Issue 1 2012 - Los Angeles BMW CCA

LOS ANGELES CHAPTER
OF THE BMW CAR CLUB OF AMERICA
P.O. Box 3828
City of Industry, CA 91744-0828
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
FPM INC
DATED MATERIAL
Issue 1 2012
BMW NEWS
REFERRALS AND NEW MEMBERS
REFERRALS FOR LAST 3 MONTHS:
Gene Bush
Gary Smith
Philip W. Lovell
Vivian G. Villeneuve
Timothy Butler
Stephen Ritchie
Rich Patrei
ALL REFERRALS FOR 2011:
Andrew Campbell
Andy Powell
Anish Patel
Anthony Glenn Padama
Anthony Robertson
Bob Schwartz
Brad J. Holous
Bruce D Hazard
Charles Engen
Chris Carter
Craig Fennessy
Daniel Bora
Daniel Serna
Daniel Wu
Delight Lucas (12)
Dennis Wat
Ed Sukchai
Elizabeth Kim Alexander (3)
Elliott Birnberg
Fabricio Cerioni
Gary Smith
Gene Bush
Gerard Vogel
James Cuillier
Jeff Willers
Jeremy Sykes
Jerry Boydston
Jim Heise
John Brema (2)
John Greenly
John Greenly
John Yip
Joseph Anthony Soraci
Judy A. Ray (2)
Kyle Mori
Larry Fish
Leif S. Anderberg
Manny Antimisiaris
Marc Hoopingarner
Matt Russell
Meroujan Kodabakshian
Michael G. Potter
Mickey Gubman
Neil Hubbard
2 ■ ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb
Nicholas A. Owen (3)
Paul Holzschuh
Philip W. Lovell
Quenton Smith
Raghid Elazmeh (2)
Randall Harris (3)
Rich Nichols
Rich Patrei
Richard Beigel
Rob Lekstrom
Robert E. Loven
Robert Lydecker
Robert Takashi Garcia
Ryan Wild (2)
Stephane Grabina
Stephen Ritchie
Steven Schlossman
Teddy Park
Terry Best (2)
Terry Perkins
Timothy Butler
Vivian G. Villeneuve
William Lanz
William Oosterman
NEW MEMBERS
SINCE SEPTEMBER
Alaa Afifi, Santa Ana
Farhad Alaghband, Irvine
Carlos Boluarte, Valley Village
David Burchell, Wildomar
Richard Cagley, Santa Barbara
Sichao Chen, Irvine
Sara Chenetz, Los Angeles
George Christides, Huntington Beach
William Coles, Cypress
David Crokett, Irvine
David Downs, Yorba Linda
Sean Fan, South Pasadena
Chloe Figueiredo, Newbury Park
Robert Fiorino, Los Angeles
Matthew Fiorino, Los Angeles
John Forester, Mission Viejo
Mojgan Forutan, Oak Park
Mehran Forutan, Oak Park
Justin Giritlian, Woodland Hills
Ryan Hasegawa, Monterey Park
Daniel Henry, Newport Beach
Eric Heronime, Rancho Cucamonga
Andrea Herrera, Riverside
John Hudson, Laguna Niguel
Matthew Ibrahim, Huntington Beach
Alan Ikemura, Anaheim
Michael Jacobs, Irvine
Jayson Just, Pasadena
Chris Karlen, Los Angeles
Alpesh Khana, Irvine
Rich Kingsley, Dana Point
Michael Klenner, Canoga Park
Christopher Lao, Glendale
So Lee, Porter Ranch
Edward Lin, Irvine
Joshua Linen, Los Angeles
Brendan McCann, Irvine
Mark Mueller, Van Nuys
Darin Nishimura, Gardena
Charles Oh, Glendale
Dustin Okada, El Segundo
Nancy Okada, El Segundo
Tom Olson, Santa Barbara
August Ong, Chino Hills
Krikor Patatian, Tarzana
Michael Peterson, Loma Linda
Xavier Riley, Los Angeles
Ricardo Rosales, San Pedro
Boris Said, Murrieta
Krista Schlappatha, Torrance
Maurice Silberstein, Los Angeles
Dave Skiles, Cerritos
Serene Smith, Irvine
Michael Smith, Porter Ranch
Austin Speer, Rancho Cucamonga
Jay Standish, Coto De Caza
Hua Sun Menifee
Derrick Tackett, Mission Viejo
Allison Tapia, Corona
Yeow Chern Tok, Irvine
Van Truong, Irvine
Kevin Walsh, Lancaster
Suzanne Whitten, Calabasas
Tony Williams, Eastvale
Susan Wolford, Topanga
A HEAVY DISCUSSION
Mike Vogel, Frank Reed and Steve
Stepanian (BMW CCA members)
discussing qualifying at Cal Speedway
in August of 2011.
Steve Stepanian
BMW NEWS
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Whoosh, where did 2011 go? I
was ready for it (I thought), had a
plan, might have even had a resolution
or two. I was just settling into the
year when BAM, it’s gone. So now I
have to start all over with a new year.
There was a lot of good (and some
bad) crammed into my 2011. I’m
sure yours was the same. In 2012 I
am wishing for more good, less bad
and a better economy for all of us.
By now we have a new Board of
Directors and, based on the ballot,
probably some new faces on board.
If you didn’t vote, shame on you but
you’ll get another chance towards the
end of 2012. Try not to miss it this
time. Not voting wasn’t a big deal
when we had positions running
unopposed, but we are over that now
and your vote really does matter.
Also by now, the winners of the
2011 Membership Contest should
have been posted. The list of people
who referred new members has been
published in each issue this year. As I
write this I have my fingers crossed
(which makes typing difficult) that at
least one of the winners will be from
the Los Angeles Chapter. Remember
that the big prize is a trip to the
BMW Performance Center for an M
School. The school and lodging is the
prize, and the Los Angeles Chapter
will provide a travel allowance if either
of the winners is a LA member.
What can you win this year? Check
out the National website ...
www.bmwcca.org
then start pushing membership. You
must know at least 10 people with
BMW’s who aren’t in the club yet.
We just want you to convince one of
them to join.
We have a new Advertising Rate
card available at ...
www.bmwclubla.org
Our newsletter publisher (Chris
McBurney of Carousel Graphics) has
volunteered to coordinate and
maintain the records for future
advertising. Remember that
by Delight Lucas
advertising doesn’t have to be strictly
BMW related. A business card sized
ad is a great way to get the word out
for insurance companies, financial
services, real estate, home services,
etc., etc., etc.
Whatever else your resolutions are
for the New Year, please be sure to
add the following:
1. Attend at least one Chapter
function
2. Renew your membership on time
3. Bring one new member into the
Chapter
4. Submit something (pictures,
articles, letters, tech hint, etc) to
the Whispering Bomb
5. Make friends with someone at your
local BMW dealership.
