Anyone recognize and know anything about my new 2002

[SteveS]

I bought this car a month ago in Santa Rosa, California.  It's a 1969 BMW.  The VIN is 1665747, its Baikal Metallic and manufactured on 4/25/69, imported by Hoffman on 5/8/69.

 

It has a California Black Plate and came with a Sonnen BMW key ring.  The guy I bought it from owned it since 2012 yet it has been sitting waiting restoration since then for the most part.

 

It runs good, yet needs a lot of updating.  I am hoping to get into contact with previous owners to learn about its history as I have almost nothing.

 

 

[Conserv]

What information has California DMV been able to provide? At minimum, they should have a date of initial CA registration.

 

Sonnen BMW was apparently a Marin County dealership — I believe they are no longer in business. But I’m not certain if Sonnen was around when this car was new. Below is an April 16, 1969 (“16 IV. 69”) BMW Service-Stations Overseas brochure. I don’t see Sonnen listed here, but these lists were not 100% accurate, not at a time when the number of BMW dealerships was expanding rapidly.

 

So, unless, say a 1970-ish version of this brochure shows Sonnen as a dealership, I’d probably assume the car was not purchased at Sonnen, but was, very possibly, serviced there at some later time.

 

Have you examined the car for other service stickers, repair plates (my ‘73 has metal repair plates on its radiator from a pair of Southern California radiator shops, 5th and 6th photos below), or window/bumper stickers? Have you looked under the seats and in front of the glove compartment for old receipts that mysteriously disappeared? All such evidence can help establish the car’s history.

 

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2018 by Conserv

[conkitchen]

Why bother the previous owner(s)? Do you like and enjoy it? Create it's new narrative. It's likely had 10 or more previous owners in it's lifetime.  I have bought cars with 30 years of records for engine rebuilds, wiper blades and oil changes etc... In the end of the day it does nothing really to make the car "more valuable" if that is your goal. Most of the time the mileage stops being tracked (due to broken odometers or replaced ones) and maintenance items are bunk cause the repairs were done decades ago.  These cars are not Ferrari's that need a verified provenance to justify their lofty price expectations. 

 

But hey if it makes you happy it can't be that bad. 

[zinz]

39 minutes ago, conkitchen said:

I have bought cars with 30 years of records for engine rebuilds, wiper blades and oil changes etc... In the end of the day it does nothing really to make the car "more valuable" if that is your goal

 

Some truth there, but it is nice to see how the car has been cared for. 

 

My ‘67 2000CS had stacks of receipts. This one proved interesting...

 

 

?

 

 

[conkitchen]

2 hours ago, zinz said:

 

Some truth there, but it is nice to see how the car has been cared for. 

 

My ‘67 2000CS had stacks of receipts. This one proved interesting...

 

 

?

 

 

You got a Dave Cruse rebuild from Hardy & Beck. Today's equivalent to Terry Tiny doing a Dinan motor. 

But what do I know 

[zinz]

4 minutes ago, conkitchen said:

You got a Dave Cruse rebuild from Hardy & Beck. Today's equivalent to Terry Tiny doing a Dinan motor. 

But what do I know 

 

You can bet I was floored when I found that receipt.  I scanned it to H&B and Allen Hardy wrote me back with some info.  The work was done after David left the H&B shop, but obviously done to very high standards. So, not full-on H&B provenance, but I don't care... it was all good news to me.  Dave also rebuilt the 4 speed at that time.  I regret that he is no longer with us for me to ask him about it...

 

The car is being reassembled after paint.  A few weeks ago, Don Laurence was in town and looked this engine over (as well as we could on the stand) Rockers appear to be shot-peened and trimmed to weight-match,  ports are very much enlarged and polished, big valves, etc... Don was impressed with what he saw.  "Change the oil often and don't let it ping"  :)

 

The engine runs very well and has right at 20,000 miles since Cruse rebuilt it, 34 years ago. I'm sure it will provide a long, healthy life in this CS.

 

 

...sorry for the thread hijack.

 

Ed

 

[conkitchen]

19 minutes ago, zinz said:

 

You can bet I was floored when I found that receipt.  I scanned it to H&B and Allen Hardy wrote me back with some info.  The work was done after David left the H&B shop, but obviously done to very high standards. So, not full-on H&B provenance, but I don't care... it was all good news to me.  Dave also rebuilt the 4 speed at that time.  I regret that he is no longer with us for me to ask him about it...

 

The car is being reassembled after paint.  A few weeks ago, Don Laurence was in town and looked this engine over (as well as we could on the stand) Rockers appear to be shot-peened and trimmed to weight-match,  ports are very much enlarged and polished, big valves, etc... Don was impressed with what he saw.  "Change the oil often and don't let it ping"  :)

 

The engine runs very well and has right at 20,000 miles since Cruse rebuilt it, 34 years ago. I'm sure it will provide a long, healthy life in this CS.

 

 

...sorry for the thread hijack.

 

Ed

 

All you need is Curt Ingraham radiator to complete the passed builders portfolio. 

[zinz]

9 minutes ago, conkitchen said:

All you need is Curt Ingraham radiator to complete the passed builders portfolio. 

 

That would have been too much to ask... ?

[saaron]

If I’m not mistaken, one of the largest threads on FAQ pertains to that car.  

 

Scott

[andyleonard]

When I sold my shop in San Rafael in 1978 there was no Sonnen BMW. Pretty small crowd at that time.

[TobyB]

Quote

Rockers appear to be shot-peened and trimmed to weight-match, 

 

Well, that's taking things a bit far, methinks.   I mean, the weight- matching.  The peening, that might help.  A bit.  If you won the void lottery...

 

hee

 

t

 

[SteveS]

I started this thread out of curiosity.

[02Les]

1665747 was for sale in the Apr '97 Roundel.

Seller was Bill (2nd Owner) & he had bought the car in 1976. Car was in CA, but Seller was in NH (!?). Car stated to have 166k and had been stored since 1991.

[Conserv]

26 minutes ago, 02Les said:

1665747 was for sale in the Apr '97 Roundel.

Seller was Bill (2nd Owner) & he had bought the car in 1976. Car was in CA, but Seller was in NH (!?). Car stated to have 166k and had been stored since 1991.

 

Fabulous info as always, Les!

 

I know nothing about this specific car, but it’s funny how all those ‘02’s with 100K+ and 200K+ miles in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s are miraculously under 100K miles today....  ?

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

[TobyB]

It's an odometer feature.

 

'forever young'

 

t