Vin #1660013 Found and saved. (nt)

[Jbird]

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,0/page,viewtopic/p,678609/highlight,/sid,8915f49e6d56dfc2273d0bce9f6a2a4d/

[eastsidebimmer]

Cool Deal man.

I believe there there was a Chamonix 68 on Craigslist "Bama" for $400 a few weeks ago - looked like a parts car, but looked complete. Cant find it anymore however

I have 1661250 May/68 and it needs some body restoration due to a rear collision. Can you give details on your shop? Examples of past work?

Thanks,

Ben

[Tommy]

Yeah! So great to see somebody saving one not so perfect looking individual. Even better when that somebody really has a plan and skill to do it. Could we see a nice project blog about this? Please?

Tommy

[gastephens]

Congrats and thanks for saving that one. It could have been a goner.

I hope to meet you on the Dec. 4th GA Mtn Drive. When are you having an open house to view this relic? I'll bring beer.

[Jbird]

Cool Deal man.

I believe there there was a Chamonix 68 on Craigslist "Bama" for $400 a few weeks ago - looked like a parts car, but looked complete. Cant find it anymore however

I have 1661250 May/68 and it needs some body restoration due to a rear collision. Can you give details on your shop? Examples of past work?

I think the white"68' you are talking about is Gary Dick's. He had it advertised as a 68 but turns out it was actually a 73 automatic. I have not talked to him in a few weeks, but he had a number of 02's for sale including a beautiful Inka 73.

As for my shop, I currently sub contract to Global Restoration Co. weekdays, and I own Heritage Motorsports in Newnan, Ga. I am currently trying to move Heritage into a 7000 sq. ft. facility here, and in the meantime unfortunately I am not taking on any new projects until at least the new year. I have so much going on that I even have three customers restorations at home. If you still need metal repairs at the beginning of next year, feel free to e-mail me at heritagemotorsports@gmail.com or it can also be done at Global.

This car is coming with a 10-15 year collection of NOS and good used parts as well. Rev. Bubba (a fellow Atlanta FAQ'er), will likely be helping me sort all of these bits, and then posting them in the For Sale Index. Copious amounts of stuff like huge boxes of belt line trim, under dash panels, hub caps, on and on and on. NOS early grilles, and taillights.

Tommy,

Yes when I get the car home, I plan to photograph it thoroughly and start a project blog. So far in my research, #13 is the earliest surviving US production car in private hands. If anyone knows of an earlier one I would love to know about it....so I can wreck into it with my truck, and make mine the earliest. Obviously kidding.

The best picture first day will be of the hood. The story as I have it, is a former owner's son got irritated with him and sunk an axe right down in the center of the hood. It should be an easy enough repair, but definiely looks pretty funny. I am hoping I can keep a good pace on the project and have it completed by early summer 2011. I already have a line on a pretty nice 3 piece dash. The only hiccup so far is that Unpaint (chemical paint removal service) has apparently gone out of business. So I need to find a local media blast company, that is reasonable and does good work. Anybody with hydro blast or media blaster reccomendations in or around Atl. please let me know.

Also anyone in Atlanta looking for an 02, check out the cars for sale index in the coming week or e-mail me, as I am going to be selling at least three of my project cars, and a couple of reasonably modified drivers.

More to come....

[Jbird]

I hope to meet you on the Dec. 4th GA Mtn Drive. When are you having an open house to view this relic? I'll bring beer.

I was half thinking about putting the fenders and hood back on and putting a spare e21 motor in it and driving it up there for that event. I don't think I could drive that far w/ a four speed though, I have gotten far too used to five speed cars.

I hopefully will have the new shop space moving early next year, and was thinking of trying to coordinate with Zac for a Spring Cars and Coffee down here. We have a really nice old downtown square, with ample parking and a really good coffee shop. If we did it in the morning, we could take a drive up HWY 70 which is a really great drive, and then end at the shop for a BBQ or something. Hopefully Lucky # 13 will be in paint and going back together by then.

I just talked to my painter and he has a top notch chemical dipping service in Alabama that dips them and then sends them to the local Mercedes factory where they go on the line and go through the ecodip. Literally dipped in epoxy primer. That fixes the having it dipped and not being able to paint the nooks and crannies problem. As i find out more about the process and who is doing it I will fill you guys in.

[gastephens]

You might have welded the floors on my Healey before I rescued it from Global.

