BMW manufactures some mighty fine automobiles today, but are they big, heavy, and festooned with electronic gizmos. Devices such as ABS, ASB, ASR, ICE, GPS, BFD, iDrive, and numerous black boxes have taken away the purity of the original Bavarian design, namely the wonderful agility that made the 1960s BMW sedan a Porsche for the family man.
We fondly remember BMW's immortal pre-war 328, the Graf Goertz-designed 507, the winged 3.0CSL Batmobile, and the trailblazing 2002tii as gatekeepers of the classic performance period.
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Mind you, the tii is not just a 2002 with a different fuel induction system. Back in the early Seventies, cruising at 180 Stundenkilometer (110mph) on the Autobahn was the privilege of very few--mostly very expensive--cars. Breaking the magic 200Km/h (121mph) barrier remained an exclusive right of exotic sports cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche 911S. Just two purebreds disguised as family sedans were able to join the group: Mercedes' 300SEL 6.3 Überwagen and, amazingly, the compact two-liter BMW 2002tii.
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No big surprise, BMW 2002tiis were dominant in many areas of motorsports at the time. Whether it was rallying or endurance racing, you could be sure there was no challenger in the 2-liter class, save perhaps for the Alfa Romeo 2000GTV. Then again, the Italian beauties usually had to contend with reliability problems unknown to the Bavarians. Even today, a tii is able to run at full throttle, all day long. It's a true masterpiece of German engineering!
One of only 2,929 BMW 2002tiis built in '74, the car proudly displays its VIN*2782766* on various locations in the engine compartment. Since the differences between the bread-and-butter 2002 and the tii are so subtle and many performance-worshipping owners have upgraded their standard sedans with flashy bits and 2002tii badges, it pays having done your homework before you start shopping for the real thing. Here's what to look for:
- 1974 US 2002tii VINs begin with 278...
- KUGELFISCHER mechanical fuel injection
- the alternator is mounted down low
- oil return line in block for injection pump, feed line in oil filter head
- larger brake booster than base 2002
- 23mm master cylinder
- larger 10.08 in. diameter front brakes, larger calipers/pads
- larger front hubs and spindles
- boxed rear semi-trailing arms
- interior clock, to the right of the instrument cluster
- 2002tii emblem on rear body panel
Our tii has been a California resident since new. It lived an utmost sheltered life in sunny Santa Barbara, and has benefitted from an open checkbook restoration in the previous owner's relentless pursuit to create the "perfect" driving machine.
The car still carries its highly desirable, vintage blue-and-yellow license plate, is currently registered, needs absolutely nothing, and is ready to be driven anywhere, across the country if so desired.
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Bimmer's body is lithe and square, its slim-pillared look belying its structural solidity. Doors shut with a thunk supporting the notion that "Made in Western Germany" indeed was the hallmark of a quality product, back in the day.
The car's body is 100% corrosion-free. Coachwork is superbly straight, with perfect shut lines all around; it has been professionally refinished in the beautiful period BMW color of jadegrün (Jade Green). There are no bubbles, dings, dents, scrapes, or any other imperfections you might lose sleep over.
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The engine compartment is so incredibly clean, you could eat off of it! There are no unsightly leaks. All factory stickers and labels are perfectly preserved, even the smallest hose clamps and plastic lines have been refurbished with great attention to detail.
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The fabled two-liter power plant, heart of the 2002. Thanks to the mechanical (and thus easy to maintain) KUGELFISCHER fuel injection, the tii has 44% more horses on tap than the carbureted '02, 130 instead of 90, to be precise. This is the original, matching numbers motor. It has just been serviced and runs flawlessly.
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Our tii rides on original, 5-½ x13" BMW aluminum wheels, shod with correct, superbly preserved MICHELIN Rainforce MX4 185/70-13 tires on all 4 corners.
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The proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing.
Did we mention that no expense was spared during the restoration of this fine automobile? For example, the car was carefully converted to the ultra-desirable European specification: before it was painted, the U.S. side marker and license plate lights were removed, a set of pristine German stainless steel bumpers and lights was fitted. Priceless!
Let's have a close look at the BMW's interior now.
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The plain, early high performance look, all built to a standard exclusive to the tii.
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Long obsolete, correctly embossed white vinyl headliner and matching sunvisors are absolutely perfect.
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The traditional BMW dashboard--amazingly 100% crack free--combines simplicity with elegance. Three circular gauges--framed in real walnut wood--provide all the information needed. In addition, tii owners exclusively get to enjoy a large, analog MOTOMETER clock.
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Details, left to right:
- Perfectly preserved wood appliqué
- Original MOTOMETER-made BMW clock, working perfectly
- Original, gray fold-a-way BMW key
- Unused ash tray
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Another desirable period upgrade: a set of expensive RECARO sport seats. All interior knobs, handles, and assorted trim remain in outstanding condition. Factory original, perfectly preserved salt-and-pepper carpeting is beautifully preserved as well.
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Plenty of space for the young 'uns on the rear seats. The tii truly is a sports car for the whole family! Note rear pop-out windows for superior flow-through ventilation; why did automobile designers ever dismiss these?
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Ready for a test drive?
Sure, but before we take off, there are two more areas to inspect: the trunk and the undercarriage.
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Trunk compartment presents itself as clean as the engine bay. Note OPTIMA battery. Set of protective Sisal floor mats is included as well.
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It doesn't get any better than this!
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A view that many 2002 sellers would rather not show you: the unibody's belly, often badly rust-damaged. This one's in amazing condition: there is no rust anywhere; it does not need any attention. Tip for prospective tii buyers: it pays to wait for a genuine, dry southwestern example, such as this California native.
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Sunday, September 7, was another sunny day here in San Buenaventura. We were ready for a quick trip, cruising first through our hillside Hobson Heights neighborhood, later along Highway 33 toward Ojai.
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Once inside, you notice the elevated seating position, the wonderful visibility all around. Turn the ignition key and the potent inline four comes alive immediately. Throttle response is affirmative, and the lightweight Bimmer sprints away from traffic lights with ease and determination. You can't help but smile and wonder why 2008 model cars have to be so heavy . . .
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To enhance the tii experience, a few meaningful mechanical upgrades were installed during restoration. The car features a rare, quick-ratio steering box, imported directly from Germany at a cost of $2,500.00, a ZF close-ratio 5-speed manual transmission, equally expensive, as well as BILSTEIN shocks, EIBACH springs, and selected poly-urethane suspension bushings. To aid weight distribution, the battery was relocated into the trunk compartment; a strut brace was added. The power-assisted four wheel disc brakes--here, they wear vented front rotors--slow down the Bimmer authoritatively, without fading or pulling. The compact size of the 2002 makes it ideally suited for big-city traffic, and the smooth-shifting 5-speed transmission is a delight.
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In a nutshell, this car looks as good and drives even better than a brand new 2002 tii. Returning home, we are utterly satisfied with the Bimmer's performance; the favorable comments and "thumbs up" we received wherever we stopped added quite a bit of excitement, too.
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Time and again, history has proven that the cream of the crop, the fully sorted collector cars show the greatest appreciation. Restoring a rusty hulk or a mechanically challenged car may leave you upside down in no time. Save yourself the hassle and extra expense, buy the best tii you can afford and let others worry about the restoration projects--there's plenty of those around.
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Finding a fully restored, heirloom-quality, matching numbers tii, in California, sporting the right colors and the right upgrades, should be considered a small miracle. Here is a unique opportunity to acquire one of the finest Bavarian pocket rockets in captivity.
Addendum:
We sold this 2002tii in September 2008 to a customer in Texas.
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