And now for the Public Service
Announcement portion of our
broadcast:
For a natural high and overall good
feeling – try volunteering. No matter
what your own circumstances are,
there’s someone who thinks you have
it good. Look up your local food bank,
Goodwill, Salvation Army, hospital,
convalescent home, pet shelter, etc.
Giving as little as an hour a month to
organizations that rely on volunteering
can make a huge difference in not only
your own life, but the lives of
countless other. Try it, you’ll like it.
To submit articles use our
BMW gmail account:
User Name: BMWCCALAnewsletter
Password: wbnewsletter
THE THREE AMIGOS
Pictured:
Klaus Kindor
Bill Noonan
Steve Stepanian
Just three good ‘ole boys
(and LA Chapter BMW CCA
members) looking at some
cars and sippin’ some coffee
at Cars N’ Coffee in Irvine this
past June. The original three
amigos!
Steve Stepanian
AT THE TRACK
We all know texting on the highway
is illegal ... but what about on the
track? Hmmm. Steve Stepanian
texting while on the track and acting
as a pace car for the BMW CCA
pre-licensing school in November of
2011 where I was an instructor.
Frank Reed set this one up. Ok, we
were stopped and set this photo up,
so no real danger. But, we loved the
fact that we got the corner worker in
the photo and she is not really
paying attention.
The caption. "Honk if you love Jesus.
Text if you want to meet him!"
Steve Stepanian
ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb ■ 3
BMW NEWS
MONTEREY AUTO WEEK AND LEGENDS OF THE AUTOBAHN 2011
by Baabak Afshar
Attending the world famous
group of hearty drivers was just out
The majestic redwoods of Pebble
Concourse d’Elegance is to the auto
for their morning club-ride through
Beach welcome all who are lucky
enthusiast like being a devout
Hwy 192. They pulled up right
enough to visit this exclusive
Christian while present at the
behind me with a high-beam and a
community perched on the solemn
Vatican, the Church of the Holy
wave and the lead driver swiftly
cliffos overlooking the pacific
Sepulchre, and Bethlehem all
passed over my left shoulder and
ocean. This is where all the classic
at once.
pulled up front, as if to wink my car
and vintage cars go to show off once
No matter the drive to get there,
into the row of BMWs headed down
a year; and for a lucky few to be
this event is a pleasure getting to
the single lane highway. I took it as a
auctioned off at handsome prices. If
each and every year. Here I will
cordial invitation and began our 1
paying millions for a rage classic is
share with you some of the joy of this
hour journey through some of the
not your thing, there’s always
year’s Monterey Auto Week. This
greatest twist and turns California
competing events from Hot Rod’n at
annual event around mid August
roads have to offer. Veering off the
Laguna Seca, to Concourso Italiano,
makes the road trip to central
5 fwy I joined the pack of bimmers
to the darling of them all, BMW
California all the better to enjoy;
for about an hour or so until we
Festorics and the Legends of the
especially if you join up with a BMW
arrived at the 101. They started
Autobahn.
club on the road as I did. I had just
pulling over, and I kept on truck’n as I
The legends of the autobahn event
crossed east from the 5 fwy on my
was on a deadline to pickup my
was especially memorable this year
way to the 101 North. Driving
media credentials at Pebble Beach.
as it included the 25th anniversary of
through the endless rolling hills of
the E30 M3 with a strong showing at
the golden state I took a
the Rancho Canada golf
look at my back-view mirror,
club. With all the pomp and
witnessing a long line
pageantry of the Concourse
consisting of at least a
de’Elegance, there was no
dozen or so BMWs
better place to be for the
approaching fast. I knew I
true BMW fans than this
was close to my destination
Deutsch Marquee Concourse
at this point in the drive up
in Carmel. Besides pre-war
BMW CERTIFIED COLLISION REPAIR
from Los Angeles. The best
BMW classics all the way up
part is that we had met up
to futuristic BMW-esque
unwittingly in one of the
Visit us for all your auto body needs! concept car, there was a
greatest country roads in
healthy representation of
the central California region
Mercedes as well as
near Monterey. My initial
Porsche. But the darling on
As a BMW Certified Collision
reaction was that they’re
the golf course had to be the
Repair Center, we use factory
headed, just like me, to the
pristine selection of M3
approved procedures and genuine
Monterey Autoweek and to
E30s, at least for those of
the Legends of the Autobahn
us who appreciate
BMW parts to restore your vehicle to
event in particular. As it
impeccable German
manufacturer’s standards.
turned out I was
automotive engineering. ■
wrong. Actually this
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4 ■ ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb
Paula Patton and Ludwig Willisch
Auto Show • Photos John Bergen
BMW NEWS
SITTING BY THE DOCK OF eBAY 1
The Otis Redding classic laments
the disappointment of new things tried
and found to be ... well ... not quite as
anticipated. Selling the Cobra on
eBay was like a big dip in the deep,
cold, and semi-polluted waters of San
Francisco Bay.
It took a few of months and several
attempts, but the Cobra2 now has a
new home and the Speed3 is now
ensconced in the garage. It is very
weird to walk out there and see the
big red Mazda where the little grey
Cobra used to be. I’m actually
surprised just how big the Mazda
really is. It’s not exactly a tuna boat,
but it’s taller, wider, and longer.3 No
wonder it seems ... substantial ...
on the autocross course. And it
took substantial effort to get the
Cobra gone.
Once the economy started looking
iffy again, I sort of gave up on making
any serious money on the car – my
goal was to break even and maybe
make a couple of bucks.4 But what
astounded me was what a huge pain
in the tuchus5 it was, and how listing
it on eBay brought all of the wackos
out of the dark recesses of the
internet. Sure, I expected the
Nigerian princes and the
reincarnations of Wimpy6, but I
underestimated – grievously – just
how many toons there were out there
with access to a computer and an
internet connection.
I’m not talking about the guys7 who
came by to look at the car or asked
for more photos and decided it just
wasn’t for them, either because it was
more work than they were capable of
doing, or because if they were going
to put in that much work, they wanted
to start from scratch and do it their
way. I was actually happy to talk to
them and help them work through
what needed to be done and compare
it to their skill set to see if it would
work for them. I’m also not talking
about the guys like Dovan who had
specific needs to import the car to
6 ■ ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb
their country – in his case, Israel –
and were up front about it.
I’m talking about the nut jobs. Like
Stefan.8 After asking a ton of
questions and requesting a ton of very
specific photos, he asked me if I’d
send him the extra parts. Not the
car. The parts I didn’t use. For free.
I have this vision of some cow barn
outside of Klagenfurt where he’s
stashing bolts and circlips and bits of
wire until he has a whole Cobra, just
waiting to be assembled.9
Or Klaus, who was going pay cash
as soon as he inspected the car.
