My Old School BMW Adventures

Atlanta Meet and Drive on 11/12/11

2011-11-17T08:32:00.001-04:00

Made a trip to Atlanta from 11/8/11 to 11/15/11 for some R & R and, unfortunately, to make a decision about the future of the 2000tii touring project. I don't foresee any possibilities of re-starting the project in the near future, and storage charges continue to put a dent in my budget. I expand about this later, so, for now, I'll write about the fun part of the trip, which was the meet and drive with the Atlanta 2002 Owners Club.

We gathered at Carma Motorsports' second facility, which they recently started operations out of, and Jeff Chang greeted us with muffins and coffee. There were several interesting non-BMW cars and motorcycles at the shop:

Turnout was pretty good, with many local '02's and other cool Bimmers attending:

Alex Chester's 2002

Jon Poole's 2002ti (in his family since new!)

Glen Stephens' beautiful and fast 2002

My daughter Michelle's 635csi (my ride for the day)

After the meet at the shop, a group of us, driving four 2002's plus me in the 635, had a great drive up mountain roads all the way to Brasstown Bald, the highest point in the state of Georgia.

Part of the cars that made it up the mountain

The view from the top

This is the group that made the drive

The Arrival of Bronzit II

2011-10-19T10:35:00.000-04:00

On 10/14/11, I purchased a 1987 325e to be used by my wife as a daily driver. This is the second Bronzit E30 we have owned, the first one being an '87 also, hence the post title.

The car is an automatic 4 door, and, although it needs some work, the price was good ($1300). The idea is to fix it up so it can be used on a regular basis by the missus.

Here are a few pics taken at the seller's home with my phone:

Another Succesful Event!

2011-10-19T10:17:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, October 9, our local classic BMW group, Puerto Rico Classic Bimmer Group, celebrated its 3rd yearly get together for BMW enthusiasts. A total of 197 cars attended, and probably 400 people in total.

It was hard work organizing the event, but it was worth the effort.

Here is a slide show of some pictures I took at the event:

Car count seems to increase by about 50 each year we have organized this meet, so we should be shooting for 250 next year!

Visit to Volkyland Museum July 10, 2011

2011-07-19T10:53:00.000-04:00

Went with the BMW CCA group to visit the world's largest private VW collection, located right here in Puerto Rico. Took the Baur, of course, on the 200 mile round trip.

The car didn't miss a beat, although it used gas like if it was still $1.00 a gallon, and the local heat and humidity convinced me even more to do the a/c on the car once the engine issues are taken care of. Hopefully before the end of the year I'll have it working as it should, and then start on the cosmetics on 2012.

Here are the pics I took at the visit:

Another Sunday Drive

2011-06-06T16:14:00.000-04:00

Yesterday (6/5/11) I took a drive to Arroyo, PR to meet with some friends and have a day of BBQ and chilling out at the beach. It was cloudy, but I didn't get a drop of rain until almost home. One of the first things I need to take care of on the Baur are the top seals, which are all either cracked or missing portions. Supposedly they are available, so it's a matter of getting the funds together to buy them.

Here's a pic from yesterday:

Maybe by next weekend I'll start to do some actual work on the car. In the meantime, I've enjoyed it quite a bit on its first two weekend in Puerto Rico.

The Caribbean Baur!

2011-06-02T16:46:00.001-04:00

Well, the Baur finally arrived in Puerto Rico on 5/26/11. I drove it from Deltona to Jacksonville, FL, where it was loaded on a barge and shipped to the island.

After paying freight ($1100.00) and excise taxes ($800.00) on the day after the car arrived, I took a drive across the island and back on Sunday May 29 to the Exotic Car Show in the town of Anasco. People there liked the car and asked many questions about it, since it is now the only known E21 Baur in the island.

Here's the obligatory pic of the car at the show:

Here are the rest of the pics:

Smokey is traveling to Puerto Rico!

2011-05-26T12:10:00.000-04:00

Well, after selling the 2002 and the 320i, I needed a BMW to use in Puerto Rico, so I decided to ship the Baur to the island. I asked friends for suggestions on naming the car, and the one I liked the most was Smokey the Baur, since the car's tired engine does smoke quite a bit.

