The top right shot is a rather poor exposure of the above average interior of my 1972 Bavaria; there are no cracks in the dashboard and the carpet and seats are in excellent condition. The dashboard is vinyl with a foam core and most on used market have a few cracks evident from sun damage. Brochure shot at right shows gauges that are straightforward and tasteful with tach on right. Between the speedometer and tachometer are the temperature and fuel gauges; all E3/Bavaria owners will develop a sixth sense in relation to the TEMP gauge due to the inefficient radiator core (There is nothing that strikes more fear in an early "six" owner's heart than an upcoming traffic jam on a hot August day!). One peculiarity is the blinker stalk on the right instead of left as on most cars.

Notice the stock steering wheel in the Bavaria is larger than an 18 wheeler's so the Momo from my 2002 went into service. Too small but still preferable to monster wheel, although some actually prefer this wheel. There is a bit of real wood in this car along the dash where the clock is located. Alas, the clock no longer works but I have it set for 5 o'clock for obvious reasons. The car came in leather or vinyl and mine is equipped with the lesser of the two. Still, you cannot duplicate the wonderful smell of an old interior like the early BMWs.

My 72 unfortunately came with the automatic transmission, perhaps the weakest link in the BMW drivetrain besides the propensity for pre 1981 BMW 6 cylinder heads to crack around the exhaust valves when the engine overheats (the water jacket area was milled too thin near exhaust valves). The automatic should NOT BE REPLACED when failure is encountered unless you feel like spending more than the car's worth! The 4 speed manual (seen at lower right) conversion is a simple affair that can be accomplished with used parts if a decent one is available (A few daring souls have opted for the big money route 5 Speed conversion).

If there is one thing that really distinguishes old cars from new, especially in the case of the E3 series in comparison to modern makes such as the Honda Accord or Ford Taurus, it is the tremendous view one gets through the huge vertical windshield and side glass! The driving position is so much more upright and the windshield rake is so negligible in comparison; driving a Bavaria on a scenic route not only rewards you with a sense of wonderful mechanics and smells, it seems as if you are taking in so much more of the passing scenery! There is no cab forward design here with the top of the windshield resting on your forehead and the bottom extending past your feet... Where the expanse of glass is large, yet horizontal, giving you the enclosed in cocoon capsule sensation. If only the seats were more comfortable... Unfortunately, there is not much thigh support and spirited driving through the twisties leaves you sliding about on the bucketless seats. Still, a small price to pay for this much style...

One small note, make sure you take a ride in the back seat...of your OWN car; indeed, you get to feel one of the weirdest sensations in the world..as well as test the back seat area - Yes, there is nothing quite as strange as a ride in the back seat of your own car, although it helps if you actually have some attachment to said vehicle. I consider it a Top 10 thing to do on a Saturday night after several robust stouts!

kh