Going to see a stored 2002. Could use some FAQer knowledge!

[moshulupkwy]

I will give what I know so far..........

-72' Tii

-Original Owner I believe(?)

_Stored for over 15 years!

-Has salvage title (car was given to owner after crash rendered the car salvage from insurance company

-Owner claimed to have done a full restoration!

-Kugelfischer might not be working properly

So......

Beside the usual checklist of how to check over a car, what tips can you share to help me vet out this find!

Can a salvage title be brought back to full title?

Will insurance be hard to get on salvage car?

Is it hard to remove the Kugelfischer to send out?

I AM NOT Great WITH THE SPANNERS! CAN TUNE, TIME AND CHANGE OIL!! If I go forward with this,(a big IF) I will be taking the car to a garage to do the heavy work.$$$

-mpkwy

[tii73tii]

Salvage title cannot be brought back to life.

Anyone will insure it.

Kugelfischer rebuild is $600 with Fairchild Industries. Easy to remove.

Look under the car for rust!!!

Been there done that. Good luck

[bianchini]

-check for rust in the strut towers

-look around the storage area to see if it was stored properly away from excessive moisture

-check the seals around the whole car

- kick the tires just for a good laugh.

[FB73tii]

I suggest you get someone who is an experienced mechanic to look the car over very carefully.

Poorly repaired and hidden crash damage is a bad thing. If looking at it yourself, get it up on jackstands and inspect from underneath for odd wrinkles and creases in floor pan. Check that all body panels line up correctly and no unusual gaps. Do a diagonal measurement from the rear subframe mount large bolt to a front subframe bolt to see if chassis is square. BMW Shop manual has dimensions, perhaps someone can post.

Was the car stored properly? I.e., brake fluid and coolant drained. Since engine may not be running hard to know if it is any good or not. Do a thorough inspection of the wiring harness in the engine bay, under the dash, and anywhere else you can get to. Look for evidence of rodent droppings, mouse nests, chewed wires. This may be a great "barn find", or it could be a piece of junk and a real money pit, especially since you will not be doing your own work.

If you have not already, I suggest you read this thread:

*NEVER* buy a car without inspecting it in person first!!!!!

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,0/page,viewtopic/t,362608/

Best of luck,

Fred '74tii & '69

[moshulupkwy]

Thanks! Keep them coming......I go see it tomorrow evening!

I hope to take pictures........if the seller lets me!

-mpkwy

[thehackmechanic]

What's important is:

1) rust, rust, and rust

2) interior condition

3) rust

4) brightwork (chrome)

5) rust

Did I mention that rust is important?

Salvage title is only important if the car is in such incredible condition that it's at the top of the value scale (incredibly low miles, ready to win Pebble Beach). At that level, it may matter. If not, all that it signifies is that the car wasn't worth it to the insurance company to repair, which is probably the case for every tii that isn't on a "stated value" policy like Hagerty.

If the seller wants what he considers to be market value for a running tii (ie, somewhere around $15k) but if it's been in storage and doesn't run and if you don't know how and where to look for rust, I'd be very, very careful. If, on the other hand, it's in the low thousands of dollars and you at least something about looking for rust and it looks clean, you might luck out. As the previous poster said, when in doubt, pay someone experienced to have a look at it.

I have a chapter in my upcoming book about looking at classic cars. You must be as cold-eyed as possible. Do your homework and determine what a pretty, shiny, rust-free, running tii with a beautiful interior is worth, decide how much of that you have to have (ie will you never be happy until the tii you own is in that kind of shape), and calculate what it will take to get the "barn find" car into that condition. Two months ago I paid short money for an air-conditioned '72 tii that had sat for many years and I'm happier than a pig in you know what, but I've enjoyed setting it right.

[carlkkreienkamp]

If seller won't allow pictures, WALK AWAY!!!

[Psymon]

Excited for an update and pictures... Good luck in your hunt.

[moshulupkwy]

I have seen the car and I owe this board a reply.

