Sputter is 50 today (and Lisa and I celebrate our 38th)

[kaptanoglu]

I'm not sure how accurate manufacturing date is in the Registry, but Sputter appears to have been built 50 years ago today. 

 

My father-in-law purchased it new and drove it for a bit.  Lisa's brothers drove (and wrecked) it for a few years, until one of them had it until about 2010, when he put it on a trailer to me in Chicago.

 

Ben Thongsai got it running again, and when I picked it up he said, "If you bring it back again with those wheels on it, I won't work on it." (it had some hideous alloys that my BIL's girlfriend got him).  I got some used steelies off of this forum, just so I could have access to a great mechanic.

 

A couple of years later, my oldest was driving when the head gasket bailed.  One thing leads to another, and we started a full resto, now over 10 years ago.  The Werk Shop in Chicago did some beautiful work, but the mechanic that was on it apparently didn't believe in Loctite or torqueing bolts, so we did have to chase some maladies.

 

The engine we had rebuilt (not at the Werk Shop) lost a wrist pin, and Terry Sayther let me help rebuild it a couple of years ago.

 

After being out of action for over a year with electrical issues, Brandon Littleton got me back in action, I fixed some loose-bolt door maladies and am back on the road, with about 25,000 miles since the resto.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing you all at MidAm 

 

 

 

[thehackmechanic]

Congrats to both auspicious events!!

[Mike Self]

Sputter is not quite a month younger than Ludwig and looking good.  Congrats to both car and y'all for those anniversaries.

 

But...inquiring minds want to know--and see--those alloy wheels that gave Ben apoplexy...pictures, please 😁.

 

mike

[jplips]

Congratulations John and Lisa,

 

Having had the pleasure to drive along with Sputter (+ Lisa and John); can only attest it is a gorgeous 02 with an even better story since Lisa’s dad, Ralph was the original owner. 
 

Happy anniversary

[JsnPpp]

Great story!!! Congratulations to both!

[johnnyb]

Congratulations!  I'm actually interested in seeing more of the "Trunk mounted tool box hand carved by Ralph Kelly, the original owner, from Pau Ferro (Brazilian ironwood)"!  I have a feeling your trunk is nicer than my whole car! 

[kaptanoglu]

2 hours ago, Mike Self said:

..inquiring minds want to know--and see--those alloy wheels that gave Ben apoplexy...pictures, please 😁.

 

All evidence has been destroyed.

 

If memory serves, they were four spoke "modern" (in the 80's) wheels.  After a few minutes of searching "ugly wheels 80s", this is as close as I could get --- To be fair to BIL's girlfriend, they weren't quite this ugly

 

[Mike Self]

1 hour ago, kaptanoglu said:

After a few minutes of searching "ugly wheels 80s",

At least they weren't Panda wheels...

 

mike

[kaptanoglu]

1 hour ago, johnnyb said:

Congratulations!  I'm actually interested in seeing more of the "Trunk mounted tool box hand carved by Ralph Kelly, the original owner, from Pau Ferro (Brazilian ironwood)"!  I have a feeling your trunk is nicer than my whole car! 

 

There is a chance, depending on the condition of your car 😉

 

Ralph also had a Bavaria (which I later purchased as a parts car for another Bavaria), and liked having a tool box mounted on the trunk lid.  Since our awesome little cars were econoboxes, BMW didn't put them in..... so he hand carved one.  Most of these tools are original to when he built it (in the early 80's), though I had to ebay scrounge a few that went missing during my BILs ownership.   And, yes, that is all stainless hardware, and yes, that is a marine light that comes on when you open the trunk.

 

It is the coolest part of the car

Edited January 11 by kaptanoglu

[0257]

To say that I was impressed the first time I saw Sputter is an understatement.  I was still working in 2015, but winding down, looking ahead to a time when my time would be my own again and I could get a tii (which would be my third 02) to work on and enjoy.  I had just watched Wheeler Dealers trot out a very original and pretty nice ‘74 tii in Fjord Blue that had been garaged in Los Angeles for 17 years and was glum to think how hard it would be to find one like that. Then on September 29 on my return from a business trip to Japan, in the parking garage at IAH I spied this:

I jumped out of my Infiniti and snapped a few choice pix, thinking “that would be a good one to get!”  Since 02s (much less nice 02s) are pretty rare in Houston, I thought there was a good chance I’d see it again.  Sure enough, one day I was in Revival Market on Heights Blvd and there it sat on the curb on the corner with White Oak.  John, you may recall seeing me there “doing more research” (none dare call it stalking) and that you were kind enough to give me a quick showing — including that incredible toolbox. Needless to say, an encounter both uplifting and depressing, as I thought about the car’s family history and the fact that it was never comin’ a-loose.

 

Fast forward four years and things came full circle when Zouave came available on BAT in May 2019.  Zouave being the very same car that had appeared on Wheeler Dealers in 2015.  What was it Commander Quincy Taggart said?  “Never give up!”

 If I were any kind of owner I’d know Zoauve’s birthday (2781237, if anyone would like to tell me).  In any event, John, right behind you as always!🤣

[kaptanoglu]

@0257 They could almost be twins (and our VINs are < 300 apart, with Sputter being the older twin).

 

You saw Sputter back then looking as good as it ever looked, just on the heels of the resto.  We've put on another 20K miles or so since then, but it still looks pretty shiny for a 50 year old car.

 

I do remember running into you, and am tickled that you found a great car.

 

 

[2002iii]

Awesome story too many coincidences it must have been fate. Two beautiful blue 02’s 💙!

[Mark92131]

1 hour ago, 0257 said:

If I were any kind of owner I’d know Zoauve’s birthday (2781237, if anyone would like to tell me).

 

Send the VIN to info (dot) grouparchiv at bmwgroup (dot) com and they will send you the birthday.

 

Mark92131

[JMMcR75]

Funny coincidences.  We also went out to dinner tonight to celebrate our Freude’s (2780988) 50^th Birthday. The other coincidence is that Ben Thongsai also performed a roadside healing of Freude’s Kugelfisher belt in record time on the way to the 2021 Vintage in Hot Springs. Story at the link below. Wonderful machines, pure driving pleasure, great community.

 

Luckiest Person at the Vintage 2021

 

[Jim_75Sahara]

Mine (Franz) had its 50th birthday in February of 23. Still going strong and creating miles of smiles. Build date: February 20, 1973.

Edited January 14 by Jim_75Sahara
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