Could I please ship the car to Florida
so he could inspect it there while he
visited from Germany in three week?10
Or Hiroshi, who would pay my full
asking price as soon as the car
cleared customs in Japan.
Or the long list of goobers making
observations but never asking a
question I could answer, like, “Your
listing notes that the gas gauge and
oil pressure gauge don’t work. These
are important to measure the health
of the motor.” 11
But my lowest form of loathing falls
to the two – count ‘em – two —
people who actually bought the car
and never paid for it.12
The first asked a lot of questions
and asked for photos, which he got,
then bid on and won the car at
auction. Never came to look at it
before hand even though he lived
about ten minutes away. Then he did
inspect it, said it was just like
described, told me he wasn’t really
the buyer, and that the real buyer was
his “brother” in Thailand, who would
fund the deposit though Pay-Pal as
soon as we worked though the paper
work.13 After I refused to fabricate
documents three times, once in front
of Anneka, he walked out. Never
responded to e-mails. Never picked
up the cell phone. Never responded
to eBay’s inquiries.
So I re-listed the car.
The second buyer never asked a
by Mark Buehler
question, never asked for any photos,
never inspected the car and bought it
sight unseen. When I got the e-mail
about the winning bidder and found
out it was a woman, I thought, “Cool.
I wonder if she can weld?” Those
happy thoughts were misplaced. She
wasn’t the real bidder either. It was
her soon-to-be father-in-law. When
he came to look at the car, he was
shocked14 that it didn’t look like his
buddy’s $65,000 Superformance
Cobra with the 351 stroker motor.
I wonder what part of, “needs paint,”
“needs sorting,” and “built by high
school students,” he didn’t
understand?15 Here’s the shocker –
this bone head is a physician who lives
15 minutes away in a neighborhood
where the help drives better cars than
I do. Then he threw his soon-to-be
daughter in law under the eBay bus to
take the ratings hit for not following
through on the sale.16
The upside? I’m pretty certain the
karma balance is going to bring all of
these people back as pink, crystalline
urinal deodorizers.
I did sell the car, but through the
FFCars website. Tom,17 and his
buddy, Tim,18 came by on Friday
evening and inspected, negotiated,
and did the deal in cash in 40
minutes. Tom and his wife came by
on Sunday, loaded the car and the
few extra parts onto the trailer and
drove off into the morning sun. He
left with a few bucks in his pocket,
and I had a few extra in mine as well.
A fair deal al the way around.
If there’s a moral here,19 it appears
to be that Otis should have gotten off
his tuchus, got some therapy and
meds for the chronic depression, and
not depended on the bay or anyone
else to do the work for him. I should
have listed the car where I knew the
car guys were, sifted the nut jobs out
on the front end, and just negotiated
the deal. But I was lazy.20 The
second moral is that, despite the fact
that there are a bunch of bug-nut
BMW NEWS
crazy whack-a-doodles out there, if
you work it right, they stay in the
deep, dark corners where they belong
and you deal with the other relatively
rational car guys. And like Otis, you
don’t have to worry about doing what
ten people tell you, and you can just
do what needs to be done.21 In this
case, it was depositing the money and
writing a tuition check or two.
1 With massive apologies to Otis
Redding and Steve Cropper, the
co-writer.
2 Sorry — Factory Five 427 Roadster.
Not a Cobra. Never was. Ford owns
“Cobra.” And Carroll Shelby’s too old
and litigious to mess with. My bad.
3 And almost twice as heavy. It’s also
cranking out 65 more horsepower and
a bucket of extra torque from less than
half the displacement, but that’s what
forced induction and modern engine
management will do for you.
4 Which I did.
5 Yiddish for “ass”
6 Who would gladly pay me Tuesday for
a Cobra shipped today.
7 Like Justin, Alex, Rob, and Yang and
several others
8 That’s Stefan from Austria, not Stefan
from Switzerland, with whom I’ve
started a very cordial e-mail
exchange.
9 I actually had two extra sets of CV
boots, but since he expected me to
pay the shipping too, I respectfully
declined.
10 I told him to fly in to John Wayne
airport and that Supershuttle was
$38 each way to my house. Hey – I
even emailed him the links to Orbitz
and Supershuttle so he could make
the reservations. If he could tear
himself away from Mickey, Minny, and
most appropriately, Goofy.
13 Apparently, in Thailand, the phrase,
“work through the paperwork”
translates to” falsifying the sales
documents to defraud the DMV, the
Franchise Tax Board, U.S. Customs
and Thai Customs.” Who knew?
14 Shocked, I tell you.
15 If nothing else, the fact that he got it
for less than a third of the price
should have suggested that there
were going to be differences.
16 This does not bode well for future
family dynamics. Maybe I should
send her one of Stephanie’s cards?
17 An E30 guy.
18 An E36 guy and club member.
19 Beyond karma and fresh smelling
restrooms.
11 Duh.
12 Point of future reference: eBay sales
of vehicles and real estate don’t form
binding or enforceable contracts
under the rules, they merely indicate
a willingness to enter a contract to
buy. Fat lot of good that does.
20 And only a little depressed at the
prospect of the Cobra leaving home.
21 Rather than nothing at all, which is a
rather candybutt way to handle your
own life. ■
ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb ■ 7
BMW NEWS
KINOWS-ING AROUND BMW
BMW continues to do well and
leads the US luxury car market. It
looks as if BMW will win that segment
for the year. Through the end of
November this is the result:
BMW
MB
Lincoln
Cadillac
Acura
Jaguar
Infiniti
Lexus
Audi
2011
2010
246,890
210,760
70,935
124,985
100,261
10,642
79,043
153,739
95,206
215,700
189,637
70,120
118,406
107,399
11,043
82,727
183,529
81,718
For the month of November MB is
closing in on BMW, but has not
passed them. Sales for the year
projects BMW to beat MB with Lexus
trailing.
BMW and Toyota has just
announced a technological tie-up.
BMW will share in their Toyota
battery and hybrid technology while
Toyota will share BMW diesel engine
technology and even buy complete
engines for their luxury cars sold in
Europe.
BMW’s Product Plan for the future:
2012:
3-series re-design
3-series GT
(similar to the 5-series GT)
M5 re-design
5-series hybrid
Grand Coupe debut
7-series re-freshed
X-1 introduced to the US
X6 re-freshed
2013:
5-eries GT re=freshed
Z-4 re-freshed
X4 debut
X5 re-design
i3 debut (BMW electric city car)
2014:
X3 re-freshed
i8 debut
(plug-in/electric hybrid super car)
8 ■ ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb
by Leif Anderberg
2015:
1-series re-design
Because of the strong Euro, BMW
is looking to reduce their dependence
on Germany-made parts for the cars
made elsewhere. Hence part
manufacturing plants will be built in
the US, China, India and Russia. Don’t
be surprised next time you look under
the hood of your X car and find parts
made in any of those countries.
