Blogs

M3This' Roundie Restomod Build

The head

So i made new valve tool that has individual rods to push valves out to fit a cam. It worked well. New Eibach double springs in. Old ones had lost about 3-4 kgs. Ti retainers. Seat pressures shimmed to 46 kg. At 11 mm lift they have about 90 kg. New KM rockers went in. Old (and earlier cast) had somewhat wear in them so it was time to change them. Also newer cast is lighter so that’s a plus. Adjusted rocker lash to 0.1 mm. Valve clearenses set to 0.25 mm. My valve press is pretty lame looking bu

tzei in The head

April 8, 2022

'67 1600-2 BUILD

History of 1529238 as I know it.

First things first. The basics from BMW Group. The BMW 1602 VIN 1529238 was manufactured on June 19th, 1967 and delivered on June 29th, 1967 to the BMW importer Hoffman Motors Corp. in New York City. The original colour was Polaris metallic, paint code 060. About a year and a half of being under my ownership (4th owner) I was checking out the FB 02 group page, and noticed a post inquiring about the owner of 1529238. I thought to myself, “That VIN sounds familiar

jmr_1602 in History

April 5, 2022

'67 1600-2 BUILD

The bodywork continues…

It’s been awhile since my last update, but I’ve been chipping away at my ‘67. I decided repairing my original nose was beyond my skill set, so I picked up a replacement from MVP. I’m very happy with the fit and quality. There is a serial number stamped on my original nose that I plan to cut out and weld onto the repro. Other than that, I’ll keep it moving. Next on my punch list was to repair the rear 1/4 window sills. Both sides are pretty rusty with heavy pitt

jmr_1602 in Bodywork

April 5, 2022

Betty Reborn

It comes out, not goes in stupid! LOL and other stuff.

It's been a little while since I updated here....lots has been going on with the car. As with any rebuild/restoration there is a TON of stuff to do. One of those getting the suspension bits rebult. Well, here's yet another example of me having all the right intentions and just getting it flat wrong. I'd been holding off getting the rear trailing arm bearings out until I'd purchased the right tool for the job. In my pea sized brain, I'd got it in my head that this wa

JerryB2002 in Suspension

April 4, 2022

Roundie Reborn

Gimme a Brake: Phaedrus Rides Again

Redoing the brakes so this long-stored '71 could retake the road was a challenge for a restoration novice like me. It was also a signal lesson in the mindset required to gain some hands-on experience and confidence. A steadfast attitude was especially essential to get past the dreaded B*tch Spring installation on the rear drums. I also discovered the virtues of yellow-can Bernzomatic torch heat to free up brake fittings and stubborn bolts, as well as the roll-the-rock-up-the hill nature of bleed

jackm in 2022

April 3, 2022

Phase 2 - Getting the body back to factory like condition.

After the dipping was completed at Metal Works in Oregon, the car got transported down to Bart Ziegenhagen at the Resto Shop in San Martin, CA where the goal was to do the rust restoration and some minor body modifications (fill holes for rear side marker lights and rear reflectors). The dipping revealed more issues than initially expected (If you didn't see the dipping post you can see it HERE): As bad as this looks Bar

M3This in Body Work

March 14, 2022

Roundie Reborn

A Clean Machine Emerges From a 20-Year Dirt Nap

With an unseasonably warm March Sunday approaching last week, I got ready to capture the first wash of the '71 roundie I've christened Phaedrus (pronounced feedrus, I had to look it up) after almost two decades in storage. I landed on that name in homage to the narrator's alter-ego in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which I revisited for the first time since college as an audiobook during the off-season, part of my research for the book project I'm working on about this restoration,

jackm in 2022

March 8, 2022

Derby - my 1968 1600

Early heater valve setback

I ran into a snag. I was about to install the center console when I notice a drip of blue coolant on the bottom of the heater box - isolated the leak to the early version heater valve. After about two weeks of expletives later I pulled the heater box out (halfway) to get the faulty valve out. That was this weekend- so I’m hoping a new O-ring will do the trick. Have some, but not the right size- need to head to the store and see if I can find the appropriate o-rin

Dionk in Heater

March 7, 2022

Jesse

Replicating the late 02 model console panels

I have been experimenting and researching how BMW manufactured the console panels on our beloved 02s. This all started about six months ago, when I was faced with my 76 raggedy panels and interior renovation. I first tried to find replacements that were new or nearly new ones. That proved to be a dauntless task, as mine were actually in better condition than many of those that I was finding and or the prices were excessive. After giving up finding new replacements, I resorted to try to figure o

Jesse in Late Model Console Panels

March 4, 2022

Ken Sears

First drive

B6FAC463-3AD7-4899-84AF-94BBF553B0D8.mov First drive for this car in more than 20 years, about 1 mile total just to test the systems. It ran fantastic thanks to a Metric Mechanic 3.2l m20.

