The combination of American muscle and German practicality ends up looking far better than one might imagine
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BMW‘s E39 generation of the 5-Series is often cited as timelessly beautiful, and the 1968 Chevrolet Camaro shares that distinction as well. One man decided that he loved his BMW too much to part with it but also wanted to relish the classic lines and styling of an American muscle car. His solution was to marry the two, and this is the result.
Dubbed the ZMW, this is a 528i Touring (station wagon) chassis with a six-speed manual and a 4.0-liter V8 sourced from the 540i of the same E39 generation that just so happens to carry the body of a Camaro around as its cover. The BMW lends parts of its interior as well, including the dash, the center console, and the front seats. Passengers who reach for the door handle though will get a fist full of classic Camaro.
Now, before we get too far along let’s dispense with the obvious comments that some will make. Yes, a 5-Series wagon died so that this creation could live. And it’s fair to say that it’s not absolutely perfect in terms of aesthetics. Some of the lines don’t quite match properly, some won’t love the paint scheme, and the lights don’t appear to be fully Chevrolet or BMW. With that out of the way, let’s dive deeper into the work that went into this creation.
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Photos Ben Kleinfelter
Ben Kleinfelter, the man behind this beast, says that it took him 14 months to complete, although three of those were simply spent swapping out the engine from the 528i to house the V8 from a 540i. In stock form, the V8 produced a satisfying 286 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of peak torque (or 325 lb-ft / 440Nm in facelift guise). Pictures document the rest of the process, including cutting out most of the upper half of the 5-Series Touring so that the rear end of the Camaro could fit. While this car may not be a dedicated classic of either brand, it’s certainly become a unique and remarkable creation in its own way.
He told Carscoops, “It’s a 1968 Camaro on an E39 528i converted to a 540i with a 6-speed manual. The floor was shortened by 3-3/8 inches, the body is flared to align with the rockers, the hood was shortened and reversed, and a custom windshield was added. It retains all the BMW functions and has even been to the dealership for an airbag recall.” That’s quite the feat.
This isn’t Kleinfelter’s only body-swapped 5-Series either. Since he finished this car he’s used the experience gained to create two more interesting cars. One is a VW Coronado on a 5-Series chassis and the other is a Triumph GT6 on one. Both are engineering feats of strength that deserve respect regardless of one’s personal taste.
