1939 Frazer Nash-BMW 328 Sports
The BMW 328 was introduced in 1936 and 464 were produced before production stopped in 1940. This example was one of six that survived the war and was the last 328 chassis built. It was dispatched to A.F.N. (Archie Frazer-Nash) in England, the sold importers of BMWs at the time, to have a custom streamlined body fitted.
The first modern sports car, the BMW 328 was a marvel of engineering. Unlike other German cars, which utilized steel rail chassis, BMW had perfected the light tubular chassis with welded floors, allowing the use of softer springs and shock absorbers, making cornering a circuit lightning fast. Add to this frame the engine block and brakes from the BMW 326 and one had nearly reached perfection. The final touch came from a power boost via a completely redesigned cylinder head, which utilizes one lateral camshaft high on the left side, with valves inclined at 90 degrees and the spark plug in the center.
The 328’s six-cylinder engine featured an ingenious new cylinder head, designed by Rudolf Schleicher, which incorporated hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined valves without recourse to overhead, or twin camshafts. Instead, the Type 326, 1,971cc engine’s single, block-mounted camshaft and pushrod valve actuation were retained, thus avoiding an expensive redesign. Two rocker shafts were employed, one situated above each bank of valves, giving the engine an external appearance almost indistinguishable from that of a twin-overhead-cam design. Down-draught inlet ports contributed to the motor’s deep breathing, and its tune-ability made it a popular choice for British racing car constructors, most notably Cooper, during the 1950s. The 328 engine produced 80bhp, an exemplary output for a normally aspirated 2.0-litre unit at that time, with more available in race trim.
Just 4 examples of the Frazer Nash-BMW 328 were built, all of which were ordered as rolling chassis from BMW and bodied in the United Kingdom. The car you see here was built for popular racing driver and WWII Spitfire pilot Dickie Stoop in the post-war period, the body was designed for him specifically, and many aeronautical elements were worked into the design including aircraft-type bonnet clips, flush-capped fuel filler, and an exceptionally aerodynamic envelope body.
This was first modern sports car, the BMW 328 was a marvel of engineering. Unlike other German cars, which utilized steel rail chassis, BMW had perfected the light tubular chassis with welded floors, allowing the use of softer springs and shock absorbers, making cornering a circuit lightning fast.
