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LOT 23 W

A 1958 BMW 507 3.2 liter V8 engine

Sold for US$38,175 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 23W

A 1958 BMW 507 3.2 liter V8 engine

A 1958 BMW 507 3.2 liter V8 engine

number 40056, in largely complete and original condition with internals.

Footnotes

Originally believed to have been fitted in chassis 70046, a 507 that had its original engine replaced with small black Chevrolet Corvette V8 relatively early in its life, this engine was acquired by Herman Bold from Jack Kroch in 1979, at the same time he acquired BMW 507 s/n 70059 featured as lot 133 in this auction. Purchased as a completed, 'turn-key' motor—the bell housing, oil filter, and carburetors were subsequently sold off. The engine has been carefully stored with oily kerosene flushed through the cooling cavity and the cylinders coated with oil. It has been cranked periodically to ensure it was kept free and spinning.

The 507's V8 was unique from BMW's other early alloy V8s in a number of particular and special ways. With engine numbers starting with '40XXX', they featured a 10-bolt head (later an 11th bolt was added for the high compression motors). Additionally, 507 V8s featured a long snout water pump pulley, an oil filter inlet hose fitting angle on the heat exchanger drilled especially for the 507, a right-side exhaust manifold with a short adapter plate, a fuel pump top indexed for 507, and an engine block and oil pan drilled for direct mounting to the transmission bell housing that was particular to the 507. Additionally featured on this engine are original 507 paint stamps still present on the cylinder heads.

While legendary as the first all-aluminum production V8, it was not uncommon to have BMW 507s fitted with incorrect 503 or 502 V8s that were outwardly similar and could be modified to supply relatively similar performance. A valuable addition to any 507 that has long since lost its correct-type motor, it will no doubt find future use under the hood of another example of BMWs most famous Roadster soon.

Saleroom notices

Please note, this engine was purchased by the seller at the same time as lot 133, not lot 128 as referenced in the printed catalog.

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  • 29 September 2022, 09:00 - 18:00 EDT
  • 30 September 2022, 09:00 - 16:00 EDT

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Lot is oversized or otherwise such that it must be collected from our designated warehouse. Please refer to the Offsite Sold Property Storage section of the Buyer's Guide for details.

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