history and reference 1971 1600 Value Estimate

[jetavdk]

All,

 

I've been lurking for awhile. I was running around town on Monday with the kids and spotted an 02 parked on the side of the road. We went ahead with our errands but on the way home I deliberately took a way home that would take me past the car.

 

Turned out it was an early 1971 1600 not being driven regularly (has current tags) by the dust on the glass and tires. Knowing full well that I don't need another BMW of any kind I left my phone # and e-mail on it asking that the owner call me if he/she wanted to part with the car. I was really hoping that he/she wouldn't contact me but he did  .

 

I was last "into" 2002's heavily in the 1990's until the early 2000's with my dad; through high school, college and my first job after college. They were alot more plentiful then and after it was all said and done we have two rust free shells awaiting free time as I'm now married with two young children. 

 

Yes, I am nuts, I'm well aware of that, I am a BMW addict for the 1990's one's and older. The oldies simply make my heart skip a beat while the new ones just don't do anything for me longer than for 5 -10 minutes.

 

Sorry to ramble, but what is this car reasonably worth? Non-sunroof, needs paint, interior, fenders are rusted at the A-pillar, little bit of rust bumps at the rockers. I'm sure there's more which I will look for when checking it out next week at which time I will post some pictures. Otherwise the car is complete with the dish plate hubcaps.

 

For me the car is a $500 car but in looking for what these 02's are going for nowadays I am in the dark. Are there still $500 cars out there that haven't been severely beaten? Knowing full well that a full resto is going to run 5K to 7K I would think that $500 is a reasonable starting point.

 

I know I don't need another 02 but this one would satisfy my urge to have one to drive around again at least for now. Plus my kids think it's cute and asked me if I was going to try to save it to keep it from dying at the junkyard (that was honestly their words)

 

Thanks for any guidance!

 

Ted

 

 

[danco_]

Photos?

I have a 1971 BMW 1600 as well. You don't see many late 1600s around, that's for sure.

[gregpark]

You know it's money in the bank if you can buy a runner for anywhere near $500. Unless, of course, you decide to restore it. Is it possible to refrain? Not for most of us I would say. You know it'll be an expensive, long term project....just do it!

[kbmb02]

Knowing full well that a full resto is going to run 5K to 7K I would think that $500 is a reasonable starting point.

 

Sometimes, a starting point car can be found for $500...

 

But 5K to 7K for a "full resto"? That is very, very unlikely (well, not in US Dollars, anyway).

[jscaptura1]

Photos will be a great help.  Also the running condition of the car.  My 1600 is a 1970 and you really don't see many around much anymore so I'm not quite sure what the values of them are at this point.  We will be able to give you a better idea when we see pictures and have some more info on the running condition.  If it has a solid body and is mechanically sound, and you can get it for 500, DO IT!  Good luck and hoping to see some pictures soon.

[Mike Self]

Try to find/post the VIN too...71 1600s are not common at all, as they quit importing 'em sometime in January 1971 after only about four months of production.  The last few hundred were allegedly built with the updates as found on the modell 71 cars (black instrument faces, lower side molding etc) but I've not been able to confirm that.

 

Pix and additional info would be most helpful...

 

mike

[jetavdk]

Thanks guys,

 

I'm glad there is a consensus that $500 cars still exist. 5K to 7K for a resto I think is a realistic number for me considering all the parts including brand new genuine sheet metal that I accumulated years ago. I'm figuring 3.5 to 4 on body and paint and another 1.5 on the interior plus another 1 on suspension & rubber. I have two rebuilt motors ready to go from my my HS and College days. Both cars were rear ended and totaled R.I.P. I will be putting a 3rd brake light in all subsequent cars I bring to the road as the roundie tailights are so tiny.

 

Ted

[jscaptura1]

Mike,  I had a 71 1600 for a while in the mid 80's (Still have the motor & transmission) and it did not have the upgrades such as the black instrument faces and lower side moldings.  Don't have the VIN on me but when I go to where the engine is stored I will get it to do the vin search with & see if indeed those items may have come on the car.  If my memory is correct, the 2 model years (70 & 71) were identical save the front seat belts which clipped onto a metal ring instead of the old tab & lever belts.

Mike,  I had a 71 1600 for a while in the mid 80's (Still have the motor & transmission) and it did not have the upgrades such as the black instrument faces and lower side moldings.  Don't have the VIN on me but when I go to where the engine is stored I will get it to do the vin search with & see if indeed those items may have come on the car.  If my memory is correct, the 2 model years (70 & 71) were identical save the front seat belts which clipped onto a metal ring instead of the old tab & lever belts.

OOPS!  sorry I posted twice!

[ray_]

Nice find, we think!

 

I'd like to see your itemized list for resto costs. I don't think you can swing it that cheaply.

 

Good luck!

[brandon5069]

Speaking as a man currently "refreshing" an abused 2002. $5-7K won't go very far unless you're able to do most work yourself. Paint and body alone may be $5-7k if taken to a shop.

 

Good luck though. Rare car indeed. Post some photos.

[thinksound_mike]

i've spent about 5k on mine so far and haven't really touched the body yet. It could easily be another 10k before my car is "restored". then again, I don't have a ton of parts laying around. Sounds like you have a good head start.

[jetavdk]

The ton of parts in my view are sunk costs in this obsession of mine and my dad. Let's see if I can swing this deal first. The harder part will be convincing my wife that I need another BMW when I have two shells already. I just felt sorry for this little thing sitting on the side of the road.

 

BTW one of my shells is another 1600 70 or 71. I'll post that VIN# but it will take me a bit to dig the car out from it's 20 year tomb. I tend to remember that it is Sahara that someone painted Colorado and then Black, crazy.... The body is dry though and very straight.

 

Any of you 1600 guys/gals mildly mod these? I'm talking about stuff like lowering with sport springs, Bilsteins, Recaros from an E-21, 5 speed, and some sidedrafts or are you more of an original bunch?

[ray_]

Everyone of course has their own opinion about mods. But I think any mod which is easily (or somewhat easily) reversible is fine.

 

If me, I'd capitalize on the lightness of the 1600, and keep it on 13s and relatively skinny tires. Dual carbs and such would, I think, be fun.

 

Cheers,

[Mike Self]

According to the factory VIN list, '71 1600s between 1572931-3162 were "modell 71" cars, all assembled in March '71, just before the 1600 US spec model was discontinued.  Don't recall having ever seen one but then there were only 231 of 'em...

 

As I'm sure you know, all the suspension tweak stuff will bolt right onto a 1600--but remember that 1600s didn't come from the factory with sway bars, although the brackets are there on the later cars.  Just adding sway bars will help a 1600's cornering power and will protect the door handles from being scraped on the pavement under hard cornering ;-)...

 

And if you install a 2002 engine and a 5 speed, that 4.11 diff will give you really good acceleration, while the 5 speed will give you reasonable revs at highway speeds.

 

cheers

mike

[ray_]

And using an S14 motor would give really really good acceleration ;-)

 

Interestingly, Macartney's book seems to indicate that non-early (post 1969) 1600s had a short nose diff, and, one would assume, a 4.11 ratio, while early 1600s had a long nose diff with a 4.10 ratio

 

Have fun,