Babied Blau

[eurotrash]

Anyone read this article in the Hemmings rag? Bird watching-really? Lol

20k mile survivor:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fuel-Coffee-Cincinnati/56829973371

[eastsidebimmer]

Belongs to FAQer Tom from Chicago area, it is the finest most original 2002 in existence. period. This is a great car to see in person and it should really be in a museum, but I'm glad its not. Here is a shot of Tom's and my car (and one of some ratty kit car) from the 2011 Survivor Collector Car Event in St. Charles IL.

[Mike Self]

squarelight--a 75 I think, Baikal or another metallic blue--from the Denver area with only 9000 miles on it... haven't seen or heard from it since, and I wonder what became of it.

Anyone know?

mike

[eurotrash]

squarelight--a 75 I think, Baikal or another metallic blue--from the Denver area with only 9000 miles on it... haven't seen or heard from it since, and I wonder what became of it.

Anyone know?

mike

Mike, if you are referring to the Schwartz Italian import that went on ebay recently, I haven't heard either. I know that it had buyers fly in to inspect it and the purchase happened outside of ebay, but that is all I have.

[malagalaga]

Belongs to FAQer Tom from Chicago area, it is the finest most original 2002 in existence. period. This is a great car to see in person and it should really be in a museum, but I'm glad its not. Here is a shot of Tom's and my car (and one of some ratty kit car) from the 2011 Survivor Collector Car Event in St. Charles IL.

I think these are the two cars I most want to see in person!

[Mike Self]

definintely was blue. This was 9 years ago at the CCA Ofest Concours in Keystone Colorado.

cheers

mike

PS--black 2002s are very uncommon, especially roundies, but even squarelights aren't very numerous.

[02Les]

Anyone read this article in the Hemmings rag? Bird watching-really? Lol

It was on Ebay Mar '08. Seller wanted high $$$.

[eastsidebimmer]

It was on Ebay Mar '08. Seller wanted high $$$.

Whatever it was, it was well worth it. The finest and most expensive restorations in the world wouldn't come close to the originality and condition of this car.

[Gonzo]

Since it's my car, I guess I ought to weigh in on this.

In 1970 I took delivery of an Atlantik 2002. I drove it for six years and sold it, took the proceeds and went to S. America. But, it's that 2002 thing that gets under your skin and slowly drives you crazy to have another one. I don't have to explain this to you all. I looked for twenty years for a worthy successor to my original "Baby". Frankly, I would have taken anything from a 69 to a 72, but it had to be Atlantik in relatively decent condition. Many searches, phone calls later, I'm going to bed with the latest Roundel and as I'm opening it, I think to myself, "will today be the day"? And lo and behold it was. It's the same car shown above with the bottle caps. I paid top dollar for a pristine car. Frankly, I would have paid double the price. It wasn't a financial decision.

However, the car was in Oregond and I was in Chicago and I couldn't fly due to a temporary medical condition. Luckily, my old college dorm buddy, an ex-BMW works mechanic, and the only person I absolutely trusted, lived right up the street and pronounced it "a beauty". Kismet. The original seller knew what he had and was offering it to European buyers, hoping to make a killing with the disparity between the dollar and the euro.

Originally, the car had been purchased in Boston by a student at MIT. This same student became a professor at Uof Wisconsin. He never drove the car. As I understand it, the wife came home one day and said words to the effect, "why the hell am I parking outside in the snow when this BMW's in the garage." The second owner, kept the car pristine, thank god.

I have no desire to do anything to the car, except keep it in great running condition, as I'm of the belief that the 02 is transitioning from boy-racers to collectable cars, no offense to you boy-racers, out there. When one thinks about the importance of this model to the marque, it has every right to be a collectable.

I'd managed to keep the break away key from Baby I. The breakaway key for Baby II is 73 digits off. I'm pretty happy with that. Real happy.

Thanks for all your exceptionally kind comments.

Tom Schmidt

Windy City

Awards: CCCA Geneva Concours 2009 Benz Award, Harmon Fischer Award "Best Roundie, 2010 Oktoberfest, Z-Zenith Award 100 pts., Palmetto Award Runner Up in Class, 2011 Hilton Head Island Concours.

[Gonzo]

Thanks Ben, your 1600's a close second. Absolutely beautiful. See you next year.

[eurotrash]

I loved the article. My father in-law, a bird watcher, gave the me the mag. He saw the cover and picked it up. He thought it was a great write up and passed it on to me.

Great story. AMAZING CAR.

[jgerock]

I loved the article. My father in-law, a bird watcher, gave the me the mag. He saw the cover and picked it up. He thought it was a great write up and passed it on to me.

Great story. AMAZING CAR.

I got my issue on Thursday and have looked at that article many times. Didn't it have the stock wheels and very shiny hubcaps on it before - or was that another car??

[Guest Anonymous]

Didn't it have the stock wheels and very shiny hubcaps on it before - or was that another car??

[auggiemize]

...Ahhhh.....that's better. Love dem hubcaps....

[Gonzo]

Actually, she's got three sets of wheels. The E30 bottle caps, which the second owner used when he drove it. Anybody who wants them can pay the freight and give them to you. They're in mint condition.

Then I put some Kumho's on a set of "period correct" Mini-lites for Sunday drives. Mind you, back in the day, having MiniLites or anything approaching "mag" wheels was considered the ne plus ultra.

The original Michelin XAS's are in great shape and I'll put those on for events. You just have to keep them out of the UV. Interestingly, the original 'Baby I' was delivered with Conti fabric radials. BMW must have switched tire vendors around January of '70 as the XAS's were Made in Germany. Hmm.