Ken in First Drive

February 28, 2022

Learning Wrenching Rebuilding

Light doors GF

So i bought DIY kit from Germany years back. Glass fibre but blown, not rowing mat or anything so not as light as could be i quess. Added some extra support to the hinge side as they felt little weak. I made molds if/when i need to make new pair. Then they will be made from woven mat gf or cf - we'll see. Some pics for those who are interested.

tzei in Light Doors

February 20, 2022

Ken Sears

Getting very close.

This has been a long project that I have been committed to "enjoy the process" and I truly have. I started this in 2009 it has been quite a journey and one that I have really enjoyed. I have been fortunate to have a clean dry place to work on it and let it sit when other things took priority. I will be driving it this spring! Thank you to all that have helped along the way and the FAQ for all the valuable information and support! Ken

Ken in Progress

February 20, 2022

We don't quit! We do not quit!

Obviously not Peter Sellers, but I think Steve did a pretty good job. So I found a write up I did for July of 2020 that never got posted. It’s obviously well beyond that now. I’ll post it up after this one. I wish I kept up with posting but it is what it is. I’ve been busy. As you can see, the car is on wheels with rebuilt suspension and primed! I went with Southern Polyurethane Epoxy Primer. Very helpful on the phone. I found them to be very accommodating.

peterman in Restoration

February 15, 2022

Rear wing

Some pics of carbon rear wing. Profile is scaled from F4 formula rear wing. Width 165 cm = 2002 turbo homologation width - max per rules. It’s pretty low as rules dictates it has to be in 20 x 20 cm space from side view, chassis is one plane.

tzei in Rear wing

February 11, 2022

Race block

Some pics from next race engine. Yeah it’s red this time.

tzei in M10 engine

February 11, 2022

Body work by SCR

Matt and the guys did a incredible job on the body work of my 02. He has an eye for details and he has the metal bending shaping, cutting and fabricating tools to accomplish the job. Many hours were spent hanging the doors and aligning the hood and rear deck lid. After many hours of work the result is flawless body gaps. The defining body accents, the ridge on the roof and on the sides, we’re the result of hours of sanding and correcting. Only the deck lid was replaced with a NOS part.

February 9, 2022

Fog Light Treasure Hunt

I did not plan on putting for lights on my 02 because I did not want to drill holes in my newly plated bumpers, and since I doubted that I would ever be driving my car in fog, rain or snow, or if the sun was shining too brightly. After reading on the 2002faq that there were reproduction (by Pierre) fog light brackets that bolted to the hood supports behind the grill, and despite the weather I still liked the way the round fog lights looked. Well being an old fart I had ingrained memories of what

February 9, 2022

Roundie Reborn

Tooling Up and Winter Prep

Since getting Phaedrus to fire up back in November for the first time in almost 20 years, I've spent these last chilly months getting ready for the work ahead in warmer weather. I've been steadily gathering tools and gear to supplement the very basic assortment I started with, including a FB Marketplace find for a proper place to keep and organize them. This $125 special is sturdy if shopworn, which felt like the right fit with the project. Beyond the basic wrenches, soc

jackm in 2022

February 8, 2022

Details, oh the details.

NOS parts wherever possible, and some used and new. New Old Stock Golde sunroof deflector in original package that dates from before 1974. Purchased with a bunch of old BMW parts that were from a closed dealership in Knoxville TN. Close Ratio dogleg 5-speed that had been in storage since the seventies. It was leftover from a racing team in Texas. Packages that are labeled HOFFMAN Motors (the original BMW importer) are from before 1974. I found one original new trunk board and

February 7, 2022

Oh baby Body shots.

I purchased this car at the 2009 Lime Rock Vintage Festival. The body was remarkable free of rust that is typical of New England 02ers. It had been put under a tarp in 1980 after rocker arm plug unfastened and the oil pressure dropped. It was the same Colorado Orange color that my first bimmer , a 1971 2002. The interior was also in nice shape. I had the car towed to Gene, a BMW dealer technician that did work on the side. Unfortunately he determined that the engine was seized an he was unable t