Now it was time to ensure the wheels of the BMW 507 could rely on firm foundations. After bringing the car’s engine back to life, the restorers turned their attentions to its underbody structure. This stage was key; the underbody is of immense importance – not least to the car’s stability.

Taking care gets results.

When you’re aiming high, you need to keep your feet on the ground. After the engine powering the BMW 507 had been restored, the spotlight therefore shifted to the underbody structure. This is the section of a self-supporting body that sits closest to the road. On a car, it houses the mounting points for the axles, the exhaust system and the drive train. The underbody structure also gives the car the stability it needs.

The challenge with the underbody structure lay in the need, first of all, to manufacture a front frame carrier. Back in the day, this had been partly removed or cut out in order to fit the Chevy V8 engine. Next up in the restorers’ sights – once the frame had been returned to its station – was the issue of rust. The underbody structure was originally made from steel, and significant corrosion had set in over the years. Some areas had experienced widespread rust damage and all the affected sections had to be removed in order to restore the car. Finally, the team custom-made the wooden panel which sits behind the seats and is used to keep the soft-top roof in place. It is a little known fact that wood was still fitted in vehicles on an industrial scale in the 1960s.