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Keep ‘Em On The Road: 1975 BMW 2002

1975 BMW 2002

There are many different kinds of people that follow this site. Some are collectors, some sell cars for a living, but most of us are just normal guys who really like old cars. Doug M. has been a regular around these parts for a while and he just emailed us about a 1975 BMW 2002 that he recently restored. He works hard at a desk job, but tries to do his part in keeping old cars on the road by fixing up one every year or two. Like most of us though, money and space is limited so he has to sell cars once they are finished in order to take on new projects. Another project is calling, so this one is on the auction block here on eBay. We wish him luck with the sale and want to thank him for his noble efforts! How many of you follow the same formula of buy, fix, and sell?

Comments

  1. Avatar Jesse Staff

    What a great looking ’02 Doug. I especially like those four spoke rims! As much as I would love to keep every car that I drag home, it does feel good when you can sell one on in better condition than you found it. Do you have any ‘before’ photos?

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    • Avatar Doug M. (West Coast)

      I’ll forward some before photos by email. The cool thing when I bought it was that the guy had a floor lift, so I could actually walk under it and observe! It was solid, (pics don’t look that bad) but barely ran, had the wrong year interior in it, dash was out, parts laying everywhere, and worst of all: it had an aftermarket sunroof installed! First thing I did was bought a clean parts car (rusty,) which became the donor for the correct year interior, many trim pieces, and, of course, a whole roof skin to properly erase that plastic sunroof! I owe it all to a really talented autobody guy that helps me do the metal work and paint!

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  2. Avatar jimbosidecar

    You forgot one very important part of the equation Buy, Fix, ENJOY, then Sell

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    • Avatar Jesse Staff

      Yep! That could be the most important part.

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    • Avatar Doug M. (West Coast)

      Yes, “ENJOY” comes in many phases for me: I absolutely enjoy the “hunt” and the purchase, then totally enjoy the planning stages, and of course, I get to decide the direction I go (color, seats, style, etc), then, being a numbers guy (at work) I enjoy the challenge of pulling it all together without going upside down on it (price). Finally, I do enjoy being able to drive it for several months as I am “road testing” the bugs out of it. People at work think I own a collection of restored classics… but I have neither the money nor the space to collect cars…so I keep enjoying the whole process of fixing them up! …and, since I do the legal thing with IRS on my sales, everything I buy is tax deductible! (Yes, some times I pay taxes if I profit, and sometimes I get a refund if I lose…but always I get to drive fun cars!)

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  3. Avatar Rich

    Very nice work! Nice to finally see some ’02s on here!!! Started interior work on my basket case ’76 after 6 solid months of bodywork and hoping to have her on the road by Summer in time for a few shows.

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  4. Avatar matt

    I can’t understand why people insist on placing reserves on auctions, why don’t they save all of us valuable time and simply start the auction bidding at the reserve amount??

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  5. Avatar Grr

    Like the color and the shortened bumpers. Very clean. Not sure about the wheels, though. Do the originals come with it? Wish there was more information in the listing about what was done – and some before pics would be nice to see.

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  6. Avatar stevee

    I have finally admitted to be a serial monogamist w/ my cars. I too love to find a diamond in the rough, a hidden treasure and make it better. (Get it: Diamond T)

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  7. Avatar stevee

    Before of ’56 Diamond T

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  8. Avatar stevee

    After.
    Current project is a 1984 BMW 318i that is hennarot red. Good work on your 2002– they are very hard to find now in any kind of shape.

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    • Avatar jim s

      great job.

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  9. Avatar charlie Member

    These were and are great cars, I owe my life, and reputation as a good driver, to one which I took far too fast around a corner that in just about any American family sedan of the time (about 1980) would have rolled or at least steered into the trees. The 02 just went around the corner at 55 as though it was going 25 and on rails, and the car and I both emerged unscathed. Making it worse I had borrowed it, since both my ’69 Camaro, and my ’67 Pontiac Bonneville were dead that day. I remember saying “Oh shit” as I entered the corner much too fast, and, then shaking for the next many minutes as I drove far more slowly, home.

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  10. Avatar Woodie Man

    Stevee……..that Diamond T is awesome!

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  11. Avatar Chuck F 55chevy

    Nice BMW, had a 525 and was a fun car, for a 4 door. I always wondered what you could do with an old fire truck, I was thinking make a camper out of one, but that T cargo hauler looks great. I’ve always done buy, fix and sell, even sold a 55 Chevy 2dr ht, my fav car, to buy a 1982 Porsche 911SC for $8,000, those prices are long gone. Had fun, it didn’t need much fixing, of course sold it for something else. I used to try to limit to one or two projects, but that quickly got out of hand when running across $500-$1,000 deals, 4 cars in my backyard, two more in rental property yard, one at a buddy’s, and just ran across a 66 GTO, and a 72 ElCamino SS while looking at a 56 2 dr wagon. “But honey, I’m just buying it for the 389 engine for my 61 Catalina conv.”

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  12. Avatar Martin

    Really pretty car Doug! Kudos to you for keeping another one on the road, and bringing this one back so nicely. I hope the car does well on the auction to keep your hobby afloat!

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  13. Avatar jim s

    i hope the new owner puts a lot of miles on this as it would be a fun daily driver. i am glad you got rid of the aftermarket sunroof. great job

    Like 0

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