1973 2002 on BAT

[Conserv]

Given that this car’s chassis is VIN 2534320, I believe we should, at minimum, recognize what we know of this car’s history:

 

The BMW 2002 Automatic US VIN 2534320 was manufactured on May 07th, 1973 and delivered on May 10th, 1973 to the BMW importer Hoffman Motors Corp. in New York City. The original colour was Golf, paint code 070.

The engine number was identical to the VIN. 

We hope this information is helpful for you.

Yours sincerely,

Julia Oberndörfer

 

Given the availability of the chassis at The Auto Recycler, in Rochester, New York, in late 1988, I’d guess that the car was, perhaps, in an accident — I note that the nosepiece is missing in the attached photo and mentioned separately in the original invoice — and, given the relatively low market value of a 1973 2002A in 1988, was possibly “totaled” by the insurance company and the salvage sold.

 

That’s it. That’s all I’ve got! ?
 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited January 14, 2020 by Conserv

[SaharaX2]

Check out photo #217 of the left frame rail.

It looks like a poor patch job or Bondo.  The car looks like it needs a needs a new left frame rail.

 

With the body work done in Rochester NY and having lived near Rochester for 4 years, I would be VERY concerned that this is a refurbished what we called a WINTER RAT.  
I would be afraid that paint is hiding a LOT of ROAD SALT DAMAGE.

 

Beautiful paint!

Maybe this car will set a new price standard for 2002’s.

I hope I can sell my ‘02 for this kind of $$ someday.

[Flunder]

A $40 wheelskin was never used to such good effect. 

[gregp553]

Non-tii. Nice car. But $33k? I'm missing something. Looks like I got back into the 2002 ownership just in time (August) because these prices are crazy. But that's me.

[Schon '02]

Provenance and VINs are important. This must be a record non-tii price for what is essentially a resurrected "donor" chassis. Hopefully the buyer is happy; the seller should be grinning ear to ear IMO.

 

[NYNick]

If you went through the pics, and there were almost 500 of them, you'd see this car was completely disassembled and restored very, very nicely. Like, gorgeously.

 

I'm not defending the VIN discrepancy, but the car was very, very nice. Some people are willing to look beyond to get a really nice car. 

[jp5Touring]

It appears to be a nice car, but at the end of day there is no way I would drop 30k on any car with two VINs.

 

[Conserv]

 

It appears to be a nice car, but at the end of day there is no way I would drop 30k on any car with two VINs.

 

This vehicle is quite clearly VIN 2534320, a Golf 1973 2002A of unknown history, with the accoutrements — OK, basically the engine and transmission — from VIN 2588828, an Agave 1973 2002. Keep in mind that this vehicle, VIN 2534320, was sold in 1988 as a shell, with its nose removed. I don’t know any specifics about the rust or body damage such vehicle might have had. But I’m guessing that a 15-year-old ‘02 sold as a shell, in Rochester, New York, in 1988, was not a spring chicken and was certainly not a show car. ?

 

And the vehicle’s title lists the VIN associated with the engine and transmission, not the chassis: certainly not a correct usage in these 50 states.

 

The total shocker to me is that the majority of commenters, certainly those of Bring a Trailer, couldn’t care less about any of this! Perhaps its my past as a CPA or a partner in a Big Four accounting firm, but I couldn’t imagine buying such a car for anything but parts, or re-titling under the correct VIN — if the latter is even possible given the history (many states will insist on a new state-issued VIN and/or a “reconstructed vehicle” or “salvaged vehicle” title).

 

All of this screams deep, deep discount to me! 

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited January 14, 2020 by Conserv

[maharaja]

I recently purchased a scruffy, hot rodded 75,( that I want to transplant components into a early car), and parked it in the driveway.

In my 2 plus years in my home, a neighbor has had maybe 5 minutes of poker faced conversation with me.

While checking the mail, someone came running up behind me and said, " Is this your car?!!".

With that she ( said neighbor) gushed that she " had one with round tail lights in college and met her husband during that time".

He suddenly appears and said " he noticed her driving it back then and thought she was cool". 

When I asked," would you like to drive it?"  She snagged the keys  and was gone with her hubby in a NY second...

 

Maybe they were the high bidders?

 

 

[gregp553]

13 hours ago, NYNick said:

If you went through the pics, and there were almost 500 of them, you'd see this car was completely disassembled and restored very, very nicely. Like, gorgeously.

 

I'm not defending the VIN discrepancy, but the car was very, very nice. Some people are willing to look beyond to get a really nice car. 

Nice car. Agreed. Nicely done. I just want matching numbers for 33k. I know from personal experience you can get your cake and matching numbers if you look somewhere other than bat. Do the legwork, find the cars. I also agree that the seller should be one happy soul.

[NYNick]

11 hours ago, Conserv said:

This is quite clearly VIN 2534320, a Golf 1973 2002A of unknown history, with the accoutrements — OK, basically the engine and transmission — from VIN 2588828, an Agave 1973 2002. And the title lists the VIN associated with that engine and transmission, certainly not a correct usage in these 50 states.

 

The total shocker to me is that the majority of commenters, certainly those of Bring a Trailer, couldn’t care less about any of this! Perhaps its my past as a CPA or a partner in a Big Four accounting firm, but I couldn’t imagine buying such a car for anything but parts.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Hey Steve, here's another one my father used to say:

 

"For every schnook there's a schnookess".

Guess that goes for car buyers and sellers too.

[NYNick]

You think this tii was bad? Check out this self admitted VIN plate switch on a backdated 1981 911 with a 1972 VIN plate, currently bid up to $123,000.

 

This is the high water mark of people not caring.

 

Titles? Matching VIN's? Stolen cars? Who cares? 

Looks great. Let's buy it.

Maybe it's got Charlie Manson provenance.

Holy cow.

 

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/backdated-1981-porsche-911-14/

Edited December 5, 2019 by NYNick

[jgerock]

1 hour ago, NYNick said:

You think this tii was bad? Check out this self admitted VIN plate switch on a backdated 1981 911 with a 1972 VIN plate, currently bid up to $123,000.

 

This is the high water mark of people not caring.

 

Titles? Matching VIN's? Stolen cars? Who cares? 

Looks great. Let's buy it.

Maybe it's got Charlie Manson provenance.

Holy cow.

 

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/backdated-1981-porsche-911-14/

IMO, Porsche fans are in a league of their own.  I dabbled with my 77 911S Targa for 3 years before I sold it.  It had a non-original 3.0 Litre engine from an 82 SC.  Mixing and matching is very common, but changing an 81 to 72 VIN is just wrong.  

[Flunder]

Now listed on Hemmings.

[02Les]

16 minutes ago, Flunder said:

Now listed on Hemmings.

 

I guess the Buyer had 2nd thoughts as it's listed by the BAT Seller.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/bmw/2002/2350542.html