I found a genuine Alpina Works car in the UK, it’s a 2002 Ti 1969 and been standing for 40 years. The story goes Alpina brought it to the UK and raced it at Silverstone, the car broke down after 3 laps, Alpina didn’t want to take it back to Germany and sold it to a guy called John Stanton of North London, there’s press cuttings and written history about it’s history from Alpina even with a letter from Burkard Bovensiepen stating it’s genuine complete with chassis numbers. It still has the scructineering tags tied to the gear lever.

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It has the original close ratio steering box and original 200 Bhp engine (not currently located with the car), as you can see it has the correct extra dash gauges (VDO) with red needles and correct Alpina 3-spoke steering wheel. Rear half roll cage, several long leg diff’s of different ratios, vended discs (front) and twin 45 carbs. The car was dismantled and looks solid, loads of parts are boxed and scattered around the owners garage, mostly ceased and rusting of course. As it’s an early car it’s got rear drums and not discs, its been back to Alpina in 1970 for an engine rebuild, but sadly not moved in the last 40 years.

Originally I was notified of this car well over ten years ago when a guy approached me at the Ally Pally classic car show and told me he had an Alpina. Obviously I was skeptical, and it took him over ten years to contact me again, I’m amazed he kept my details and an odd call out the blue invited me round to see his “02” at first I didn’t even realize who or what it was, until I turned up one evening, and didn’t sleep for days.

I made a substantial offer for it, but sadly so has someone else he knows and I was out-bid. It needs to be correctly restored and shown, this is not a car for concours and I suspect will end up at Auction if I don’t get it – what a shame as I’d give me right arm (left in this case) for it. I’ll keep you posted as I know who now owns it, but in the meantime it was a very welcome surprise and what a find!

Story by Richard Stern at www.bmw2002.co.uk