The 1971 BMW 2002
In November of 2002 Ryan purchased his first automobile (the Civic was a hand-me-down and the Thunderbird was a family restoration). Did he do well? Well, they are called 'the ultimate driving machine' ...
There's probably a bit of destiny in purchasing a 2002 in 2002, but the price was right, the features were there, and those who know and had driven them before said go for it.
So he did.
Some of the attractive features at the time of purchase: the body sports a unique chrome grill, a sunroof, round tail lights, smooth flashers, and new badges. The interior housed Keiper Recaro Idealsitze racing seats, a CD stereo, and an un-cracked dash. The engine was recently rebuilt and had a Weber down draft carburetor along with a wrapped exhaust header.
Soon after purchase Ryan had the brakes made over to all steel lines, and the sub-frame was given welded reinforcements. Ryan also added strut tower mounts from Top End that feature an added engine brace in front, and a battery relocation cage in back. Moving the battery into the trunk of the car helps by putting additional weight over the drive wheels, bringing more of the cars weight to its center, and by making oil changes much easier. In regards to oil, Ryan had a baffle welded into the oil pan. A baffle keeps excess oil off crank weights to maintain horsepower and performance while cornering. The exhaust header that came with the car had cracks which were made even worse by the addition of a new exhaust. So a new header was purchased from Bavarian Autosport, along with progressive lowering springs and Bilstein sport shocks. The speedometer was out of sync and needed to be refurbished so it was sent to North Hollywood Speedometer for a complete overhaul. Standard gauges feature heat, gasoline & oil levels, and a tachometer in addition to the speedometer.
Update: One of the final major modifications has been finished on the 2002. A five speed transmission has been added by using a kit purchased from 2002 Haus. It's an excellent kit and an excellent mod because it takes care of the chronically weak second gear found in the early 4 speeds. Now, if you're a regular visitor to this site you may have noticed a recent omission, notably a recommendation for 2002 Restorations. After frequent business with 2002 Restorations, the only recommendation I can make is that you avoid them, due to the fact that there has been a consistently declining quality to their work. First, my friend noticed that after my car had gone to their shop it returned with a large, glazing type scratch on the hood. They made no attempt to correct it or reimburse me for that damage. Then under extenuating circumstances, they tried to gouge me on the price of the 5-speed conversion. The price they attempted to charge was in the range of car abduction and it's easy to say that I will never do business with them again. If you do decide to do business with them absolutely get a price quote in writing before you allow them to do any work whatsoever.
In hindsight, because of Ryan's experience with the Civic, he appreciates the cleanliness, care, and maintenance that went into this little BMW before he became its owner. He hopes to continue that tradition while also making the most the 2002's excellent handling and looks. What's the future hold? Hopefully many a track day, driving school, and country road cruise for the 2002.
The
1978 Honda Civic 1200
The 1959 Ford Thunderbird
The 1971 BMW 2002
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