like this!

I’m not sure of the copyright on the body, but the BMW marque and Roundel sure are. A fellow did this with the Mercedes 300SL Gullwing but he advertised it for sale under the Mercedes name, I believe. He shortly found himself in a world of hurt by Mercedes. Not only did they come down hard on him, they seized the body and crushed it. And last I checked, you don’t want to mess around with the Germans!

Hmmmmmm, although I could create a new automobile manufacturing company and create my own logos and trademarks! I could call it Jammerlich Und Nachgewiesen Kabrio, which is German too! I can shorten that to JUNK Cars, Inc. Yes, it may translate to “Miserable and Proven, Convertible”, but heck, that could really catch on! I’d set the world on FIRE with State of the Art options like dual 2bbl carburetor efficiency, 2-Speed wipers, smooth and sound bias ply tire technology, and a dual band radio featuring booth Amplitude Modulation and Frequency Modulation channels!!!

Cheers
SuperDave
CEO/CFO/NORDO
JUNK Cars, Inc.

[TimG]

Dave, here's a link to the front drive unit that is on my Scarab. Their website is pretty cool, also.

https://www.scarabmotors.com/front-drive-unit

They also sell the Hilborn Fuel Injection unit that I have on my car. The combination is amazing with a 383 Chevy in a 1900 LB car.

https://www.scarabmotors.com/efi-vintage-hilborne