Starting in October of this year and
running through until September of
next year the BMW Museum will
feature coups and convertibles. Some
very rare cars will come out of
storage for display. If you are in
Germany for any reason next year, you
owe it to yourself to check out the
BMW Museum.
Even the Super-luxury Rolls-Royce,
a division of BMW, is doing very well.
So far this year, sales are up 41%.
Dealerships are opening up in China
and South America, as well as other
places RR has never been present.
The new 3-series will go on sale in
February. From all indications, this will
still be the car all other sedans and
sport sedans are measured by. Tests
by car publications indicate the new
car is even better than the car it
replaces. Is that possible? Even
though it will be a little larger, it will
be faster as well as more fugal when
it comes to fuel. Well done!
All the 50 biggest leasing
companies in the UK have named the
BMW 3-series as the most reliable
car and BMW AG as the most reliable
car manufacturer. Honda Accord was
second and the VW Golf was third.
BMW has been sued by a Chinese
rocket manufacturer. It seems there
was in image of the China Academy of
Launch Technology’s LONG MARCH
rocket in one of BMW’s ads shown in
China without the manufacturers
consent. The lawsuit is to be finished
by the end of the year.
“
For the month of
November MB is
closing in on
BMW, but has
not passsed them.
Sales for the year
projects BMW to
beat MB wtth
”
Lexus trailing.
BMW diesel technology is well
known. Now a new sporty version of
the 5-series is introduced called the
M550d (F10) – a super diesel built
with the help of BMW M. The car will
have 381 hp and go from 0 to 62
mph in under to 5 seconds.
It seems the average American and
European is getting fatter. The
German car manufacturers, including
BMW, MB and Audi are testing wider
seats to accommodate fatter drivers.
It is expected that in the near future
“fat butt” seats will be an option.
No doubt, the BMW classic cars
are increasing in price. A 507
recently sold for 1.2 million and a
“near new” M1 sold for $250,000.
The original E30 M3 is now selling for
over $20,000 in excellent condition
with NO modifications. A modified or
raced M3 sells for a lot less. BMW is
also being seen as winners in several
Concourse d’Elegance both in the US
and in Europe. A 1937 BMW 328
won the Best In Show trophy at the
recent Hilton Head Island show.
BMW NEWS
To make it easier for electrical
vehicle owners to re-charge their
cars, seven leading car manufacturers
have agreed to use the same charging
system. Audi, BMW, Daimler (MB),
General Motors, Porsche and
Volkswagen. Negotiations are on going
to get Ford, Fiat-Chrysler and a
Japanese manufacturer to join in.
BMW is again trying to increase
their production capacity, both in
Europe and elsewhere. The total
production figures for 2011 is
estimated to be well over 1.6 million
vehicles. The probability of reaching
2 million vehicles before 2020 is now
a reality.
A Z4 owner in Belgium was
recently killed while cleaning out her
car. She supposedly was hanging over
the side cleaning the space where the
metal foldable top goes, when the top
suddenly started to close. The woman
got her neck stuck between the top
that was un-folding and the bottom of
the top. Her neck was crushed by the
upper part of the top. An investigation
is on-going to determine how the top
got started. It could amount to
another lawsuit for BMW.
After several months trying to find
a place for another assembly plant for
BMW and MINI in South America,
BMW AG finally settled on Soa Paulo
in Brazil. The new plant will initially
have a capacity for 10,000 cars
annually, most for sales within Brazil.
Several other assembly plants are
being planned in Russia, India, Korea
and Turkey.
Please keep those e-mails coming!
■
MY 2000 e39 M5
As an instructor, I had the car on the track at
Willow Springs a few times earlier this year for
Driving Concepts and for a NASA Competition
Licensing school. It has also been used a few years
ago when instructing for a BMW CCA LA school at
WSIR. (It raises a few eyebrows when they are
passed by a 4,100 lb. four-door ... thus showing
the capabilities of what I think is one of the coolest
M-cars.)
Jay Jones
ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb ■ 9
BMW NEWS
A WEEKEND WINE TOUR IN WASHINGTON STATE
AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU MIGHT
BE MISSING IF YOU DON’T CHECK
OUT WHAT OTHER CHAPTERS ARE
DOING. TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF
YOUR CLUB MEMBERSHIP.
Mary and I joined the Puget Sound
Chapter’s annual wine tour in
September 2011, and we had a
delicious time (good wine, food,
company, and driving). I found out
about the wine tour by looking at
the websites of the BMW CCA
chapters in Oregon and Washington
while planning our driving trip to
these States.
Our twenty BMW cars (and one
Porsche) left as a group early Friday
morning from a Seattle rendezvous
and enthusiastically drove the scenic
North Cascades Highway through
North Cascades National Park,
stopping for a picnic lunch along the
way and then again for a break in a
popular mountain resort community.
After arriving at Chelan in late
afternoon we had our first group wine
tasting and outdoor dinner at one of
the excellent wineries and vineyards
surrounding the southern end of Lake
Chelan. Our lodging for the weekend
was at a resort hotel on the shores of
the lake. Saturday we continued our
group wine tastings and meals at the
wineries, with every meal served
outside taking advantage of the warm
sunny weather and beautiful views.
The gorgeous weather finally
disappeared late Sunday morning, so
we had our wine tasting and light
brunch in a winery’s wine cellar, and
then drove through some heavy rain
on our return to Seattle. Friends of
12 ■ ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb
Article & Photos by Martin Hochman
ours from Seattle rode with us on the
wine tour, and although we decided
not to buy any wine to take home after
considering how far we had to drive,
we did mange to fit in a case of wine
plus an additional four bottles that our
friends purchased to take back to
Seattle (thanks to the relatively large
trunk of our 740i Sport).
Our fellow club members from the
Puget Sound Chapter were very
hospitable and certainly made us feel
welcome, and we wouldn’t hesitate to
join another chapter’s activities again
based upon our overwhelmingly
positive experience with this event.
So consider checking out other
“
I found out about
the wine tour by
looking at the
websites of the
BMW CCA
chapters in
Oregon and
Washington while
planning our
driving trip to
”
these States.
chapters’ websites when you are
planning a trip, and you might find
some tour or other activity to join that
you would really enjoy.
