1957 BMW 507 Roadster Series II

70080roadGermany

Engine: 3.2L V8, rebuilt to produce 225 PS (approx. 75 PS above factory rating), with forged pistons, steel crankshaft, titanium valves, and custom tubular exhaust
Colour: Graphite

Chassis 70080 is an early Series II BMW 507 Roadster, originally finished in Graphite and delivered new to Rome in September 1957 through the Italian BMW importer. Its documented history resumes in Munich during the mid-1980s, after which it passed through a Las Vegas auction before entering the collection of prominent French enthusiast Henri Chambon in the early 2010s. Under his ownership the car received an exhaustive two-year restoration encompassing a high-specification engine rebuild by Ventoux Moteurs Ingénierie, full retrim, and various mechanical upgrades, raising output to a quoted 225 PS.

Ownership

—Auction sale
Sold €1,467,500 (≈ $1.61M)
RM Sotheby's catalogue lot →
1957-09-01 →Factory delivery
Casa Dell'Automobile Paolini
partial documentation
Rome-based BMW importer that received the car directly from the factory and handled its delivery to Italy. Whether the dealership retained the car or immediately passed it to a retail customer is not stated.
→ 2022-03-01Acquisition unknown
Henri Chambon
full documentation
Noted French collector who acquired the car in the early 2010s and commissioned a thorough two-year mechanical and cosmetic restoration, followed by further engine and drivetrain work in 2021.
2022-03-01 →Private sale
Current consignor
partial documentation
Purchased the car directly from Chambon and has used it sparingly while maintaining it carefully.
Date unknownAcquisition unknown
Albert Keller
partial documentation
Munich-based owner who had custody of the car by the mid-1980s; the full history between initial Italian delivery and his ownership is not documented.
Date unknownAuction
Unknown US-based buyer via Las Vegas auction
none documentation
The car was sold at an auction in Las Vegas sometime in the late 1990s; the identity of any purchaser at or after that sale is not recorded.

Competition

No competition history extracted from the catalogue.

Maintenance & restoration

2012Engine rebuild
Ventoux Moteurs Ingénierie
Full engine overhaul spanning 2012–2013 at a cost exceeding €50,000: cylinder block and head faces machined; new steel crankshaft, steel liners, Arrow H-section connecting rods, and Wossner high-compression forged pistons installed; cylinder heads fitted with Xceldine titanium valves, new valve springs, beryllium bronze valve seats and guides; lubrication system and oil pump uprated; bespoke tubular exhaust system added for improved power and reduced mass. Resulting output measured at 225 PS, up approximately 75 PS from standard.
Work carried out in Carpentras, France, under the direction of Raphaël Rondoni.
2021Engine rebuild
Ventoux Moteurs Ingénierie
Engine removed and disassembled for routine inspection; new cylinder liners, shell bearings, modified tappets, and an optimised camshaft-bearing lubrication system installed during reassembly.
Carried out at the instruction of Henri Chambon prior to his sale of the car.
2021
Mechanical
Complete gearbox rebuild including new bearings, synchromesh rings, and clutch; rear axle overhauled at the same time.
Performed concurrently with the 2021 engine inspection.
—Restoration
Ventoux Moteurs Ingénierie
Comprehensive two-year restoration overseen by engine specialist Raphaël Rondoni, covering the engine rebuild, interior retrim, and various mechanical and electrical upgrades.
Commissioned by Henri Chambon in the early 2010s; multiple sub-works are detailed in separate entries below.
—Bodywork
Raymond Ratto
Full interior retrim to period-correct 507 specification: red leather seats and red carpeting fitted; new black Alpaca convertible hood, black hood bag, and red tonneau cover supplied; rear luggage area lined with grey carpet. Original factory trim items retained and accompany the car.
Carried out concurrently with the engine rebuild; trimmer based in Cannes, France.
—
Modification
Electronically assisted power steering fitted to improve everyday usability, and a modern alternator installed in place of the original dynamo for more reliable electrical charging.
Original factory components retained alongside the car.

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