I traveled on May 14 to my friend's house in Deltona, FL where the car was stored and drove it to Jacksonville, where it was loaded on a barge on May 20. By the way, on the way to Jacksonville I stopped at the Daytona International Speedway, home to the 24 Hours of Daytona and other great races. I took the race track tour and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Here's a photo of the car in front of the racetrack:

The vessel with the car should arrive today (5/26/11). If I can get it from the port by tomorrow Friday I will take my first road trip with it to the Exotic Car Expo on Sunday the 29th. We'll see....

Mission Aborted...

2011-05-10T12:38:00.000-04:00

Well, after starting the Schwarz E21 project, I had a change of heart and decided to sell it and do the Baur E21 instead.

The car was sold to a long time friend, who will fix it up and use it as his daily driver. I plan to ship the Baur to Puerto Rico on May 20, and will start working on it when it gets here.

Here's a parting shot of the 320i when the new owner left with it:

Photo of the Day 2/25/11

2011-02-25T17:12:00.002-04:00

BMW E28 CSL race car

GS Tuning 1973 Catalog

2011-02-24T16:20:00.000-04:00

Back in 1977 when I owned my first BMW, a 1970 1600, I found at a local tuner's shop a GS Tuning windshield banner. I have, over the years, tried to obtain as much info on this German competitor to Alpina as I could.

Thanks to a Swedish '02 enthusiast, I was able to get a scan of their 1973 catalog.

I uploaded it to Google Docs. Hope it works!

Here is the link:

GS TUNING 1973 CATALOG

Photo of the Day 2/24/11

2011-02-24T15:30:00.000-04:00

Beautiful Touring rally car from Spain.

Photo of The Day 2/8/11

2011-02-08T14:13:00.001-04:00

These BMW "sculptures" are located at a BMW dealer in a
Copenhagen, Denmark.

First Month's Progress

2011-01-31T19:40:00.000-04:00

Well, it's January 31, one month after my initial post on the new/old 320i project. I've made pretty good progress, and so far the car has gotten the following done:

-New radiator, water pump and engine fan
-Fog, trunk and interior lights were non-op and are now working again
-Cleaned up the engine compartment, installed powder-coated valve cover and new air cleaner
-Hood and roof were rattle-canned to cover up the ugly paint on these parts
-Got a sweet deal on a set of Recaros, which cost $150 including the rear seat and the rear side panels.
-Installed a rear view with map lights from an E30 325is

Here are some January pics:

Time to Begin a New Project

2010-12-30T21:59:00.001-04:00

Well, most of the funk associated with the selling of the 2002 is gone, so I have decided to start a new project.

My son recently bought himself a new Toyota Yaris, so the 320i he was using as a daily driver is in my hands again. It needs a lot of TLC, but I plan to make it look and perform nicely again, trying to minimize expenses along the way.

Here's a slide show of the starting point of this project. I will try to update this blog as I go along.

The Schwarz 2002 is gone... :-(

2010-10-30T06:03:00.000-04:00

After owning it for 19 years, I sold the Schwarz 2002 on 10/26/10. It was a very tough decision to make, but I had to make it.

I had lots of good times with the car, and made some great friends while attending events with it, and hopefully the new owner will enjoy it as much as I did.

I will use the Schwarz 320i now locally, and will be fixing it up as the budget allows. The Baur will remain in Deltona, FL for now, and the touring will continue its indefinite hibernation at the storage facility in the Atlanta area.

Here's a picture taken when the new owner took it home:

And a slideshow of pics taken throughout its 19 years here at home:

Second Yearly PRCBG Family Outing Was a Success!

2010-10-30T05:42:00.000-04:00

On 10/10/10 the Puerto Rico Classic Bimmer Group had its second yearly Family Outing. Weather was great and we had a total of 134 BMW's, its owners and their families at the event. It was a lot of work for those of us organizing the event, but its success is very gratifying.

Here's a slideshow of the meet:

Photo of the Day - TurboLook '02 Touring

2010-10-01T15:42:00.000-04:00

BMW never built a turbo touring, but this "phantom" one built in Europe looks like as if they did. I love it!

