This pair of BMW 2002 project cars are being offered as a two-for-one deal out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They each have an engine, a transmission, the original unibody of course, and many other components needed to complete them.
The BMW 2002 was one of the most important cars ever offered by the German automaker, it offered a popular combination of sports car performance in a sensible looking sedan, with seating for four adults, and plenty of trunk space.
Fast Facts – The BMW 2002
- The BMW 2002 was released in 1968 as a more powerful version of the earlier BMW 1602. The model name comes from the engine displacement and the number of doors – the 2002 has a 2000cc engine and two doors, whereas the 1602 has a 1600cc engine and two doors.
- The decision to build a 2.0 liter version of the popular BMW 1602 happened almost by accident, two senior BMW personnel had independently had the 2.0 liter M10 engine fitted to their 1602s. When they bth realized the other had made the same modification they put together a proposal and BMW put the car into production.
- The BMW 2002 was essentially two cars in one – it was a sports car with excellent handling, and it was a sensible executive sedan that could seat accommodate a family and their groceries (or luggage).
- The two cars you see here are being offered as a package deal. Both can potentially be returned to the road with enough time and effort invested, and it appears that all the major parts are accounted for.
The BMW 2002 – An Accidental Icon
In the late 1960s BMW engineer (and designer of the M10 engine) Alex von Falkenhausen had a 2.0 liter version of his creation installed into his BMW 1602 – in place of the original 1.6 liter unit. It completely transformed the car and he immediately fell in love with it, little did he know that Helmut Werner Bönsch, BMW’s director of product planning, had made the exact same modification.
The BMW 2002 was the car that put BMW on the map for many Americans in the late 1960s and 1970s, helping to establish the reputation the company still has today for building world class sport sedans.
As the story goes the two men realized they had independently created the same car entirely by chance one day as their cars were being serviced. They were both so enthusiastic about the homemade 2.0 tier version of the car they put together a proposal, presented it to the BMW board of directors, and had it approved for production starting in 1968.
It was an easy decision for BMW to make, they already had the car in production in BMW 1602 form, they already had the 2.0 liter BMW M10 engine in production, and the influential American importer Max Hoffman had been asking BMW for just such a car for the American market.
Over the course of the 1968 to 1975 production run BMW would sell almost 400,000 examples of the 2002 and it would set the tone for the company going forward – BMW have had sporting sedans in production ever since.
The Pair of BMW 2002s Shown Here
The two cars you see here are being offered as a package deal, they both require restoration of course, however they come with many of the parts that will be required including engines, transmissions, suspension parts and interior components.
This pair of 2002s comes with two engines, one of which is already rebuilt (pictured above), as well as two four-speed manual transmissions, one three-speed automatic transmission, and a large number of suspension, braking, and interior components.
The BMW 2002 has enjoyed skyrocketing popularity in recent years as more and more drivers discover the joys of classic analogue motoring. As a result of this many 2002s have been rolled out of sheds, garages, and barns for restorations.
It’s clear that both of these cars will need a lot of work, there’s rust to repair as well as some minor accident damage to one of the shells.
One of the supplied engines has been rebuilt already and the other will still need a rebuild, the package also comes with two four-speed manual transmissions, one three-speed automatic transmission, and plenty of other bits and pieces.
If you’d like to read more about these cars or place a bid you can visit the listing here on Bring a Trailer.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
