Wanted front seats for BWM 2002 1974-76

[JC74tii]

Looking for front seats for a  BMW 2002 1974-76.

[jfutral]

Have a nice pair. Recovered with non-original blue vinyl, but shipping would be expensive from Georgia.

[JC74tii]

Could you send a picture of the seats.

 

Thanks

[rstclark]

You realize the 74 seats are unique and different from 75 and 76 seats yes ?  From your name here 74tii  I suspect you would be looking for 74 seats

I have a pair of 75 seats in Southern California with all the plastic covers if that's what you want

It would help to know where you're located as shipping is not very economical

 

[otisdog]

Late '74 seats the same as 75-76 seats

[Conserv]

3 hours ago, otisdog said:

Late '74 seats the same as 75-76 seats

 

+1

 

Good point.

 

But only for very late U.S. 1974 model tii’s — which the original poster might have.  But since the 1975-76 style seats only appear in December, and possibly November, 1974 examples, the odds are still against a given 1974 having the 1975-76 seats.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[kutzoh]

Steve-

    Just trying to educate myself, when you say the late '74 seats are different, are you talking about the upholstery (which I'm aware '74 upholstery is a one-off year) or are you talking about the actual seat construction?

Thanks,

Greg

[Conserv]

1 hour ago, kutzoh said:

Steve-

    Just trying to educate myself, when you say the late '74 seats are different, are you talking about the upholstery (which I'm aware '74 upholstery is a one-off year) or are you talking about the actual seat construction?

Thanks,

Greg

 

Greg,

 

Short answer: yes, a 1974 ‘02 seat has a different frame and structure from a 1975-76 ‘02 seat. There is no “late 1974” seat. There are, however, a few late 1974 tii’s that received 1975-76 seats at the factory.

 

The 1974 seat is simply a continuation of the classic ‘02 seat — metal recliners and widespread headrest supports — while the 1975-76 seat is an e21 seat — plastic recliner covers, narrowly-spaced headrest supports, and considerably more “bucket” than the classic’02 seat.. Keep in mind that the Euro-spec e21 was introduced in spring 1975, but the front seats were developed by September 1974 and installed in the U.S. 1975 model ‘02’s.

 

What Otisdog and I are referring to affects solely some U.S. 1974 model tii’s that were (a.) manufactured after the start of the usual 1975 model year, but (b.) still classified as 1974 models in order to legally avoid compliance with higher emissions standards effective for 1975 models.

 

The usual model year runs from September through August of each year. For example, the U.S. 1974 model 2002 (not a tii) was manufactured from September 1973 through August 1974. But many U.S. standards were effective the later of (1.) the new model year, or (2.) January 1. Thus, a U.S. 1975 model tii would have to comply with new 1975 emissions standards. But you could technically produce 1974 models up to and including December 31, 1974. So that’s what BMW did, building every last legal 1974 model tii they could!

 

So, to clarify, beginning approximately September 1, 1974, BMW was building U.S. 1975 model 2002’s (again, not tii’s). They were receiving the “new” 1975-76 (a.k.a., e21) seats. But at the same time, BMW was still building U.S. 1974 model tii’s. These tii’s continued to receive the 1974 seats. At some point, however — I’m guessing — BMW simply ran out of the 1974 seats and began installing 1975-76 seats in 1974 model tii’s. This changeover seems to have happened in November or December of 1974, well after the beginning of the 1975 model year, but we don’t have enough examples of 1974 tii’s manufactured during that period, and having original seats, to determine a precise changeover date, if there was a precise changeover date. Otisdog has a 1974 model tii, manufactured in December 1974, which has original 1975-76 model seats.

 

Below, the first two photos show 1975-76 model seats: the Marine Blue examples are spare seats for my ‘76, the Beige example is from the U.S. 1975-76 sales brochure. Note the “bucket” to these seats, note the six pleats, note the shallow “tucks” running crosswise on the backrest and seat cushion, note the narrow spacing of the headrest supports, note the flimsy plastic covers over the recliner mechanisms.

 

I don’t have a photo of a 1974 front seat. The third photo is of a 1974 back seat. I show it simply because it illustrates the flat, un-pleated panel that begins 2/3rds way up the backrest, just as on the 1974 front seats. With a 1974 front seat, you would note virtually no “bucket”, seven pleats, pleats ending 2/3rds way up the backrest, widespread headrest supports, black splatter-painted metal recliners.

 

So, again, yes, 1974 seats are different seats in both appearance and structure from 1975-76 seats. There is no “late 1974 seat”. There are simply 1974 seats and 1975-76 seats. It is a quirk of production and BMW’s desire to sell as many 1974 tii’s as possible that led to some very late 1974 tii’s receiving 1975-76 seats.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited April 6, 2019 by Conserv

[otisdog]

Didn't realize the 'late '74" seats were tii only.

Steve, you're quite the trove of info!

[Conserv]

12 minutes ago, otisdog said:

Didn't realize the 'late '74" seats were tii only.

Steve, you're quite the trove of info!

 

Apart from tii’s, U.S. 1974 models were last produced in August 1974, and U.S. 1975 models began production around September 1, 1974. These other 1975 models were receiving 1975-76 seats from the outset.

 

I’m guessing that BMW didn’t want the U.S. EPA re-characterizing the “1974”  tii’s built after 1975 production as 1975 models — under which they would have failed the emissions standards — and thus tried to retain all the 1974 characteristics for the tii. But by November or December 1974, they needed to either order another batch of the outdated 1974 seats or a batch of the eminently-more-useable 1975-76 seats and they simply said “screw it”!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited April 6, 2019 by Conserv

[rstclark]

Here’s a 1974 seat

[Conserv]

32 minutes ago, rstclark said:

Here’s a 1974 seat

 

Thank you! I hoped someone would jump in with this!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve