Restoration of A1972 BMW 2002tii

I grew up in the small town of Fort Chambly, Quebec, south of Montreal. From an early age my grandfather, who built Canada’s first gasoline-powered car, the Fossmobile, often shared his own interest in cars with me, which may have contributed to my fascination with the car.

I fondly remember the neighbors who allowed me to test drive their MGBs, Triumphs, and Minis, but being behind the wheel of a 1972 BMW 2002tii confirmed my thinking. It felt much smoother and faster than the other cars he had driven. It had more horsepower and felt capable of hugging the road effortlessly. Back then I promised myself that one day I would own one of these fabulous vehicles.

While researching these cars in early 2009, I stumbled upon a gem in Calgary, Alberta, and found it to be in surprisingly decent shape. All original, without previous modifications or restoration attempts. I quickly picked it up, based only on pictures and my intuitive trust in the person selling it. This guy was only the second owner and he only had 45,000 miles on the odometer. The vehicle originated in the USA and the original owner was traced back to Colorado.

Generally, a 2002tii is worth more and therefore more coveted. Finding one in good condition, without owner modifications, is increasingly difficult. This is especially true considering the mechanical uniqueness of tii (international touring injection) and the cost of some of those one-of-a-kind pieces. The original 2002tii had a Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection system, a first for BMW. This 2.0-liter engine was capable of producing 125-140 horsepower and 127-145 pound-feet of torque.

I had a vintage vehicle hauler pick it up and transport it to Burlington, Ontario. The car had been partially painted once, but it was a terrible job and there was evidence of excess caulk, cracked paint, and some slight rust visible. That was at least what I could see. Other surprises awaited me.

When the car arrived from Calgary, it was delivered to the local BMW dealer. I went over it with the help of the mechanics. We just wanted to see if it worked. We found that very little was required to meet safety and certification requirements. The engine compression was almost factory and very uniform. The fuel tank was cleaned and all fluids were rinsed. We change oil, oil filter and spark plugs. Finally, they completed an intense brake inspection. Once everything looked good, I hit the road and drove the car for a few weeks, learning everything I could about it.

For the most part it worked fine, but some parts were tired, age affected, and required an update. It was slow, had certain vibrations, and didn’t handle blows very well. My plan was to use all original equipment (OEM) parts.

I started the restoration with everything mechanical. The entire fuel supply system needed cleaning and all three fuel filters (fuel pump, fuel injection and in-line filter) were replaced. The water pump was partially clogged, so that was the next thing. I was concerned about the mechanical fuel injection system, but it seemed fine.

All rubber items were my next project for inspection and replacement. The seals, belts, engine mounts, and frame bushings were in need of repair. Due to the age of the car, I decided to replace the entire rubber frame and mounting bushings. Then new hoses and belts were installed. The front and rear shock absorbers were in bad shape. The two in the back were rusted. All new shocks were installed, complete with new tower mounts. No wonder the entire exhaust system was rusty. While the exhaust manifold was fine, all pipes and muffler had to be replaced.

The rotoflex rubber guibo bushing / bearing between the transmission and the front of the driveshaft was the worst of all the parts that required replacement. This is a rubber mount, with metal sleeves for eight mounting bolts to pass through. Its purpose is to dampen vibration and movement between the transmission and the driveshaft. As I took it apart, it completely collapsed in my hands. The rear universal joint on the driveshaft got seized in one direction, which meant replacing the entire driveshaft as it comes as a complete sealed unit.

The clutch slave cylinder was leaking so it went to the recycle bin as well. Smaller items, such as brake cylinders and engine gaskets, were replaced. Some items were replaced because they absolutely needed it and others as a good measure, like the brake pads, because it was easier to do it while it was disassembled, rather than taking it apart again later.

The gear lever linkage required some attention. When the car arrived, one of the first things I noticed was that the gear lever was very loose and wobbled with every gear. Shifting gears on the 2002tii is long, but this one made constantly shifting gears an unpleasant task. I found that all the glands, sleeves, and fittings were mostly worn or completely missing. Once replaced, it shifted smoothly through all four gears and as hard as it would have from the factory floor.

The interior of the car was in excellent condition. Even the 2002tii dashboard clock was present and working. A little cleaning and a welding job for a seat support was all it took.

I completely stripped the vehicle of all chrome – lights, grills, bumpers, etc. All of these were in excellent condition and would now be safely stored for the winter as this was the best time to complete the restoration of the body.

There were obvious rust areas such as the outer rocker panels along with the two rear fenders and the right front fender, but the inner rocker sills also looked suspicious. As the old front fenders were removed, reality took over. I discovered what everyone who attempts a project like this fears: more rust than anticipated. The entire right pillar between the fender and the door hinge was nothing but rust. It had to be completely rebuilt by grinding and welding into a new piece.

The vehicle was completely stripped of old paint. The rear outer fenders were filled with tin and new front fenders were installed. Some very small bodywork to grind out a dent or two and it was ready for a thin coat and sanded. Lots of sanding!

The doors, trunk lid and engine hood were removed and painted separately. The rest was carefully wallpapered, taped up, and prepared for the paint booth. Then it was in the paint booth for six coats of original paint and three coats of clear coat. After that, the vehicle seemed to belong to the showroom (minus doors, chrome, lights, bumpers, etc.).

Then, with great care, it was an arduous effort to reinstall all the chrome – lights, grills, and bumpers that had to be put back. With most of the mechanics fixed, he was driving like he remembered, back in the ’70s. I was finally ready to show off this 1972 BMW 2002tii to anyone who wanted to look. The car became everything I dreamed it would be. Then my passion had been satisfied. He had the old BMW 202tii as he wanted it.

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Category: Auto