Entering Vink Motorsport, a Zaandam-based workshop renowned for its BMW race car restorations and new classic builds. The first car that caught my eye was the Team Eggenberger Motorsport BMW E28 that clinched the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) in 1982. At the season’s start, BMW faced new Group A regulations, rendering the earlier Group 2 635CSi unsuitable. Thus, the newly introduced BMW E28 528i was chosen to compete.
Partnering with Switzerland’s Eggenberger Motorsport, BMW developed a kit to transform the E28 for Group A touring car racing. To meet the 1,035kg weight limit for its engine class, the car had all unnecessary components removed. Furthermore, its inline-six engine was expertly tuned to produce nearly 240hp, up from the production model’s 180hp.
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 amassed enough points to secure the championship title.
In Vink Motorsport’s hands, the E28 has undergone a complete rebuild. A re-shell was necessary due to extensive rust around the exterior of the original body, yet many components were salvageable and reused. Parts beyond repair were recreated from original blueprints or donated from another car.
Ton and the Vink team can remanufacture certain components, such as uprights or front steering arms. They do this using molds created from original parts of that era, replicating the production methods used by BMW. This means that many previously unavailable parts are now accessible through channels like BMW Classic or the second-hand market.
