1972 BMW 2002....

Nitroracer wrote:

Keith wrote: They don't depreciate, so you get to drive for free. More importantly, it's a driver and not a shell in the garage. It's a lot more fun to work on smaller projects on a driveable car than it is to chew through a mammoth job. I have rediscovered this after the MG is back on the road. I'm a lot more motivated to tackle something like replacing the door cards or swapping out a sway bar when I know I can take the car for a drive when I'm done.

Does this hold true for a later model 2002? Say a 76' with the bigger bumpers and square tail lights?

It's true of most classics, really. The less desirable versions aren't worth as much, but you also won't pay as much. The supply will only get smaller.

Bill did indeed drive that car home from Atlanta and managed to solve the driveability problems. Unfortunately, I think this is what inspired him to dive into the rust repair, and that's when it all started to go south. He didn't get to drive it as much as I'd hoped, it's a really cool little beastie.

I miss my 02s so much that I was actually looking for a car like that before I got laid off.

850Combat's right..not so much stock..but a hella performer modded.To modify what we in the BMW club used to say about 02s..the 2002 was 20yrs ahead of their time..about 40yrs ago.

At $2100 delivered, I'd have jumped on that one as well. Still kicking m'self that I've had about five of them, and didn't manage to keep one around.

Nitroracer, the damn things are so old that even "old school" pre-yuppie BMW guys like me don't care about squares vs. rounds anymore. Any Two that can be saved, should be.

How does one pronounce '2002'? Two-thousand-and-two? Or Two-double-o-two? Or something else?

I've never been sure.

oldtin wrote: I've had 3 02s. I'll have another in the not too distant future. congrats. Sounds like a decent buy. Oh, an m20 will fit. So will an m50 or ls.

M50 will fit? Not without a ton of work, major major fabrication. Just took a good look into it, ended up picking up an e30 shell today instead.

two thousand two. two thousand and two would be 2000.02

See, that one never even occurred to me . Then again, folk 'round here would say 'two thousand and eleven' referring to the current calendar year.

To the OP: well bought!

2000.02 would be "two thousand and two one-hundredths" Unless they teach different numbers in American schools. Try speaking French, where 96 is literally "four twenty and sixteen".

Two thousand and two, two thousand two, whatever. Anyone will understand you. We call Bill's "zeus", because that's how we interpret zooz.

Paint color on mine was Colorado, and back in the Upper Paleozoic (1970) we just called it the Flying Pumpkin. Agreed, this was well bought! Makes me want another.

If it's stock, and stutterrs occasionally on idle, even stalling, look for a bit of grit in the idle jet - mine had that most of its life, never could get the thing out of there and back in the day, with the only dealer in the state hundreds of miles away, I got very good at whipping that jet out, blowing through it, and putting it back in, which usually cured the problem for a while.

I almost wish I hadn't taken mine apart for the full restoration--what a great car to just drive in a scruffy state.

that said, can't wait to start reassembling it. Per

Per Schroeder wrote: I *almost* wish I hadn't taken mine apart for the full restoration

Truer words have never been spoken

friedgreencorrado wrote: Nitroracer, the damn things are so old that even "old school" pre-yuppie BMW guys like me don't care about squares vs. rounds anymore. Any Two that can be saved, should be.

Waiting for a reply on a nice 76' for challenge money now. If its nice-enough I may even daily drive it.

ultraclyde wrote: If you don't love the E30, get the 2002. you won't have many opportunities on a 2002 in that good a shape for that low money (it seems, I'm not a bimmer guy).

You can say that again..these things are about to hit what I've always called "The E9 Moment"..(I was a BMW guy ages ago, still dig em). The good solid unrestored drivers are going to be gone soon. All you'll see is perfect ones for more than $10K, and rustbuckets for $2K that need $8K of bodywork.

If I can get the Alfa unloaded, I think I may scoop one up while I still can, layoff or not!

EDIT: Nitroracer, this message is for you, too. If you're shopping, check the shock towers. You might see some oil smoke on decel-don't sweat it if it's not too bad. The M10 engine virtually invented the drivable stem seal failure..my friends called my 73 "the mosquito fogger". OTOH, it was a cool way to get rid of tailgaters..

Luke wrote: How does one pronounce '2002'? Two-thousand-and-two? Or Two-double-o-two? Or something else? I've never been sure.

ROFL! Don't sweat it..neither are half of us who've had them. I sometimes said two-thousand-two, but most of the time, I just said "my Two", or "the Two".

friedgreencorrado wrote:

Luke wrote: How does one pronounce '2002'? Two-thousand-and-two? Or Two-double-o-two? Or something else? I've never been sure.

ROFL! Don't sweat it..neither are half of us who've had them. I sometimes said two-thousand-two, but most of the time, I just said "my Two", or "the Two".

First there was the 1600 so logically it would be called the 20 hundred two

I don't know why so many people shy away from the big bumper '02s. Its easy enough to make them as pretty as an early car. De-bumper them (if you state allows it) and install the round lights when you paint it; it's a simple metal patch job to the rear body panel (quarters are still cut for the round lights) and a bit of wiring alteration. Our challenge car body shell was a '76 IIRC.

I'm fully prepared to get skewered for saying this, but I've always liked the 74+ big tail lights better. I also like the black plastic grill.

I am not sure I care for how the 02 looks without bumpers. I would retrofit the early ones.

and while 2002 is the real model name.. a lot of people call them "02"s as in "oh-2"

I have a friend who solved the "bumper" issue to great effect:

mad_machine wrote: I am not sure I care for how the 02 looks without bumpers. I would retrofit the early ones. and while 2002 is the real model name.. a lot of people call them "02"s as in "oh-2"

20 aught 2?

Joey

The large bumper cars are considerably heavier than the earlier small bumper cars--and it's not just in the bumpers. They just kept adding weight through the car's production run--heck, even my 72 is 100lbs more than a 68.

Per

eat a light lunch before driving?

Sure, but I'm saying there's some reasoning behind the earlier cars vs the later ones--it's not just about looks.

Love that car. Love it even more in orange! Inka? Please keep us posted on your progress and enjoyment!

oh, I agree Per. The looks though, are what most people think of when comparing a round tail to a square