Sounds like you've got big plans for the little '02. I would do a Cars and Coffee downtown at your new shop. Good luck with the new ventures.

[Jbird]

You might have welded the floors on my Healey before I rescued it from Global.

Probably wasn't me unless it was years ago. I worked for Dan full time up until 7 or 8 years ago, and have been doing contract work for him for a good part of this year to make ends meet, but I have not done any metal repairs in any 3000's since I have been back, only a BN2 and a BN4. Did he get "stuck" on your car? Is that why you said rescued, or were you not satisfied with the work? I know he had a couple of years there where not much was accomplished.

[gastephens]

Well since you asked, it was 7+ years ago and I met you at the time. You might have been working there part time while going to school. The structural work you did on my Healey floors and outriggers was fine. No comment on the fenders, which were a bondo frightshow to start with.

In general my experience with Global was a nightmare. I have talked with many people since and I am not unique. My car got "stuck" as you put it and was stored outside in the weather. Seriously, if you want to be successful in the Atlanta classic car restoration arena I would get as far away from any association with Global Restorations as possible. Of course you already know this. I remember trying to explain to Dan why it was important that the wheelbase on my car be the same on both sides. You were there and understood my pain.

No grudges here. just a lesson learned. From that point I have either done my own work or educated myself and explicitly directed a shop to do it my way. I hope you do well with your own shop and treat your customers honestly, especially when it comes to evaluating your own ability to meet their goals and your promises.

[Jbird]

Well since you asked, it was 7+ years ago and I met you at the time. You might have been working there part time while going to school. The structural work you did on my Healey floors and outriggers was fine. No comment on the fenders, which were a bondo nightmare to start with.

I do remember you Glenn, you had an extremely clean blue Square light car. I think you might have been the one to introduce me to the FAQ. It's funny that you say that about the fenders, Dan does all fender patches himself. He says he doesn't trust anyone to do it right, and not put too much heat into them. Oddly enough they all seem to come out warped, from heat.

I am trying to get out of their as quickly as possible, but he has had a lot of repair work this summer and at the end of the day the kids have to eat. : ) I definitely hear your concerns, and as far as his attitudes toward quality, and treatment of customers is concerned not much seems to have changed. I have to put my foot down often to make sure things are done correctly.

I strongly believe in customer service, and quality work. At the end of the day, I am not always the cheapest around, but you get what you pay for. I give signed contracts for price, and guarantee my work. I don't want to turn this thread into some kind of advert for myself, or a Global slamming. Suffice it to say, if I don't think I can do it perfectly. I just won't take the work, and I don't let myself get loaded down with so much work that I cannot get to it. That's another reason I am not taking anything new right now. Keep an eye on Rev. Bubba's NK sedan project blog. I am doing the fabrication in that car this winter if he stays on schedule.

I am still seriously considering bringing #13 to the fall drive. I could put the body panels back on put a spare engine and seat in it pretty quickly. I have to see if the windshield is any good. I guess it depends on how cold it is, as I am not putting all of the glass back in. I think it would be funny to see that thing as is on the drive. We'll see what happens after I get it home tomorrow. I think the electrical system is going to be the deciding factor. Either way I will see you there.

[Jbird]

I wanted to add too, in Dan's defense, some truly beautiful, wonderful cars have come out of that shop. You just have to be willing to negotiate through his BS.

[Harv]

What is the vin of Clay's 1600?

Congrats on finding a real early car.

John

[eastsidebimmer]

I dug through the archives and saw that the late Dan Erwin's "Crusty" was 1660495 - So you have that car beat--sure do miss Dan's writing in the Roundel.

Everyone wants to know how old Crusty is, but, like any hard-workin’ cowboy, Crusty’s outdoor life belies his age. Crusty looks 130, but he’s a mere sylph of a Bimmer at 34. I explain that he’s a 1968—the oldest sunroof 02, to my knowledge, imported into the U.S.

http://bmwcca.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=867&d=1220668283

http://bmwcca.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=866&d=1220668283

-=Ben

[Jbird]

Mine is a sunroof car as well! Almost seems a shame to beat his claim at the oldest sunroof car.

[Mike Self]

That's by far the earliest US 2002 I know of--and that's after 41 years of peering at VIN plates...Crusty was the oldest one I'd seen previously.

Cheers and congrats on a great find. Please post all these little details that you find on this early car, as the factory was still kinda feeling its way on these USA only versions.

Cheers

mike