Vehicle Description
1963 BMW 700 LS Luxus Saloon�(Long Version) Rare vehicle, left hand
drive Italian market BMW Recently imported from a dry climate in
Italy Extremely original BMW with one recent respray, interior
is�completely�original� Correct white over Capri Green exterior and
ivory/gray interior Rear-mounted 697cc flat two-cylinder engine
producing 32HP (47 mpg) Four-speed manual transmission The first
BMW to use a steel monocoque structure� Very nice original
undercarriage� Produced in West Germany� Forty years before BMW
unveiled its Mini, the company made its first foray into small but
sporty models, pre-dating the famous 2002 model. MotoeXotica
Classic Cars has an example of this early sporty rear engine BMW ,
which you may not have seen before unless you've been to classic
BMW museums. We are pleased to present this rarely seen and very
original 1963 BMW 700 LS Luxus two-door saloon. This BMW is a rare
left hand drive Italian market car that was recently imported from
the United States from a very dry climate of Italy. Other than a
recent correct respray, this car is very original and hard to come
by in such a survivor state! Finished in correct white over Capri
Green, the car's paint and trim are in overall good condition. The
car's windows are clear and intact, as are the car's lights,
including its Fintail-style taillamps. This wee BMW rides on
vintage Michelin radials, size 5.20-12 at all four corners. The
tires are old and do show dry rot in the sidewalls This car's
bodywork is straight, including the hood in the rear overall very
presentable, rare example with some bubbling in the paint.� The
engine bay is tidy, the battery appears new, the front cargo area
is in good condition and the bumpers fit well though the rear one
evidences some blemishes upon close inspection. The undercarriage
is completely original, plus very dry and tidy. Under that rear
hood is the correct 697cc flat two-cylinder engine using a Solex
34PCI single-barrel carburetor mated to a four-speed manual
transmission producing 32 HP with achievable mpg in the mid 40's.
Inside, the car's ivory and gray interior is in overall decent
condition especially for being completely original. The thin-backed
front bucket seats are in fair order, with the driver's seat
showing blemishes and wear but the material is correct and
original. There is no carpeting; instead, the floor is covered in
the hard to find BMW rubber matting that is in decent order. The
headliner is in overall fair shape but does show some blemishes.
The instrument panel, with its VDO gauges, is in good order, as is
the factory, two-spoke steering wheel, inner door panels, mirror
glass and shift lever are all in good shape. This is a radio delete
model and the horn is inoperable. The 700 models were a sales
success at a time when BMW was close to financial ruin. More than
188,000 were sold before production ended in November 1965. Upon
discontinuing the 700, BMW left the economy car market and did not
return until 2002 with the�Mini. Wolfgang Denzel, the distributor
of BMW cars in Austria, commissioned�Giovanni Michelotti�to prepare
concept sketches based on a lengthened BMW 600 chassis.�In January
1958, Denzel was awarded a development contract for the 700. Denzel
presented a prototype to BMW's management in July 1958.�The
concept, a 2-door coupe with a slanted roof, was generally well
received, but objections were raised about the limited passenger
space. BMW decided to produce two versions, the coupe, and a
two-door sedan with a taller, longer roof. The engineer responsible
for the chassis and suspension was Willy Black, who had designed
and engineered the 600. The drivetrain and suspension were similar
to those of the 600, with a rear-mounted�flat-twin engine�powering
the rear wheels,�leading arm�suspension at the front, and�semi
trailing arm�suspension at the rear. The 700 used a
steel�monocoque�structure and it was the first BMW automobile to do
so. These 700s are special cars for lots of reasons in addition to
helping save BMW from being bought and picked clean by Mercedes
Benz. That did not happen because the Quandt family stepped in to
help keep BMW independent.�Thankfully BMW remained independent,
otherwise we would have had more bloated sedans for captains of
industry instead of the M3, the M5, and now the M2, M4, Z series,
and all those great handling small sedans powered by what were
sometimes detuned race engines. The engine was an enlarged version
of that used in the�R67�motorcycle and the 600. With a bore of
3.1�inches and 2.9�inches of stroke, the engine displaced 697 cubic
centimeters. The engine originally used a single Solex 34PCI
carburetor and had a�compression ratio�of 7.5:1. The 700 LS, a
simplified Luxus with a lower price, was introduced in 1963. If
you're looking to add to your BMW collection or just looking for a
unique European city car, make sure to come by our facility soon
and look this one over for yourself. We guarantee you will be the
only one with this model at your local BMW meets! Competition to
the BMW 700 in 1963 included Alfa Romeo's Dauphine, DKW's Junior De
Luxe, Ford's Anglia Deluxe and Hillman's Minx De Luxe Saloon. This
car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri.
Current mileage on the odometer shows 25,541 miles. It is sold as
is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT
AND DRIVE!!! Click here for our YouTube video! VIN: 41777 Note:
Please see full terms and conditions listed below that pertain to
the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.
