Roundel E28 Test Drive (SCANS INCLUDED)

ldsbeaker · Post by **ldsbeaker** » Apr 13, 2009 11:21 AM

Just happened by a bunch of old Roundels, and was wondering if anyone knew if they did a Test Drive on the "New" E28s back in the day.
(A 535is test drive would be THA BOMB!!)
I'd like to see if maybe I can snag that one, at the VERY least.

Just a shot in the dark.
8)

ldsbeaker · Post by **ldsbeaker** » Apr 13, 2009 11:29 AM

9/81 was first E28? I guess I'll look around there.
If/when I find it, I'll be sure to make a scan...

wkohler · Post by **wkohler** » Apr 13, 2009 11:38 AM

That would be a 528e, but yeah.

Azure · Post by **Azure** » Apr 13, 2009 12:12 PM

Someone posted a scan of one last year, (Satch, I think it was?) reviewed the "new" 533i, and as I recall described it as a fire breathing monster or some such thing, he loved it.

ldsbeaker · Post by **ldsbeaker** » Apr 13, 2009 12:23 PM

yup, found the 528e one. March '82. Looking for a 533 or 535...

CSBM5 · Post by **CSBM5** » Apr 13, 2009 12:47 PM

ldsbeaker wrote:yup, found the 528e one. March '82. Looking for a 533 or 535...

That reminds me of being at the second Korman Autoworks open house in March of 82. Some BMWNA guy drove down in a 528e, and I think he was somewhat surprised at the very luke warm reception the car got from the enthusiast community. Club members looked at it as a car not made for them (i.e. significantly slower than the E12 528i, low revving motor, etc) and wasted no time telling the guy too.

Post by **Shawn D.** » Apr 13, 2009 12:50 PM

Azure wrote:Someone posted a scan of one last year, (Satch, I think it was?) reviewed the "new" 533i, and as I recall described it as a fire breathing monster or some such thing, he loved it.

That wasn't Roundel -- it was R&T or something like that.

wkohler · Post by **wkohler** » Apr 13, 2009 12:51 PM

Shawn D. wrote:
Azure wrote:Someone posted a scan of one last year, (Satch, I think it was?) reviewed the "new" 533i, and as I recall described it as a fire breathing monster or some such thing, he loved it.
That wasn't Roundel -- it was R&T or something like that.

Autoweek (June 1983):

ldsbeaker · Post by **ldsbeaker** » Apr 13, 2009 12:57 PM

CSBM5 wrote:
ldsbeaker wrote:yup, found the 528e one. March '82. Looking for a 533 or 535...
That reminds me of being at the second Korman Autoworks open house in March of 82. Some BMWNA guy drove down in a 528e, and I think he was somewhat surprised at the very luke warm reception the car got from the enthusiast community. Club members looked at it as a car not made for them (i.e. significantly slower than the E12 528i, low revving motor, etc) and wasted no time telling the guy too.

Yeah the article goes on and on about the "situation" that led to a low-revving, gas sipping engine. (sigh)

bojangles · Post by **bojangles** » Apr 13, 2009 4:33 PM

wowo... same price as an e36 M3.... Man, them bimmers were pricey back then.

RonP · Post by **RonP** » Apr 13, 2009 6:48 PM

That was back when Satch wasn't a Roundel Editor and Autoweek was still Competition Press and came out in newspaper form! Man am I getting old!

RonW · Post by **RonW** » Apr 13, 2009 8:41 PM

Azure wrote:Someone posted a scan of one last year, (Satch, I think it was?) reviewed the "new" 533i, and as I recall described it as a fire breathing monster or some such thing, he loved it.

At one of the early 5er Fests a read an article in an old Roundel about the 533i. They thought it was great except for the TRX tires, which they called "hockey pucks".

tacm · Post by **tacm** » Apr 13, 2009 9:48 PM

That was the worst article I have ever read......I hope Satch never reads this post, 'cause I like his work, but that was awfull

Flame suit on

my 2c

BMWCCA2 · Post by **BMWCCA2** » Apr 13, 2009 9:55 PM

Yeah, I remember when two BMW NA employees (Rob Mitchell and Gerry Bill) brought a brand new 528e to the BMW CCA Oktoberfest and had to put up with a bunch of crap from the assembled know-it-alls.

Until they won the Autocross event in the six-cylinder class!! Can you spell T-O-R-Q-U-E? I believe it was 1982 in Albany, NY.

CSBM5 · Post by **CSBM5** » Apr 13, 2009 9:58 PM

BMWCCA2 wrote:Yeah, I remember when two BMW NA employees (Rob Mitchell and Gerry Bill) brought a brand new 528e to the BMW CCA Oktoberfest and had to put up with a bunch of crap from the assembled know-it-alls.

Until they won the Autocross event in the six-cylinder class!! Can you spell T-O-R-Q-U-E? I believe it was 1982 in Albany, NY.

Hmmm...I was there ('82 O'fest) and came in 2nd to Charlie Goodman in 6-cyl modified autox. I don't recall the 528e autox story though.

