Help With Production Date VIN 1971 2002

[IdaBimmer]

Hello everyone. I'm a newly signed up member and looking forward to the group and all it offers.  Recently purchased a 1971 2002 and was curious if someone could tell me about the car - Date of manufacture, production date via the VIN # Number.  The door tag, which normally provides this is illegible.  This is sort of a multi-part question and I am trying to find a "new" (maybe wishful thinking) fuel tank yet it seems hard to find as well as whomever I call for parts need production date and I'm at a loss at the moment.  Does the tank have any markings on it?  Is it 46 liters or 51?  If I wanted to replace it with the 51 liter, could I with out many modifications - such as the fuel fill pipe etc..? I am aware of repair processes, if I choose that option and have it scheduled but I might want to consider the option of replacing it entirely.

The VIN # is 2581736   According to some of the decoders I have found and used, this car was manufactured in 71-72 however title states 1971 (another interesting scenario). Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[MildSeven]

You could email these folks with your vin number: info.grouparchiv@bmwgroup.com

 

or if you enter it on RealOEM. EDIT: I entered your VIN on RealOEM, it shows up as a Euro E30 built in Feb 1988... so that can't be right are you sure of the VIN?

Edited February 13, 2018 by MildSeven
added info

[IdaBimmer]

Thanks!  That's a start! I tried just the VIN on RealOEM and it comes back as a later model 1983, no match but I'll try the second option you have mentioned.  Thanks Mild!

[adawil2002]

4 minutes ago, MildSeven said:

You could email these folks with your vin number: info.grouparchiv@bmwgroup.com

 

or if you enter it on RealOEM. EDIT: I entered your VIN on RealOEM, it shows up as a Euro E30 built in Feb 1988... so that can't be right are you sure of the VIN?

 

'02s have 7 digit VINs so if entering into a modern system they come up as more modern cars. If you enter it into an Archive or Classic system it will be an '02.

[IdaBimmer]

adawil,  Yes, it is correct and even the same on the Steering column.  This is the sort of problem I have been running into.

[adawil2002]

Follow MildSeven's post and sent VIN to the BMW Archive address.

 

If you need parts e-mail sales@blunttech.com

[IdaBimmer]

adawil2002:  I have sent the email.  Thanks for your help!

[MildSeven]

20 minutes ago, adawil2002 said:

 

'02s have 7 digit VINs so if entering into a modern system they come up as more modern cars. If you enter it into an Archive or Classic system it will be an '02.

 

Ok but when I enter mine.. it returns the right value: USA, Oct 10, 1975

[Conserv]

2 hours ago, MildSeven said:

You could email these folks with your vin number: info.grouparchiv@bmwgroup.com

 

or if you enter it on RealOEM. EDIT: I entered your VIN on RealOEM, it shows up as a Euro E30 built in Feb 1988... so that can't be right are you sure of the VIN?

 

RealOEM can only provide month and year of manufacture for 1974 and newer ‘02’s (always using the “Classic” setting).

 

Just email your VIN to BMW Archives (the email address MildSeven provided) and request their data.  

 

VIN 2581736 was likely manufactured in March 1972.  It’s a U.S.-spec 2002 with manual transmission:

 

The BMW 2002 Club of Columbia has an accurate, but non-date-specific, VIN decoder.

 

https://www.bmwclasicos.com/servicios.php#Como

 

Like the BMW Archives database, it reports on a simple calendar-year basis.  It doesn’t show model years, which generally run from approximately September 1 to August 31.

 

It is not unusual for cars to be titled with the wrong model year.  My ‘70 came to me titled as a ‘69.  I pointed out the error and Pennsylvania switched the title to ‘71.  I pointed out their error and they switched it to ‘69....  ?  I moved on.

 

Below is a photo of the window sticker, in my small collection of photos, closest to your car’s: VIN 2580413 (probably manufactured January 1972).  It should give you a sense of your car’s original cost and equipment.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited February 13, 2018 by Conserv

[IdaBimmer]

Conserv,

    Outstanding.  I will follow the leads that have been provided and it makes sense why my vehicles vin# is not coming up accurately and others are.  Most appreciated and I wish I paid under $4,000 for mine!  haha...Thank you!

[Conserv]

1 hour ago, IdaBimmer said:

Conserv,

    Outstanding.  I will follow the leads that have been provided and it makes sense why my vehicles vin# is not coming up accurately and others are.  Most appreciated and I wish I paid under $4,000 for mine!  haha...Thank you!

 

So you paid more than retail price:  $3,853.45 ?  For a used car?

 

Shame on you.  ?

 

Welcome to the fun!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[IdaBimmer]

I took the info from the posts of previous members and thought it would interesting to post the results. After emailing the BMW Group in Munich with my VIN # 2581736 I received the following reply: 

Thank you for your email.

The BMW 2002 US VIN 2581736 was manufactured on March 14th, 1972 and delivered on March 20th, 1972 to the BMW importer Hoffman Motors Corp. in New York City. The original colour was Malaga, paint code 021.

We hope this information is helpful for you.

My titled 1971 BMW is now a year younger and has been to New York, California and now Idaho. Who knows where else!

Thanks to all of you who responded.  I appreciate it greatly!  

When using decoders they may not provide you the correct info but this sure did.  The car is still Malaga albeit restored.  WHAT FUN! ????

[IdaBimmer]

I believe this is Hoffman of Hoffman Motors 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Hoffman

 

Interesting stuff!

[adawil2002]

7 minutes ago, IdaBimmer said:

I believe this is Hoffman of Hoffman Motors 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Hoffman

 

Interesting stuff!

 

Yup, Hoffman put BMW on the map in the US.

[Conserv]

6 hours ago, IdaBimmer said:

I took the info from the posts of previous members and thought it would interesting to post the results. After emailing the BMW Group in Munich with my VIN # 2581736 I received the following reply: 

Thank you for your email.

The BMW 2002 US VIN 2581736 was manufactured on March 14th, 1972 and delivered on March 20th, 1972 to the BMW importer Hoffman Motors Corp. in New York City. The original colour was Malaga, paint code 021.

We hope this information is helpful for you.

My titled 1971 BMW is now a year younger and has been to New York, California and now Idaho. Who knows where else!

Thanks to all of you who responded.  I appreciate it greatly!  

When using decoders they may not provide you the correct info but this sure did.  The car is still Malaga albeit restored.  WHAT FUN! ????

 

Excellent!

 

Your car car might have visited New York during its 46 years, but it wasn’t in New York City on March 20, 1972, 6 days after it rolled off the assembly line.

 

The “delivery” to Hoffman Motors was not a physical delivery of the car: it was the legal hand-off of ownership from BMW AG to Hoffman Motors (a New York corporation domiciled on Park Avenue in New York), the sole U.S. importer during that era.  Thus, New York was not a Port of Entry (POE) for any ‘02’s — Port Elizabeth, New Jersey was the primary POE for Northeast U.S. vehicles.

 

The “delivery” to Hoffman Motors generally preceded shipment of the car from Germany.  Hoffman Motors assumed risk of loss and gain after that point.  It took anywhere from 5 1/2 to 12 weeks for the cars to travel from the factory to the U.S. retail dealership, depending on ship schedules, weather, POE, Panama Canal schedules (for West Coast POE’s), and distance from POE to retail dealership.

 

And, yes, 100% of the Hoffman Motors cars show “delivery” to New York City.  But only a small number of cars were sold through the New York City dealerships, and those cars had a Port Elizabeth POE.

 

Enjoy!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited February 14, 2018 by Conserv