Vehicle Description
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https://www.flickr.com/gp/149927902@N02/NF91U5
Single family ownership since new!
22,760 miles, very original car
Recent major mechanical servicing and preservation restoration
completed by Canepa
Has BMW tool roll kit, road hazard triangle, medical kit and
spare
BMW's first mid-engined sports car
Rivalry has always been an effective catalyst for producing some of
the world's most well-designed sports cars. Companies always have
pushed their designs to the limit to beat out their competitors in
efforts to win the affection of consumers on the street and
championships on the track. The BMW M1, the Bavarian Motor
Company's first mid-engined sports car, was just that. Originally
conceptualized to go up against the likes of Porsche's
incredibly-dominant racers, the M1 became an iconic street car with
its racing counterpart gaining widespread fan and critic acclaim in
Group 4 racing, named the Procar. Born from competition, wearing
Italian-designed bodywork by Giorgetto Giugiaro and built by German
specialty coachbuilder Baur, the BMW M1 team effort created one of
BMW's most iconic vehicles of all time.
This BMW M1 began its life with a single Bay Area family and has
remained in their possession since new. Importing the car from
Germany from new was John Davila. During his life, John owned a
total of three M1s and was very much in love with the style and
design of the M1. Of the three cars, two came to him in orange and
the other in blue. This example he drove for a few years when he
first acquired the car before deciding to do a comprehensive and
very detailed color change to white. Among all of the cars that
John owned and drove over the years, this M1 was the car that he
kept.
In the early 1990s John passed away, leaving his prized M1 to his
two sons who inherited his passion and love for automobiles.
Wanting to keep one of the fondest lasting memories of their late
father, the family stored the car in the Bay Area and it would
remain this way until early 2010. Upon exiting its storage, it was
completely serviced to bring it to running condition so the two
brothers could enjoy the car. Both of the brothers described being
able to drive the car allows them to experience their memories
again of their father and all of the fun times they had together in
the M1.
In 2017 the car was given a comprehensive service by Canepa that
included repairs, maintenance, and preservation restoration that
included work on the wiring harness, alternator, fuel system,
suspension bushings, and brakes. The M1 was also given a
sympathetic preservation of the interior, using new carpets and new
correct OE cloth inserts in the seats while preserving all of the
original black leather.
In 2019 it returned to Canepa to complete all of its mechanical
servicing and refurbishment, restoring all of the mechanical
systems as needed. The car was treated to a full "Canepa
Difference" experience, with all systems on the car inspected to be
working in correct order. Items that were addressed included:
restoring the entire exhaust system, refinishing all four wheel's
finishes and new tires, a comprehensive engine tune up, engine
reseal, new coolant hoses, new injection pump belt, exhaust
gaskets, engine lid struts, air conditioning service, plug wire
set, and all fluids changed. It was then given a complete
concours-level detail, ensuring that every surface was pristine.
The white paint was polished using only a foam pad and polish,
needing very little work to be brought to showroom standards. In
all, an investment of over $125,000 was put into this white M1 to
bring this car up to a concours preservation-quality car.
Now this stunning 1980 BMW M1 is ready for its next caretaker to
enjoy driving or keeping it in a collection. With much of the car
still original, maintained excellently with everything done for the
next caretaker to drive or show this BMW, while being enjoyed by a
single family since new, this M1 is a shining example of what will
be difficult to find in the coming decades.
