article ...... The BMW 2002 Was Built By People Who Cared

[OriginalOwner]

from March 2020 ........

 

 

The BMW 2002 Was Built By People Who Cared

JALOPNIK.COM

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The BMW 2002 is one of those cars that is almost universally appreciated by car enthusiasts. It’s sporty, looks great, has a powerful engine in a relatively small package, and is comfortable to drive. With all the advancements in automotive technology, you can sometimes feel like a...

 

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

 

[TobyB]

DaFuq?

 

It was built to a light but stiff design, with adequate engine but inadequate ventilation.

 

"Caring???"

 

I've taken enough apart to have some idea that the person who welded the left side (around 1970)

cared that their welds were pretty neat and even, but the right sider was less concerned with both.

The person who blacked out the grille aperature on light colored cars certainly didn't 'care' about

brush marks showing.

The people doing the upper c- pillar join weren't too concerned about hiding it perfectly.

The roof rail join's always a fiasco- but the trim covered it up.

 

Did they 'care?'  It didn't matter- as long as there was a weld every 20 mm, the grille didn't leak light,

the trim fit over the roof rail and the c- pillar didn't look too skanky, the car shipped.

 

Professional craftspeople built the car.  They didn't have to 'luuuuuuvvveeee' it.

 

It's a car.  Not a stuffie.  Or a kitten.  Or a puppie.

 

t

[Sam_in_VA]

Great article that I had missed... thanks for sharing it with us!

[edgefinder]

Dang Toby, but what they got right they got righter than the get me from here to there car makers. Can't hate on the bean counters too much for hiring cheap labor to line up the ring gaps or weed of never got to play.  I remember reading about ergonomics in the space program as a kid and when my brother got a used 2002 it was like Yea this is what they were talking about. Everything falls to hand, or the other way around. What I mean is the the controls you have to operate quickly become second nature like breathing and don't distract from the task at hand, like staying on the road regardless of vastly differing wheel speeds or trajectory variations between car and road. This car begs to test the limits of adheasion. When I first got mine and fixed the bad stuff I aired the 165 80's up to 40 psi and did double loops through a clover leaf every day to and from work. Steady throttle 4 wheel drifts and its not even snowing. Theres a lot of other good maybe even better in ways cars out there but none will ever do what a 2002 will do like a 2002 does it.

 

  I've added all the flaws you pointed out to my R&R list, stuff to ponder while the grinders in my hand. I got my 73 on stands for roll around shop tires. A couple looked like a hot dogs tongue on the ground. Need help getting my rusty 70 to the shop for dissasembly. Had a good roof but a kid jumped on it. This week was offered a good one with roof cut off 10 years ago, never finished, tree fell on it. Wish me luck.

 

They aren't puppies but I have lot of memories walking to the car, kids run ahead, pop the boot, Starvin Marvin jumps in, close lid jump inside no folding seats needed, I get in start it up look in mirror to see Marvin's head out one speaker hole then the other. Good times

[jp5Touring]

Mine is kinda like a puppy, needs constant attention and known to leave a puddle on the floor every now and then.

It followed me home and women think it's cute.

 

 

[jgerock]

There was an article in that link?  Most of what I saw was something related to a Kia.