Bavaria Tour 2016

Celebrating 50 Years of the 02 and 30 Years of the German 02 Club

Bavaria Tour Drone Shot

We set off early on the Tuesday morning to Dover to catch a ferry to Calais. Once into France we headed to Belgium as quickly as we could due to the shortage of fuel in France. We managed to hook up with some Dutch 02’s at the services near Liege, soon after spotted them at another services doing some wheel arch modifications with a trolley jack (as the wheels were rubbing). An effortless drive of 463 miles to our overnight stay once again at the Landgasthaus Am Frauenstein, Hinterweidenthal (incidentally does good food and great breakfast) once refreshed we set off next morning on the second leg to Oberammegau.

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BT Cover

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We arrived Wednesday afternoon to the Ammergauer Haus after another 244 miles and signed in to collect our welcome pack and a nice model of the M10 engine block. It was great to see so many friends and faces. Outside the main meeting point was the superb 2002 Diana I saw in both 2002 and 2006.

We collected our registration papers, a nice model of the M10 engine block and checked in the hotel then met up with the other friends old and new for a well-earned cold German beer.

Thursday 02’s (and E3’s, CS, etc) were divided into two groups and each consisted of a different German-Austrian alpine route. Breath taking scenery, with classic BMW’s everywhere felt like we were back in the 1970’s. Check points included refreshments and a nice Mountain View lunch. Then we headed back in Oberammergau in the late afternoon down the alpine pass again, soaking up the scenery, alps and lakes, in time to get ready for the group dinner and evening entertainment in the Ammergauer Haus.

Friday was “BMW day“ and boy was I looking forward to that, in Munich of course. But first we headed off towards “new chateau” in Oberschleißheim where the 326 entries met for a fantastic collection. All the cars parked in front of the chateau and a overhead drone picture was taken (spot your 02 time) It must be one of the biggest 02 gatherings ever?

Then in various groups we headed off towards either the BMW Museum or BMW Classic, our team 188 got the Museum (which I’ve not done before so was looking forward to it). After a short drive into the centre of Munich we parked under the famous BMW cylinder building, oh my god what a great opportunity for a photo shoot. Then off we went around the Museum, and “wow” I was in heaven, the pictures speak for themselves and of course highlights for me was the classics and the stunning Florida Green 1600-2. It was also fantastic to see the history of BMW; the beautiful engine displays right up to the latest concept cars (they look better in the flesh than in print, so you must all go there once in your lifetime or more) With a drive back to Oberammergau to have dinner, along with live music from the band Dreisam.

Saturday was the reverse Alpine tour to the groups on the Thursday. Fantastic mountain pass climb in the car, it performed brilliantly. Near the final stages we missed a turn and up popped the GT4, so we followed that through the winding country lanes, only to be persued by the BMW Press team hanging out of the X5 filming us in hot pursuit of the GT4, it finished off our week incredibly, likely never to happen again great pictures and wow, what an event. Once back in Oberammegau it was back to the Ammergauer Haus for the festive buffet and evening entertained by our performers who will provide new surprises on the stage.

Hilaire O’Shea received the award for “Unluckiest Entrant” after his Touring had a stability issues even after John Hudson and Mark Gascoigne replaced the differential bushes one evening and never made the Alpine tours. Other disasters included a biker going into the front of a turbo on the alpine pass and the biker ending up in hospital (we wish everyone a speedy recovery).

Sunday was the traditional farewell breakfast, and start of the two-day drive back to Blighty. Weather was great until we got a few miles out from Oberammegau, the next two days were torrential rain and on the Sunday grid-locked roads due to festivals in German, a four hour trip actually took us eight hours. Finally exhausted we made the overnight stay again, a few well-earned beers and dinner.

Final day for us was heading back via Luxembourg and Belgium before France to catch the ferry home. Six countries in six days, with breath-taking scenery, cars, food and people.

I will say – now I am home, my car performed incredibly, only issue was slight miss-fire on the Sunday morning which was lose spark plug cap and sooted plugs (we were running rich and all week putting high octane fuel in (102 in one place), well the car did deserve it, we soon had that sorted. It was pushed and never let us down. Keeping up with modern traffic and thrown around alpine passes, it was FUN. We swapped over every several hours and not a single back ache, it was a total joy – what a car and there aren’t many classics that would have performed in these conditions, comfortable, fast and strong when required and Fun of course.

Statistics;

326 Total cars entered (900 people)

16 Nationalities

Oldest car 1963, newest 1977

45 Cabriolets (full convertibles) I didn’t know they made so many or ever seen so many

15 1600-2

11 Turbos

1 2002 GT4 (owned by BMW Classic)

Also 1600-GT’s, E3’s, 2000CS, Neu Klasse Saloons

Tail Pipe;

A big thank you to the German 02 Club and team, what a credit and fantastically organised week. I was there in 2002, 2006 and now the 50th love you guys and thanks again for one of the best weeks of my life and the lifetime of memories.

8 thoughts on “Bavaria Tour 2016”

  1. What a privalage to have shared the event and most of all the driving !
    What a great time
    I’ll remember it as long as I live
    Thanks Richard

    Reply
  2. Many thanks Richard for sharing your photos and experience. All looks and sounds wonderful – wish I had been there with my “Brenda”!
    TY

    Reply
  3. Thanks, Richard—great account of your travels. Debbie and I enjoyed seeing you there and wish we had taken more time to spend together. You should come visit us in Austin Texas some time!

    Reply
  4. Brilliant piccies Richard – incl. me and my car (Swiss VD registration)
    thanks so much – any more from anyone else much appreciated

    Allan Bussell Saffron Walden tel. 01799-501187
    [email protected]

    Reply
  5. HI Richard

    thanks for the photos and write up as it helped me overcome my disappointment that I could not be there with my 1502, which would have made it a rarity given the other various model numbers present

    Reply

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