New Online Magazine : Vintage BMW

2010-09-13T15:23:00.000-04:00

This online mag was created by my friend Scott Sturdy, the man behind The Vintage (formerly Vintage at the Vineyards). Great way to keep yourself informed about this great event. To see it, please click on the name below:

VINTAGE BMW

Moving the Atlanta Bimmers

2010-09-07T17:02:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned on my last post, I had to move the two cars I had in Atlanta.

On Wednesday 8/25/10, I flew to Atlanta and spent the next day moving the touring to a Public Storage facility (a grueling process that took me all day, with about six trips in the Baur filled to the brim with parts). Here is how it sits now until further notice:

The next day, Friday, I hopped into the Baur and made the 8 hour, almost 500 mile drive from Atlanta to Deltona, FL. The trip went smoothly, and the Baur never missed a beat. I arrived at my friend Ricky's house at around 7:00 PM. I will keep the car at his house until I can ship it to Puerto Rico.

On Saturday, Ricky and I drove around in the Baur and went to the Cars and Cafe meet, which is celebrated the last Saturday of the month in Sanford, FL. Lots of high-priced metal there, including an ugly chrome Bugatti cabrio allegedly worth $1.9 million (!!!) :

Retreating and Regrouping

2010-08-13T22:57:00.002-04:00

Well, seems that the economic situation, at least for me, is going to take longer than expected to improve, so I have decided to take some measures.

By the end of this month Iexpect to have the stalled touring tii project placed in a storage facility in Atlanta, the Baur at a friend's house in Orlando, and the Schwarz 2002 up for sale.

Plans are to bring the Baur to Puerto Rico after selling the 2002 and do a rolling restoration to it. The touring will stay stored until I can either re-start the process or sell it.

I will provide updates to this as things happen. It hurts to make these type of decisions, but more difficult ones have become frequent due to the economic situation.

Miguel Alejandro's Inka Roundie

2010-07-14T11:27:00.004-04:00

In addition to posts about my cars, I will continue to feature interesting local BMW's. There is a good number of nice Bimmers here in Puerto Rico.

This one is Miguel Alejandro's restored roundie. He bought it needing a complete resto, and has done a great job with it. He did most of the work himself.

Here are some pictures of the car as it looks now, and some "before" ones:

Pedro Rodriguez' M42-Powered 2002

2010-07-07T15:14:00.005-04:00

Had a chance to check out my buddy Pedro from Mayaguez' recently completed M42 project. In addition to the engine and transmission, he also used the radiator and most of the brakes from the donor car, a 1991 E30 318is.

The car has been mostly sorted out, and Pedro took it that day for a pretty long drive from Mayaguez to San Juan and back.

Here are some pics:

Vintage at the Vineyards 2010

2010-06-15T16:55:00.005-04:00

Another great event! Had a wonderful time during Memorial Day weekend. A total of 304 BMW's attended, and many new friends were made.

On Thursday, May 27th, my wife Maria, my daughter Michelle and I drove from Atlanta to Dobson, NC in my Baur. Original plans were to take both the the 635csi and the Baur, but the Sixer's front struts were shot.

On the way we stopped at the Zentrum in BMW's factory in SC.

Then we stoppet at the Charlotte, NC airport, where we met up with Humberto Marti, who was picking up Fernando Vargas from Colombia.

We finally made it to Dobson after a quite exhausting trip due to the heat.

Friday morning we participated in a great drive up the NC and VA mountains, driving Humberto's 2002.

The big event was on Saturday, but not before I had a chance to drive Tim Jones' M2.It was an experience of a lifetime to drive this well-sorted beast!

The event itself was spectacular. Great weather, beautiful cars and many good friends.

Here are all my pics:

I'm already planning for next year!

Here again

2010-05-18T11:03:00.005-04:00

Three months and no posts! How lazy can I get.

Not much has happened Bimmer-wise in that period, other than the fact that I have been trying to thin out the herd by selling either the Baur E21 or the Schwarz 2002.

Although there has been some interest, there have been no takers. The way I figure it is that each car is in the wrong market for selling. The Baur, being an open-top car, might sell better in Puerto Rico than in Atlanta, and the 2002 seems to have more enthusiasts in the mainland than in the island. Oh well....

Next week I will be attending the Vintage at the Vineyards 2010 event. I will make it a point to report here with pictures.

