1966 1600 on BAT in Germany - No Affiliation

[Slavs]

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-bmw-1600/

[Conserv]

Thanks for posting, Slavs,

 

Very nice. Looks great and highly original!

 

The gloppy black undercoating and Granada overspray in the engine compartment are not highlights here, but there’s enough great stuff here — like the beautifully-redone seats — to make this one’s 66 1600-2 for life!
 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[02Les]

No trunk seal, no engine bay side seals, and only 2 screws per hood hinge. For want of a few €€€ should be fixed by Seller.

Great looking car though.

Many NLA parts that will be dreuled over.

[Slavs]

My Observations:

 

The upper dash pad was probably replaced at some point as these dash pads crack. It is missing the 1600 badge, specific only to 66 cars. This badge isn’t glued to the dash, but is mounted to it with pins which penetrate the dash. In that respect the 66 has a unique upper dash pad as well. The aluminum molding between the upper and lower dash pads is also from a later car as it is black vs. chrome, which was specific to 66 cars only. And the muffler and resonator are the more common post 69 style. The 66-67 cars had a different muffler and resonator. The all black door panels are a bit unusual in that BMW matched the two tone seats with corresponding two tone door panels. They may be replacements. These details can be easily corrected, though, if one is on a mission to recreate a 66 1600 with all its 66 specific details and styling features. The only question I have is what exactly is that black coating applied on the underside of the car ? It seems to have been applied liberally, and it’s difficult to gauge the condition of the sheet metal underneath. This is my only concern. I guess it’s a matter of taking a chance. These very early 66 1600s are comparable to the pre-A Porsche 356. BMW collectors have only recently started appreciating them, though, while the pre-A 356 has been recognized for its unique styling for some time.

 

Slavs

Edited September 26, 2020 by Slavs

[calw]

I WANT those front bumper horns...

[NickVyse]

where are the bidders? Only 3 days to go and it's still on for peanuts. I blame the idiot who jizzed the bitumen everywhere, ruins an otherwise awesome car and the irony is it's probably only hiding surface rust, but who knows?

[Conserv]

On 9/27/2020 at 5:45 AM, NickVyse said:

where are the bidders? Only 3 days to go and it's still on for peanuts. I blame the idiot who jizzed the bitumen everywhere, ruins an otherwise awesome car and the irony is it's probably only hiding surface rust, but who knows?

 

+1

I agree, Nick. And it’s sad that there are so few bidders. I can’t quite figure out why Porsche enthusiasts will lovingly embrace the rustiest shell of a ‘64 911, but BMW enthusiasts are lukewarm to a ‘66 1600-2, even when it is amazingly complete, like this example.

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[calw]

There is a similar situation with AH Sprites and MG Midgets- the MK1 bugeye sprite is prized, but the next version, MK2 sprite and MK1 Midget (same car) are not.  Underneath, they're almost identical to the bugeye but nobody cares.

[mccusername]

Ugh, I would pay the current bid just for the seats if they are original fabric...

[Slavs]

These very early 66 1600 cars don’t come up for sale often. And, when they do, they are usually basket cases. It’s very rare to find a 66 with solid sheet metal and in this shape. This car appears to be solid, at least from the pictures. Even out here in California, these cars eventually rust in the rocker panel area, the lower front nose clip area, the lower parts of the door skin and fenders and the rear wheel arches. They rarely rust anywhere else out here as they do in Europe and other parts of North America.

If the sheet metal is solid, this car is a real gem and much more interesting than the “tii” with which so many people in the states are obsessed. The 66 1600 has the cleanest lines of any 02. And, that is why I’m comparing it to a pre-A 356 Porsche which commands the highest prices of any 356 with exception to the 356 Carrera. Most 66-67 1600s have been converted to 12V electrical and along the way their original motors have been replaced with 2002 motors. As the upholstery wore out their seats have often been replaced with seats from newer 02s etc. So, there are few original survivors.

This car seems to have retained most of its 66 specific original parts. The 66 specific badge can beaded to the top dash pad. I actually have an original 66 dash in near perfect shape i in my early 67. I’m tempted to bid on this car so I can install the real 66 dash on to it.

I used to find 66 1600s at the junkyards where I would sit in them and check out all the 66 specific parts. A few of those cars were pretty solid with all their original parts. It’s really too bad they were crushed. The 02 people didn’t care for them that much because they were 1600s.

If the seller removed all that black gunk, took care of a couple small details and took more photos and presented the car better, I believe he would get a lot more bids. It’s just hard to take a chance and bid on a car half way around the world without taking a better look at it.  

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by Slavs

[72pdx02]

21,500 Not what I was hoping for being a 1600 owner myself. Must have been the goop underneath. Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you. 

[NickVyse]

bargain - a few days hard labour, a few euros and you could ask twice that IMO. someone got themselves a very sweet 66.

[kiva667]

The buyer got a killer deal on the 1600.

As I discovered a couple of months ago, the market is down for cars not in the USA. Which is why in the end I kept my own car and refused to sell it at a bargain basement price.

[Slavs]

Prices will go down here as well, if things don’t get better.  How many of you would have said this was a good deal 10 or 20 years ago ? During the late 90s this car would have been at $3,000 max. A restored tii then was available for $6k. And a short wheelbase 1967 911 was about 10k. Now it’s over $200k. But, I bet these prices will take a dive. 

Edited October 1, 2020 by Slavs

[NickVyse]

10 hours ago, Slavs said:

How many of you would have said this was a good deal 10 or 20 years ago ?

 

nobody, because it wouldn't have been, because it was 20 years ago!