I am getting my notes and photos together

-mpkwy

[ndog]

standing by

[c.d.iesel]

did you see the broken toothed belt at the front of the motor - behind

the black plastic cover for the non-working Kugelfischer Injection Pump ?

[moshulupkwy]

Ok here goes.......

I had a Wayne Carini moment without the use of Wayne's resources.

This is a 1972 Tii Inka.

Second owner

Was driven till accident around 1985.

All damaged parts were replaced

Car drove back to garage in 1988.....where it went to sleep!!

Has not be driven, or started since 1988

Body wise the car is in excellent condition. I do not see any rust in the usual locations.

Radiator is dry, brake fluid is dry. Battery is dead (duh!) I could not access the engine. Owner no longer on site so I could not hear if they took care of all fluids before storing........I expect not.

Owner states that it is not the Kuglefischer but the fuel pump that has failed.

Mileage 154,000

Mice have found the engine (see photos)

Mold has found the interior seats and such.

Here are the photos for all to see and comment

If I go forward with this I would be in DESPERATE need of a good shop in the metro NJ area.

Y'all said check for rust!! This is a dry, rust free shell!! But 24 years in storage scares me!$$$$

Lets here it!

-mpkwy

[kbken62]

Humm. Doesn't appear to be in "Oh Sh$t" state. I like the heater valve though. It was repaired and resprayed, that is obvious.

I'd say you have about $1500 bucks to get it on the road and a driver. Safety first and assuming the motor just needs the fuel side sorted out.

Depending upon the asking price, it looks like something very much worth grabbing.

Good luck.

I'd buy it for a hobby car and long term restore project.

[Conserv]

If it's truly a dry, low-rust car -- particularly a '72 tii -- its certainly worth examining carefully. And at some price level, it's probably worth considering provided its shortcomings match your needs and expectations. Someone contemplating a ground-up restoration will be less concerned about most of the shortcomings than someone looking for a restore-as-you-drive car.

Can you at least see if the engine will turn? Does the engine still have matching numbers? Do you care whether it has matching numbers? If it's already been replaced, or you don't care whether it's matching, a hopelessly-seized block isn't a big deal: rebuildable tii blocks are out there. This assumes the purchase price reflects these facts.

If the engine is original and you care about matching numbers, 24 years of inactivity is sometimes a big problem and sometimes no problem. Is the radiator completely dry because all the coolant was drained from the system, or is the coolant level simply low because the old coolant ate a hole in the aluminum head and drained into the cylinders -- ask me how I know?

Mouse occupation can also be a problem if they have chosen to dine on, or build their nest from, soft components such as wire insulation, upholstery, interior components. Given all the evidence of rodent activity shown in your photos, can you see any visible damage by rodents to the wiring and interior? If yes, assume there may be at least 10 times more in places you're currently not looking.

Do you know the extent of the body damage that sidelined the car? The car's obviously had a new snorkle nosepiece fitted but that's not uncommon. Can you tell from the paint the extent of the damage? Do the doors, hood, and trunk shut well? I get the impression that much of the car was re-painted after the accident. Who repaired it? Can you climb underneath and view the main frame rails? Are they intact and still painted the original body color, or are they slathered with black undercoat to hide the evidence?

After you've thought about the above, go back and find the rust. There must be some on a New Jersey-licensed 2002. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking!

And, lastly, can you get any sense of why this car was left to sit for 24 years? The body looks pretty good so there might have been other concerns.

Good luck and, regardless of the outcome, a good find!

Regards,

Steve

P.S. I love the heater valve handle in the air plenum! And even that tells you something about a past owner's attitude toward the car.

[scoTTlarock]

a price would be a good reference here too...

for the right price, i would take that in a heartbeat.

it's such a delicate balance between trying to find something at a good cost, weighing how much work it's going to take to get it perfect, what it would cost to buy one already up and running, etc.

everyone is different with their expectations and their desire to work on issues.

so, how much and would you be okay working on it? do you see a value there? if so, go for it!