Photo: BMW
How can you describe a car like the legendary BMW 328? How can you emphasize the importance and impact such a car had on the BMW brand? It's almost impossible. The 328 was and still is one of the best and most beautiful cars BMW ever made.
However, being built between 1936 and 1940, the car is a rarity these days, and finding parts for such an old model can and will prove to be difficult in the 21st century. That's why BMW Group Classic decided to help out the owners of the open-top vintage sports car and collaborated with automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG to create a perfect 328 gearbox replica.
The collaboration with ZF was not coincidental. The original gearbox was built by Hurth and ZF took over one of the company's divisions back in the 1990s. That means they had access to essential documents needed to create the perfect replica.
Together, the 2 companies created one of the most complex project to date in the field of component remanufacturing for classic BMW automobiles. The original gearbox had non-synchronized first and second gears, while gears three and four had cone synchronization. Recreating such a rare original setup was definitely hard to do.
However, over the years, the original part was put through a series of alterations so a number of variants and construction plans had to be analyzed and compared in order to come up with the best solution. The end result features some new details like using optimized materials and a reinforced bearing for the second gear. Even so, the replica will fit perfectly on the original 328.
Over the entire process, BMW and ZF received valuable information from the International Automobile Federation and FIVA (the international body representing classic vehicle clubs) and both organizations recognized the authenticity of the end-result. The sanction of these institutions was important, especially for gaining entry to official events.
The first prototypes of the gearbox replica already proved their reliability in the 2012 Mille Miglia, the world's best-known classic car race. Only 55 units of this component will be produced and they are now available through the BMW Classic Center.
The collaboration with ZF was not coincidental. The original gearbox was built by Hurth and ZF took over one of the company's divisions back in the 1990s. That means they had access to essential documents needed to create the perfect replica.
Together, the 2 companies created one of the most complex project to date in the field of component remanufacturing for classic BMW automobiles. The original gearbox had non-synchronized first and second gears, while gears three and four had cone synchronization. Recreating such a rare original setup was definitely hard to do.
However, over the years, the original part was put through a series of alterations so a number of variants and construction plans had to be analyzed and compared in order to come up with the best solution. The end result features some new details like using optimized materials and a reinforced bearing for the second gear. Even so, the replica will fit perfectly on the original 328.
Over the entire process, BMW and ZF received valuable information from the International Automobile Federation and FIVA (the international body representing classic vehicle clubs) and both organizations recognized the authenticity of the end-result. The sanction of these institutions was important, especially for gaining entry to official events.
The first prototypes of the gearbox replica already proved their reliability in the 2012 Mille Miglia, the world's best-known classic car race. Only 55 units of this component will be produced and they are now available through the BMW Classic Center.
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