Puerto Rico Vintage Car Show 2010

2010-02-16T08:58:00.004-04:00

Went on Saturday, February 13 to the yearly vintage car show at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan. Attendance was much lower than in previous years, but, as always, there were many nice cars.

Check out the pics I took there:

I'm Still Here!

2010-01-24T13:24:00.002-04:00

Hi to all! Sorry about the lack of updates, but there is not much going on with my BMW's lately.

The economic downturn has meant significant salary and benefit cuts from my employer, so paying bills and putting food on the table doesn't leave much for car stuff.

The touring is still at Carma, and , although work on it is on hold, I hope to resume the project as money becomes available. I thought about selling either the Baur or the Schwarz 202 to use the funds on the touring, but I like both cars too much. Maybe I'll change my mind later, but I'm holding on to them for now.

Touring Update

2009-12-07T21:16:00.003-04:00

Work continues to progress slowly but surely on the touring. Lack of funds is the main thing slowing it down, However, this was meant to be a long-term project from the start, so there is no rush.

The new trunk floor has been installed, and welding has started in other areas. Hopefully the economy will improve soon, and it can be moved along at a faster pace.

Here are the latest pics:

Patillas Meet Photos

2009-12-07T21:09:00.004-04:00

Yes, I know. This was two months ago (October 11, 2009). Sue me.

It turned out to be a great event, way beyond our expectations. Close to 100 cars attended, and a great time was had by all. Planning has started for next year!

Call me lazy

2009-11-12T16:35:00.003-04:00

Haven't updated this for a while, so I'm going to make an effort to get anyone reading this (if anyone does), up to date.

As I mentioned on my previous post, I attended the Bimmermeet at Road Atlanta, part of the BMW CCA Oktoberfest festivities. Had a great time there on Friday and Saturday, and even got to see my daughter Michelle drive the track for the first time! I'm posting the pics slide show for your enjoyment.

Planning for October 11 meet in Patillas

2009-09-29T16:44:00.003-04:00

Two members of the PR Classic Bimmer Group suggested an event for all BMW owners and went ahead and got a locale in Patillas, on the southeastern part of the island.

The date was set for October 11 and it looks like attendance will be great. We have gotten enough sponsors to be able to offer t-shirts to the first 100 owners who arrive in their BMW's, and will try to get more freebies to hand out.

I'll be posting pics here after the event.

I will also be attending the Bimmermeet at Road Atlanta on October 3. This is the last day of the BMW CCA Oktoberfest, and an invitation was extended to those of us who couldn't be there the whole week. Should be a fun day, since I have several of my mainland '02 buddies attending. We will bringing the Baur and Michelle's 635csi.

Atlanta Micro Meet on 8/14/09 and Touring Update

2009-08-22T11:40:00.006-04:00

Met up with Jon and Zac from the Atlanta area during my trip there on the weekend of 8/14 to 8/16. We got together at a local Starbucks and chatted about old BMW's for a while. Both their '02's are quite nice, and the engine on Jon's car sounds mean.

On the touring front, not much to report. Sandblasting will begin soon, and most of the required sheet metal has been bought. As I have mentioned before, this is a long term project, which will progress as time and funds allow.

In other news, my daughter Michelle sold her E36 325i and got herself a sweet 1989 635csi. It is an automatic with Dinan engine and transmission upgrades, and looks very nice. I had a chance to drive it during this trip and got many compliments from people who thought it was mine.

Trip to Villalba on 7/26/09

2009-08-11T12:11:00.003-04:00

On Sunday, July 26, Ipe, a 2002 owner from Villalba, invited a group of us to his town for a meet and greet and some lunch. He did a great job, and even had free t-shirts for everyone!

Total attendance was about 15 owners. Not as much as expected, but we had fun. The drives to and from there were great, and I enjoyed them in the Schwarz 2002. Temps are not an issue now, but it is running quite rich. I have to take care of that next.

We are planning our next outing for October 11 by the beach at Guardarraya in Patillas. It should be a good one.

