1960 BMW 700 Project Car Questions

Hey everyone, I was perusing Craigslist and came across a 1960 BMW 700 and I was wondering your thoughts on it. The body needs a little work and the interior is dirty, but you can still tell it was pristine not to long ago. The car is (as the owner says) 100% original and rust free. The car is missing the title, and is like 50 miles and a ferry ride away in Canada which I'm not quite sure how to deal with and if its worth trying to do in the first place. What really concerns me is that the car hasn't run since pre-1973 and the engine is on the ground of the owners shop. If it was seized how hard are these engines to find for a replacement?

My questions are:

1. Is the 700 worth the time and money in the first place in your guys' opinions? If it is
2. How reliable are the engines and how easier are they to find parts for and repair?
3. Should I still go after it if the engine is seized or just leave it for some other schmuck to deal with?
4. Are replacement engines hard to find and/ or expensive?
5. How hard is it to import a car, older than 25 years old, with no title?

Thanks in advance, Eben

I love the ones with the small rear window. Engine is basically a BMW motorcycle engine.

Ya this one is the saloon version (the one with the sqaure back window).

The owner says the tranny and engine are good and the engine turns over. The engine was just removed to paint the car in '73 and never put back back, but it needs cv joints. So that seems like a good sign!

I don't know much about them, but if the price is right, they are cool little unusual cars. Buy it, and post a build thread!

There's a guy here in VT that has one of these and has raced it at a few hillclimbs. Very cool car!

A 700 is on my dream car list. They are an oddity. I doubt they share much parts wise with any other BMW models. looks like old timer parts in Germany has a lot for them though.

oldtimerteile

I have dealt with them a lot with Isetta parts. They are easy to work with and shipping is pretty fast once they actually package it up. It will spend more time in US customs than in actual transit.

If you have never driven a sub liter rear engined import like a Fiat or Renault you will be in for a surprise. 18-20 second 0-60 times. A level of simplicity and basicness that would make Colin Chapman blush. I adore this kind of stuff. It is like driving a parade float, everywhere you go people will be honking and waving and holding their phones out the window to get pictures.

As far as upgrades for real power and handling you will be on your own. You can choose to enjoy it as it was designed or if you decide to up the power it will be a constant series of finding the next weakest link. Tiny brakes, dainty suspension, very limited tire choices, gearing that will top out at 65mph... I myself enjoy that rabbit hole though.

I mean just look at them!!!

The coupe is a much nicer looking shape but even the sedan has a "sporty Trabant-ish" vibe going on.

As a BMW fan and a life long rear engine euro-trash lover these tick every box for me.

I think 5) is going to be an issue, at least in the sense that it's going to be much easier to import if you have a title that's been signed over to you. Did the seller let on why there is no title?

BoxheadTim wrote: I think 5) is going to be an issue, at least in the sense that it's going to be much easier to import if you have a title that's been signed over to you. Did the seller let on why there is no title?

Yeah, now that I sorta know that the engine is functional, this is the next biggest problem. He didn't say why it doesn't have a title. Since it isn't very far way could I just kinda go pick it up with a trailer and drive it back across the border, or would I have to pay someone to bring it over hear for me? And if I can just take it through customs, cuz I'd have to take a ferry back, and recover the title and register it in my state? or is that not how it works?

Typically it's easiest for the current owner to straighten out the title issue before selling, but how easy that will be for him will depend on the regulations in his province.

Here's the US Customs page on importing vehicles: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/importing-car

In 1996 my pop and I drove to Canada for a crusty 48 Ford Anglia shell that had sat for 30 years and had no title. We had the bill of sale for the $800 or whatever we paid for it and were shocked that customs at the border wouldn't let us pass without shelling out over $1500 in fees based on some book of values they had behind the counter.

We almost had to leave it there but a friend wired us the cash we couldn't come up with.