other New purchase in Seattle

[Vintagedavid]

My 76 2002 arrived from CA today.  Just cleaned it up after its long journey to Seattle.  I purchased it for its beautiful trunk and floors.  Pretty sure it is original paint, but additional inspection will determine.  It is an automatic and I will consider swapping in a manual at a later date.  I just want to get it running again and put some miles on it.   The car was stored for many years.  I know Sahara / automatic is not everyone's cup of tea, but I like the car.  I am sure I will have many questions for the group.

['76mintgrün'02]

Congratulations!

 

Will you share some more photos?

 

( I especially enjoy engine bay shots   )

[bento]

Congratulations and welcome. I agree with Tom, lets see some more photos!

Is it a runner or do you have some work to do to get it back on the road?

[Vintagedavid]

Thank you.  It needs some massaging to get back on the road.  I will share additional photos once I get it cleaned up better.  Lots of CA dust and dirt in every nook and cranny.

['76mintgrün'02]

Have you ever used a clay bar?

My cousin sent me one and boy are they fun.

It is a gentle way to really clean up the paint.

 

Personally, I can appreciate a little patina.

Just one dirty engine bay photo?  Pleease??  

 

(Just kidding, I will be patient)

[Vintagedavid]

Alright, since I did not think that my little purchase would get any attention.  Here is a nice dirty shot of the engine.

 

David

['76mintgrün'02]

Thank you!

That is a great shot.  Nice and big too, so it is easy to see what you have there.

 

It appears to be unmolested, as in Original equipment still intact.

That will be a pleasure to sort out.

 

I have never seen that particular air cleaner cover before.  All the ones I have seen have the logo in the center.  I wonder if that little arrow on the lid is meant to point to the intake snorkel, which would put the logo front and center.     

 

What is that reddish white plastic thing sticking up above the headlight on the passenger side?

 

Have you owned a 2002 before, or is this your first? 

 

Edit:  I just found the photos of your Malaga '74 tii ("gone but not forgotten") so you are not really a newbie...

Edited November 10, 2015 by '76Mintgrun'02

[Greg R aka Big_Lebowski]

Welcome to the group! 

[bublinki]

Hey David,

Congrats on your purchase and welcome to the "club"!

Like the other member, I have a '76 and am always curious as to what might be in the engine bay.

Especially what is stock. I am somewhat of a newbie to this site and you will find people here who are 

very knowledgeable, friendly and willing to give advice. Don't be afraid to ask.

I may be contacting you down the road to ask more questions about engine bay stickers and other original equipment

on your car. I am the third owner of mine and the PO's did not look like they kept too many original things in the engine bay.

Good luck!

[Conserv]

Welcome and congratulations!

Your engine compartment does, indeed, appear to be quite original and untouched. I notice also that your car -- like a few thousand '76 '02s manufactured between late February and the end of May 1976 -- does not have the riveted-on metal VIN plate on the right inner fender, having the tire pressure sticker in its location instead. This factory quirk is documented by a number of threads going back to 2008, when 02Les started tracking it. The following recent thread, especially beginning with 02Les's Post #5, summarizes the issue.

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/topic/170651-76-details/

BMW Archives (email your car's VIN to info.grouparchiv@bmwgroup.com) will provide you, at no charge and often within 24 hours, with: a.) manufacturing date; b.) date legal title transferred to BMW NA, the sole U.S. importer during 1976; c.) verification of the factory transmission (presumably auto for yours); d.) verification of original color (presumably Sahara for yours). The manufacturing month and year -- but not day -- also appear on the VIN sticker on the trailing edge of the left door, as in the photo below -- my 2742541 is an April 23, 1976 car.

Enjoy!

Regards,

Steve

[Vintagedavid]

Thanks for the details regarding BMW archives as I like to research the history of my cars.  Here is a photo of my door VIN with production date.

[Conserv]

Thanks for the details regarding BMW archives as I like to research the history of my cars.  Here is a photo of my door VIN with production date.

Great!

Neither the engine compartment nor the trailing edge of the driver's door of your car show evidence of re-painting. In your first photo, however, the right (passenger's) door appears to be slightly "rosier" than the rest of the right side (or at least the right rear quarter panel). And I believe I see overspray on the underside of your spare tire well. It may be -- as with my '76 until it went off for its first re-paint last month -- that just some panels were re-painted. And note that well-done old repairs, such as the nosepiece and right front fender on my '76 that were replaced in 1978, might today be un-detectable, even by good body shops. If it looks as good as the original paint, that's ideal. Unfortunately, my '76 is Polaris METALLIC, so ALL of the paint eventually failed: original and old re-paints. It makes me think some days I should have bought that Chamonix car that arrived with my Polaris car! I might not be re-painting today!

Regards,

Steve

[kiva667]

 It makes me think some days I should have bought that Chamonix car that arrived with my Polaris car!

 

It's interesting as we get older how the hindsight improves!

[Russell74Fjord]

Always interesting to see photos of, as much as can be expected, unmolested cars. Mine was fairly unmolested when I got it, and it is my second 74 I have owned. Word of caution, mine was a formally CA car too, and that DOES NOT mean it will not rust up here is Seattle. All the "usual" places will need attention, regardless that it is not now rusty. It just has not had the "opportunity" yet!

 

Also sign up for the local PNW group. A good group of folks here to meet and ask questions, get advice, search out parts, etc.

[2002]

My first 2002 was a 76 Sahara with manual trans purchased new in Sunnyvale.  It was really clean before a big accident - had to go to the crusher after I stripped it due to horrible body damage, but it saved my life!

Edited November 12, 2015 by 2002