A few months ago, when cleaning out my garage and storage units, I handed over a brand new set of Koni yellows and a pile of miscellaneous 2002 bits to my pal Austin. This closed the book on getting another 2002. I know, right?
But what about a big 2002? (the two photos below, courtesy of Austin Byrd…)
I know that the BMW E3 is the precursor to the 7-series, but it always feels like a big, 4-door 2002 to me. There’s just something about that dash and the overall rounded boxiness of a Bavaria that’s always been love at first sight. Yeah, yeah, an E9 is cooler (to some), but not everything needs to have a manual gearbox, and not everything needs to be a coupe.
This one has a manual. And it’s Malaga. Man I love that color. Just forget about that 911 lurking back there.
In case you aren’t familiar, a lovely E9 like that one in The Art of Driving in The Rain will set you back about 100 grand. Maybe more. Hello sedan.
Surprisingly, this 1972 Bavaria has only about 130,000 miles and has had just a couple of owners. Look at the dash. Look at that steering wheel. Look at that analog clock. That’s killer. Wow – not bad at all. My E28, which is 15 years newer, has a dash that’s been ravaged by the elements. Some tidying up and perhaps a seat re-trim will make this one a jewel.
I sneak over to see it while I’m supposed to be running other errands this afternoon. One never knows when the rain is going to strike in the Pacific Northwest.
The outside is incredibly clean, albeit with some patina. Good thing I’ve got four generations worth of auto body guys to channel when I get to work on the rust this summer.
There’s a little bit of rust on the hood and trunk, with slightly more around the cowl. I’ve seen 2002s and especially E9s with way more rust brought back to life. So the prognosis is very good. The bumpers are in great shape, and the grille is too. Look at that grille! There’s nothing in the current BMW lineup that’s anywhere as distinctive as it once was. Forget the big plastic teeth, I’ll take this any day.
Lifting the hood reveals that the 2.8 has been converted to a fuel injection system from a 1980 528i at some point, making the car much more practical to use. I’m getting rid of an Alfa Romeo precisely because I don’t want to fiddle with carburetors. To hell with originality.
Stopping by Austin’s today, it fires right up and idles smoothly. His lovely dog saunters up to say hello. You can always trust a guy that works on German cars that has a German Shepard. Palma and I became instant friends years ago. Pam loves her too. Though she does not work on cars, she had a pair of GSDs as well.
Several things have already been done, but more need to be done to make it roadworthy. He tells me it’s going to need some work on the fuel tank before I can drive it. I’m way more excited about this than getting the keys to a brand new five. The CSL wheels are perfect and merely need some caps to round out the picture.
Jumping in my brand new John Cooper Works Mini Countryman S (a loaner while my brand new Mini Countryman SE is in for service) feels lifeless by comparison.
The car isn’t here yet, so this is more of a short photo essay. I hope you like the pics.
Hopefully, this will happen before the end of the year.
Let the project begin.
Hello and welcome to Heel and Toe.
