Solved: Wendax 075 - BMW 503 Ghia-Aigle

[Wendax]

This should be an Easy Rookie Point.

For one point, please respond and identify this car and its coachbuilder.

[araknid]

Otto Vu?  Fiat based.

[Wendax]

It has a V8 engine, but no Fiat relation.

[Wendax]

Turning the Easy Rookie Point into a Very Easy Expert Point, I'm afraid.

[franck.kegelart]

It is a BMW 503 with the front end modified by Ghia-Aigle

[Wendax]

Yes, it is. The car is for sale right now in Switzerland.

1956 BMW 503 Coupe

Unique 503 - With body front from Ghia-Aigle

Chassis #69084 – Engine #30085 – Matching number car with Certificate from BMW Classic. First delivered new to Switzerland trough Swiss Importer Motag in Zürich on November 26th 1956. And first road registred on January 15th 1957. The car was delivered in blue metallic. Second owner was Mr. Roland Hirt who purchased the car from Garage Auto-Bole in Lausanne. The car was then registred under the number plate VD-53786. In 1965 Mr. Hirt's mechanic had an accident with the car and a damaged the front. Mr. Hirt decided to have the car repaired and the front modified to look like a Maserati 3500 GT Vignale from the famous Bodyshop ,,Ghia-Aigle".  The body shop manager at that time was Mr. Seydoux. In the same process the car was repainted in green-metallic. Mr. Hirt sold the car in 1967 (buyer unknowned). In May 1976 Rob de la Rive Box purchased the car and sold it one month later to Mr. Gordy Tracy in Austin/Texas for 6'000 CHF. The car is also documented in the 1998 book from Rob de la Rive Box on page 25. During that period the car was repainted in BMW white (which is still his colour today). The car was again sold in November 1992 by Alan Sampson of ,,Fine Rides" in Houston/Texas to Mr. Hans Enzler in Switzerland for USD 18'000.--.

The car is mechanicaly ok, but will need a comprehensive restoration troughout.

This is a unique BMW 503 with documented History.

[Carnut]

Here it is again in a period picture.
The car sold at a recent Bonham's auction:

[Carnut]

Another colour pic: