Sep-Oct 67 1600-2s

[Captain_Keram]

UPDATE 2: So I see people are asking about why I keep my VIN a secret. It is because my parents instilled in me to keep it a secret especially with old cars due to the reason that if someone saw my VIN and photo of my car. Then if they liked it enough they could lie and say I stole the vehicle from them. AKA why I keep it a secret is because it’s what I was taught growing up. But since every is asking and it seems to be starting quite the discussion my VIN is 1560816

 

UPDATE: here are some photos of the outside and what I have for photos of the inside of the car

 

 

 

Hey everyone. So I’m working on sourcing  parts for my BMW 1600-2 built on October 6, 1967. I am wondering if I could see some photos of everyone elses 1600-2s from that were built from September to October 1967. So I can get ideas of what to look for in parts as I want to go as close to original as possible.
 

Thanks,

 

Sam Keram 

Edited December 15, 2020 by Captain_Keram

[Conserv]

Sam,

 

Although 12-volt electricals replaced 6-volt electricals in August 1967, the early 1968 models (particularly September and October 1967) were largely identical to the 1967 models: two-spoke steering wheel, forward-mounted outside rearview mirror, silver-painted bezel on the instrument cluster, chrome-trimmed dashboard, embossed front hood trim, remote brake booster, etc.

 

Have you looked at other early 156xxxx cars in the Registry?

 

Here’s an early 1600 brochure, dated July 1967. It provides a fairly good picture of a 1967 1600-2.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

[Mark92131]

Sam:

 

You can take pictures of the areas you are working on, (Interior, Exterior, Drivetrain), and we will gladly tell you what is, and isn't right on your 1967 BMW 1600-2.

 

Mark92131

[Captain_Keram]

1 minute ago, Mark92131 said:

Sam:

 

You can take pictures of the areas you are working on, (Interior, Exterior, Drivetrain), and we will gladly tell you what is, and isn't right on your 1967 BMW 1600-2.

 

Mark92131

I will update the post with some photos of the interior and exterior 

[Mike Self]

Steve, one of the problems I've found when using a factory brochure for what's correct on a specific model year is that the brochures are often made up several months before the model year begins, and tend to use pictures from the previous year--sometimes touched up (see the 72 and 73 US catalogs, and the '75 and 76 catalogs) but--particularly on the earlier catalogs--they're not.  

 

And Sam, there's a guy who posts on the FAQ--Robert Smith--he's in Hawaii, who has a very early '68 1600 that's quite original--the VIN is somewhere around 15608xx.   If he doesn't respond to your post, I'll drop him an e-mail and tell him about your car as your VINs have to be very close to each other.

 

mike

[Captain_Keram]

12 hours ago, Mike Self said:

Steve, one of the problems I've found when using a factory brochure for what's correct on a specific model year is that the brochures are often made up several months before the model year begins, and tend to use pictures from the previous year--sometimes touched up (see the 72 and 73 US catalogs, and the '75 and 76 catalogs) but--particularly on the earlier catalogs--they're not.  

 

And Sam, there's a guy who posts on the FAQ--Robert Smith--he's in Hawaii, who has a very early '68 1600 that's quite original--the VIN is somewhere around 15608xx.   If he doesn't respond to your post, I'll drop him an e-mail and tell him about your car as your VINs have to be very close to each other.

 

mike

Ok thank you very much.  To be exact my cars VIN is in 1560816

Edited December 15, 2020 by Captain_Keram

[dlhoovler]

1 hour ago, Captain_Keram said:

Ok thank you very much. My cars VIN is in the 1560810-1560820 range. Though I won’t get too exact

 

Out of genuine curiosity, may I ask why? Most of us here share our VINs quite readily, including on the various registries. Most online VIN lookup tools (including BMW's own parts system!) don't work with our non-standard '02 numbers, but maybe there's a concern I'm not aware of. 

 

I don't mean to be critical, and I do realize people's privacy preferences vary - I'm not really on social media at all, but my VIN is my license number... 

 

-Dave 

 

[Conserv]

6 hours ago, dlhoovler said:

 

Out of genuine curiosity, may I ask why? Most of us here share our VINs quite readily, including on the various registries. Most online VIN lookup tools (including BMW's own parts system!) don't work with our non-standard '02 numbers, but maybe there's a concern I'm not aware of. 

 

I don't mean to be critical, and I do realize people's privacy preferences vary - I'm not really on social media at all, but my VIN is my license number... 