The Schwarz E21 gets new carpets

2009-07-12T12:12:00.011-04:00

Spent the day yesterday installing a new carpet set on the Schwarz E21. This set was the first one done by Esty Anderson, who has done almost 200 sets for 2002's. She offered it to me so I could install it and give her some feedback, and I must say I was very pleased with the quality of the set and the ease with which it was installed by my son and I.

Next in line fort the car is painting the door panels, installing the console and radio and, when funds permit, reupholstering the seats.

Here are some before and after pics (click on each pi to see it full size). If you are interested in a set for your E21, you can reach Esty at esty.anderson@gmail.com.

End of June Touring Update

2009-07-07T14:53:00.008-04:00

Well, my daughter finally sent some pics of the touring's progress. All the rusty metal has been cut out from the rear and a new trunk floor has been ordered from BMW. Previous repairs in the rear shock towers have been removed so they can be re-done properly.

The rear valance was quite ugly, so it was cut off, and another was removed from a regular '02 to see if it can be made to fit. This '02 also donated other parts of its body, including the Hofmeister kinks.

Maybe I'll get another update soon, but I expect to travel to Atlanta in the middle of August and should have a more thorough update then.

Hopefully by the next update we will see new metal added to the car so it can start taking shape again.

It's unfortunate that the car is half an ocean away and I can't be doing any work on it. Hopefully I can be there when reassembly begins, which is the most fun part of any project.

In other news, I created a message Board in Spanish for Classic BMW owners in Puerto Rico. It has been slow to catch on since I started it a week or so ago, but hopefully it will become a great resource for Bimmerheads like me in the island.

Here's the link:

http://prclassicbimmer.forumotion.net/index.htm

The Schwarz '02 gets its head back

2009-06-23T14:41:00.002-04:00

As you might have read on one of my posts back in April, the Schwarz '02 overheated and the diagnosis revealed that it was a cylinder head problem. It turned out to be that one of the water passages had corroded and water was seeping into the #1 piston's combustion chamber.

After removing it and bringing it to my buddy Ramon in Patillas, one thing turned into another and it couldn't be installed until the Saturday before last. The car started up pretty quickly and seems to be keeping its cool. I haven't tried it out on the road yet, but I let it idle for quite a bit with no problem.

After not starting it for a couple of months, I notice now several rattles and noises which I didn't pay much attention to before. The throwout bearing (hopefully it's the t/o bearing) rattles quite annoyingly when the clutch is engaged, and there is also an engine noise which sounds like a faint knock which I would have to investigate.

This car's engine was overhauled about 20 years ago, so it might be time to refreshen it soon. It does not use any oil, but it's idling erratically, and I would like to get a fresher cylinder head installed with a cam in order to take advantage of the Weber 38/38's higher gas flow.

All this is wishful thinking for now, since my play funds (and then some) are going towards the touring.

Vintage at the Vineyards 2009

2009-05-29T16:08:00.003-04:00

Last weekend (May 22-24) I participated in the yearly Vintage at the Vineyards event in Dobson, NC. I drove the E21 Baur from Atlanta and back and, except for a fuel pump relay on Friday's drive, it behaved well.

This has become THE premier event for vintage BMW's in the U.S., if not the entire world. There were close to 300 cars registered, and, in addition to the exhibition at the Shelton Vineyards, there were drives through the beautiful North Carolina countryside all three days.

Here are some of the photos I took at the event:

Touring update for the end of May

2009-05-29T16:01:00.003-04:00

Rear flares were test-fitted and it looks like they will cover all the rusty part in the quarter panels that will be cut away. Welding should start within the next week or so. It will be nice to see metal being added to the car rather than being cut off!

Work on the touring has begun!

2009-05-10T21:32:00.002-04:00

Last weekend I took a short trip to Atlanta to see The Mitty vintage races at Road Atlanta, and to check out the work on the touring. It turns out that I spent most of the time moving my daughter's belongings to her new apartment, but that's another story for another blog.

I was able to spend a couple of hours at the race track and check out the cars. Didn't get to see any actual racing, though.

Pics can be seen here:

On the touring subject, it has been dismantled almost completely. Lots of hidden rust and much work to be done, but I am confident that it will turn out nice once all is said and done.

Here's how it looks now:

I will be traveling to Atlanta again on May 16 and will post pictures of how it has progressed then.

