Latest news with #BMW507
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
BMW Once Restored Elvis Presley's BMW 507 Roadster
Read the full story on Backfire News Almost a decade ago BMW made a huge stir when it revealed Elvis Presley's fully restored BMW 507. The little white roadster was a thing of legend, a ride owned by none other than the King of Rock himself while he was serving in the military over in Germany. But for decades it disappeared and nobody seemed to know where it so many didn't know was the classic German car, worth millions of dollars, was just sitting in a warehouse in Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco, in horrific condition. That alone is amazing to think about. The car itself was already a celebrity before Elvis bought it. That very one was shown at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in 1957, wowing the crowd. Then Hans Stuck competed in several races behind the wheel before the white roadster was used for press test drives and video shots. It wasn't until December 1958 that a dealer in Frankfurt sold the 507 to Elvis Presley, who later had it painted red. After he was done with his tour of duty, in March 1960 the Bimmer was shipped back to the US. Eventually, it changed hands rapidly several times, slipping into obscurity. It turns out an engineer named Jack Castor bought it back in 1968 and he kept it hidden away. The guy had been able to ascertain the roadster was raced by Hans Stuck, but he didn't know about it being owned by Elvis. Once that fact was uncovered, BMW Group Classic made him an offer he couldn't refuse (we can only imagine how many zeroes there were). Then the automaker got to work painstakingly restoring the BMW 507. The finished product was revealed during Monterey Car Week in 2016, showing off to the public the beautiful, celebrity-owned roadster. The automaker also released photos of the restoration process, and now we have a short video sequence of it. This is truly the stuff of automotive history. Images via BMW
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Watch BMW Meticulously Restore A 507 Roadster Once Owned By Elvis
There's something very calming about watching a team of experts restore a lovely old car. Whether it's a classic Ferrari that's sure to bankrupt the wrenchers or a stop-motion rebuild of a Range Rover, restoration projects occupy my favorite corner of the internet. If you're of the same opinion, then this film of a classic BMW restoration will be right up your street. The process of removing and re-upholstering old seats or stripping back the bubbling paint on a vintage car is always incredibly satisfying to watch, and this footage documenting the restoration of a lovely BMW 507 roadster is no exception. The added intrigue with this clip, however, comes when you find out who the car's old owner was: Elvis Presley. That's right, we've got another excellent project to resurrect one of the King's vehicles, following in the footsteps of this RV build that repurposed Elvis' abandoned private jet. This time, the classic BMW isn't being turned into anything outlandish, and instead the car is being brought back to its former glory. Read more: You've Probably Never Heard Of The Coolest Canadian Car Ever Built The eagle-eyed among you may remember that BMW already restored an old 507 that belonged to Elvis to show off at car shows back in 2016. This isn't a second 507 that once belonged to the King — it's the same car, and the rebuild is documented in a new film from the Frame YouTube channel that shows off the meticulous attention to detail that goes into reviving a vintage BMW. The film, which you can see for yourself above, starts with the rusting frame of a 1958 BMW 507 that Elvis owned for around two years while stationed in Germany during his military service. In order to bring the car back to its 1950s condition, the BMW team begins by stripping back the bodywork and removing the interior. The roof, hood, trunk and seats are easily unbolted and removed, before drills and precision tools are brought in to remove stuck fasteners and rivets holding the rest of the car's old panels in place. Once freed, the front and rear bodywork is taken away for cleaning and repairs. This just leaves the chassis of the car, which Frame explains is corroded and damaged thanks to the car's near-60 year life on the road. To begin restoration of the chassis, engineers at BMW dip the frame in a boiling alkaline solution to strip away the worst of the corrosion. Once the frame is patched up, workers start on the new and restored panels to prep them to fit back onto the chassis. It's a process that involves lots of measuring, cutting and shaping by hand to perfect the smooth curves of the 507 and ensure that the bodywork looks as good as it did in the 1950s. Once the chassis is repaired and primed, engineers fit these pristine panels onto the car, and it all starts taking shape once again. The next task is to paint the exterior back to the car's original white finish, instead of the red color that it came into the shop with. All that's left then is to finish up the interior, which is completely re-upholstered by BMW's team after years of neglect. Black leather trim is applied to the doors and surrounds, while the seats are given a lovely black and white covering - making them look a bit like comfortable Oreos. Finally, the Chevy V8 that was in the car when BMW got its hands on it is ripped out and burned, I assume, before BMW fitted one of its own V8s under the hood. The unit it went for is a 3.2-liter motor that produces around 150 horsepower. With the beating heart of the car back in place, the process draws to a glorious close. The finished car looks fantastic, and went on to live out its days at prestigious car shows around the world as you'd expect. To watch the entire satisfying process unfold for yourself, head here. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
1959 BMW 507 Series II On Bring A Trailer After Extensive Refurbishment
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious A rare and beautifully restored 1959 BMW 507 Series II is now available for sale, following a comprehensive refurbishment that has revived this classic sports car to its original glory. One of fewer than 250 examples produced between 1956 and 1959, this 507 has an intriguing history, having been delivered new to the United States before spending the 1960s in Staten Island, New York. After changing hands several times, the car underwent significant restoration work in 2021, including a repaint in its original Silver Blue color and a re-trim of the interior in tan leather, making it a standout in both appearance and mechanical condition. This Series II model is powered by a replacement 3.2L V8 engine with twin Zenith carburetors, paired to a four-speed manual transmission. Additional features of this 507 include a tan convertible top, 16' painted steel wheels, finned aluminum drum brakes, and a Becker Mexico radio, all of which have been meticulously restored. The car's body was stripped to bare metal, with welding repairs to various panels, and the brightwork was replated. With only 384 kilometers on the odometer, approximately 50 of which have been added under current ownership, this BMW 507 is in excellent mechanical condition and ready for both display and road use. The BMW 507 was originally designed as a high-end sports car targeted at the North American market, with the project instigated by US importer Max Hoffman. Featuring Albrecht von Goertz's signature design, it combined cutting-edge technology with luxury and performance. This particular 507 benefits from a range of high-end finishes, including a fully rebuilt radio, new rubber seals, and a refreshed convertible top frame. For collectors looking to own a piece of automotive history, this BMW 507 represents an exceptional opportunity to acquire one of the most iconic European sports cars of the era 1600Veloce is excited to an announce the brand new European operation of star BaT seller 1600veloce, based out of Göttingen, Germany. This expansion of the 1600veloce organization is now our second full-service BaT Local Partner in Europe, and their overseas presence will help to bring the advantages of our well-proven auction platform to buyers and sellers in the European market as well as to facilitate import and export of interesting vehicles. As the top-sellers on BaT, Anthony and his team have all but perfected the listing process—and we're thrilled to showcase the first installment of automobiles their new venture has brought us. 1600Veloce is a top-seller on Bring A Trailer with over 1,000 vehicles listed. Use their Premium Partnership to present your vehicle in the best way possible and avoid a long wait. Visit 1600veloce to learn more.
