VIN info on my car

[madpaddler]

Thought this was interesting. Asked for the manufacture date etc on my car from the group-archive people in Germany. Here was the report:

The BMW 2002 US VIN 2534597 was manufactured on June 19th, 1973 and delivered on August 22nd, 1973 to a dealer named Kalmovicz in Munich. This is quite uncommon for a US model, but I think Kalmovocz sold the cars maybe to US citizens living in Germany or maybe he exported them on his own. The original colour was Malaga, paint code 021.

My car is now a Chaminox, with the paint code sticker to match, hmmm...I have only found one tiny area that had a dab of malaga right at the rear driver jack point and wondered about that. Anyone here have a 02 that was delivered to a German dealer and shipped here like the above? I was told my car was bought by US military guy and brought home...guess the PO was telling me the truth.

[Mike Self]

I still have some 69-70 brochures on the subject as I had an AF assignment to Germany in 1970 only to have it cancelled in favor of an all expenses paid vacation in Vietnam for a year...anyway, here's how it would work:

While living overseas, military and diplomatic buyers could either take delivery at the factory, at a dealer nearest their residence, or, if they were about to rotate back to the States, they could arrange for delivery at a Stateside dealership nearest their new assignment. If the car was to be taken back to the US, after 1967 it had to be US spec to meet safety and emission laws.

Tourist delivery was either at the factory in Munich, or at another city, depending on where you were gonna vacation. If Spain was your destination, for example, you could take delivery at the BMW dealer in Madrid.

cheers

mike

[madpaddler]

Mike,

Thanks that is good info on how the system worked. Finding the history is interesting, wish I could find out why the PO changed the color, stickers etc on this car. The entire vehicle was painted Chaminox including the engine bay, under the entire car, in truck, everywhere...I have only found 1 tiny spot of red, so far. The paint job itself looks to be very old. Oh well more diggin to be done to figure it out.

[Mike Self]

(nt)

[madpaddler]

I will be there and look forward to meeting you and several others here. I would be willing to bet you guys will find all kinds of stuff out about my car I have no clue of!

[BillWilliams]

I recently picked up a car (1972tii), for a friend, owned by a man, recently passed, the daughters said he bought the car oversees, drove it around Germany while in the service, then brought it to the states with him.

The car appeared to be US spec car, so I wondered about the story. But if the car had to be US spec to bring it her then, that makes sense.

Thanks again Mike!

[bcthomas122279]

The 69 I traded away was purchased in Heidelberg by a serviceman just before he was discharged, driven all over Europe and sent home in 72.

[JLENHAM]

Interesting, the VIN on my 1973 is 2592004, it was manufactured on June 7, 1973 and imported on the 14th by Max Hoffman. I guess the disparity in the numbers is due to the different destinations. Amazing too that these cars only live about 30 miles apart now!

[madpaddler]

it is interesting, Germany to the piedmont of NC, who'd a thunk it.

[Mike Self]

an automatic (thus the 253 VIN prefix) while yours is a stick shift car. They built 'em side-by-side on the assembly line but the VIN runs were different.

BTW, all roundie US automatics have a 253 prefix...they never reached 2539999 in five years of production. 2534863 was the last US roundie automatic.

mike

[jerry]

BTW, all roundie US automatics have a 253 prefix...they never reached 2539999 in five years of production. 2534863 was the last US roundie automatic.

mike

cool, i have 2534169, a very rust-free, formerly Inka (now metallic copper)car with a blown motor. it will stay an auto as long as i own it. hopefully will return to Inka, too.

2570440 was delivered near Munich, and 2764379 was delivered in Italy (it was born 17 years to the day after my brother 7/5/73).