Former 72 M2 resurrection. Make it a Tii again.

[lowbudgetTii]

Happy Friday everybody. 

 

I wanted to introduce myself and this project to the forum. It's been quite a while since I've logged a project on a forum. But with this one, I think it's worth making a record of it. 

 

The car is a 72 Tii, originally Agave, repainted Fjord probably 20 years ago. S14 was installed in the late 2000's, and removed by me at my work in 2020. The owner wanted a fresh, rust free chassis to install the 2.7 stroker S14 we were to build. After dynoing the stock S14, and removing it, I put one of my business cards on the dash and asked the owner to keep me in mind if he were to decide to sell the chassis. About 6 months after he picked it up, I got a call and made arrangements to go retrieve it. I was unaware on the way there, but upon arrival he had a 72 (not numbers matching to the chassis) Tii engine, unknown headers, 4 speed trans and driveshaft, and what I was told is the full original Dinan 2002 suspension package (springs, shocks, swaybars) waiting to go with the car. I was shocked and very thankful as he included these items in the sale of the car and he even lowered the price we had agreed on. We took the car home, and it has lived outside under a cover until the beginning of this month. I have set a goal to make it run and drive before May of this year, so as to take it on a maiden voyage for the Hagerty Silver Summit Rally here in Colorado. 

 

The Tii engine I was given was actually built by my manager at work sometime in the early 80's. It has a Norris 301 cam and euro Tii 10:1 pistons. Though, upon disassembling the engine to reseal and refresh it, as it had been sitting for at least 25 years, I discovered that it had Bathtub pistons with a E12 head. At first, I had planned to just throw a 121 head on it, but after discovering the E12 head was a 72 casting and original to the block, I've decided to find the correct high crown piano pistons and put it back together properly. Using my vapor blasting cabinet where I can to rejuvenate the aluminum bits. I want it to look as good as it is going to run. Hopefully. 

 

As I am not a wealthy man, I'm trying to complete the project on as little budget as possible. I will not be fixing the rust. I just want it to run and drive incredibly well and get some serious enjoyment out of driving the heck out of it, then hopefully pass it on to a new owner and use the funds to do the same thing with an 82 320is we have. 

 

I am excited to share the progress through the project, and I know I'll have a plethora of questions through the next several months so I am very excited to be a part of the FAQ community. 

 

Here are a few pictures of the car when I pulled the S14 and the progress I've made so far. 

 

- Jon Maudlin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimk]

Welcome to the FAQ.  Plenty of experience here for your project.  The car looks very nice and well fitted out.

Where in Colo are you located?

[lowbudgetTii]

Hey Jim.

 

Thank you. It is a really decent car. That is why I'm so eager to return it to being a Tii and make it solid mechanically so it can be used and enjoyed. I am located in Colorado Springs.

[M3M3]

took the S14 out........where did it go?

Edited February 19, 2022 by M2M3

[chargin]

You should verify a Tii brake Booster 

[SydneyTii]

Nice!

what minilite style wheels are they?

[JsnPpp]

Welcome! Looks like a great car and in the right hands.

 

Jason

[Cruzr]

Would you share the VIN on the engine?  Always hoping to find the original to my tii...

[AceAndrew]

Welcome to the faq!  Looks like a fun car.  Thankfully not stock, bit rusty, some hot rod bits, and plenty of fun to be had!  Hopefully you’ll enjoy it to the point you change your mind on flipping it!

[lowbudgetTii]

Thanks all. I will check the booster the next time I am over working on the car, as well as the engine serial for those that have been asking. The car it came out of was a Ceylon 72, that unfortunately was way too rusty to save at the time, (before these cars were worth a down payment on a house). The wheels that were on it when I purchased it were a set of Panasports. I am not a fan, so I sold them shortly after picking up the car. The Enkeis that are on the car now are what I will most likely run during my ownership. 

 

As for the S14, it was pulled out of this car at the same time we pulled the S14 out of the white M3 in the photos. We sent the blocks off to have VAC put their 2.7 bottom end kit in them, and we are almost done putting them back together to go back into the cars. I'll have to get some photos of the 02 chassis one is going in because it is pretty wild body work wise (everything about it, actually). We were told to build the M3 like it was ours and money was no object. Carbon airboxes, Maxx standalone, Schrick cams, DTM exhaust manifold, Supersprint exhaust. Etc... Both engines are going to be built to the same spec and management. 

 

As for keeping it, I'm still unsure. I love the fact that it's not perfect, rusty, and has a non-original past. I have a dream E21 build sitting around (a tribute car to my late father) that the sale of this Tii would fund. Though, I am definitely not going to sell it as soon as it's done. I've driven and worked on a handful of 02's at my job but have never gotten the chance to throw one around and drive at 10/10th's. That's the plan with this one. 

Edited February 19, 2022 by lowbudgetTii
another comment was written while posting originally

[Mike Self]

Great story--and a great save of another '02...but I think you're gonna be reluctant to sell the tii once you get it all back together and drive it awhile...

 

A suggestion on the rebuild:  do some research on using a non-stock cam with the Kfish injection system.  From what I've read, it's not easy to get the injection system recalibrated for a hotter-than-stock cam, and a 301 is definitely hotter.  There was an older K-fish wizard at Ray Korman's shop in NC who could do just that, but it involves modifying the pump's innards--a difficult task.  

 

Keep us posted on your progress--and a great shakedown cruise would be driving it to MidAmerica 02 Fest in late April at Eureka Springs AR..."only" two states over.

 

mike