I MANUAL SWAPPED AN ULTRA RARE BMW - PART 3

Summary

Taylor takes his rare BMW Alpina B3 3.3 on exciting roads in Wales to test the improvements he's made, including installing a manual gearbox and limited slip differential. He loves driving the special car, feeling privileged to own an Alpina. The car now encourages spirited driving, transforming from a lazy cruiser to an engaging driver's car. Taylor did the work in a day and a half, wanting the manual gearbox to maintain the early BMW feel. He plans further modifications to perfect it.

Takeaways

• 😊 Taylor is test driving his modified BMW Alpina 3.3 in Wales
• 🚗 He upgraded it with a manual transmission, new diff, badges, steering rack, and serviced it
• ❤️ Taylor loves how the upgrades transformed it into an exciting driver's car
• 🚦 The shorter diff ratios previously made it rev too high, so he swapped in a longer one
• ⚙️ Taylor still plans more upgrades like tuning, removing the LPG tank, and adding Alpina stripes
• 👍 He feels privileged to own such a rare and special car
• 🌄 The roads in Wales are beautiful but it's extremely cold (-9 million °C!)
• 🎥 Rory is filming with his BMW E46 touring camera car
• 💰 Taylor only paid £4,500 for his Alpina
• 👋 He thanks viewers and invites them to like, subscribe and suggest more mechanical videos

Q & A

What car is Taylor reviewing in this video?

Taylor is reviewing an Alpina B3 3.3 in this video.

What changes did Taylor make to the Alpina since acquiring it?

Taylor serviced the Alpina, added some badges, and changed the differential to a shorter ratio.

How does Taylor describe the way the Alpina drives after the modifications?

Taylor says the Alpina now feels alive, is a proper driver's car, and encourages you to drive it hard and enjoy it.

What steering rack does the Alpina have?

Taylor notices the Alpina has a purple tag steering rack, which is one of the shortest ratio racks available on BMWs.

What does Taylor plan to do next with the Alpina?

Taylor plans to remove the LPG system, tune it to get more power, and add Alpina stripes down the sides.

How much did Taylor pay for the Alpina?

Taylor says he paid 4.5 grand for the Alpina.

Why does Taylor prefer the 5-speed manual gearbox over a 6-speed?

Taylor wanted to maintain the older, early 2000s feel of the car, and notes that a 330i from that era would have had a 5-speed manual.

What modifications does Taylor still want to make to the car?

Taylor still wants to add the Alpina stripes on the sides and tune it to get a bit more power while maintaining the flat torque curve.

What does Taylor say owning this rare Alpina feels like?

Taylor says owning the Alpina feels like an honor and privilege since they are so rare, and he feels proud to be able to bring it back to life.

How does Taylor describe the way the Alpina drives after the modifications?

Taylor says the Alpina now feels alive, is a proper driver's car, and encourages you to drive it hard and enjoy it.