body and interior Red Interior - Door Panel Repair

[jso5000]

Hello,

I'm kinda new to this site. I recently purchased a 1976 2002. It has Anthrazite exterior and Red interior. I have done alot of searching here and on the web and have found little info on 2002s with Red interiors. My post is two fold:

First: I'm interested in seeing other members cars with factory red interiors. The interior looks to be cardinal red, however it seems as though classic red could be closer. Anyone know which reds were offered in 1976 ?

Second: My door panels have speakers installed in the lower forward corner. I want to remove these and repair the hole. I am seeking options and ideas to make it "look" factory again.

 

[John_in_VA]

There was an older thread about red interiors - you might be able to find it with the search function.

BMW is offering new door panels, but not in red.

[jso5000]

Yes - Red seems to be difficult... I'll try the search again. Thanks

[Conserv]

Red wasn't among the 2002 interior color options in the '75-'76 paint and upholstery brochure (and I doubt it appeared as a standard factory color before that). But there is at least an urban myth -- maybe it's true -- that BMW produced, for the U.S. market, a run of '76 Polaris '02's with red interiors, leather-faced seats, and electric sunroofs. These, allegedly, celebrated the end of the model run. I've never seen one; perhaps others have!

Your interior is particularly interesting because those seats look like they could be leather. Early e21 seats were virtually identical to '75-'76 '02 seats and I suspect they may have been offered in leather. In addition, '02 restorers have been replacing original leatherette interiors with bonafide leather since the '70s. But, from the little I can see of your interior from the photos, it is certainly conceivable that you have a rare red '02 interior, including original leather-faced seats. The tan carpet doesn't seem to go with the red interior, but carpets, and even interiors, are easily and frequently changed and transferred.

Very cool!

Steve

Edited August 14, 2013 by Conserv

[Mike Self]

There were 200 '76 US spec cars produced at the very end of the model run...supposedly they were all silver, with red leather interiors, electric sunroofs and soup plate alloy wheels.  What's the VIN on your car?  If it's near the end of production, (and that number is known) then you may have one of these cars.  There were no 2002s produced for the US market with a red interior; do your door panels appear to be actually red, not dyed from another color?  The armrest in one of your pictures appears to be tobacco/caramel, not red...or is that simply a trick of the photo?  Electric sunroof?

 

If you have one of these cars, it's the first one I've heard of since about 1987, when one showed up for sale in the BMW CCA Roundel. 

 

Please post more about your car.  It would  be nice to confirm that these legendary cars actually exist!

 

cheers

mike

[jso5000]

I will post the VIN and more pics tonight.

Some Specifics:

Exterior color: Anthrazite. Seems to be the original color. Inside of doors behind the door cards, trunk, under hood, etc.are this color. Car has been resprayed.

Tranny: Automatic - (looking at doing a 4 speed swap tho)

Sunroof: None

Seats: Red leather front and back. (doesn't seem to be dyed)

Door panels and rear panels: Red vinyl (?)

Carpet: Tan

A/C: yes Behr

 

thanks for all the info so far...still interested in any ideas on that speaker hole repair.

[Dev02]

I recently saw a picture of someone who had put another cars map pockets on the doors (from a Ford maybe?). While not exactly "correct" it worked really well and looked stock. You could maybe find some from a VW or Volvo of the period in the correct color, or complimentery color. Just a thought.

[John_in_VA]

An E3/E9 map pocket would cover most of the hole. Happy hunting!

[jso5000]

I like the map pocket idea. I may recover from the "last pleat" on down, essentially the lower part of the panel with vinyl. Then over lay that joint with a chrome mylar molding. Similar to the map pocket idea in the above photo.

[John_in_VA]

Some have used a thin carpeting at the bottom portion, like more modern cars like the E28!

[jso5000]

Thanks for the ideas so far. Here are a few more pics of the RED interior and some additional info:

The pic of just the armrest is to show it is RED not dyed.

The seats are definitely leather. The passenger seat cushion was recovered by the PO in vinyl.

The back seats are leather. The door panels still had the original vapor barrier on them.

The pic shows the original color is Anthrazitgrau

 

VIN:  2393109

 

I would appreciate any deciphering of the VIN in terms of build date/spec/etc. Also is there a build sheet available for the car anywhere?

[jso5000]

ok just a little more info on the car.

 

Production date: June 1976

Assuming that VIN 2393292  is the last 2002, and my cars VIN is 2393109 then -> my car is #183 from the end of production. Within the last 200.  It is not Polaris and does not have a e-sunroof.

 

JSO

[Mike Self]

Think you need to drop an e-mail to the folks at what used to be BMW Mobile Tradition--someone on the board has the name and e-mail address of the contact at BMW who can tell you about your car--exact production date, and possibly more about these "last 200" US 2002s.  Yours is obviously in the VIN range, so it's possible that not all were silver with sunroofs. 

 

We might be able to unravel a mystery that's been discussed numerous times on the Board--without resolution.

 

cheers

mike

[Beaner7102]

Think you need to drop an e-mail to the folks at what used to be BMW Mobile Tradition--someone on the board has the name and e-mail address of the contact at BMW who can tell you about your car--...

cheers

mike

JSO5000

The BMW guys email address is : andreas.harz@partner.bmw.de 

And ask him for the build details of your car.

 

HTH Beaner7102

[John_in_VA]

Yours is obviously in the VIN range, so it's possible that not all were silver with sunroofs.

I saw an original '76 Schwarz with red leather, electric sunroof, and late alloys in Chattanooga in the early '80s.