Newest Critter

Jan 14, 2011 update to the BMW 2002tii project car

We simply can’t stay away from cars from the early 1970s. For us, they represent a sweet spot in automotive history, when 2.0-liter cars were the mainstay of SCCA and IMSA competition.

Our latest purchase is a 1972 BMW 2002tii, complete with its mechanical fuel injection. The car was originally purchased by a man in the San Francisco area; he had it for around 20 years and 190,000 miles. The car then changed hands with a few other guys, the second of whom brought it to the New York City area, where it stayed for about seven years. It then migrated to Florida, where we found it.

We paid $3000 for the car, as it came with a nearly new set of Panasport wheels, an Ireland Engineering radiator and big-brake kit. It’s also got Pertronix ignition, Bilstein struts and H&R springs. The result of these modifications is a car that runs out just great and tracks down the highway at 70mph with ease.

The downside is that it’s a bit worn out. Wouldn’t you be after 304,000 miles? It runs pretty well, albeit with some smoke that seems to be more related to the fuel mixture than oil from wear. It’s got multiple areas of rust, including the rocker panels and trunk, but the underside is rather solid—especially the suspension mounting points. It’s ugly, but it’s a solid start to our project.