The BMW 2002 Production Run

[Steve Tochi]

Super clean and nice stance, can see no visible defects, should last another 100K.  Nice car too. 

[Conserv]

1 minute ago, Steve Tochi said:

Super clean and nice stance, can see no visible defects, should last another 100K.  Nice car too. 

That is not a stance! That’s just what BMW gave it in 1976... ?

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[AceAndrew]

Mike, the "model 71" change started sometime AFTER the 2570000 point.  

 

I've been closing in on the actual vin, but it's sometime AFTER  2570588 (February 9th, 1971) which carried all pre-model-71 components, but BEFORE 2572237 (April 7th, 1971) which carried all model-71 changes.

 

Be interested in if we could get closer to the actual cross-over vin.

 

 

[dlacey]

would be very interested to see some examples of "Supposedly the last 200 US cars were painted Polaris Silver with red leather interiors, alloy wheels and electric sunroofs"

[tjones02]

Carl’s Cabriolet is a 1600, not 2002. 

[steve k.]

2 hours ago, tjones02 said:

Carl’s Cabriolet is a 1600, not 2002. 

 

Thank you! Fixed.

[Scottjeffrey]

Great article! I wonder how many are registered/on the road in the United States and then worldwide. If only there was a way to know. Thanks for your article!

 

[Mike Self]

On 3/3/2023 at 2:41 AM, dlacey said:

would be very interested to see some examples of "Supposedly the last 200 US cars were painted Polaris Silver with red leather interiors, alloy wheels and electric sunroofs"

Several years ago I was at a BMW CCA Hoosier Chapter gathering in Indianapolis, and spotted a Polaris '76 with a (real) red interior--leather seat faces, vinyl elsewhere.  I looked at the vinyl door panels and other vinyl pieces:  they weren't dyed and appeared original.  The car also had soup plate alloy wheels, and a sunroof.  However, it was an automatic, and the sunroof (IIRC) was manual.  And...the VIN wasn't within 200 of 2745584, the last US spec 76.  

 

I do remember seeing one of these cars advertised in the BMWCCA Roundel sometime back in the 1980s, but haven't been able to find the ad again.  

 

The mystery continues.

 

mike

[Conserv]

7 hours ago, Mike Self said:

Several years ago I was at a BMW CCA Hoosier Chapter gathering in Indianapolis, and spotted a Polaris '76 with a (real) red interior--leather seat faces, vinyl elsewhere.  I looked at the vinyl door panels and other vinyl pieces:  they weren't dyed and appeared original.  The car also had soup plate alloy wheels, and a sunroof.  However, it was an automatic, and the sunroof (IIRC) was manual.  And...the VIN wasn't within 200 of 2745584, the last US spec 76.  

 

I do remember seeing one of these cars advertised in the BMWCCA Roundel sometime back in the 1980s, but haven't been able to find the ad again.  

 

The mystery continues.

 

mike

Thanks, Mike,

 

I’ve long-since disgarded the strictest interpretation of the “final 200” tale, limiting these purported examples to the last 200 2002’s, essentially VIN’s 2745384 through 2745584. We only have two of said range in our current Registry, VIN’s 2745406 and 2745407. Neither, however, fits the color, interior, sunroof, or rim features of the legendary Polaris and Red leather cars.

 

Maybe there were, say, only 20 or so of these actually built. If there were, indeed, 200 of the precise description built, the chances of a few surviving seems great. Or maybe they were sprinkled throughout the last couple months.

 

We might never know. If anyone knows anything, they’re not telling! 😯

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[visionaut]

3 hours ago, Conserv said:

limiting these purported examples to the last 200 2002’s, essentially VIN’s 2745384 through 2745584.

Why limit the last 200 VINs to the manuals, some could be in the 2393092 to 2393292 range, no?

[jgerock]

4 hours ago, Conserv said:

Thanks, Mike,

 

I’ve long-since disgarded the strictest interpretation of the “final 200” tale, limiting these purported examples to the last 200 2002’s, essentially VIN’s 2745384 through 2745584. We only have two of said range in our current Registry, VIN’s 2745406 and 2745407. Neither, however, fits the color, interior, sunroof, or rim features of the legendary Polaris and Red leather cars.

 

Maybe there were, say, only 20 or so of these actually built. If there were, indeed, 200 of the precise description built, the chances of a few surviving seems great. Or maybe they were sprinkled throughout the last couple months.

 

We might never know. If anyone knows anything, they’re not telling! 😯

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

Perhaps @jackiejouret can shed some light on the infamous final edition cars??

[John_in_VA]

I saw one at Waymon Vickery's Bavarian Auto in Chattanooga in the early 80s - Polaris, red leather, power sunroof.

[Conserv]

5 hours ago, visionaut said:

Why limit the last 200 VINs to the manuals, some could be in the 2393092 to 2393292 range, no?

Absolutely! And that’s very possibly the case, though BMW NA struggled to sell 2002A’s in 1975-76, causing them to install late OEM alloys on the cars at the ports and at dealerships, in an effort to enhance sales.

 

Among my collected photos of factory leather seats is the car below: 1975-76, in what appears to be Polaris (circled in green).

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[OldRoller]

Great article Mike, enjoyed the read. It gave me the year of a block/crank I have of mid-year 1969. 1666280. 

Top notch work!

 

[jgerock]

12 hours ago, OldRoller said:

Great article Mike, enjoyed the read. It gave me the year of a block/crank I have of mid-year 1969. 1666280. 

Top notch work!

 

My car is 1666269. Very close!