1968 Modified BMW 1600 (Gustav) - Tampico

[Squatch Pads]

Price: $25500

Location: Lorena Texas

Description:

 

 

1968 BMW 1600 – VIN 1563805

 

Listing for sale and offering to the BMW community before posting to external sale sites.  

 

It is with mixed emotion that I am deciding to sell Gustav.  However, life and family are my priorities and in all reality, this needs to go to someone who will enjoy and drive it.  

 

Some of you may be familiar with Gustav.  I’ve been part of the BMW community for a long time.  I purchased this 1968 1600 in a Barn back in the early 2000’s.  It morphed from a simple paint job, to a complete restoration with several modifications.  The car wasn’t stock and pristine to begin with some it wasn’t in my interest to make it bone stock.  I enjoy driving and wanted it to perform and handle.  The restoration work took 6 years and completed in 2009 with final work in 2010 to show it off at the Bay Area 02 Fest in 2010.  Shortly after the Bay Area 02 Fest, the motor failed and after 4 or so thousand miles, I had a new engine built.  Better and stronger.  Shortly after getting the motor installed, life threw me a twist and I needed to sell Gustav.  The car was sold to a collector in Dallas.  I kept in touch with him over the years and this past February, he contacted me and asked if I wanted first opportunity at Gustav since he was downsizing.  I discussed with my wife and she supported me on the purchase and we went and go Gustav.  The Dallas owner did not drive it much.  I don’t think he put more than 600 miles on the car.  It sat for a long time and when I picked up Gustav, it needed a lot of freshening to get it into driving shape again.  

 

So why sell?  My wife and I had a serious discussion about offering the car for sale.  She supports me in my passions.  I am lucky that way.  It’s a beautiful car, a lot of fun to drive.  In the end, its the right decision to sell.  

 

There are some flaws in Gustav.  Unfortunately and sadly it’s not perfect.   The paint is showing some age marks.   A few stress marks from the mud on the roof line and seams of the rear panel.  Also, there are 2 spots that show bubbles from underneath the paint.  One of the corner of the driver door and the other on the front driver fender towards the nose.  The paint is 10 years old, and as far as I know all the proper steps in preparation.  It’s frustrating and really upsets me.  Otherwise the paint looks beautiful and has so much depth.  Additionally the driver side door check broke.  I have the replacement part but not installed.  I cannot find a local welder that I trust. And lastly there is a minor leak from the timing chain tensioner that I noticed.  I have not investigated further.  I try to be the most honest person and believe that if I am, good things will come.  I am hoping that someone can look past the flaws and see the car for what it is and the passion and love that went into the build.  

 

Here is the summary of the build:  

Exterior:

 

Completely stripped, removed rusted panels and replaced with solid donor panels.   Changed to sun roof car using donor sun roof panel.  Decided to not have belt line trim, welded all holes.  Custom designed front spoiler with angle iron sub structure tied into frame.  Removed fuel fill access and custom designed filler neck using early VW neck in trunk.  Removed snorkel air intake structure creating smooth appearance.  Undercoated entire car, primed, and painted with Global single stage Paint (Tampico), block sanded and decided to spray with 3 coats clear, color sanded. Vintage swan neck mirrors with all new bright work.  

 

New factory windshield, new rear factory window with defrost, new driver and passenger windows.  Donor rear side windows and vent windows, as they were in excellent shape.  New 1600 all silver grills, new rain gutter molding, new red tail lenses with new chrome trim, new middle trim between tail lenses.  Rechromed rear short bumper with installation of euro plate lights.  Italian turn lenses.  Original 60’s vintage Cibie headlamps.  Behind the grill Hella 500 driving lights.  Early style swan neck right and left hand mirrors.  All new window gaskets and felts.  NOS emblems and NOS rear 1600 emblem.  New rocker panel trim and gaskets. 

 

Interior:

Stripped entire inside of car when stripping main car.  Sprayed several coats of “Quiet Coat” sound deadening.  Custom fabricated seat brackets, repositioned seat positions to sit lower in car.  Black wool headliner, leather 3 piece dash, with leather short center console.  NOS gauges, NOS speedo. New gauges for center console, LED toggle switches for front driving lights and rear defrost.  New black carpet, custom vinyl door panels with speaker integration.  All new vinyl in all of interior rear panels.  Reupholstered rear seat in vinyl and custom new GTS Monte Carlo seats. New leather shift boot and emergency boot custom made.  BMW cocoa mats. Custom BMW stainless shifter.  New steering wheel, and the name escapes me at the moment.  Custom stainless rear parcel shelf.  Rebuilt heater box, NOS door sills. 

