Marc West’s Round Rear Light Black Tii

Fell in love with 02′s as a kid when my bothers mate steve took me for a 100mph blast in his black 02. roundie affectionaly known as “Hank” thought it was the coolest car ever, i knew i’d have to get one, one day!

This is my 2nd 02, the 1st being a 73 tii which the insurance took away after it was shunted outside my house (pleased to say, its back on the road, saw it on ebay a few times a while back, have you come across it RLM 162L?? ) it was blue with bbs wheels an a webasto roof, loved it!

HGN196K  a 1972 tii came to me about 8yrs ago with the plan of building my dream car, she came with a book of receipts for an engine rebuild at jaymics only a few yrs previous, fell in love an started work. the more i stripped and probed the more rot i found, floors, sills, arches,  front chassis rails front panel, bulkhead etc etc found a local welder who was going to cut out all rot and weld in fresh metal. well, what a mess…

All the work he did  was piss poor to say the least!! at this point i started to look for another shell but couldnt find anything suitable, so in for a penny! at least i’d know all the rot was gone, ended up having the whole shell blasted back to metal and found some ford guys down in somerset to do a proper job. front floors were replaced, inner and outer sills, rear quater repairs, literally have to be made up due to lack of original metal! At the same time i had strengthening added to the refabricated chasis rails at the bulkhead, all waist trim holes welded up and rear arches extended using a new set of arches with some extra metal let in.

Rear arches then lead loaded, the old fashion way! want this car to last. waxoyld everywhere,

Car has had spax springs and shocks fitted all round, lowered a couple of inches,all suspension bushes polybushed. brake system refurbed, rebuilt servos, callipers, cylinders, new pipes, braided hoses etc stainless jaymic exhaust, k+n filter .

all seals. rubber replaced , tinted glass, battery re/sited to boot. original bumper welded and re chromed with early short corners(no rubbers)

She sits on genuine ronal alpina alloys from an e21, staggered 15×6 front and 15×7 rear.took me 2 years to find and got them from Germany, requiring refurb!  ouch!!

She has bmw recaros again i believe from an e21. the car is soon to have a 5 speed e21 box fitted when i get round to it as current box is dying, the car is an ongoing project and probably will never be finished………  leather retrim . m3 engine conversion.. who knows?

I would describe my 02 as a custom, its not to the purists tastes, i’ll admit.

but i built this car for me, the way i like it anyway, taken me 8yrs so far, but  thats nothing compared to how long ive been planning it!  she is a hoot to drive and gets nods everywhere and i love it!

Cheers for your interest and keep 02′ing.

Marc West.

Enjoy;

March 2013

Alpina Works Car – Barn Find 

I had to re-run this feature for the March COTM. I found a genuine Alpina Works car in the UK, it’s a 2002 Ti 1969 and been standing for 40 years.

The story goes Alpina brought it to the UK and raced it at Silverstone, the car broke down after 3 laps, Alpina didn’t want to take it back to Germany and sold it to a guy called John Stanton of North London, there’s press cuttings and written history about it’s history from Alpina even with a letter from Burkard Bovensiepen stating it’s genuine complete with chassis numbers. It still has the scructineering tags tied to the gear lever.

It has the original close ratio steering box and original 200 Bhp engine (not currently located with the car), as you can see it has the correct extra dash gauges (VDO) with red needles and correct Alpina 3-spoke steering wheel. Rear half roll cage, several long leg diff’s of different ratios, vended discs (front) and twin 45 carbs. The car was dismantled and looks solid, loads of parts are boxed and scattered around the owners garage, mostly ceased and rusting of course. As it’s an early car it’s got rear drums and not discs, its been back to Alpina in 1970 for an engine rebuild, but sadly not moved in the last 40 years.

Originally I was notified of this car well over ten years ago when a guy approached me at the Ally Pally classic car show and told me he had an Alpina. Obviously I was skeptical, and it took him over ten years to contact me again, I’m amazed he kept my details and an odd call out the blue invited me round to see his “02” at first I didn’t even realise who or what it was, until I turned up one evening, and didn’t sleep for days.

I made a substantial offer for it, but sadly so has someone else he knows and I was out-bid. It needs to be correctly restored and shown, this is not a car for concours and I suspect will end up at Auction if I don’t get it – what a shame as I’d give me right arm (left in this case) for it. I’ll keep you posted as I know who now owns it, but in the meantime it was a very welcome surprise and what a find!

Extended Key and controls as drivers seat is further back than usual

More images here;

http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q256/richstern/Alpina%20Works%20Car/

February 2013

Starting with Geoff’s lovely 2002, also For Sale

1974 2002 (tii badge is a ruse! Not my idea, must have been previous owner)

2L four pot with dual weber carbs and a stainless abarth exhaust. There is also an extra oil cooler in the front. It goes like stink, can’t remember the BHP but think 135 on one piece of paper I have in the file.

Bought it from Schaefer BMW in Idstein in Germany when I used to live over there who are also a McLaren specialist so it was in good hands. Car was originally Swiss and at some point got a new motor back in ‘84 I believe.

E21 cross spoke alloys were my addition with Continental tyres.

It’s a left hooker which I would not like in a modern car, but it is so narrow and there is so much glass in it, it has never been a problem and I can lean across to the other side or middle of cockpit for perfect vision.

Has been maintained in London by George at TECHNOSPORT whose other hobby is a ground-up built racing M3 E46, so it has been in good hands… http://www.technosport.co.uk/racing/e46.html

Blue vinyl interior, nice carpets rust free throughout. When I bought it they recoated the underside with the black stuff (not Guinness).

Insurance for a left hand drive never been a problem, got classic insurance through RH Classic for about 130 quid a year!

Serious enquiries contact: +44 789 425 7759 or Email: gmccave@expedia.com