You also might end up with some
interesting stories to tell, such as this
one from this tour. At one point on
the way to Lake Chelan when our
group of BMWs was moving along
“enthusiastically” through the
mountains we all were passed by a
motorcycle that was being driven even
more enthusiastically.. A few
minutes later we passed the
motorcyclist pulled over on the side
of the road with a law enforcement
car. Of course we felt badly for the
motorcyclist, but happy that it wasn’t
us that had been stopped for our
“enthusiastic” driving. When we all
arrived a bit later at the mountain
resort town for a break, I thought I
recognized the motorcycle that had
been stopped, and asked the
motorcyclist if he was the one our
BMW group had passed. He told me
“yes”, and said that when our group of
BMW cars drove by them the police
officer said something like “Oh Sh**,
I should have waited for that group!”
The motorcyclist then added that he
was then just given a warning and not
a speeding ticket.
So fate was at work again.
Apparently our group had saved the
motorcyclist from a speeding ticket
and he had saved all of us from
getting tickets. Perhaps the moral of
this story is to have a motorcyclist
take the lead when driving as a group,
or not to exceed the speed limits, or
just that luck or fate can be strange
and wondrous (aka – the truth can be
stranger than fiction). ■
BMW NEWS
MINI CORNER
Back in the sixties and seventies,
the first generation Mini ruled the
rally circuits. With drivers like Paddy
Hopkirk from the UK and Tom Trana
from Sweden, they swept the rally
races with their opponents. They
finished in the top three virtually every
race. This is a hard legacy to follow.
MINI has decided to try. They
contracted with ProDrive, a very
respectable and well-known rally team
from the UK to handle the two cars
MINI was entering in the 2011 WRC
(World Rally Championship) series.
There is a lot of development involved
in fielding a rally car. Virtually
everything has to be beefed up to
handle the jumps and dips the cars
are exposed to while racing on small
country roads, fire lanes and even
narrow tarmac roads and street all
over the world. The first year MINI did
not enter every race, this was their
development year. However, in the
races they did enter they did better
than expected. Consider that the
competition has had several years to
develop their cars and MINI is
starting out with a brand new car,
MINI finished second in the French
rally, third in the German rally and
was able to finish in the top ten in the
rest of the rallies they entered. They
were up against six Citroens, (two
factory racers), around thirty Ford
Focus and Fiestas and a handful of
Skoda’s and Volkswagens. All with very
experienced drivers and crew bosses.
MINI did very well and deserved a
congratulations for a job well done!
The Fiat 500, the supposed “MINI
Killer” is a DUD! Chrysler, i.e. Fiat,
predicted and planned on selling over
50,000 cars for 2011, thereby dethroning the MINI from the up-scale
mini-compact car segment. Alas, it
didn’t happen. The Fiat sold barely
13,000 cars as this is written, since
it was introduced in the US. Last
month there were 19 dealers that
didn’t sell one single car! The CEO of
Fiat USA was fired and a new man
appointed. A souped up version is
by Leif Anderberg
currently being introduced, the Fiat
Abarth. OK, it’s a little better than the
94 hp original Fiat, but with only 140
hp it is no match for the MINI S or
certainly not for the JCW MINI.
Because of the very short wheelbase
and tall passenger compartment of
the Fiat, handling also leaves a lot to
be desired. Too bad, it is kind of cute
in it’s own way.
of course a “boy racer” and with the
available JCW version, it is a very
fast car. The handling can be dialed in
from comfort to sport. Everyone who
test drove the car have commented
about how much fun the car is to
drive. The car should be available
some time in February at your local
dealer. Then, later in the year, a coupe
version is to follow.
It pays to use a car cover at all
times. When the wild fires hit Texas,
Todd Karajan had to leave his MINI on
the drive way in front of his garage.
He had it covered as always. When
he returned 10 days later, the only
thing left was his MINI with the car
cover still on the car. His house and
garage was totally leveled. The cover
was of course burned here and there
by the fires, but Todd claims it is still
usable, and there was NO damage to
the MINI!
The National Highway Safety
Administration started an
investigation on October 10 of the
MINI Cooper S regarding engine fires.
So far twelve cars have suddenly
caught on fire after having been shut
off. So far the have been no injuries
although almost all cars were total
losses.
MINI recently showed their new
roadster to the general public and has
already given journalists from virtually
every car publication test drives. The
car has been very well received. It is
The MINI Countryman with the
All4 four-wheel drive system has
been voted Truck of the Year!
There are plans of making the
Countryman into a very hot
performance car. ProDrive, the rally
(Continued on page 18)
AT THE RACES
BMW CCA Club Racers and Los
Angeles Chapter members Brett
Strom, Mickey Miller, Vic Pizzino,
Blaine McNutt and Ralph Warren
along with Crew Chief Scott Lang
and Race Engineer Scott Cary
finished 5th in this year’s 25-Hours
of Thunderhill. The longest
continuous sports car race in the
country. The team completed 577
laps and 1731 miles.
Vic Pizzino buckles in for
the start of the race.
The finish.
Ralph Warren
ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb ■ 13
BMW NEWS
BMW CCA FORUMS
Article & Photos by Richard T. Lin
Now that the cold weather has set
upon us, unless you have the privilege
of working in a heated garage,
detailing becomes a bit more difficult.
And I’m not just talking about the pain
of getting out to wash your car in the
cold, but everything from your water
source to the way your chemicals
being applied to cold paint can react
differently. This often means that we’ll
spend more time indoors on our
computers than in our detailing bays
and that brings me to the focus of
this month’s topic.
BMW CCA FORUMS
One morning, I received an email to
come check out the “new” forums for
BMWCCA members. I decided to pay
a visit to the detailing section and
after reading several posts I was
dismayed by the advice being given.
It’s not that the advice was wrong
but that the person asking the
question wanted to learn how to
wetsand his BMW. The forums are a
great place to learn things but
wetsanding isn’t one of them. I know
from experience that the potential to
cause major irreversible damage is all
too great. I frequent several online
forums and there are many armchair
detailers that answer questions based
on what they have read but never
tried. This gives the newbie the false
impression that what they seek is
easy. My advice during this downtime
is learn as much as you can but use
common sense and don’t practice on
your BMW. You might think that it’s a
fun way to learn but the consequences
can run from having to hire someone
like me, for a few hundred dollars to
fix your mistake to having to go to the
body shop and devaluing your car with
a full repaint. Remember that sanding
is only one aspect and you still need
to compound and buff it. Both
processes go hand in hand. It doesn’t
take much to sand too much that you
can’t finish it.
WASHING PERFECT PAINT
At the shop we spend a lot of time
perfecting paint. But most of our
clients want to maintain their own
paint and I find that most people just
don’t know how to wash their car
properly. They usually start off by
finding some soap, squirting it into a
bucket, hitting it with a hose until the
foam fills up to the top. Then they
drop in a mitt or sponge and soap as
much of the car as possible before
getting more soap. Let’s analyze this.
First of all, how do swirls and
scratches appear in your paint? If the
paint is “perfect” to begin with, they
Customer wetsanded his own paint.