 

Custom stereo work with Sony deck with iPod integration, AMP under back seat and fantastic speakers.  Musicar NW did all the work.  Has very complex Viper alarm system, with power door locks, remote, and Smart Start ap for phone and text alerts for alarm triggers.  Came be upgraded for GPS tracking.

 

Drive train:

Professional built 2.3 liter stroker motor.  This is the 2nd motor to the build and the first one came apart due to rod bearing.  New donor block bored, custom pistons with 10:1 compression.  Carrillo S14 rods, S14 counter balanced crank, 1mm larger intake and exhaust valves.  All items balanced.  Ported and polished head with Dr. Schrick 304 cam.  I can’t remember what valves we went with, but they were special.  Lightened S14 flywheel with S14 clutch pack.  5 speed transmission, rebuilt 40% 4:10 LSD.  Custom aluminum radiator, upgraded coil coupled with MSD to run hotter spark and larger spark plug gaps.  Twin rebuilt 44mm Mikuni Carbs.  All new engine mechanicals, oil pump, water pump.  Custom powder coating on engine components to compliment car color.  Oil breather tank added.  All new fuse relays hidden under custom stainless front apron cover.  Poly engine mounts.  All new hoses.  Electric fan for cooling. 

 

Suspension:

H&R progressive lowered springs.  Bilstein sport shocks, Ireland sway bars.  All new poly bushings.   Upgraded front disk brakes to larger Alpha GTV brakes with upgraded larger master cylinder.  Rear disks from Aardvark with emergency brake.  Converted steering to rack and pinion.  Riding on Rota B 15x8 wheels and Falken Azenis tires. Front TEP strut brace and custom rear strut tower brace with Optima battery integration. 

 

Exhaust:

 

Ceramic coated Stahl header into stock Turbo exhaust and custom side exit. Sounds good but not too loud. 

 

I’m sure I am forgetting small bits and pieces.  It took 7 years to build.  All items bought and installed on car were of high quality and some items quite rare. 

 

The car drives wonderful.  The motor is smooth.  Although you would expect a lope out of a 304 cam and some car shaking with poly engine mounts, it is quite balanced.  Throttle response is great and the power band is strong with plenty of torque.  It runs out down the road good.  The on road characteristics are nice.  Drivers straight, the rack and pinion steering offer more precise feel for road.  The ride is not too harsh due to the progressive springs and it rides flat in corners.  Stops incredibably well.  The motor is still breaking in.  The color is rare and it gets quite the attention at shows.  The wheel are gun metal with a polished lip and calipers have been painted yellow to stand out a little which compliments the color.

 

Since February, I replaced and repaired the following:

1.  Installed new poly motor mounts from Ireland Engineering

2.  Rebuilt the short shift linkage from Ireland Engineering

3.  Replaced fuel pump and fuel filter

4.  Replaced fuel sending until

5.  Replaced electric fan switch and installed new inline auto switch on water neck

6.  Replaced spark plugs, cap, rotor

7.  Synchronized and tuned carburators

8.  Changed engine oil, transmission oil, rear differential oil and performed lubrication service

9.  Replaced Evans waterless coolant with recommended coolant 

10.  Cut and buff of paint

 

 

Offering at $25,500 to the 02 community, taking into consideration the flaws listed.  

 

For more detailed pictures and video, please send me an email to anthonywerre@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2018 by Squatch Pads
Edited content and listed in more detail recent work

[jgerock]

One of my favorite builds!   Someone will be getting a very nice car.  GLWTS.

[rover1]

pretty interesting, you sold it once after like 15 years of ownership  then bought it back in February only to sell it again in october and invested "alot" in the process. does this sound correct?  

[Squatch Pads]

35 minutes ago, rover1 said:

pretty interesting, you sold it once after like 15 years of ownership  then bought it back in February only to sell it again in october and invested "alot" in the process. does this sound correct?  

 

And what is your point of the comment?  

[Road trip]

5 hours ago, Squatch Pads said:

 

And what is your point of the comment?  

I think the statement speaks for itself,

your story is compelling but, “investing alot” then selling, why ?

[Squatch Pads]

1 hour ago, Road trip said:

I think the statement speaks for itself,

your story is compelling but, “investing alot” then selling, why ?

 

I would like to think that I have a pretty good reputation on this forum.  Have been a member of this community for a long time and am a supporter of the FAQ forum. 

 

I have tried to be as upfront and honest about this car as possible. 

 

However, a public forum is not the right setting to discuss my personal matters to explain in detail why I am selling. 

 

I am in communication with a few interested parties. If you are truly interested in the car and want to know why I am selling, contact me personally. 

 

I appreciate the support of our community. 

 

 

 

 

[Squatch Pads]

Sale Pending