Newbie finds 1968 2000CS stored 22 years

Stock or modify / rallye car?

  • Keep it stock, get it running, just drive it?

    Votes: 42 72.4%
  • Modify / vintage rallye / cut and weld / high perform?

    Votes: 16 27.6%

  • Total voters
    58

TWHansen

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Now the toughest part: do I perform a 'sympathetic' restoration to stock or should I drop the bumpers, strip the interior and start a vintage / rallye race project? I am truly on the fence here - help me out! Here is a link to my photobucket sight which should work:
http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j461/1968bmw

Sorry for the short-story introduction; just had to get that off my chest.
Regards,
Rob Holland


My Craigslist el cheapo 2000 CS came without a front bumper, and that's about all the incentive I needed to put me in the "vintage rally style" camp for my project. Also, my interior has been destroyed by weather and vermin.

Yours...is nicer than mine. All the same, awesomeness:



4799772710_e6da0d2145.jpg
 

rdholland

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This is unbelievable - I found another one!

O.K, I've been quiet for months and even advertised my white 68 on local Craigslist, which some of you caught and posted last August on here. I was embarrassed because I did not know how to proceed and I am a long way from any specific help. So I don't know how everything is supposed to even look exactly. The whole time my 2000CS has been on jack stands in the garage and I have just kind of continued to do research.

Now, skipping all the smaller details, I was contacted by a man locally who saw my Craigslist ad a few months back and has had a 1967 2000C in the family since 1970. His brother seized the engine withing a few years of getting it and it has sat for about 35+ years on his property. I went and viewed that car last week, to use as a parts car and took delivery of it today, thanks to a friend who is willing to teach me how to break it all down and and cut metal and weld properly.

The car has the original Blaupunkt radio, Talbot mirror, nearly perfect belt line and body side trim and a couple of parts in the engine compartment I have never even seen in pictures.

So, meet the 'swamp thing'. I am going over to start in on it in about 15 minutes. What are the freaking odds of this and now what am I going to do?:?:
Cheers,
Rob
 

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rdholland

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Rob,this car was clearly ahead of its time ...even has run flat tyres ! :)

I actually aired them up tonight and they held air! I could not believe it, after sitting I believe for 37 years. The spare in the trunk is the original tire, made in Germany. I cleaned out all of the trash and pressure washed the car tonight, leaving it all open overnight to air out. More pics to come. I took the Talbot mirror off tonight. Each step will be a learning experience and that will be the most fun part.
 

Peter Coomaraswamy

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Just a thought, why don't you make it stock, maybe wheel/tire/suspension upgrade and then paint it like a rally car I think that would please the masses!
 

CSteve

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I just added my vote(remember Mayor Daley, "Vote early, vote often") to keeping it stock. Finding a second one means bad Karma if you Rallybob it.

You are one lucky coupe owner by my standards.
 

rdholland

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Stripping the donor car - unbelievable!

The green donor car is now completely stripped and I have to say that this has been an exhausting and mind-blowing experience. It is really hard work! The opportunity to have done this has given me the base I need to really begin to understand the 2000CS where I was stalled before because so much of it was a mystery. Only now do I really understand that it is possible to figure out how these things come apart and fit together.

I'll post some pics for anyone interested. As stated previously, I found very little to nothing on this process in the past that showed well documented pictures. I had never even found a picture of a properly removed front fender. I thought I should at least give the green donor car the legacy it deserves and show progress as it relates to parts for my white coupe.

The biggest part of this will be the rust repair of the front passenger fender and shock tower top. The shock tower "top" being the actual entire inner wheel well panel which forms the top ply of the shock tower. You guys tell me if I get to be redundant or if this stuff is not useful, please.

Here are some basic pics of the green car as it came apart. Now, one more thing that is important: Some of you are going to notice that the Green couple was a 'restorable' car. Well, in the right market, in the right hands I would agree with you. The white coupe is far better, given the extreme luck of the clean front fender panels from the green car, it is a no-brainer. Understand please that the green coupe was like a college degree in 2000 series coupes. I can't imagine what I would have ever done to duplicate that education. It served a great purpose and the more easily restorable white car will see the streets again, as a stock original example.

Cheers,
Rob
 

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rdholland

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More pics of donor car

Here are some more shots as the interior came out, you can see that the rear of the car was quite rusty.
 

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rdholland

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More photos of donor car

Here are some more interior and engine compartment. It is interesting that the man who gave me this car had the following history:
He bought the car in 1970 from an officer on base here in Anchorage, who obviously had moved the car up to Anchorage through the military. The man's brother took over driving the car shortly thereafter and "did not take care of the engine". I was told that it threw a rod and they parked it in the mid-late 70's and it was never touched again.

Sadly, the only thing wrong, from simple forensic evidence is that the drivers side motor mount was broken! It must have shook like a bad motor though. Unfortunately, there was no oil drain plug present so apparently, they drained the oil at the time and left it sit. This was a huge mistake as the engine rusted solid from the bottom clear up into the cam springs.

Here are some pics.
 

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rdholland

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Harvesting front fender panels, shock tower, etc.

Some progress pics of the front tear-down. This was done by taking it apart in whole panels. De-grease, aircraft paint stripper, torch out lead in seams, drill out spot welds. Here are some pics.
 

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HB Chris

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Rob,

When you're finished you will know a lot more about coupes than most of here. It looks like you have the skills and talent to resurrect the white coupe which is awesome, keep us posted on your progress. It also looks like you have some rare bits like the winter/summer air box and window washer bottle. Does it have the glass fuel filter bottle fitted to the firewall?

Chris
 

rdholland

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Rob,

When you're finished you will know a lot more about coupes than most of here. It looks like you have the skills and talent to resurrect the white coupe which is awesome, keep us posted on your progress. It also looks like you have some rare bits like the winter/summer air box and window washer bottle. Does it have the glass fuel filter bottle fitted to the firewall?

Chris

Chris, Here is a pic of the engine bay prior to pressure wash, which shows the fire wall mounted fuel filter. But, it is not glass, a pot-metal cast piece. I wondered about the winter/summer air box, having never seen one in any coupe pics before. The air box functions smoothly by hand. I thought I might media blast the parts and re-finish it to mount on my white coupe. Also, here is a pic of one of my favorite parts - the Blaupunkt radio. My coupe has an after market unit but no speaker grill in the wood dash so I am unsure about this. I want to mount the Blaupunkt in my white coupe but I reckon it did not come with a radio?

Rob
 

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HB Chris

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I have seen only one very early 2000C with what I think is a glass filter but could be mistaken. The air box is similar to a 2002 but all early NK cars had your style. That Blaupunkt is also very early and AM of course so would be correct for your coupe.
 

Peter Coomaraswamy

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I think that car has a beautiful shape. I especially like the headlamp shape. PLEASE keep posting pictures as you move along as I'm sure many of us are anxious to see how she turns out. I am surprised by the condition of the rear bumper in the donor car, it may be a testament to how many fewer rear end accidents occured before the advent of texting.

Thanks
 

rdholland

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Big reversal of plans here

Well, this is a tough post to write. I have made a very difficult choice to give up on my plans to restore the white 2000CS. I just live in the wrong state for this and do not have the skills to do restoration body work myself. I will be selling the car and all the additional parts from the donor car. If need be, I will simply part out the little white coupe. :sad:

I have learned a lot and no knowledge gained is worthless. It's also been fun to hang out on this forum from time to time, some really great cars and people on here.

I will post in the appropriate places to sell the stuff. I appreciate any advice I can get on the best way to go about this. I'm not too sure on whether to use eBay or just stick with the forum.

Regards,
Rob Holland
 
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