Posts Tagged ‘BMW’

Too Clean – 1969 BMW 1602 2-liter

October 13, 2013

It’s about time for another classic BMW feature. Why? Being needlessly partial to the members of the RustyButTrusty fleet, perhaps. But you just featured an E23, you say… well, from the E12 onwards, things were far more civilized and luxurious, while the E10/Neue Klasse cars are in the vein of earlier BMWs with spartan all-vinyl interiors, four cylinder engines, 4-speed transmissions and drums on the rear wheels. It is hard to believe that you can find an early spartan car for the same price as a 15-year-old with all the luxury gewgaws. Anyway, enough blather – you can find this 1969 1602 with a 2002 engine for $4000 in New Orleans, LA.

1969 BMW 1602 engine

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Autobahn Bruiser, Part Zwei – 1984 BMW 745i Turbo 5-speed

October 11, 2013

For children of the 1980s, BMW’s E23 7-series holds a special place. While the complexity of an older luxury car does intimidate many buyers, it has elegant styling that, depending on your perspective, is either a big-boy E12 5-series, or a 4-door E24 6-series (speaking of great ideas, BMW should make a 4-door 6-series. Wait, what?). And as a counterpoint to our earlier Mercedes 380SE, this 1984 BMW 745i with 5-speed conversion is an attractive prospect, available for $3750 in the unusually-named Zelienople in western Pennsylvania.

1984 BMW 745i 5spd left front

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Poor Man’s BMW #2 – 1975 BMW 2002 Automatic

September 25, 2013

Much has been written about the BMW 2002, calling it an icon, a cult classic, and lavishing praise on its handling and light weight. Predictably, many of these cars succumbed to attrition when their owners probed the limits of the handling, and many more to structural rust. In 1975, their 9th year of production, the 2002 had sprouted giant bumpers, a thermal reactor, and retarded timing to comply with new emissions regulations. However, they are also said to be better built and handling, and this 1975 BMW 2002 Automatic is available for $2995 in San Jose, CA.

1975 BMW 2002 automatic left front

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