The sweet-running 320i

2009-04-21T15:51:00.004-04:00

I made a 250 mile round trip in the 320i last Sunday 4/19 and returned amazed with the way it performed. No drama, no overheating and great fuel economy. Many people don't care much about E21's, but I love mine. They make great daily drivers.

This one is basically stock, except for Bilstein shocks and a Weber 32/36 carb, which replaced the troublesome fuel-injection system. This mod is a great way to solve the multiple problems that these cars get with their old FI systems.

The body is getting rusty and the paint job was never too good. The interior also needs work, but the mechanics are almost perfect. Definitely a keeper.

Here's a pic from last Sunday:

Head Problems.....

2009-04-13T12:45:00.003-04:00

No, not me, but the Schwarz 2002....

I went to a drive/photoshoot yesterday with a group of BMW owners from the www.eurocrewpr.com website. All went well until the drive back home from Ponce.Since traffic on the expressway was very heavy, I decided to take the coastal route. It was smooth sailing until I ran into a congestion in the Patillas beach area. The gauge started to creep upwards until it got to the red zone. To make it even worse, there was no way I could stop, since the road is a narrow one and there were cars parked in both sides for about half a mile.

When I was finally able to check it out, it was missing about 3/4 of a gallon of coolant. I had topped it off in the morning, and there were no signs of leakage, so I suspect it's the cylinder head.

I had previously noticed that the temp gauge used to go up to about 3/4 when in stop and go traffic, so I installed a new thermostat and hoses last weekend. I also flushed and bled the system in anticipation for the drive. The water pump, belts and radiator are good, so I will have to bite the bullet and remove the cylinder head.

Too bad, because there are a few good events planned for the next few weeks, and I was planning to attend a few in the car. Oh well, guess I'll have to take the ratty E21....

Here's a few pics from yesterday's event (click on each one to see it full size):

Update (?) and some decisions to make

2009-04-07T16:29:00.002-04:00

As of today I have no news to report on the touring. Jeff Chang, the gentleman whom Alex was going to contact regarding the body work for it, hasn't shown up to look at the car.

I guess that, if I can't get anyone in the Atlanta area to work on it soon, I might have to bite the bullet and bring it to Puerto Rico. That will not happen for at least two months, though. Opinions from readers (if any) of this blog are welcome.

I have been giving thoughts about selling the Schwarz '76 2002 to gather funds for the touring's resto. I have very mixed feelings about this, since it is like part of the family, having been with me for 18 years now. Any thoughts?

If I do keep the Schwarz car, the touring's resto will be at a much slower pace, which is not really a problem.

So, that's it for now. This Sunday, 4/12/09, I will most probably be attending a BMW photo shoot. Hopefully I'll get to have some nice pics of the Schwarz car. The following Sunday there is a meet similar to the recent one we had in Ponce. This time it will be in Hormigueros, which is at the opposite corner of the island, but I plan to make it anyway. I'll post pics and info if I do.

The Touring Project

2009-03-25T15:05:00.006-04:00

Finally saw the touring!

Last weekend I took a trip to Atlanta to finally see it in the flesh (or rather, in the metal and rust). It IS quite rusty, but it IS a tii, and a touring to boot. So, after assessing its condition, I have determined that I'm gonna take a shot at restoring it. Plans are to make it a nice driver, not a concours beauty. It will probably be a long and arduous (and expensive!) process, but I am sure the end result will be well worth it. There is nothing like driving a tii, and I still miss the Chamonix '73 I sold over 20 years ago.

There is a possibility that the welding and bodywork can be done in Atlanta. Alex from Carma told me that he has a good friend, Jeff Chang, who is a great welder and might be able to take it on. I do heve new doors, left frond fender and nose panel which came from the car, but I will still need to get the right front fender and the uber-pricey quarter panels. It also will need rockers and quite a bit of welding in the floor area.

I will post updates as I progress in this journey.

The touring arrives in Atlanta!

2009-03-08T09:58:00.003-04:00

After a few hits and misses, the touring finally arrived in Atlanta last Thursday (3/5). My son sent me some pics, but I will have to wait until I go there to evaluate its condition and decide what will I do with it. I would love to restore, but it all depends on the extent of the rust.

