My BMW 507 project

[A12pilot]

Hey gang,

With a move complete and a new shop ready to be worked in, I figured I’d start a thread on my Ultimate Dream Car: The BMW 507. I’ve wanted one of these ever since I laid eyes on one when I was, oh, I don’t know…..1?

So not having about 3million laying around, I decided I might as well build one myself! So I’ll go into more detail later, but here’s my full sized body buck. And actually, it’s more like a clay model type of deal. Again, I’ll explain more in a few days when I have time to post up more.

The English wheel, brake, and a few other tools arrive this week and I’ll start in on forming the body.

More info and pics to follow!



Cheers
Dave

[tom walker]

Looks like a great start, nice clean shop, nice body buck, and a great desire!
Tom

[BTromblay]

Hi,

Very cool project. Curious were you involved with the A12 program?

Look forward to watching your project. Bill

[Rick Mullin]

I agree with you. It is my favorite car. The lines are just beautiful. I have restored six 507s over the years. The first in 1976 for the original owner. I restored a rare Series 1 that was a good solid car and built almost a complete body and several partial bodies. What car did you scan? I believe I still have some hammer forms and a press form for the emblems. They were rather basic forms as the cars were not nearly as valuable then and I was very cost conscious. If you have any questions on the bodywork, I would be happy to help.

[Antoine_P]

Looking forward to see this project !
Best of luck and keep sharing it with us!

Antoine

[Jaroslav]

Dave, very nice project. Good preparation. What will the chassis be made of?

[Marc Bourget]

What engine/drive train also?

[A12pilot]

Thank you, guys! I appreciate the enthusiasm. Here’s a little about my project and how I got to where I’m at.

Like the scan posted, I too had a 3D scanner used on a 1/18th scale replica by NoRev. After looking at the detail of this model and measurements off a real one, it seemed they must have scanned a real one to make the model. So I reversed engineered the reverse engineering! I stripped down the model and coated the body shell with DP50LF and had the 3D scanner guy scan it and create a template of interlocking panels 10” apart. Assembling the body buck gave me a life sized body structure which I then filled the squares with foam, sculpted, filled with fiberglass compound, body filler, and Boat Fairing compound followed by a couple heavy coats of DP on top. I spent hours staring at the body model and a large poster I had of a real one, not to mention about 1000 photos I downloaded of several 507s being restored. This was invaluable to me.

So originally I was just going to make a full sized replica of the body then make a fiberglass mold. After thinking about it I decided to try my hand at making the body out of metal. I’ve restored many cars of all makes and models, do paint and bodywork myself along with all the welding and while different, all the restorations are the same. This is a totally new challenge for me to learn metal working and I’m so excited to start. A while new challenge of building my dream car.

Being that this is scanned from a pretty accurate model and measurements of my buck are pretty darn close to the real thing, I’m fairly certain I’ll be as close to the real thing as possible with the final form (I hope!!!)

Here’s some photos of my build so far to this point. I have panel beater bags, hammers, an English wheel, and a brake showing up this week so I hope to start next week destroying, er..forming metal!

Thanks for the support guys. I’ll answer more about the project tomorow (chassis, drivetrain, etc).

But to answer a few of the other questions, although I’m a pilot, I wasn’t part of the A12 program (I’m only 48) and the handle comes from me being a Pilot for the main gig and restoring an A12 Super Bee that I unveiled at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals a few years ago.

Enjoy the pics, Happy Thanksgiving, and more tomorrow while sitting in Miami with nothing to do. Ah, the joys of airline life….

Cheers
Dave

[crystallographic]

Originally Posted by A12pilot

Thank you, guys! I appreciate the enthusiasm. Here’s a little about my project and how I got to where I’m at.