14 ■ ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb
come from abrading the surface. Do
you have an iPhone or similar device
with glossy plastic? Look at it in the
light. You will see plenty of swirls in it.
This happens every time you pick it up
and hold it and insert it into your
pocket. The only way to keep it swirl
and fingerprint free is to keep it in the
protective plastic it came in, or never
take it out of the box! The same goes
for your paint. So let’s assume that
your paint is as perfect as it gets and
please note that our cars are not
flawless from the factory. To prevent
scratches from being induced we need
to make sure that we don’t rub the
paint too hard. And when we have to,
we make sure we use proper
lubrication. Like I said in my first
article “Think Before You Leap”,
measure the soap to water ratio with
a measuring cup, fill the bucket with
water first, then add the soap. Use a
genuine lambs wool wash mitt instead
of microfiber. Microfiber is great for
picking up and holding dirt but not for
BMW NEWS
“
Although most
of our customers
know us as a
high-end paint
polishing shop,
we’ve been
inventing detailing
solutions for
”
years.
releasing them. If you don’t believe
me, try taking the debris out of your
microfiber towels that have been
sitting on the floor. Make sure you
have two buckets. I like to use warm
water for my rinse bucket and cold for
the soap. This way it’s easy to tell
which is which after a few uses. Also
the warm water helps to clean the
mitt. Now rinse off your car and this
is the key. Don’t try to soap the car
with your mitt. Instead think of using
the soap to transfer the dirt on the
paint into the bucket. So you must
properly lubricate the mitt, wet the
paint with water, loosen the dirt with
a soapy mitt, and gently wipe it panel
Pre-Wow removes wax & polish
around the sunroof.
Richard Lin at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas
by panel collecting the dirt on the mitt
then rinsing and wringing that in the
warm rinse bucket. Now put it into
the clean soap water, and repeat. If
you remember that your goal is to put
the dirt in the bucket then you won’t
be tempted to soap the whole car and
rub the dirt against the paint. Also on
the first soap pass, you might have to
transfer the dirt multiple times,
depending how much dirt there is to
remove. When we snow foam a car,
the thick suds serve this same
purpose, however the foam doesn’t
work on all paint types and we might
still have to resort to the traditional
bucket wash method.
PLASTICS and SEMA
This year marks our first attendance
at SEMA in Las Vegas as an exhibiting
vendor. We had a blast and learned a
lot from our customers. I’d like to
share with you a little bit about our
inventions and what we do for this
industry.
Although most of our customers
know us as a high-end paint polishing
shop, we’ve been inventing detailing
solutions for years. One of those
products is called Black Wow which
Black Wow Before
Black
Black Wow
Wow being
being applied
applied to
to cowling
cowling
was inspired by purchasing my first
MINI. It’s available from a variety of
retailers around the world. It solves
the faded windshield cowling, faded
door trim, MINI side skirts and trim,
door handles, grills, and bumpers.
Unlike typical products, BW absorbs
into both smooth and textured
plastics allowing it to last for months.
We also invented a companion
product that permanently removes
wax and polish stains before treating
it with Black Wow. We make all of our
products in the USA and fortunately
for me, my father is a world-renowned
scientist and he formulates them for
me and I get to make them!
We also invented products to make
polishing easier and safer and we are
constantly developing new things. I am
very thankful to be able to do what I
love, to work on cool cars all day long,
invent, develop, manufacture, and
teach our customers, not to mention
having the privilege of writing for the
Whispering Bomb.
Thank you for allowing me to
share a bit about myself. I have a lot
of articles planned for 2012! Happy
New Year! ■
Black Wow After
ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb ■ 15
BMW NEWS
BMW iSERIES AT THE 2012 LA AUTO SHOW
CHARGING TO THE FUTURE IN THE iSERIES
I became a BMW enthusiast during
my 1991 Germany trip. Discussing
my then upcoming trip with Bob Lutz,
he referred me to Baron Von
Kuenheim. Dr. Von Kuenheim arranged
for a personal, exclusive tour of the
Munich facilities, including their R&D
labs. Touring those labs proved to me
that the “Ultimate Driving Machine”
slogan was their culture, not just a
marketing slogan. Consider this – one
of the featured labs on my tour was
the headlight lab. BMW scientist and
engineers researched the issues
drivers had with night and low visibility
driving, discovering that self
generated headlight glare was the
primary cause of eye fatigue. This
resulted in the development of the
high intensity discharge Xenon
headlights that are now automotive
market headlight standard. If BMW
pays that level of attention to
headlights, it’s no wonder that BMW
power trains, suspensions, and
chassis are the automotive standard.
So when we saw the near
production ready i3 and i8 vehicles
(expected to go on sale in 2013 and
2014) at the Los Angeles Auto Show,
we knew that there was more to the
story than BMW offering a pure
electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid
vehicle to the market. These were not
just Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt
competitors – the technologies used
in the development of these vehicles
would become pervasive throughout
the BMW product line.
16 ■ ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb
One of the first things that struck
me was the return of the “body on
frame” construction for these
passenger vehicles, as opposed
to the current standard unibody
construction.
In this case, the “frame” is an
aluminum chassis that incorporates
the lithium ion batteries, electric
motor, internal combustion engine
(for the hybrid electric i8), drive train,
and suspension. The weight of the
batteries gives the resulting vehicle a
low center of gravity that should
result in performance car oriented
handling. This “frame” increases the
manufacturing and design efficiencies
for future platforms, allowing for a
variety of vehicles types that use the
same basic frame. This significantly
reduces the new product development
costs.
The “body” in a carbon fiber
reinforced plastic “unibody”. BMW
perfected the design and
manufacturing techniques to produce
reliable, production ready structures.
The body panels are made using a
carbon fiber reinforced sheet molding
compound technique that produces
“Class A” surface finishes. The cost
advantage is that the color is molded
in to the panel, eliminating the
painting during the assembly process.
Unlike past molded body panels (like
the old Saturns), the tolerances are
so close that the gaps are tighter
than the best metal paneled vehicles.
Article & Photos by James Chew
“
Touring those
labs proved to
me that the
‘Ultimate Driving
Machine’ slogan
was their culture,
not just a
marketing
”
slogan.
The strength and stiffness of the
resulting body eliminates the need for
a “B,” or center pillar, which opens up
the passenger compartment design.
Both the i3 and i8 feature airy, roomy
interiors. Upon closer inspection, one
can’t help but think that the BMW
Advanced R&D center in Palo Alto, CA
and Apple were collaborating on
exclusive advanced iPad, iPhone, and
MacBook Air integration into future
BMW interior designs.
Attachments and hinges are the
bane of composite vehicles, adding
weight and assembly complications.
I did not look closely enough to
BMW NEWS
determine how the BMW engineers
overcame this previous limitation. I
suspect that the elimination of the
B-pillar helped with that aspect.
