engine and drivetrain price help on '68 1600-02

[Guest Anonymous]

A neighbor is offering to sell us a car that we've always admired. He has had the car since the 70s or 80s. He's getting old and wants to find a good home for it. He said if we aren't interested he was going to try and sell for $8000 which seems high to me, he asked us to make an offer. I've poked around online for comps and prices are all over the place, obviously based on condition. We're VW people so don't really know the market on these - but do like his car.

Here are the vitals:

-'68 1600-02

-overall straight, clean, original condition

-has the black CA plates, has always been in CA, no rust

-said engine rebuilt about 65k miles ago, it fires right up and drives great

-paint decent, some cracking on the roof, faded in some areas

-original seats in good shape, but need restuffing

-needs new carpet, headliner, dashboard, door panels

-small crack in the windshield, otherwise glass looks good

-sunroof (he says original? I didn't think they had sunroofs so long ago?)

These seemed like a good place to get some feedback... thoughts? suggestions?

[Mike87]

This will give you some idea of the value, but take it to a specialist to have them look it over real good.

http://www.nadaguides.com/default.aspx?LI=1-22-1-5013-0-0-0&l=1&w=22&p=1&f=5014&y=1968&m=1026&d=1460&c=14&vi=62406&z=95148&da=-1

[Guest Anonymous]

helpful, thank you!

[RoccoGilroy]

8k is WAAAAY high from what you described. With no upgrades and a pretty ratty interior I'd think he'd be hard pressed to get $1500. Tough to say with out pics but from what your describing it sounds like the guy is a little out of touch. 8 G's will get you a very nice tii in a lot of cases. Dont rush it. 1600-2002 lovers are a tight community. If this guy trys to sell it for 8k he'll learn real quick what its really worth. Be patient...

[jmon0261]

Pictures would help us out a lot. What color paint and interior?

The early ones 66-70 are very desirable, and are getting harder to find. There are many variants and factory improvements during the first few years.

I will go out on a limb and say that an early 1600 stock in DECENT shape would start at 2500 and go up to 10-K depending on condition etc.

A very clean original 66 -67 could reach upwards of 15 k of course depends on what someone will pay for it. Most of us have lots of money in our cars to restore them and make them the way we want them.

There are many So Cal early experts that will chime in.

2002 ad prices are on the high side.

Drive a nice one and you will be hooked!

Yes they did have sunroofs back then, if it is a slide in the roof type and not a pop up.

Good Luck- you did find a great site by the way!

[eastsidebimmer]

Can you take and post some detailed pictures? In the rust ravaged Midwest and east coast, this car would bring more money than in your fair state where these cars are more common.

I've not seen it, but if the car is rock solid and original I'd say that this would be a good buy at about half that amount. Rare colors and factory accessories would help drive the value. Keep in mind, to make it right, you will need to spend a fair amount on things like brakes, suspension, etc on top of the other interior problems you mentioned.

I've spent the last year refreshing my time capsule of a 1600 and have easily spent as much as I did on the purchase price of the car on driveline maintenance and suspension repairs to bring it back to life.

Post some pics!

Ben

[BarryA]

A neighbor is offering to sell us a car that we've always admired. He has had the car since the 70s or 80s. He's getting old and wants to find a good home for it. He said if we aren't interested he was going to try and sell for $8000 which seems high to me, he asked us to make an offer. I've poked around online for comps and prices are all over the place, obviously based on condition. We're VW people so don't really know the market on these - but do like his car.

Here are the vitals:

-'68 1600-02

-overall straight, clean, original condition

-has the black CA plates, has always been in CA, no rust

-said engine rebuilt about 65k miles ago, it fires right up and drives great

If the original engine was rebuilt, the engine number should match the chassis number stamped into the upper right side fender rail (under the hood) and on the nearby aluminum chassis number plate - the engine number is stamped in a flat spot machined into the engine block above the starter, along the seam between the block and transmission bellhousing

-paint decent, some cracking on the roof, faded in some areas

If there's cracking in the paint, there may have been a repaint at some point in the past. If there's been a repaint, look for old body damage.

-original seats in good shape, but need restuffing

-needs new carpet, headliner, dashboard, door panels

Carpet sets are readily available, as are headliners; original 3 piece dashs in uncracked condition are scarce, and having one properly recovered by an organization like "Just Dashes" will run several hundred dollars. Two-tone door panels with the correct mylar trim are available new, but are pricey. Unfortunately, even if the seat vinyl is in decent shape, I think you'll find that if the door panels, carpets, headliner and dash are redone, the seats may look somewhat shabby in comparision.

-small crack in the windshield, otherwise glass looks good

Windshield glass is readily available, as are replacement seals - unfortunately, prices for rubber parts have gone up significantly over the last couple of years, but at least pretty much everything is available.

-sunroof (he says original? I didn't think they had sunroofs so long ago?)

Factory sunroofs aren't common in early 1600's, but are not unheard of - a factory sunroof will have a crank between the windshield and sunroof opening, and will have unpainted aluminum guide tracks visible around the inner roof opening when the roof is in the open position. The rear drains for factory sunroofs terminate inside the rocker panels ahead of the rear wheels - look carfully for any evidence of rust on both the inner and outer rockers below the quarter windows.

These seemed like a good place to get some feedback... thoughts? suggestions?

although solid, CA original black plate '02's are getting pretty hard to find. Responses to some of your specific questions in italics above......

Whether the car is worth the asking price is a matter of perceived value, tempered by condition, originality, etc - especially for negotiating purposes, if it's had prior collision damage, isn't the original color, the paint's in only fair (or poorer) condition, and the engine was replaced with a different block (non-matching numbers), the value is significantly reduced.

More info (and photos - LOTS of photos) will help a lot, and there are plenty of knowledgable '02 folks in SoCal who should be able to help you establish value.

[Guest Anonymous]

thanks everyone... color is polaris, interior is black. i wouldn't say the interior is 'ratty' - it is clean and the seats are good, everything else is worn though. it was repainted awhile back, but repainted the original color. i don't think it is the same engine that was rebuilt... i think he said it was a rebuilt engine from a '73. i will see about getting some pics!

[tsteph12]

I would be interested should you decide to pass. Have been looking for a nice early 1600 for some time now and live in SoCal. Please let me know by way of email. Thank you.

T.R.

'72 polaris 2000tii touring

'72 inka 2002

[Julio]

I sold my 1969 1600 running project same day that I posted it. Was asking 1800 for it or best offer the condition was pretty original but the car needed to be repainted and address the small amount of rust on rocker. It was a numbers matching CA black plates bay area car.

I have added the post below hope that helps. Also many members have stated it is getting harder and harder to find the early cars in decent shape this is true.

I got a good deal on the car in the 1st place just thought to pass that along to another FAQer. Sounds like your seller wants to go on a nice cruise for a couple of weeks with the money he'll make. ...lol

Good luck on the search,

Jb

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,339274/

[BarryA]

....i don't think it is the same engine that was rebuilt... i think he said it was a rebuilt engine from a '73. i will see about getting some pics!

likely a 2 liter from a 2002.

Despite being a long time SoCal car, it would still be a good idea to look carefullly for rust. Along with the normal spots (bottom of the doors, rockers, front frame rails, trailing edges of the front fenders, spare tire well) check the inside perimeter of the hood and trunk lid where the inner structure and outer skin are joined - if the car spent much time near the beach, moist, salty air may have caused rust to start in the void between the two panels. The first indication is frequently pitting and discoloration along that panel joint - rust in those areas can also be a good indicator of hidden rust in other inaccessable places.