74 TURBO on BAT

[williamggruff]

But, then again, Grice, our parts stashes (along with many other 02ers.......) show that none of us have a grasp on realistic automotive expenditures.

That's why we "sell" parts to each other at unrealistically low prices ;-)

[oldguy]

He posted it in the classified section and was asking about 22k, probably what the reserve is if you're wondering.

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,374942/

Those pics make it look worse. The fact he left out the 8" hole in the headliner will anger some ebayers. That car needs more than a "dash and driverseat" interior wise.

A rusted up m10 turbo engine usually indicates water damage. Sure this thing didn't sink at one point? I imagine the kfish pump is in the same state as the body.

Again, why buy a ball of snakes that's going to take 20-30k to straighten out with a edgy title?

I'm secretly high bidder btw

[jgerock]

...nice car. I hope it finds a nice home

I noticed that one on BaT daily e-mails...

+1 Any Turbo is worth saving. This one looks much better than the one you have posted rotting away in the woods.

Wonder if this one is still down in GA at Bobby's place. He told me he would take $ 15K for it and had all the pieces.

[alpinaguy]

A shame this car ended up this way. Typically the Japanese are very clean, meticulous people and perfectionist in every thing they do. Hard to believe this is from a Japanese owner. Looks like it was used as a U-boat. I wouldn't pay more than 10K for it. Your better off finding another body (rust free) cutting the VIN # section off and welding it to the doner body and transferring all the parts.. This car will take thousands to restore. No thanks. This is experience talking. From all here that have restored these cars you know what I'm saying. Your better off buying one already done. Good luck to new owner he better have very DEEP pockets. Some one call Jay Leno!!

[Conserv]

Wonder if this one is still down in GA at Bobby's place. He told me he would take $ 15K for it and had all the pieces.

Jim,

Still there but completely disassembled, not undergoing restoration, and would require quite a bit of work to verify its completeness (parts stored in multiple locations). The body shell has nothing behind the rear axle, an apparent attempt -- several years ago -- to rectify a bad re-build from a serious rear-ender. It makes the Illinois car look like a walk in the park....and a bargain at $22K.

Steve

[Cynical_1]

Wonder if this one is still down in GA at Bobby's place. He told me he would take $ 15K for it and had all the pieces.

yup - still sitting under a tarp with the back end cut off of it and lying to the side... i looked at it a couple weeks ago when i picked up some stuff for mine...

i drive by strictly german every day to and from work...

[Conserv]

I'm really just asserting an opinion based on the recent barn finds and their respective pricing. Regarding this car (and probably others), I certainly made a bunch of assumptions about the purchase price of this particular car and the intentions/perspectives of the seller, but my point remains the same: In my opinion, for many recent "barn find" car sales, this one included, it seems to me that the sale price is bumped up because of the potential value of the end product and that just bothers me.

I understand that (as much as I hate to admit it) any item for sale is ultimately worth what it sells for. My opinion is that, should a seller want to stay on the good side of karma, the FAQ and/or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, that seller should try not to screw every dime possible out of a buyer based on the item's potential.

I also hope that one day, everyone will hold hands and sing Kumbaya.

I believe that "project cars" sell at a relative premium because there are many potential buyers. Assume we were looking at a #1 condition 2002 Turbo. It's perfect, fresh from a $130K ground up restoration. It's worth, at auction, $80K. (This is a hypothetical!) The buyer is someone who can shell out $80K for a, excuse me, "plaything." The buyer is getting, so-to-speak, a great deal. But it is narrow range of buyers.

Then compare the Turbo for sale above. The range of buyers is huge, from the "truly delusional" -- "I can make this look great for just $10K." -- to the "true perfectionist" -- "Money be damned, I can take this sorry thing and make it perfect!" -- and everyone in between. Think of how many car enthusiasts say, "This purchase gets me a bona fide collector car; I can afford to invest $XK a year for the next Y years to restore it." At the opposite end of the spectrum, to the potential buyer who knows he/she may be shelling out $130K to make the car perfect, what does another $5K of purchase price matter?

If the above car is back on the market unrestored some years down the road, then we'll know that the buyer was closer to the "delusional" end of the buying spectrum. But, I believe, we all need to stop deluding ourselves that cars are good investments. We buy and restore cars because we love them and they make us feel good, not because they're good investments. Even in the Ferrari arena, where some serious dollars have been made, there are plenty of stories about cars that sold previously for $1.1 million selling for $500K four years later. Don't kid yourself!

These Turbos are rare; I'm hoping this one gets bought by someone with the wherewithal and persistence to get it back on the road: based on its current trajectory, another 5 to 10 years of sitting in someone's yard/garage may turn it into a parts car.

(Off thread: What the hell happened in that car's trunk?)

Steve

[ClayW]

Quick question:

If this thing came from Japan, why isn't it RHD?

[conkitchen]

Quick question:

If this thing came from Japan, why isn't it RHD?

Now don't take this the wrong way Clay; there is a turbo on the right side of the engine, think about it. ;-)

All turbos worldwide are LHD. But the Jap cars originally imported had the flares glassed in and did not use the black rubber seal.

[Armond]

BAH!

person who buys that rusty car should buy this

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,374869/

swap the vin while he/she restores it and BAM..you've got a restored "Turbo" within a week. Genuine Turbo Parts on the Tribute is worth 20K at the least. Plus you get a rebuilt turbo Engine with it.

Hey Mark, You should just buy the rust bucket,pull your sale and do it yourself. then Clay can beat your ass for selling the Car for 70K in five years.

[ClayW]

Now don't take this the wrong way Clay; there is a turbo on the right side of the engine, think about it. ;-)

All turbos worldwide are LHD. But the Jap cars originally imported had the flares glassed in and did not use the black rubber seal.

Interesting. I hadn't thought about the crowded engine compartment. That would have been some messy linkage design!

[Swiftus]

Interesting. I hadn't thought about the crowded engine compartment. That would have been some messy linkage design!

Nahhhhh... I could fix it with a bicycle chain... Keep the steering linkage LHD and just add one of those double-wheels they put in driver training cars...

OOOORRRR, since the steering box is already roller-ball, just add a whole lot more marbles! (bearings...whatever)

OOOORRRR, mount a ferrari-style gearbox to the front of the engine and then flip the entire assembly around. Presto! there is now room for the driver-control gizmos on the left.

[RayC911]

Quick question:

If this thing came from Japan, why isn't it RHD?

Now don't take this the wrong way Clay; there is a turbo on the right side of the engine, think about it. ;-)

All turbos worldwide are LHD. But the Jap cars originally imported had the flares glassed in and did not use the black rubber seal.

Here is Japanese Turbo

[Cynical_1]

Please excuse my ignorance, but is there a reason turbos have no front bumpers? I assume they have rears? Weight? Aero? All removed by po's for looks?

[Conserv]

Please excuse my ignorance, but is there a reason turbos have no front bumpers? I assume they have rears? Weight? Aero? All removed by po's for looks?

Factory engineers assumed a front bumper would be of no consequence given your speed at the time of impact.

Actually, I have no idea, but losing the bumper saved some real weight (the absence of the bumper and the body reinforcements required beginning in 1974 by the U.S. DOT likely contributed to BMW's decision to exclude the cars from the U.S. market).

Picture a Turbo with big bumpers and emissions controls!

Steve