Being a pure electric vehicle, the i3
is the “suburban/city” vehicle. This
would make an ideal BMW for those
with average drives of less than 30
miles a day. Incidentally, that’s
average daily driving distance for the
American driver. The i3 is school
carpool/soccer mom/Costco shopping
run ready and I suspect that the i3
will be replacing the large SUVs in the
suburban garages.
The i8 is a little more complicated.
Having spent two weeks in a Chevrolet
Volt, I was quite impressed with the
interior packaging and design, as well
as the 102 miles per gallon I achieved
during my daily work commute in the
Volt. However, acceleration was less
than exciting. The i8 addresses this
with a twin-turbo 3-cylinder engine.
Owning a twin-turbo 135i convertible,
I’m sold on BMW’s twin turbo
technology. BMW is so confident of
their twin-turbo technology that a
twin-turbo four-cylinder engine is now
the base engine on the 2012 BMW
5-series and the Z4. One issue with
the plug-in hybrid will be customer
confidence to use these vehicles for
longer commutes. Of course, many
BMW CCA members no doubt would
volunteer to take an i8 on extended
“test” drives (Las Vegas or the Napa
Wine Country, anyone?) to help
develop that confidence!
Remembering my tour of the
headlight lab, I noticed the laser
headlights that give the i3 and i8 their
futuristic face. Using semi-conductor
fiber laser technology, the resulting
headlight design produces a brighter
light than can be more effectively
aimed that the current state of the
art LED fiber optic headlights. These
laser headlights consume less power
than the LED headlights and have a
much more pleasant blue/white glow.
Look for these headlights in BMW
production vehicles very soon.
Always experimenting, BMW is
using the new all-electric 1-series to
test the market acceptance of their
new battery charging station
(designed and built by AeroVironment,
a California company) and continue to
gather real world electric vehicle user
issues as they did with the Mini-E.
BMW offsets the cost of this
experiment with a rather pricey lease,
which worked with the Mini-E. The
data from the Mini-E experiment
resulted in the i3 and i8 not using the
AC Propulsion (another California
company) electric motors that were
used in the Mini-E.
While we’ve become used to $4.00
per gallon gasoline, consumer
tolerance to fuel price fluctuations has
significantly diminished. With more
viable alternatives in the market, I
would not be surprised to see EVs
and HEVs capture 25% of the
passenger car market within the next
five years.
If your BMW lease ends in 2013
or 2014, you’ll have two unique
BMW alternatives to consider when
you replace your vehicle. If you choose
the i3 or i8, you’ll be driving a new
generation of “Ultimate Driving
Machine”. ■
Need Maintenance
on Your Older BMW?
WE CAN HELP!!!
Fine Classic BMW Service
• Restorations
• Parts
• Cars
395 E. Commercial St.
Pomona, CA 91767
(909) 629-1955
w w w. 2 0 0 2 A D . c o m
[email protected]
D
RIVE THE LEGEND FOREVER
ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb ■ 17
BMW NEWS
MINI CORNER
(Cont. from page 13)
team fielding the car in the WRC is
building special cars for a wealthy few
that want a very potent MINI. The All4
system is retained but a 2-liter engine
is installed with twin turbo chargers
similar to the ones BMW is using.
This supposedly gives the car over
300 hp and a 0 to 62 mph of a bit
over 5 seconds. MINI is considering
offering this car to the public through
the dealerships in the UK. It is
possible, according to rumors; the car
will be available even in the US. A
worthy competitor to the Subaru
WRX and the Mitsubishi Evolution.
The N20 engine, the 2-liter engine
used in the potent Countryman, might
be installed in the MINI Cooper S as
well. In the non-JCW version it has
240 hp and would rally make the
Cooper S “kick butt”. Considering
there are quite a few competitors who
want to cut down the MINI, this might
just be the engine that will prevent the
Audi, VW, MB, Fiat and the Japanese
from taking sales away from the MINI.
“
How about a real
MAXI MINI contradiction in
terms? Think
NOT! The Maxi
MINI was
introduced at
the SEMA show
in Las Vegas.
”
How about a real MAXI MINI contradiction in terms? Think NOT!
The Maxi MINI was introduced at the
SEMA show in Las Vegas in
November. It is powered by a 6.4 liter
MY PRIDE AND JOY
My 1988 325 ETA with 45k original miles. Bought this year from the original owner.
18 ■ ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb
HEMI V8 with 650 hp and 630 lbs, of
torque. The builder said; “it’s not that
good in corners or braking, but is
ridiculously fast in a straight line.” He
is taking orders.
It is apparent the MINI US saw the
BMW CCA Street Survival program
and decided to offer their own. They
started on November 5th with a class
of 50 at the Formula 1 track at
Indianapolis, IN. The school is called
“Miles Ahead” and is open to all teens
with a driver’s license. Each class
lasts for 4.5 hours and there are 50
such classes scheduled for 2012. The
charge is $389 for each entrant.
There is a financial scholarship fund
being set up for those who have
trouble coming up with the money.
Sponsorship is sought from major
corporations. MINI provides the cars.
For more info:
www.bemilesahead.net
Please keep those e-mails coming.
■
Steve Stepanian
CLASSIFIED
FOR SALE:
1995 M3 white/ blk, 76k miles-super
clean. Dual adj Koni’s by TC Kline.
Everything updated- brakes, tires,
front sway bar, water pump, exhaust,
Euro steering wheel, Seat heaters,
Engine is stock. I purchased May ’10
as the 3rd owner. 2nd owner friend of
family estate sale. $18,500
Steve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 805-701-9486
[email protected]
FOR SALE:
Fully loaded 2002 325i convertible,
rare 5-speed manual. 89,000 miles,
Excellent condition. Pampered and
well cared for. New Tires. Blue with
gray leather. Must sell. $11.5K obo.
James Chew . . . . . . . . . 714-349-6892
[email protected]
FOR SALE:
E46 M3 Wheels/tires. A set
consisting of three (3) 245/40 - 18
KUHMO MX tires on Diamond Black
finish BBS RGR 18X8.5 ET38 wheels
plus two (2) 275/35 - 18 KUHMO
MXs on 18X10 ET25 BBS RGRs.
Upgrade to BBS forged wheels and
give yourself a full size spare at the
same time! Wheel bolts included. Set
is "as new" with less than 1000 miles
use. Would cost over $5,400 to
duplicate from Tire Rack, plus
shipping. Asking $4,200 for all.
Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 818-419-3825
[email protected]
FOR SALE:
1997 M3 E36 head - running
condition. $450.
Mike . . . [email protected]
Buick Regal GS
CLASSIFIED ADS ARE
FREE TO MEMBERS.
LIMIT OF ONE AD
PER MONTH WITH
A MAXIMUM OF 50 WORDS.
