engine and drivetrain 1972 2002tii #2762084. Seven years in the making.

[Delia]

Today was a big day for this 2002tii owner.  After seven (7) years he drove away in a car that he brought to the shop - and has not driven it again until today.

 

To be fair, it's hardly the same car it was when it arrived.  It's still Polaris silver with sunroof and a matching engine block.  But just about every piece of sheet metal below the window line is new or stripped and refurbished.  Even the floor has been replaced.  The is no rust on this car.  None. Zip. Zero.  

 

It did make an appearance at the Bay Area 02 Swap 'N' Show in May, but it was missing the sunroof panel and there were some other issues.  The last four months it has been in the body shop to adjust a few things.

 

I hope he enjoys it. 

[jgerock]

Just a beautiful car! Love the Polaris paint and wheel combination. Hope the owner will drive it...

[02Les]

That car supposedly sold for $25k on Ebay late 2008. Add a 7 year resto to the value............real deep pockets.

[markmac]

Pretty car, I had a Polaris '73 once upon a time.  H&B wheels will make any car look good.  Even though they are really expensive, I think its cool that they still make them/available.  Who did the Body & Paint?

 

http://www.alpinabmw2002.com

[PaulTWinterton]

More pictures?    Very nice.

Edited October 10, 2015 by PaulTWinterton

[conkitchen]

Another "Best in Class" from big D's handy work!

If I had 7 years and lots of money I'd have you do my turbo

[Delia]

Just a beautiful car! Love the Polaris paint and wheel combination. Hope the owner will drive it...

 

That has always been his intent.  

 

We updated the wiring with a new (squaretail) harness.  So it has the turnsignal stalk on the left and late-model heater controls.  Petri 400mm wheel and hub (E9) were adapted to fit.

 

The completely rebuilt engine has aluminum runners and a '74tii plenum, a new (NOS) injector pump, E30 M3 starter, Ireland aluminum radiator, SS headers, new (stock) tii exhaust. Five-speed transmission.  3.91 LSD.

 

All suspension components are new. Four-wheel disc brakes with a Wilwood kit in the front and VW calipers in the rear.   The H&B wheels have custom spacers to clear.  New bushings and bearings everywhere.  All new brake and fuel lines.  

 

It drives as new.  The owner says he's going to keep it forever.

[Delia]

Pretty car, I had a Polaris '73 once upon a time.  H&B wheels will make any car look good.  Even though they are really expensive, I think its cool that they still make them/available.  Who did the Body & Paint?

 

http://www.alpinabmw2002.com

 

 

I won't divulge the name of the body shop as they are a now a production shop and refuse any more restoration work.  I *will* say the elusive Alvin Tan's Polaris 2002 Turbo and E9 coupe (aka "Jabberjaw") were done at the same shop in Burlingame.

[lilmo]

 

 

The completely rebuilt engine has aluminum runners and a '74tii plenum, 

 

Why the 74 plenum?

[Delia]

Why the 74 plenum?

 

Because they matched the aluminum runners.  We just plugged the extra holes.

 

It also came with a '74tii air canister.  However, we swapped that out for an earlier '72tii unit that I had powdercoated satin black.

[lilmo]

Because they matched the aluminum runners.  We just plugged the extra holes.

 

It also came with a '74tii air canister.  However, we swapped that out for an earlier '72tii unit that I had powdercoated satin black.

Cool.  Just curious.  Given all the other nice upgrades, it sounded like there might be some advantage to the 74 plenum that I wasn't aware of, so you purposely chose it when switching to the aluminum runners.  Lovely build!

Edited October 10, 2015 by lilmo

[mo02]

Nice car, reminds me of my non tii Polaris roundie with sunroof....RIP....

I own a coupe now, but that was arguably my best car ever...to sit behind the wheel meant whatever you wanted as a driver...

MF

[Delia]

Now, with fewer unrestored cars available and the condition of those remaining cars ranging from fair to poor, ground-up restorations are painfully expensive.  

 

I feel fortunate the owner of this one realized that compromising the build would cause problems down the road, and a concerted effort to rebuild/replace everything would pay off in the long run.  

 

So things like the instrument cluster were overhauled even though it showed no signs of failure.  Window regulators were replaced with new.  The fuel tank - also new.  Wiring harness - new.  Door handles, ignition switch, same thing.  Even the glass is new - all of it!

 

In the coming years, rebuilding or maintaining a 2002 will run in to some problems.  Many of the parts that were available - especially those outsourced to Bosch and ZF - will no longer be produced.  Remaining parts like roundie grilles, for example, will continually rise in price.

 

All this drives the prices of restoration upward.  And the value of a 2002 - especially a tii or Turbo - continually higher.

 

Because of media exposure, the tii has also caught the attention of collectors and speculators.  Stock and tastefully modded 2002s will feel that bump in pricing too!

['76mintgrün'02]

Which distributor did you choose to use?

[Delia]

Which distributor did you choose to use?

 

I really don't remember.  For clearance the distributor was installed after the engine was dropped in.  This was a running/driving car when it came in.  Certainly it's a mechanical advance (likely a 002) but because there wasn't any play in the shaft, it was good to go.