A '68 For Sale

[its55]

If someone's looking - Not mine, spotted it on Ebay, don't know the seller (maybe he's here?), looks like it could be a good one based on the pics shown...

 

1968 BMW 2002

WWW.EBAY.COM

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I have been involved in this car and have first hand knowledge of this car,previous work done to it and i know the previous owner. car was put into storage 10 years ago approx. and then i got the chance to buy it in the last few months.

 

[Conserv]

Very interesting. Could be a great starting point!

 

It’s actually a U.S. 1969 model. VIN 1664311 was manufactured in December 1968. That might explain the presence of sidemarkers. The “eared” headrests it’s wearing, with additional evidence in the form of the black-painted recliners, say the recovered front seats are post-January 1973. So, like many older cars, it probably contains bits and pieces from various years.

 

But the trunk and paint sticker are strong evidence it’s a factory Polaris car, with Navy Blue interior: always a classic and excellent combo! Oh… wait… I’m not exactly a neutral observer on the Polaris/Navy Blue combo (below)! ?

 

Rear wheel wells look good from the trunk, but no photos of the other likely rust sites. Certainly worth a closer inspection!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[its55]

5 minutes ago, Conserv said:

Very interesting. It’s actually a U.S. 1969 model, manufactured December 1968. That might explain the presence of sidemarkers. The “eared” headrests it’s wearing, paired with black-painted recliners, say the front seats are post-January 1973. So, like many older cars, it probably contains bits and pieces from various years.

 

But the trunk and paint sticker are strong evidence it’s a factory Polaris car, with navy blue interior: always a classic and good combo!

 

Rear wheel wells look good from the trunk, but no photos of the other likely rust sites. Certainly worth looking at.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

Interesting that the seller thinks it’s a ‘68 ?

[02Les]

1 hour ago, its55 said:

Interesting that the seller thinks it’s a ‘68 ?

He may not know as much about the car as he thinks/states?

[its55]

28 minutes ago, 02Les said:

He may not know as much about the car as he thinks/states?

It does raise questions…

[Conserv]

8 hours ago, its55 said:

Interesting that the seller thinks it’s a ‘68 ?

Mis-titling is fairly common. My ‘70 was titled as a ‘69 when I purchased it — this was 1973. I tried to correct the titling, but Pennsylvania “over-corrected” and made it a ‘71. I tried to correct that but they overshot the runway once again and re-made it a ‘69. I moved on from my well-intentioned “title correction project”: I was very young and had bigger fish to fry!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Mark92131]

It's too bad they didn't quite hit the mark on the paint code for Polaris on the respray, but replace the mirror, replace the strip between the taillights, strip the black paint off of the brightwork and add back the waist-line trim and it would be a fine addition to your stable.

 

Mark92131

[Mike Self]

Yep, definitely a "first series" '69 by VIN and little details--like the early style trunk lid torsion bar arms and vinyl over wood center console cross pieces.  Dual brake fluid reservoirs and separate clutch hydraulic reservoir are correct for a first series '69--changed about 500 cars after this one (1664760)

 

Dashboard is definitely later, as it has ridges on its package shelf--that wasn't added until sometime in March or April 1969 (my Feb car doesn't have 'em).  Rear seat back appears to be contoured--an early car should have a flat rear seat back--but it goes along with the later front seats.  Air cleaner is for a 2 barrel carb, so perhaps a Weber is lurking beneath it.

 

By its VIN, it should have a long neck diff and CV/U-joint rear axles.  Wonder if it still does...

 

Wheels, I believe are BWA Sportstars.

 

mike

[NickVyse]

20 hours ago, its55 said:

Interesting that the seller thinks it’s a ‘68 ?

 

but if it was manufactured in 1968, isn't it, err, a '68? Looks like a good car from what you can see.

[ray_]

Agreed, looks pretty nice.

 

Other than the front grille treatment and (fugly) de-trimming.

 

Will be interesting to see the "winning" bid.

 

Cheers,

[02Les]

5 hours ago, NickVyse said:

 

but if it was manufactured in 1968, isn't it, err, a '68? Looks like a good car from what you can see.

It's an American thing. '02s made Oct-Dec for the USA market are labelled & sold as next year's model.

It's even Crazier now, we have Dealer ads on TV in July for the next year's model cars. Maybe soon you'll be able to buy a 2024 car in Jan 2023?

Edited April 16, 2022 by 02Les

[Conserv]

On 4/16/2022 at 10:27 AM, 02Les said:

It's an American thing. '02s made Oct-Dec for the USA market are labelled & sold as next year's model.

It's even Crazier now, we have Dealer ads on TV in July for the next year's model cars. Maybe soon you'll be able to buy a 2024 car in Jan 2023?

Or… Sep-Dec. belongs to the following calendar year.

 

We ordered my wife a 2011 VW Eos in November 2010 — 2011 production had begun, unsurprisingly, in August 2010. In December 2010, VW informed us they were stopping 2011 production that month, and our car had not yet been produced. Our order for a 2011 Eos was now an order for a 2012 Eos. In March 2011, we took delivery of our new 2012 Eos… ?

 

Your U.S.-delivered car is whatever year the manufacturer says it is: it’s been built to conform with that year’s specs and legal requirements.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Rsnellie]

19 hours ago, Mike Self said:

Yep, definitely a "first series" '69 by VIN and little details--like the early style trunk lid torsion bar arms and vinyl over wood center console cross pieces.  Dual brake fluid reservoirs and separate clutch hydraulic reservoir are correct for a first series '69--changed about 500 cars after this one (1664760)

 

Dashboard is definitely later, as it has ridges on its package shelf--that wasn't added until sometime in March or April 1969 (my Feb car doesn't have 'em).  Rear seat back appears to be contoured--an early car should have a flat rear seat back--but it goes along with the later front seats.  Air cleaner is for a 2 barrel carb, so perhaps a Weber is lurking beneath it.

 

By its VIN, it should have a long neck diff and CV/U-joint rear axles.  Wonder if it still does...

 

Wheels, I believe are BWA Sportstars.

 

mike

Can you school me on the differences on the Air cleaners?

[Mark92131]

17 hours ago, Rsnellie said:

Can you school me on the differences on the Air cleaners?

 

There were 2 available for cars with single downdraft carbs.  The air cleaner for the one barrel Solex carb was smaller than the air cleaner for the later 2 barrel Solex carb.  The mounts for the one barrel air cleaner were integrated and the two barrel air cleaner had 2 separate mounting brackets.  Here's some pictures to ponder.  Stock 2 barrel on the left, Stock 1 barrel in the middle, 2 barrel modified for a Weber 2 barrel carb on the right, extra stock 2 barrel lid on top.

 

Mark92131