1956 BMW 503 Cabriolet

Like several other auto manufacturers, BMW was in a tough financial situation in the post-War era, and was in need of a new model that would capture the public's attention. The 501 and its successor, the 502, were able to achieve this goal, however the prewar six-cylinder engine was outdated. A higher specification model was need. Along with the help of U.S. importer Max Hoffman, BMW management was persuaded to produce a luxury V-8 sports car for the top 10 percent that could be sold in sufficient quantity. The engineering aspects were handled by Fritz Fiedler while Albrecht von Goertz handled the styling. The result of their work was shown at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show.

This example, chassis number 69081, was delivered new to the United States for its first owner, Emanuel Weisfeld in Laurelton, New York. The 503s were often victims of overheating, and this example was no different. This car suffered a seized engine and the original 3.2-liter unit was replaced by one that had been part of a batch of smaller 2.5-liter BMW engines supplied to Talbot-Lago and subsequently acquired by Otto Zipper. A four-speed floor shift transmission from a 507 had also been installed.

The car was later purchased by Barry McMillan, of Hilltown, Pennsylvania, in May of 1976. In October of 1979, it was sold to Dick Hamilton, of Arvada, Colorado. The car remained in Hamilton's barn for the next two decades until being acquired by Don Dethlefsen in October of 1997.

In the early 2000s, Mr. Dethlefsen embarked on a thorough body-off restoration. The ladder frame and superstructure with aluminum body was completely disassembled. Over a year was spent treating the aluminum and steel body shell. The current engine is an original 3.2-liter 503 engine that was sourced from Germany, and currently has 14,000 miles from new. The radiator is purpose engineered and larger than the original but now fully capable of properly cooling the engine.

During the restoration, all other chassis and suspension components were rebuilt or replaced. Even the original Becker Mexico radio was fully rebuilt to factory specifications and functions as it did when new. A good number of NOS parts were sourced from Germany, including the engine rebuild parts, brake parts, and some of the smaller detail pieces, like interior knobs.

The car is finished in red and complemented by a tan cloth top and tan leather upholstery with red piping.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at RM Auction's Monterey, CA sale. The car was estimated to sell for $325,000 - $425,000. Bidding reached $260,000 but was not enough to satisfy the vehicle's reserve. It would leave the auction unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2012