CSBM5 · Post by **CSBM5** » Apr 13, 2009 10:19 PM

Given the above sparked my thoughts about Charlie Goodman, I thought I would look him up since I've not talked with him in many years. Sadly, he passed away in Jan.

We had numerous Bavaria battles at the Walter Mitty Challenge in the early 80's and a great battle at the O'fest autox in 1982. Charlie went on to be a great racer and chief instructor at Mosport. Great guy who always was smiling whenever you saw him. I've got some pictures of his Bavaria I'll have to dig out. He would love for everyone to see it.

http://www.wheels.ca/Article%20Category/article/492246

RIP Charlie.

1st 5er · Post by **1st 5er** » Apr 14, 2009 12:13 AM

Great thread...

C.R. Krieger · Post by **C.R. Krieger** » Apr 14, 2009 6:11 PM

CSBM5 wrote:Given the above sparked my thoughts about Charlie Goodman, I thought I would look him up since I've not talked with him in many years. Sadly, he passed away in Jan. We had numerous Bavaria battles at the Walter Mitty Challenge in the early 80's and a great battle at the O'fest autox in 1982. Charlie went on to be a great racer and chief instructor at Mosport. Great guy who always was smiling whenever you saw him. I've got some pictures of his Bavaria I'll have to dig out. He would love for everyone to see it.

http://www.wheels.ca/Article%20Category/article/492246

RIP Charlie.

Oh, man! You could have knocked me over when I read that! Charlie was the chief instructor at my first O'Fest (and first driving school) at Watkins Glen in 1988. I learned more about driving sitting in a chair listening to him for an hour than in any other single place in my life. On top of his obvious expertise, he was delightfully entertaining! I shall never forget Charlie. He was one of the great ones.

CSBM5 · Post by **CSBM5** » Apr 14, 2009 8:21 PM

C.R. Krieger wrote:
Oh, man! You could have knocked me over when I read that! Charlie was the chief instructor at my first O'Fest (and first driving school) at Watkins Glen in 1988. I learned more about driving sitting in a chair listening to him for an hour than in any other single place in my life. On top of his obvious expertise, he was delightfully entertaining! I shall never forget Charlie. He was one of the great ones.

My first memory of Charlie was at the Mitty in 1981 as I was doing something under the hood with the car (Bavaria) in the paddock at Road Atlanta. I had turned faster lap times in the first session than he had by ~8 seconds I think, so he walked up and said something like, "looks like a well worked engine there, eh?" And so started a new friendship. As I told Charlie about Ray Korman (who built my Bav motor in Jan '81), he decided to stop by Korman's on the way back to Canada. He ended up getting a full blown stage2 M30 motor too with even more tweaks. A friend of Charlie's from Canada was there too with a 530i who ended up having Ray work over his car too (turbo motor as I recall).

We saw each other at the next few Mitty events and O'fest in '82, but I've not talked with him in many years. However, he was one of those friends you knew if you saw again after 20 years, you two would pick right up where you left off.

I need to hunt down those pics of his car and post them up.

ldsbeaker · Post by **ldsbeaker** » Apr 14, 2009 9:34 PM

Here's the first few. I must have spent an hour and a half at the scanner... I'll clean them up a bit, then repost them, if wanted. Some othe two page ads, I'll try to get cleaned up and put together.
Kind of a mixed bag:

davem · Post by **davem** » Apr 14, 2009 10:06 PM

Holy Cow, that Alpina distributor was literally right across the highway from where I work. They must be long gone. I wonder if there are any goodies lying around in the back of a warehouse.

ldsbeaker · Post by **ldsbeaker** » Apr 14, 2009 10:13 PM

Here's some more: (sorry they don't line up)
E28 test drive

ldsbeaker · Post by **ldsbeaker** » Apr 14, 2009 10:19 PM

... and last but not least, some ads:
Gosh, I tried to get good scans, but them not lining up kinda ruins it. I'll fix it!!

blur95 · Post by **blur95** » Apr 15, 2009 3:46 AM

I've got the January 3, 1983 edition of AutoWeek, the cover car is an e30 318i, and the headline above the title is: 533i: The Real 5-Series Stands Out.

It's about a 2 page article, and the main point is that BMW brought back the driving fun with a good handling car with enough power to keep a smile on your face.

Some other highlights from the same issue:

Colin Chapman's death. A huge loss to the racing world

An ad for the Escort radar detector, which comes with a 33 1/3 rpm disc to play on your turntable to learn the sounds that your new detector will make.

TRX tires for sale. $108 each.

The centerfold is the Porsche 928S.

I'll try to get the 533i article scanned in the next day or two, for your viewing pleasure.

Ian in Portland

'84 533i

Post by **Shawn D.** » Apr 15, 2009 8:25 AM

Gotta love the repeated "Aplina" typo...

1st 5er · Post by **1st 5er** » Apr 15, 2009 11:46 AM

Shawn D. wrote:Gotta love the repeated "Aplina" typo...

Especially in the phone number.

Wonder what the recipient of those calls thought.

MyE28.com

MyE28.com

Roundel E28 Test Drive (SCANS INCLUDED)

Roundel E28 Test Drive (SCANS INCLUDED)