history and reference Build Sheets- Vin Verification for my new 1971 2002

[Steven Kittrell]

Hello everyone,

 

Recently bought a late 1970, sold as a '71 BMW 2002. Trying to source some build sheet info since it has some 1600-2 carryover parts and accessories and some interesting interior.

 

Owner said it had a dealer upgraded moto lita steering wheel, AC, sunroof, AC and LUX velour interior- all done in period. Some things aren't adding up, so I wanted to start by running the vin number (1678375) and trying to find out what the build sheet looked like.

 

Best options other than paying $100 to the classic center for limited info? Here are some pictures.  

 

 

Any info is greatly appreciated

 

! I'm located in Monterey, CA

 

[dlhoovler]

Welcome! Yours was just 37 cars after mine on the assembly line! Mine was built Nov. 30, 1970 (according to BMW), though the door sticker says "12/70"--they must have run out of November stickers a day early. That actually makes it an "early 1971" car. BMW kept track of calendar years, versus the American model-year system.

 

You can get the build date and color for free from Mobile Tradition via an email address that has been circulated on this site many times before. I think all you can get is that limited information, though. I have heard that BMW didn't keep full build sheets on cars until later. If it helps at all, my car was originally sold at Universal Motor Sales in Butler, Pa. (to my dad), but that doesn't preclude yours from having been sold on the other side of the country.

 

At any rate, I also believe the LUX cars were all square-tails and not officially sold in the US, so those aren't likely to be genuine LUX seats; they most likely are just reupholstered. And I'd bet that steering wheel is later vintage as well, but it could be period. I can't see enough of the AC console to identify it, but they were all dealer-installed systems anyway.

 

What are the "1600-2 carryover parts" you refer to? 

 

-Dave

Edited May 14, 2015 by dlhoovler

[Conserv]

An email to BMW Archives (info.grouparchiv@bmwgroup.com), giving them your car's VIN and requesting all data in their files, will provide you with: (a.) the car's manufacturing date, (b.) the date on which legal title transferred from BMW to Hoffman Motors, the sole U.S. importer and a New York-domiciled corporation, (c.) the market (U.S. or other), (d.) automatic or manual transmission, generally, and (e.) the original color (name and code). Free!

Besides this forum, which is LOADED with info -- much of it good and, some of it, true -- the car's themselves have dates on lots of items, which will allow you to authenticate (or dismiss) many of its components as original and/or period. Does the car have any documents or manuals with it? These, when present -- or, rather, the notes therein -- often provide insight into where the car may have been delivered and/or owned.

Dave, above, summarized most of your specific questions, but you will have more!

Congratulations and good luck!

Regards,

Steve

Edited May 15, 2015 by Conserv

[Mark92131]

Mobile Tradition

 

Here is the contact info: 
Andreas.Harz@partner.bmw.de 

 

Send an e-mail with your VIN# and he'll send one back with some dates and original color codes for the exterior paint.

Didn't LUX cars have wood on the door panels and map pockets.  I noticed yours has a Tach which would have been an upgrade to the clock in the 1600.

 

Welcome,

 

Mark92131

Mobile Tradition

 

Here is the contact info: 
Andreas.Harz@partner.bmw.de 

 

Send an e-mail with your VIN# and he'll send one back with some dates and original color codes for the exterior paint.

Didn't LUX cars have wood on the door panels and map pockets.  I noticed yours has a Tach which would have been an upgrade to the clock in the 1600.

 

Welcome,

 

Mark92131

[Napes]

This list will cover your car. Note that cars in a calendar year built from August on are the following year's models. i.e., your car,

built in early Dec. of 1970 is a 1971 model, as are all German cars built after the start of August. This was the result of the country taking the entire month of July off for summer vacations. Apparently, during this time new tooling and parts for the next years models were installed in the factories.

Model Series Year From To < VIN > VIN # Built

1600 Pre 71 1967 Sep-67 Dec-67 1-560-001 1-562-153 2153

Pre 71 1968 Jan-68 Dec-68 1-562-154 1-567-530 5377

Pre 71 1969 Jan-69 Dec-69 1-567-531 1-570-704 3174

Pre 71 1970 Jan-70 Dec-70 1-570-705 1-572-399 1695

Pre 71 1971 Jan-71 ?-71 1-572-400 1-572-930 531

Pre 71 1971 ?-71 Mar-71 1-572-931 1-573-162 232

Total 1600's 13162

.

