2002 Turbo Story - Myth or Real ??

[smonter]

This is not a comment on whether your car is the same as the 2002AD car, but I do believe that Japanese factory turbos -- for whatever reason -- were left-hand drive. In addition, those twin hood-mounted mirrors are/were common on Japanese cars, including the factory turbos.

You know for a fact, based on BMW Archives, that your car, 4290559, was originally Polaris. If it recently went through a "Chamonix phase," you'd probably find evidence of it on the car. Les is only reporting what appeared on the 2002AD site.

Regards,

Steve

http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=2

From MRegistry

What changed during the production of the 2002 Turbo?

Because the 2002 Turbo existed for a relatively short time, there were few changes during its production. Of note, however, is that the original stripes, with their reversed "obrut" script, were deleted not long after production began (see explanation under Cosmetics). Also, beginning with VIN 4291213, the side-mounted tailpipe was moved to the center in an effort to prevent rust around the rear valance panel.

[02Les]

It's surely wrong, that car has left hand drive, in Japan they have right hand drive. Another thing is the muffler, that car has for sure a VIN over 1312, that has center muffler, lower VIN's has right corner muffler. Steering wheel is not original and mirrors...are very bad!

I know the history of my car from his born to present and I have docs, I'm sure that mine is 559. Last owner owned it since 1983.

I think that can be 1559...

I agree the car I posted probably has the wrong VIN. I collect what the Owner/Seller, etc, put in their message/ad. I have found a few errors/typos over the years.

FYI all Turbos were LHD, although there is one in the UK that was converted to RHD.

 

Edit: checked 2002AD and the car is still on their website. The VIN stated is 4209559 so I guessed they has the 0 & 9 switched.

https://www.2002ad.com/pages/carsforsale.cfm

scroll down 80% the way down the page.

Edited November 29, 2013 by 02Les

[DB]

There's a black turbo in the UK. My mechanic who looks after many historic road and race BMWs (ex Prodrive, Sytner, Nick Whale...) says it's a genuine factory car (colour, build etc). I saw it once in Somerset randomly in a car park, must be going back 15 years or so now. There's surely far too much anecdotal evidence that supports one or two cars at least left the factory in 'non standard' colours?

I have a pic of this one I think years ago when I visited Jaymic.

[LarsAlpina]

As far as the paintings are concerned it is sure that customer wishes had been taken into account. Deviations from the official colours POLARIS and CHAMONIX were available. The colours were defined by a code and that is why some of them are not surely cleared up. In any case there were several surprising discoveries:

 

CHAMONIX (white) 1049 POLARIS (silvermetallic) 615 TAIGA (greenmetallic) 1 SCHWARZ (black) 1 unsolved code 5 missing registrations 1 total 1672

A second delivery book, unfortunately incomplete, revealed five unexpected colours. Their number fitted to the number of unidentified codes in book No. 1:

 

TAMPICO (beige) 1 INKA (orange) 1 PASTELLBLAU (blue)....... 1 JADEGRÜN (green) 1 VERONA (red) 1

Finally I would like to thank the employees of the historical archives for their help and support and the BMW AG for keeping the written and printed history of our cars.

Norbert Gruenberger

 

Norbert,

 

ich habe dir eine Nachricht geschrieben. Schön, von dir zu lesen!

 

Beste Grüße, Lars.

[saaron]

Wow.  So my friend's car may have been that one schwarz car.  I'm a realist, the one he had was probably a repaint.  But the "back story" he had about it led my to believe that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't a repaint.

 

He is going to try to dig some photos out of his basement.  I recall in college seeing one photo of it, so I know he has a couple.  I'm not holding my breath - he is a busy guy.

 

This has been really fascinating - I thank everyone for the replies and the knowledge.

 

Scott

[Kpeters]

I've heard my father telling me about a black 02 turbo he saw in the 70's and I always have told him that wasn't possible now I see there's a small possibility that's accurate. Wow very very interesting read.

[saaron]

I know - this is really cool.  For the record, my friend lived in the Chicago suburbs and had the car in 83/84 time-frame.

 

I told my friend about this thread a month or so ago, and he said when he sold the black turbo, "the guy that bought it sure as hell knew what it was."

 

Scott

[smonter]

hello everybody! I'm going to sell my turbo...'cause I bought a Chamonix!!!

[smonter]

very slow work...still in progress!

[76ohtwo]

Wasn't there also one in Taiga?

very slow work...still in progress!

Is this the turbo?

[76ohtwo]

I know - this is really cool. For the record, my friend lived in the Chicago suburbs and had the car in 83/84 time-frame.

I told my friend about this thread a month or so ago, and he said when he sold the black turbo, "the guy that bought it sure as hell knew what it was."

Scott

Scott, seeing how rare the black factory turbo is, isn't it possible that the person recognized it just as a turbo; which is an already rare car? Not doubting you, just playing devils advocate.

[babraham]

CHAMONIX (white) 1049 POLARIS (silvermetallic) 615 TAIGA (greenmetallic) 1 SCHWARZ (black) 1 unsolved code 5 missing registrations 1 total 1672

A second delivery book, unfortunately incomplete, revealed five unexpected colours. Their number fitted to the number of unidentified codes in book No. 1:

 

TAMPICO (beige) 1 INKA (orange) 1 PASTELLBLAU (blue)....... 1 JADEGRÜN (green) 1 VERONA (red) 1

Finally I would like to thank the employees of the historical archives for their help and support and the BMW AG for keeping the written and printed history of our cars.

Norbert Gruenberger

 

Oh man.  I want that Taiga Turbo!!!

 

It would be awesome to see some pics of some of these special color Turbos.  Wonder how many of them are still floating around...

[LJtii]

In response to an earlier post, the factory never supplied the 2002 Turbo in right hand drive simply because you couldn't run the steering column through the right front of the engine bay without having to move the turbocharger itself, which could not be done given the necessity of its placement relative to the engine's induction system.

[smonter]

the Titanic meets the Olympic...

Edited May 7, 2021 by smonter
an error

[smonter]

almost finished...