CONTACT: MIKE WEBB
(951) 543-2042
or E-mail: [email protected]
FOR SALE: 2001 BMW Z3 Coupe. This
3.0 liter Z coupe is finished in Special
order Dakar Yellow with Black leather
and wood trim. This is a 5 speed
manual transmission with sport
suspension. It has a moon roof,
premium stereo and heated seats.
The car is in simply superb condition.
Recently serviced, new tires. The
original paint shines like new and the
interior shows virtually no wear. This is
VERY nice car!!! Offered at $15,500.
Roger Scilley. . . . . . . . . 949-235-5421
[email protected]
WANTED:
Later model (1980-83) E21 EURO
body or complete car. Body must be
accident free or in very good to
excellent condition. Prefer black
(schwarz) car, but may be interested
in gray or silver car. I have 2 E21
cars (81 US and 82 EURO black cars)
I am using to make 1 car. I will have
many available parts left over.
Contact me if you are looking for
E21 parts or want to trade E21 body.
In Pasadena.
Bob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626-8951-6259
[email protected]
Mission Impossible Silk Curtain
Photos by John Bergen
FOR SALE: 1985 535i Sedan, daily
driver until 2007, bought it 2/16/01,
tastefully modified, rebuilt suspension
(750 thrust-arm bushings, M5 sway
bars with factory front brackets welded
to the frame, La Jolla front strut-tower
brace, E24 rear strut-tower brace),
BMW remanufactured block (at
181,493), Ireland Engineering
headers, factory cat, Supersprint
exhaust, cold-air intake, 3.25 limited
slip diff, UUC short-shift kit, M shift
knob, frozen cross-drilled rotors, ss
brake lines, five E38 wheels, Optima
Red Top battery (new this year), new
rear head rests and carpet from
Mobile Tradition, LEDs behind the OBC
panel, Coco floor mats, Euro headlights
& grille, recent service (installed E24
M6-style motor mounts, changed oil,
wiper washer motor, power steering
hose). I’ve had a couple of fender
benders that were professionally
repaired, the odometer broke at
249,652 but I’ve written down every
fill up and the average mpg from the
OBD, so current mileage is
approximately 262,712. The tires are
okay, the headliner is intact but old,
and the cloth door trim needs work.
Includes front alum control arms, front
urethane thrust-arm bushings, rear
urethane sub-frame bushings, factory
exhaust manifolds (the car was just
smogged), a spare throttle body
(bought as a core in preparation for
getting a bored TB), the original air
cleaner housing, fuel pump, and
probably a few other parts I’m
forgetting at the moment. Needs new
paint and window trim, a new
odometer gear, and new NiCd batteries
for the service board. Replace Euro
city lights (parking lights) in the low
beam housing. The seats are okay, but
you could put in some new leather.
$6500 OBO + shipping.
David Bunnell . . . . . . . . . 310-200-4101
http://www.bunnells.net/bmw/index.htm
Mechatronik 1954 MBZ 300 S
ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb ■ 19
LOS ANGELES CHAPTER - BMW CCA
The Los Angeles Chapter of
the BMW Car Club of America
(BMW CCA - LA) was founded
in 1970 as the BMW
Automobile Club of America –
Los Angeles Region (BMW
ACA - LA). As a separate club,
the BMW ACA - LA was
affiliated with the International
Council of BMW Clubs and
BMW Clubs Europa eV. In
1997, the BMW ACA - LA
merged into the national BMW
CCA and became the Los
Angeles Chapter of the BMW
CCA. The BMW CCA
continues to maintain those
relationships with the
worldwide BMW community.
The LA Chapter has grown
from a few charter members
in 1970 to a current
membership of over 3000,
one of the largest BMW CCA
chapters nationwide. The
Chapter includes members
from Santa Barbara, to
Orange County to the Inland
Empire. We invite Chapter
members and all owners of
BMW cars to join us at our
various activities. General
meetings/events are open to
all and are held in various
venues throughout the
Chapter’s territory. The time
and place for each event is
announced on the Chapter
website. The Board of
Directors also meets
regularly, and members may
attend those meetings as well.
To attend a board meeting,
you can contact any board
member for additional
information. Upcoming events
such as autocrosses, driving
schools, wine tours, open
houses, are also announced on
the chapter website, via
eBlasts and in the Whispering
Bomb. Come join us at an
event, you won’t regret it.
BOARD of DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT ...
Delight Lucas
e-mail:
[email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT ...
SECRETARY ...
David Collander
P.O. Box 0311
Wrightwood, CA 92397
(760) 912-8182
e-mail:
[email protected]
•
Los Angeles Chapter
TREASURER ...
Dealer Rep./Member at Large
Position open
contact any board member
ACTIVITIES CHAIRMAN ...
Jeffery Bryson
[email protected]
Chief Driving School Instructor
David Mecey
e-mail: [email protected]
Darren Young
e-mail: [email protected]
ADVERTISING
and CLUB SPONSORSHIP ...
Mike Webb
6411 Caledon Place
Alta Loma, CA 91737
(951) 543-2042
e-mail: [email protected]
MEMBERSHIP ...
OFFICERS AT LARGE (Elected – 2 year term)
MEMBERS AT LARGE (Appointed – 1 year term)
John Bergen
(714) 834-9155
[email protected]
Randall Harris
[email protected]
Roger Scilley
(949) 499-9433
Dan Wu
(818) 882-6422 x222
[email protected]
ADVERTISING and CLUB SPONSORSHIP
For advertising & club sponsorship please contact:
20 ■ ISSUE 1 - 2012 • WHISPERINGbomb
LA BMW CCA STAFF
MIKE WEBB • Advertising Manager
(951) 543-2042
or E-mail: [email protected]
Chief Instructor
Car Control Clinic
Brad Herrin
e-mail: [email protected]
Kieren Gobey
e-mail: [email protected]
Driving School
Coordinator/Registrar
Delight Lucas • (949) 499-9433
e-mail: BMWCCA_LA_Driving_
[email protected]
Roger Scilley • (949) 499-9433
e-mail: [email protected]
Driving School
Key Worker Coordinator
Roeland Meyer
e-mail: [email protected]
Autocross Committee
Randall Harris • Chair
e-mail:
BMW_CCA_LA_AUTO-X@
Roadrunner.com
Ken Goeller • Co-Chair
e-mail: [email protected]
Tire Rack Street Survival
Chapter Staff
Ellen Tunkelrott • Chapter Liaison
e-mail: [email protected]
Steve Lyon
TRSS Key Worker Lead
e-mail: [email protected]
Webmaster
Roger Scilley • (949) 499-9433
e-mail: [email protected]
Tool & Manual Rental
Hani Thomas • (626) 638-3342
Stay up to date – add yourself
to the email blast list. Send
your email address to:
[email protected]