History

The BMW 02 series began production in 1966, when BMW decided it needed a shortened, sportier, and more affordable version of its New Class Sedans. The BMW 1600-2, or 1602 as it would later be known, debuted in 1966 and was followed up by the BMW 2002 in 1968. The story goes that Helmut Werner Bönsch, BMW’s director of product planning, and Alex von Falkenhausen, designer of the company’s M10 engine, each had installed the more powerful 2.0L version of the M10 engine in their personal BMW 1600-2s. Realizing this, they approached BMW’s board and proposed that the automaker produce an official two-liter version of the 1600-2. The timing was just right, as BMW’s sole American importer, Max Hoffman, had also been asking the automaker for a sportier version of the 02 series that could be sold stateside.

The resulting BMW 2002 was sold in two versions: the single-carburetor base model making 99 hp, and the peppier dual-carburetor high-compression 2002 ti variant making 118 hp. In 1971, the 2002 tii took over, which used the fuel-injected engine from the 2000 tii to produce 128 hp and a top speed of 115 mph.

This Car

This particular example, Chassis # 2760847, is an early 1972 BMW 2002 tii, finished in Colorado orange over a black interior featuring the optional “Skai upholstery”. It was purchased through Otto’s Imported Cars in Eddystone, PA, with other options including XAS tires, reclining seats, anti-freeze, and a Hirschman Antenna. All of these brought the car’s final price to $4,450.45, up from the original $4,286 MSRP. The 2002’s first owner, a Mr. Rhodes Vessels, enjoyed the car until sometime in 1982 and frequently took it back to Otto’s Imported Cars for servicing and routine maintenance.

Mr. George Whiteman, the second owner, and also a PA resident, continued caring for the car as Mr. Vessels had, frequently taking it to various shops and mechanics to keep it on the road. The service records under Mr. Whiteman stop sometime in 1986, and start again in 1990 under a Mr. Lee Perry. It is unclear when Mr. Perry parted with the BMW, but the service records on file resume in 2000 under Paula and Josh Humphries and continue until 2004.  Which brings us to the most recent owner, from whom we acquired the car. They purchased it from the fourth owner in 2006 and drove it briefly before placing it in storage, where it has remained ever since with the intent to complete a total restoration.

As it sits, the car is an ideal restoration candidate given the spec and completeness of its history. Remarkably complete and with a wealth of historical documents to establish its provenance this tii variant of the 2002 is the one worthy of a proper restoration. Upon purchase, the new owner will receive the original owner’s manuals, the original order sheet and window sticker, and all of the service records on file.

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