2002 Pre 71 1967 ?-67 ?-67 1-660-001 1-660-002 2

Pre 71 1968 Feb-68 Dec-68 1-660-003 1-664-491 4489

Pre 71 1969 Jan-69 Dec-69 1-664-492 1-670-881 6390

Pre 71 1970 Jan-70 Dec-70 1-670-882 1-679-260 8379

Pre 71 1971 Jan-71 Jan-71 1-679-261 1-680-000 740

Pre 71 1971 Jan-71 Mar-71 2-570-001 2-572-069 2069

Mod 71 1971 Apr-71 Dec-71 2-572-070 2-580-113 8044

Mod 71 1972 Jan-72 Dec-72 2-580-114 2-587-307 7194

Mod 71 1973 Jan-73 Aug-73 2-587-308 2-593-704 6397

Mod 74 1973 Sep-73 Dec-73 4-220-001 4-221-328 1328

Mod 74 1974 Jan-74 Jul-74 4-221-329 4-230-601 9273

Mod 75 1974 Jul-74 Dec-74 2-360-001 2-362-725 2725

Mod 75 1975 Jan-75 Jul-75 2-362-726 2-367-750 5025

Mod 76 1975 Sep-75 Dec-75 2-370-001 2-377-688 7688

Mod 76 1976 Jan-76 Feb-76 2-337-689 2-380-000 2312

Mod 76 1976 Feb-76 Jul-76 2-740-001 2-745-584 5584

Total 2002's 77639

Bob Napier

Edited May 14, 2015 by Napes

[jmr_1602]

The steering wheel may have a date stamped on the back, if you want to authenticate it being from the period. Sure is correct tho.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mike Self]

Interesting that your car has red center tail light lenses and "bulge style" front parking lights--a most unusual combination.  Don't think I've seen a model year '71 with red center tail lights--in fact very few '70s after early model year production had red center lenses.  Also there are no rectangular red reflectors on the rear body panel--again that's unusual for a model year '71 car.  

 

Anyone else on the board have a car with that high a VIN and red center lenses that can be verified?

 

cheers

mike

Edited May 15, 2015 by mike

[Conserv]

The car was very briefly discussed on this forum when it was most recently for sale:

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/topic/162772-1971-bmw-2002-nevada/?hl=%2Bnevada+%2B2002#entry1025979

Steve

[dlhoovler]

Mike,

 

As I indicated, my car was built on the same day or the day before this one, and it has amber-center lenses and the rear reflectors. I would bet that they were replaced/removed on this car at some point--maybe a rear-end accident? Mine has the bulging DOT front turn lenses as well.

 

Also note that this has the early outside rearview mirrors on both sides, rather than the trapezoid mirror that my car has (and that I believe should be "correct").

 

And looking at the additional photos at the link Steve posted, I don't think I've seen that A/C console before. Anyone know what brand it is?

 

-Dave

Edited May 15, 2015 by dlhoovler

[Conserv]

Mike,

As I indicated, my car was built on the same day or the day before this one, and it has amber-center lenses and the rear reflectors. I would bet that they were replaced/removed on this car at some point--maybe a rear-end accident? Mine has the bulging DOT front turn lenses as well.

Also note that this has the early outside rearview mirrors on both sides, rather than the trapezoid mirror that my car has (and that I believe should be "correct").

And looking at the additional photos at the link Steve posted, I don't think I've seen that A/C console before. Anyone know what brand it is?

-Dave

Dave,

I'd also guess that the lights and mirrors on this were changed (perhaps swapped from an earlier example). But, wow, a right-hand swan's neck mirror: that is rare! Despite claims of original paint, I'm 98% convinced the exterior has been re-painted.

As to the A/C, I have previously commented on either this exact unit, or on another identical unit! The basic, wide front fascia, REALLY looks like a Clardy front fascia. The fan and temperature controls flank the original console's ashtray/emergency flasher/dummy button panel -- which is ordinarily retained but has here been replaced with a stereo unit. The lower area, ordinarily cut out for a stereo, has been left un-cut on the '71. The first photo below shows the Clardy unit in my '76. But...the Clardy A/C outlet louvers have been replaced in this '71 with an additional plastic fascia panel that protrudes and has A/C louvers measurably smaller than the Clardy louvers. And there is no sign of the large blower motor housing located on the right side of a Clardy console. So I really don't believe there are Clardy guts behind the Clardy front fascia.

I thus can't tell if this is (a.) a "fifth" brand of '02 A/C (beyond Mark IV, Frigiking, Behr, and Clardy), rare and unknown, that just happened to use a Clardy front fascia; (b.) a "fifth" brand of '02 A/C, rare and unknown, that arrived independently at a front fascia solution with striking similarity to Clardy's; or (c.) a one-off installation comprising parts from various sources. There will be labels on the A/C evaporator, no doubt, if this is a Clardy or other brand. The second photo below shows my '76's Clardy unit: note that the first two digits of the serial number provide the year of manufacture.

Regards,

Steve

Edited May 16, 2015 by Conserv

[dlhoovler]

Steve,

 

Thanks for the insight on the A/C--it certainly does look like that Clardy. As far as the mirrors go, I recall Mike Self saying that those early mirrors aren't handed; the neck is symmetrical and the head rotates to allow installation on either side of the car. Still, they aren't common, so seeing two on one car (and both apparently retrofitted at that) is unusual.

 

-Dave

[Conserv]

....As far as the mirrors go, I recall Mike Self saying that those early mirrors aren't handed; the neck is symmetrical and the head rotates to allow installation on either side of the car...

Ahhh! Good to know.

Best regards,

Steve

[kiva667]

Now if I could only find one of those mirrors...

[Conserv]

Now if I could only find one of those mirrors...

Swap the OP a pair of the correct trap mirrors!

Steve

[kiva667]

Swap the OP a pair of the correct trap mirrors!

Steve

I'd do it in a heartbeat if I knew what an OP is...