Last week I took you behind the scenes at Vink Motorsport, a BMW-focused race car shop in the Netherlands. Here, Ton Vink and his team painstakingly build and restore classic machines from the golden era of motorsport, preparing them for historic race meetings across Europe.
In that positionI currently have several cars on display in the shop. Today, let’s take a deeper look at four more Vink Motorsport builds.
Team Eggenberger Motorsport BMW E28
When I entered Vink Motorsport, the first car that caught my attention was the Team Eggenberger Motorsport BMW E28 that won the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) in 1982. At the start of the season, BMW was faced with new Group A rules, making the previous Group 2 635CSi unsuitable. . Thus, the newly introduced BMW E28 528i was chosen to compete.
In collaboration with Switzerland’s Eggenberger Motorsport, BMW developed a kit to transform the E28 for Group A touring car racing. To meet the 1,035 kg weight limit for its engine class, all unnecessary parts were removed from the car. In addition, the inline-six engine has been expertly tuned to produce almost 240 hp, compared to the production model’s 180 hp.
Driven by Umberto Grano and Helmut Kelleners, the E28 dominated the early rounds of the 1982 ETCC, winning five consecutive races. Although no further victories followed, they collected enough points to secure the championship title.
In the hands of Vink Motorsport, the E28 has undergone a complete overhaul. A new shell was necessary due to extensive rust around the exterior of the original bodywork, but many components were salvageable and reused. Parts beyond repair were recreated from original blueprints or donated by another car.
Ton and the Vink team can overhaul certain parts, such as uprights or front steering arms. They do this using molds made from original parts from the era, mimicking BMW’s production methods. This means that many previously unavailable parts are now accessible through channels such as BMW Classic or the second-hand market.
BMW Alpina E30 DTM
Next up is a mid-restoration BMW Alpina E30 DTM, one of only two left (the other is in Alpina). After its time in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), this car was sold to a racing team in England and later ended up in a shed until Ton discovered it two years ago.
Contrary to my belief in the existence of several Alpina E30 DTM cars, most are replicas; many were even built by Ton himself. However, this particular car was built by Alpina and used in the 1987 and ’88 DTM seasons. It features many unique details, such as green mirrors, deliberately chosen for easy identification during races.
A striking detail is also the on-board radio, which Ton received during a visit to Alpina. A retired mechanic from the car’s racing era was present during the visit and pointed out the exact location of the radio’s mounting, with screw holes that perfectly matched those on the chassis under the dashboard.
These amazing stories, shared by Ton, highlight his passion for ensuring historical accuracy in every project he takes on.
BMW E36 325i Coupé DTM Linder
This car was unearthed in Thailand, where a Vink Motorsport customer bought it from a collector. Upon return to the Netherlands, the poor condition made a complete restoration necessary. After a careful rebuild of the chassis by Jan Buijs of Multi-tech, in which the original specifications were met, the car has just returned from the paint shop with a new coat of Jägermeister orange.
In Vink’s canteen there is a series of model cars including a scale version of this exact vehicle, which gives a preview of the future appearance.
Scattered throughout the shop are various parts of the car, including the hood on the first floor and the front bumper and tailgate with a spoiler on one of the shelves. Once the car takes shape, I plan to return to Vink Motorsport and capture it in all its glory.
BMW M1 Procar
Finally we come to the BMW M1, which started out as a production road car but is now undergoing a remarkable transformation into a Procar – a move reminiscent of what BMW Motorsport has done in the past. Vink was entrusted with this ambitious renovation and the progress is clearly visible in the array of parts lining the shelves next to the car. The only thing left to complete is the engine, which is currently being assembled.
The BMW M1 is significant because it is the first to bear the iconic ‘M’ designation. Produced between 1978 and 1981 in collaboration with Lamborghini, a total of 453 M1s were built, of which 399 were road cars and 54 were special Procar versions commissioned for Group 5 racing. While the exact number of road-going M1s converted into Procars is unknown, another will soon join this elite group.
Stay tuned as this BMW M1 undergoes its stunning transformation and adds a new chapter to the storied legacy of one of BMW’s most legendary models.
I hope you enjoyed this second and final part of my visit to Vink Motorsport. Many thanks to Ton and the team for coming!
Jeroen Willemsen
Instagram: from Jacojeros