Description
The 503 was one of the most elegant motorcars constructed by BMW and truly epitomised the ‘dolce vita’ style of the period when launched at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1955. Both a very expensive car to build with a substantial price tag to match, they were constructed in very low numbers during its four year production life from 1955-59; just 273 coupes and 139 cabriolets were built with the rarest of all being the six cars special order RHD examples, three coupes and three cabriolets
‘BEE 46’ is one of the three right hand drive 503 Cabriolets and was commissioned in 1957 by H. J.(Aldy) Aldington, the boss of AFN Ltd of Isleworth, the sole UK BMW concessionaires who persuaded one of his long-term customers and family friend, Dr Noel Bee, to place an order for a 503 Cabriolet
This was an expensive undertaking for BMW as the 503 had only been designed in LHD format (hence the very low number of RHD examples) and so to make it slightly more economical for BMW they produced a RHD Coupe (Chassis 69 140) alongside our car with both vehicles being exhibited at the International Motor Show at Earls Court later that year to generate additional UK sales
Our car was completed at BMW’S factory on the 27th of May 1957, and delivered to AFN on the 18th of June, being registered to AFN Ltd of Falcon Works, London Road, Isleworth on the 19th of September 1957, a month before the Motor Show
Dr Bee was keen sports car enthusiast and previous owner of various Fraser Nash, Allard and Bristol cars so ‘BEE 46’ was a bespoke specification to his exacting standards boasting centre lock wheels and a high compression V8 tuned from new to BMW 507 spec and fitted with a BMW 507 speedometer at his request
This generated 155bhp and top speed of about 125 mph with a gearing of 3. 70:1. Unlike the pre-September 1957 cars with their unwieldy column changes, the RHD versions sported a floor gear change, via a 4 speed fully synchromesh ZF-15 gearbox
Finished in optional two-tone BMW light blue metallic over BMW grey metallic, the interior was finely crafted in red leather with grey piping with reclinable Reutter front seats and spring-loaded lockers in the doors, with maroon wool carpets throughout edged with grey leather. The floors were covered in a mixture of pitch and fibre to deaden the noise. The gear lever surround was painted grey to match the edging
Further special options included a self-tuning Telefunken Car Super Selektor Radio, a very rare and expensive item in place of the standard Becker. The state of the art electro-hydraulic hood and windows were standard and suspension was by individually suspended wheels with rubber mounted upper and lower wishbones and adjustable torsion bars, with Koni adjustable shock absorbers
Although the brakes were by finned drums all round, a couple of years later, on the recommendation of John Surtees (in his capacity as a consultant to BMW in the early 1950’s), BMW offered a disc conversion kit for the front brakes, and AFN converted these for Dr Bee
Dr Bee bought BEE for £4, 806/ 17s/- (about the same price as a new Bentley) on the 8th of October 1957 and the car was displayed on AFN’s stand no 133 at The International Motor Show at Earls Court on the 16th 0f October, together with the Coupe
The BMW was thoroughly enjoyed by Dr Bee for the next decade until 1967 when he offered it to friend and fellow enthusiast Bryan Bowles, who would later part exchange back to Aldy at AFN in 1975 for a Porsche tractor!
The 503 remained within AFN’s collection of Historic Cars in its showroom for the next 17 years, benefitting from recommissioning, attention to the sills and reconditioned radio, although no engine work was required as it had driven only about 10, 000 miles since it was rebuilt
Enter John Surtees, the only man to have won a world championship on two and four wheels, BMW fan and long-time customer of AFN. Following AFN’s sale to Porsche in 1987, Surtees was tipped off by a friend in 1992 that one of the assets of AFN which Porsche had acquired was a very well-preserved BMW 503, BEE, found at the back of the AFN Workshop in exceptionally original condition and subsequently acquired by the world champion
When he won the 500cc World Championships in 1956 for MV Agusta, Count Agusta (blanching at the price) contributed half the cost of a new BMW 507 for him and was employed as a consultant by BMW to recommend improvements to their cars
Surtees then commissioned a preservation restoration in 2003 within his own workshops with extensive documentation on file, focusing on retaining as much originality as possible. With virtually no bodywork required, the paintwork had faded somewhat and was resprayed it in the identical BMW formulated paint and colours that it had worn since new
Surtees dismantled the engine and found no measurable wear thanks to its previous rebuild and a new front anti-roll bar was designed and fitted by him. His racing team went completely through the car refurbishing items where necessary and any unobtainable parts were remanufactured, indeed some suspension parts have SURTEES 001 cast in them!
Further development by Surtees included lengthening the gear lever and added a kink to it (as per his 507) and significant time was spent on suspension tuning and setup of the Koni shock absorbers. Surtees retained Dr Bee’s final tax disc from 1967 in the screen where it remains today
The 503 was one of his Surtees favourite cars and is accompanied with extensive documentation and mechanical notes throughout his twenty-eight year ownership where it lived alongside his 300SL and 507 until his passing in March 2017, subsequently acquired from his estate by the vendor in 2020
Under the current enthusiast ownership the 503 has benefitted from further refinement with re-chroming where necessary and replacement carpets, made and fitted to the exact original specification (originals retained)
Further mechanical work included a replacement flywheel, new front oil seal and new engine mountings. The heating system was overhauled and various ivory knobs and steering wheel were carefully restored to original condition. The torsion bars were adjusted, carburettors restored, radiator core replaced and water pump overhauled
Five new period correct tires were fitted and a tonneau cover trimmed in the correct grain of original leather. The engine, which is the original, was tuned on a rolling road and was found to be developing about 157 bhp, as was expected from an engine in 507 tune and spec.
The complete original toolkit remains with the car along with two original Instruction Books housed in a bespoke presentation box comprising of the most exhaustive collection of historical information we have ever seen with such a car.
Interested parties should note the BMW is also supplied with a comprehensive thirty one page report compiled by the owner with the help of AFN archives and BMW Classic who have certified its authenticity, making this one of the rarest, most original and well documented BMW’s on the planet.
The subject of an extensive road test by Classic and Sportscar in June 2023 entitled ‘Driving John Surtees BMW 503 cabriolet’, we are delighted to represent the sale of this hugely important and highly eligible BMW