If I decide to restore it, I will probably bring it to Puerto Rico, since the restoration would be a lot less costly here, even taking into account the transportation costs and the darn Puerto Rico Excise Tax.

It's been almost a month!

2009-02-25T09:13:00.007-04:00

OK, I admit it. I haven't paid much attention to this blog, with the last post being almost a month ago.

Anyway, during that time I got the E30's water pump installed, the E21 got new brake pads and clutch master/slave and I bought a new Weber 38/38 kit for the Baur. Quite a spendy month...

The touring should be on its way from Bentonville, AR to Atlanta this week, where it will be stored until I figure out what to do with it.

On a more positive note, I attended two events with the Schwarz '02. On 2/15 I went to the annual big old car show at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, and on 2/22 I went to Ponce for an informal meet with (mostly) old-skool BMW owners.

Here's a pic from the San Juan show:

The white 2002 above was for sale for (GULP!) $13K!! I would've walked home if anyone had given me $10K for mine.

Here's a pic from the gathering at La Guancha. About 40 cars assisted, including 13 '02's. It was good to see so many together, and we plan to continue meeting every six to eight weeks on different places throughout the island.

The Mintgrun car used to be mine and is now owned by Luis Carlos of Patillas, who did a great job bringing it back to a very nice condition. My '02 is the second one, and the third car (also Schwarz) is in pristine condition, and is owned by a gentleman from Mayaguez.

Well, that's it for now! I will try to update this more frequently, but can't promise anything. Thanks for reading my blog!

The 1976 2002

2009-01-28T11:00:00.006-04:00

As promised on the first post, I will be posting some details on each of my cars as time permits.

The one I've owned the longest is the '76 2002. Bought it back in 1991 for $1500, needing bodywork. The original color was Mintgrun, but in 1992 I went forward with a color change to Schwarz black and a total restoration.

After that restoration in '92 I have constantly made changes to it. The car is by no means stock, and, at this moment has the following:

Eibach springs and Bilstein Sport shocks
14" BBS wheels from an E30 325is and Yokohama tires
Weber 38/38 carb
tii exhaust manifold
tii brake booster and master cylinder
Delco 100 amp alternator
Five speed tranny conversion from a 320i
Recaro seats from a 320is (upholstered in '92 and again in 2008)
Custom-made carpet set
Reupholstered door panels with 2002 Luxus door pockets
BMW E24 steering wheel
Front Kamei and rear Zender spoilers
Rear bumper from '68-'70 2002 (no front bumper)
Italian-market amber/clear front turn signals
Hella 1000 driving lights
Hella H4 headlights

Here are a few pics (the Hella 1000's had not been installed when they were taken):

Here goes nothing!

2009-01-25T13:48:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my blog!

I will try to keep a record here of my adventures as an owner of several older BMW's. I bought my first one, a 1970 1600-2, back in 1978, and have always owned at least one since then. I currently live in Puerto Rico, but travel frequently to the US mainland, so my hobby has taken roots there also.

Our stable currently includes:

1976 2002 - Bought this one in sad condition back in 1991 and did a complete restoration back in '92. Still looks decent, and I continually am doing mods to it. Hope to be able to repaint it again soon. This one is in Puerto Rico.
1972 2000tii touring - I just got this one (January 2009) and it needs a total restoration. If it were a regular 2002 it might be better as a parts car, but being that it's a touring AND a tii, I will try to bring it back to life. It might be years before this happens, though. The car is currently in Arkansas.
1981 Baur 320/6 - This one lives at my daughter's in Atlanta. Bought it in June 2008 and is in decent, but not concours condition. Currently getting all the mechanical work taken care of at Carma Motorsports in Atlanta (brakes, timing belt, tune up). This is a fun car to use on my frequent trips to the ATL.
1982 320i - This car has been in the family for four years. Needs paint, but the mechanicals are in great condition. Used by my son as a daily driver here in Puerto Rico.
1986 325 - Previously used by my daughter for college here in Puerto Rico, we sold it when she moved to Atlanta, but bought it back in 2008. It is automatic and is also a daily driver.
1993 325i - This one is also automatic and is my daughter's daily driver.

I will provide info on each of the above rides as I go along on this blog. In the meantime, thanks for checking it out!