A new member needs assistance

[alan717]

Hi All:

I just joined this forum 10 minutes ago. I had 3 02's when I was 18-20. I had a 1970, a 1972, and a 75. I am now 40 and have been looking for another to get back in the game. I found a nice one in North Carolina, Amazon Green w/tan interior, and just bought another it 2 days ago. I took a chance and drove it back to RI (700 mi) and the only problem was a little hestitation now and then (maybe fuel delivery-the mech. pump had been replaced w/an electric), but getting 30 mpg and alot of stares and thumbs up from people on the road was worth it!

I had been looking for a nice 02 for a few months and found this one. It has (I think) 120k, clean interior but seats are sagging and shedding horse hair, non working AC (Larby?), lowered springs, 195 60 14 tires on gold Enkei's,factory sunroof, Weber carb, and I just discovered a Stahl header under the hood:), a Momo steering wheel (w/some kind of signature on it??).

I paid $3000, was it a good deal? I hope so but your feedback is welcomed.

The car has been repainted once but it will time for a new one. The repaint was a shade bluer than the original Amazon green, but hard to tell if one is not studying it closely. Rust isn't too bad little bit here and there (under hood and trunk lips and door edges, front floors are the worst but they are not that bad. Since I can weld and have a welder I'll replace them sometime.

My plans are to have a rolling restoration. Immediate plans (within a month) are Ansa exhaust (or recommendations?), Hirschmann M-3 roof antenna (God, I love those!!), new door stays, new rubber seals (doors, f, r windshields), hella 550 driving lights round above bumper, the obnoxious loud triple air horns, door catch pads, and new shifter boot and knob.

Anyway If I may ask a few questions to you all:

Who has the best prices for the stuff like the Ansa, the door seals and other OEM or replica parts?

Can I "stiffen" up my blinker switch (sloppy, all the truckers in VA,NJ,Ny thought I was high beaming them when I used my directional to switch lanes on my way back from NC the other night).

Has anyone ever re-"skeletoned" their visors? Mine are in great shape from the outside but the foam has disintegrated and now they are both just 2 vinyl powder holders.

Also, the guy I bought the car from in North Carolina said that in the 4 years he has owned it it has only been driven about 300 miles. He said he had plans to autocross it but never did. I believed him because he had a few sports cars and he seemed like an honest guy. Anyway the guy he bought it from was a friend of his who said that he bought the car from someone on EBAY. I was just wondering if the car looks familiar to anyone. It seems like all the sporty stuff was put on more than 5 years ago and the owner probably autocrossed it. A tag near the radiator says "Topeka Radiator" so maybe it spent sometime in Kansas. Anyway just trying to find the family tree to my new joy and any help would be appreciated.

Also if any members are in/near Newport RI and want to connect give me a hollar-I have a lot of 2002 catching up to do.

Thanks,

Alan

[Mike Self]

you have can be found in the FAQ archives--where to find parts, color matching for your repaint etc.

Lotsa folks here on the board are happy to help with your questions, but I 'll bet a lot of your knowledge from previous ownership will come back to you as you mess with your new car.

cheers

mike

[oz_tom]

With the seat issue: do you want to have stock seats or sportier seats?

If you want stock seats you can just get them repaired or find some through this board or ebay, etc. that are in good condition

If you want sportier seats then the best way to go imho is e21 recaros. They are easy enough to find (in the US anyway) and can often be picked up for pretty cheap. And the are a lot more comfy too. Anyway, check out the 02 Seating guide FAQ regarding other options :-)

Welcome to the board too. Its a great place :-D

Tom

[HarryPR]

There was a recent group buy here on the door seals. Maybe BLUNT has some left and will set you up.

BTW, i think you made a good purchase for $3K..

Enjoy,

[Delia]

I need the VIN.

It might be #4225509.

Amazonasgrun '74. Spent some time in Kansas City and the Midwest in the late 1970s and early 80s.

It came up for sale in the 90s, as I recall. I lost track of it after then.

I bought this car new in early 1975. it was the last '74 in stock.

I would be nice to know if it's still keeping someone happy...

Delia

[alan717]

WOW! many thanks to everyone that responded, nice to know that such great people are out there.

Delia:

Yes indeed, that is the VIN! Amazing! How long did you own it? Rest assured I will take good care of it! What do you now own? Any chance of any old paperwork from this car laying around?

Thanks so much, I feel like I helped an orphan find her parents!

Alan S.

[Delia]

OMIGOD!!!

That's my car!!!

It lives!!! Yay!!! Double-YAY!!! Jumping up and down like a loonie!!!

Car was purchased right off the showroom floor by me in early 1975 from Williams VW/BMW in Lansing Michigan.

Contact me off-board.

DWolfeee at sbcglobal.net

What do I drive now?

"Orange Julius"

'73tii

Inka

#2762756

[InkaSteve]

WOW! many thanks to everyone that responded, nice to know that such great people are out there.

Delia:

Yes indeed, that is the VIN! Amazing! How long did you own it? Rest assured I will take good care of it! What do you now own? Any chance of any old paperwork from this car laying around?

Thanks so much, I feel like I helped an orphan find her parents!

Alan S.

I am speechless, that is amazing.

This is the cool kinda stuff that makes this board worth staying on through some of the "wierd" threads.

Congratulations to both of you as the '02 story goes on.

[TMK-001]

THAT IS TRULY AMAZING!

Nice purchase... too wierd that it once belonged to a faq'er! I hope you can have some of your questions answered on here.

Unreal!

Todd

[BarryA]

OMIGOD!!!

That's my car!!!

It lives!!! Yay!!! Double-YAY!!! Jumping up and down like a loonie!!!

Car was purchased right off the showroom floor by me in early 1975 from Williams VW/BMW in Lansing Michigan.

Contact me off-board.

DWolfeee at sbcglobal.net

What do I drive now?

"Orange Julius"

'73tii

Inka

#2762756

world, after all....."

Pretty incredible, 30+ years on.............

[RandyMolson]

Unbelievable !!!

[SteveK535]

Resurrecting an old post. I was just at the Fort Adams car show today in Newport RI and ran into alan717 who told me the story of tracking down the original owner of his '02. I just bought mine a few weeks ago and don't have any records whatsoever on this car. All I know is the P/O name is Romuald (I'll hold onto his last name - as I never met him), he or the P/P/O was a BMWCCA member. The VIN is 2585851 Malaga 73 2002. Anybody out there know this car?

[John_in_VA]

as he has a database with many VINs, or start a new thread.