Like the scan posted, I too had a 3D scanner used on a 1/18th scale replica by NoRev. After looking at the detail of this model and measurements off a real one, it seemed they must have scanned a real one to make the model. So I reversed engineered the reverse engineering! I stripped down the model and coated the body shell with DP50LF and had the 3D scanner guy scan it and create a template of interlocking panels 10” apart. Assembling the body buck gave me a life sized body structure which I then filled the squares with foam, sculpted, filled with fiberglass compound, body filler, and Boat Fairing compound followed by a couple heavy coats of DP on top. I spent hours staring at the body model and a large poster I had of a real one, not to mention about 1000 photos I downloaded of several 507s being restored. This was invaluable to me.

So originally I was just going to make a full sized replica of the body then make a fiberglass mold. After thinking about it I decided to try my hand at making the body out of metal. I’ve restored many cars of all makes and models, do paint and bodywork myself along with all the welding and while different, all the restorations are the same. This is a totally new challenge for me to learn metal working and I’m so excited to start. A while new challenge of building my dream car.

Being that this is scanned from a pretty accurate model and measurements of my buck are pretty darn close to the real thing, I’m fairly certain I’ll be as close to the real thing as possible with the final form (I hope!!!)

Here’s some photos of my build so far to this point. I have panel beater bags, hammers, an English wheel, and a brake showing up this week so I hope to start next week destroying, er..forming metal!

Thanks for the support guys. I’ll answer more about the project tomorow (chassis, drivetrain, etc).

But to answer a few of the other questions, although I’m a pilot, I wasn’t part of the A12 program (I’m only 48) and the handle comes from me being a Pilot for the main gig and restoring an A12 Super Bee that I unveiled at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals a few years ago.

Enjoy the pics, Happy Thanksgiving, and more tomorrow while sitting in Miami with nothing to do. Ah, the joys of airline life….

Cheers
Dave

Welcome, Dave.
Glad to see how well your approach has yielded one of my all-time faves.
Back in "77 I saw a 507 for sale - $10K asking.
I had sold my 501 at that point and was looking for "tube frame, torsion bar suspension, worm/sector steering, wool broadcloth or leather interior..." but a super-classic was out of reach for me.
I was working nights on a 250LM resto and buying tools to start my own shop the next year.


Saw this interesting "in-common designer" tidbit:
1958 BMW 507 owned by the man who designed it is up for ...

https://autto.pt › en › news › 1958-bmw-507-owned-man-who-designed-it-auction-20181128.html

Count Albrecht Graf von Goertz also worked on the Datsun 240Z While any BMW 507 going to auction is worth talking about just for its beauty, this one deserves extra attention because it was owned by the man credited with its design, Count Albrecht Graf von Goertz.


Anyway, Mr. Mullin (on this group) will provide you with some excellent service.
Yeehaw!


(Cargo does not complain)

[A12pilot]

Ha! Yes, cargo doesn’t complain!

Rick, that’s impressive with your work on so many 507s. Yes, I’m anxious for your guidance and help on this and thank you in advance. It’s going to be a fun a frustrating project but I think the end result will be well worth it.

To answer a few more questions, the chassis will be a donor tub from a Mercedes R107 which will be modified to match up to the 507 body. Front and rear suspension will be similar to original with torsion bars, and the engine will be a small block Chevrolet with a front mounted distributor, dual 97 carbs, and a few other trim items to make it appear at first glance that it’s an original BMW V8 engine.

The goal with the donor car is to have the main convertible chassis structure with suspension and engine bay modified for the 507 body as I make it. This donor chassis gives me the jambs, top mechanism, door internals, etc. I don’t want this to be a thrown together, non-functions car. Locks, wipers, convertible top, etc…all will work properly. At least in my mind it will be!

So far I have a real windshield with gasket, tail lights, a correct Becker Mexico radio/speaker/amp, and emblems. I had a lead on a side grille but the contact disappeared so I’m left with fabricating those (along with everything else, of course) but it’s just another small project in the big project. The windshield was major since it defines the look of the car. If that’s off, everything is off!

I’ve also researched other parts I’ll need and are similar to the 507 but readily available from other makes and models since real 507 parts are, well, unobtainium.

Cheers
Dave