5k: BumbleBMW: 1976 BMW 2002

The oft-heard advice given by motorheads is never buy another man’s project…but these are the same motorheads who constantly buy other folks’ projects – meaning the advice is actually a self serving attempt to keep competition and bidding wars at bay, or so I tell myself when I see something like this BMW New Class feature.  Find this 1976 BMW 2002 project currently bidding on ebay for $1,225 reserve-not-met with 1 day to go, located in Tujunga, CA.

When you buy any used car you instantly inherit all of the old problems and issues that go with the car.  However, when buying a running/driving/registered car you can likely diagnose and understand most of those problems in the course of a good 1-hour test drive and maybe a compression check…not so much when you pick up an almost finished project.  Assume everything the seller did recently needs to be redone in some fashion and you’ll be much happier.

The M10 engine in this 2002 has been rebuilt by a BMW technician according to the seller, but the configuration and lack of any specs (is it stock – will those headers pass smog?) make it less than desirable.  It is easy for someone to build a 150 horsepower hopped up 2.0 liter engine, but to get that same mill to pass the visual and rolling dyno emissions test in California is another story.  Which brings up an important point – the last year of BMW 2002 production was in 1976 and these models need bi-annual emissions testing in California (pre-1975 is exempt) , meaning the prices are depressed in the local market – but it could be worth more out of state.

The interior needs some help on this New Class -specifically it needs to be torched and rebuilt from the ground up.  However, most of the pieces should be available from reproduction or new old stock sources for a reasonable amount of cash.

This 2002 will need some of your time/money/effort before it can buzz around town, but is the asking price low enough to risk getting stung? See another cheap classic? email us here: tips@dailyturismo.com