 

-Dave 

 

+1

 

Thank you, Dave!

 

The “secret VIN” approach also eludes me. Since 1969 (or thereabouts), every single U.S.-spec car must have its full VIN visible from outside the car: this is why cars have their VIN’s showing through the left front windshield. So VIN’s have been in the public domain for 50 years.

 

I’ve had people say they feared someone would “use” their VIN on another car. I’m still trying to figure out how that works to the detriment of the owner of a car having its original VIN. Say Bob steals a 1976 2002. But Bob is also an ‘02 enthusiast, and a member of this forum. He sees that I own a ‘76 2002, VIN 2742541. And, being both one owner and the classic Polaris-over-Navy Blue combination, Bob realizes that 2742541 might be the world’s most desirable '76 ‘02 and decides, therefore, to use my car’s VIN and change all the VIN’s on his purloined ‘76 to 2742541. Then what?

 

He somehow must get a title showing VIN 2742541. Or maybe not if he lives in a no-title-for-old-vehicles state. OK. So he’s happy not having a title. Then what? 
 

The value of my original 2742541, fully documented from sale date, four large volumes of receipts, photos reaching back 44 years, hundreds of references, by VIN, on this forum, plummets? ? Is that correct? Is that what happens? I suspect not...
 

Before I buy into the “secret VIN” fraternity, I need to understand where these stolen VIN’s for 50-year-old cars have gone, or appeared! Contrary to hiding my VIN’s — not that you can legally hide the VIN on a post-1969 U.S.-spec car — it seems that shouting your VIN from every mountaintop and associating it with you, the owner, is a more effective solution to VIN theft.

 

Since a “VIN thief” can borrow any VIN, regardless of whether the original car even exists, how do you stop someone from randomly using your never-been-disclosed VIN? Do you conduct regular 50-state searches for your car’s VIN, to ensure that no one has duped your car and registered or titled it? I’m guessing not. ?

 

Still trying to figure out the real dangers of VIN disclosure....

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

[Conserv]

Gary’s gorgeous VIN 1560364, found by Gary on Bring a Trailer, was an un-touched original, meaning everything was there (albeit disassembled), but it needed to be lovingly restored — completely!

 

There are lots of “before” photos on the Bring a Trailer site. And Gary’s added some “after” photos to the Registry entry (below). But start by simply going to and reading the Registry entry, where there is also a link to the Bring a Trailer listing.

 

 

Robert’s beautiful VIN 1560629 is now a 1600ti tribute, a good thing, but possibly a bit mis-leading if you’re trying to recreate a standard 1600-2. And from before Robert’s ownership, based on the Bring a Trailer photos, it had knee trim, 1975-76 flag mirrors, blacked-out front grilles, Amco overriders bars (an aftermarket goody which might not have been invented by 1967), post-02 era windshield washer reservoir, etc. None of these items is original to a September 1967 1600-2.

 

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Mark92131]

Swan mirrors, bumper over riders, two spoke steering wheel, seats and that unobtainable embossed front nose trim for the hood to start your list.  Here's some pictures of a 1967 that should help.

 

Mark92131

[bluebmw]

 

4 hours ago, Mark92131 said:

Swan mirrors, bumper over riders, two spoke steering wheel, seats and that unobtainable embossed front nose trim for the hood to start your list.  Here's some pictures of a 1967 that should help.

 

Mark92131

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh hey, I know that car! Looks a bit different now...

 

[Flamingo 5]

[tjones02]

We have very close VINs, mine is 1560847.

”The BMW 1600 US VIN 1560847 was manufactured on October 9th, 1967 and delivered on October 17th, 1967 to the BMW importer Hoffman Motors Corp. in New York City. The original colour was Manila, paint code 004.”

 

Mine has a chrome lower dash.... Whatever else you need to know, just ask away, I have four ‘66-68 1600-2s. Between what I have and everyone else here we should be able to figure it out.

[Mark92131]

20 hours ago, bluebmw said:

Oh hey, I know that car! Looks a bit different now...

 

I tried buying that car from the owner after he reached out looking for some parts.  He told me that he was planning to keep it and get it running, so I sold him a front timing cover for it.  So glad it found a good home.

 

Mark92131

[Flamingo 5]

May I suggest you upgrade your brakes from single to two sections and clutch from mechanical to hydraulic.

you will be safer