1973 BMW 2002-
This is one of the last Roundies and a particularly tidy one at that. As far as we can tell, it has always lived in the South. It belongs to a gentleman who has owned it for over thirteen years. He has kept the car garaged and has maintained it with an open checkbook. The car comes with a file full of receipts for work performed and illustrates very well that all maintenance has been kept current. The owner would not have considered selling the car in the past, however, he and his wife have decided to retire and downsize. The result is the purchase of a smaller home without as much garage space. It was a tough decision for him, but he has asked us to sell the car for him here on Ebay in the hopes it will find a deserving home.
We looked the car over, test drove it and found that it had very few faults. The biggest thing was a slight whirring noise with the engine running that went away when you pushed in the clutch. We remedied that issue by removing the gearbox and replacing the clutch release bearing. While we were at it we replaced the clutch disc, pressure plate, guibo, slave cylinder, front seal and selector shaft seal. Once re-assembled the car drove perfectly.
The engine was reportedly rebuilt prior to the current owner taking possession. Though we have no substantiating paperwork for that, it runs and drives very much like a fresh engine. It starts at first turn of the key every time. It runs very smoothly and makes no unusual noises. We did check the compression and all four cylinders were well within 10% of 165 PSI- Excellent. As you will see in the pictures, the carburetor has been upgraded to a Weber 32/36 DGV down-draft. This carburetor works extremely well in this application. The engine exhales through a very nice long tube header and a single pipe leading to a new muffler at the rear.
The four speed gearbox shifts very smoothly. Naturally, the clutch pedal engages just as it should. As you go through the gears you will notice the shifter is very positive, without any slop. It shifts into each gear, including reverse, without any fuss and works as designed quite well.
The car’s exterior has been resprayed once by a prior owner and, as you see, is shiny and quite presentable. It is not without some small flaws however. There are a few paint chips here and there from use and two small dings on the upper panel of the right door (see pictures). Rust is pretty much non-existent, save a few very small areas. The infamous rear shock towers are as solid as can be as is the battery tray under the hood (See pictures). The spare tire well has a small amount of perforation but is still quite good for this vintage BMW.
The car’s glass is all in excellent condition. The side windows roll up and down easily. Both front wing windows open easily with a twist of the knob and the rear windows fold neatly out. All the window and door seals have been replaced.
The interior, as you see, is very nice and has been tastefully upgraded. The seats have no tears, the carpet is all intact, the door panels are in very good condition and the headliner looks great. The dash has a few small cracks as is common in this type of car, but that could easily be remedied with the installation of a new dash Coverlay, which is available from a number of vendors. All of the gauges, switches and accessories work as they should. The radio is a dated one that does not power up. I did not even realize this until my daughter tried it. I was enjoying the sound of the engine so much it had not even occurred to me to turn it on.
For over 150 pictures of this car, including many of it’s underside, please follow this link:
CLICK HERE FOR OVER 150 MORE PICTURES INCLUDING UNDERNEATH
Driving impression- The engine starts right up and settles quickly into a cadenced idle. Engage the clutch, apply some throttle and off you go. The car accelerates smoothly through all four gears and has a solidity about it that is quite reassuring. Driving through curves you notice how responsive and tight the steering feels, again instilling confidence. The ride quality is very nice and the brakes stop smoothly and evenly.
In summary, this is a very nice, fairly original car that has been very well cared for and improved just enough to make it even more desirable. It is very solid, reliable and super fun to drive. I dare say there are not many 2002s out there anymore that have been this well-kept. So, if you have been holding out for just that right 2002, this may well be the one you have been waiting for.
This 2002 can be driven anywhere, so leave your trailer at home. The winning bidder can fly into Atlanta and take Groome Transportation to Athens where we will pick him/her up and arrange delivery. You will find us to be most accommodating.
If you are an International buyer, just let us know how we may be of assistance in arranging for shipping. You will have to make arrangements yourself, but you will find us very communicative and responsive.
The car comes with a file containing receipts covering the last 13 years, a Georgia State title, current registration and a Georgia Bill of Sale. Please do not hesitate to email with any questions or any specific picture requests. Test drives would be most welcomed, please email to make arrangements. Thanks for your interest and happy bidding!
On Feb-05-17 at 12:23:52 PST, seller added the following information:Here is a link to a video of the car standing still and driving:
Video of 1973 BMW 2002