BMW 2002…the model that made from BMW a well-known international sports car producer. Each time I see one, I can’t stop admiring it like a child. Today, I spotted a lowered item on the web and I was so impressed, that I decided to show it to you too.

This particular item had been assembled in 1971, meaning it left the factory’s production line at the middle of the ’02 Series production period. Nick, the actual owner, found it on the internet, searching specifically for this model.

It’s pretty difficult to find one in Australia, giving the fact that it should be a right-hand drive car. But he was lucky enough to find one in his neighborhood. He made an appointment and went to see it the same day.

Well, the condition wasn’t the one expected by him. Still, he was wise enough to see the beauty beneath the cracked paint and, refusing to let it die, he decided to buy it. The two good things were that the car ran smoothly and it was registered. And it’s a well-known thing that in Australia it’s pretty hard to register a car, especially an “unusual” one.

The second day, he came back to take the car and all the way back home he tried to adapt his style to the old-fashioned BMW 2002: no disc brakes, no servo assistance, no fuel injection. It’s a slightly different technique of driving, if you’re not used to this kind of cars.

A week after, he started rebuild it to match his taste. But first, he started to buy the maintenance parts. However, he found hard to refuse the BBS RS rims and the Recaro RS seats, therefore buying them from the beginning.

Because Nick was confident he could paint the car by himself, even without a proper equipment, he started taking off the old paint, applied a primer and then a white paint. The result is impressive for a back yard paint job, but it took 3 months to achieve it.

Then, he perfectly fitted an aftermarket air suspension kit, with a little luck and a lot of measurements. Onboard, some elements, like the carpet and the seals needed either to be replaced, or rejuvenated.

He didn’t do anything to the original engine. Yet. Because his plan is to replace the original engine with an E30 one, which seems to be pretty difficult, because of the right-hand drive.
What’s the conclusion? Another BMW 2002 has been saved, thanks to a BMW enthusiast!