BMW 2002tii
Encyclopedia
The BMW 2002tii was the high performance, fuel injected
, limited edition of BMW
's 2002 automobile
model line. It was a two door sports sedan based on the four door BMW 1500 of 1961.
and was produced from 1968 to 1976.
German BMW importer Max Hoffman
is credited for the car's creation. He had suggested to BMW's engineering director that a 2.0 L engine should be installed into the small two-door 1600-2 to improve performance and emissions
. The engineering director argued that the larger motor would not fit, but Hoffman countered that it certainly would fit; if he refused to put the motor in, Hoffman would personally take a car with the new engine to Georg Meier
, a famous motorcycle racer, for installation. Almost immediately, this brought action, and the resulting 2002 (named after the new motor's displacement) was popular in its first year on sale stateside.
BMW's 2002 Series is credited for inventing the category for compact sporting sedans, a category widely popular now through models from various German, Japanese and American makes of small 2-door sedans with high performance engines, suspensions and aggressive sports car
-like features.
Since the last U.S. tii's were made in 1974, finding one in good shape without owner modifications has grown increasingly difficult. This is especially true considering the tii's mechanical uniqueness and the cost of replacement parts. Furthermore, since the 2002 is a "tinkerer's car," many owners have upgraded their regular 2002s with tii hardware to increase performance. Likewise, tii owners sometimes strip their cars of original tii items, such as the Kugelfischer
mechanical fuel injection system in favor of cheaper (but not necessarily better) carburetor
s. These factors can cause some confusion for a prospective tii buyer.
is found on the metal plate under the hood, on top of the inner fender, behind the upper shock mount on the right side. It is in plain view, and should be easy to spot. On this plate, it will identify the car as a 2002 TII for 1972-73 cars. 1974 cars share the same identification plate as the standard 2002, so the plate will read 2002/2002tii USA. The VIN is the long number which is stamped into that plate.
For 1972-1973 U.S. tiis, the VIN will begin with 276, running from 2760001 (the first '72) to 2764522 (the last '73). 1974 tii's begin with 278, running from 2780001 to 2782929. This number should match the number stamped into the flange on the right front wheel housing itself, next to the fender, behind the hood lock bar, as well as the number stamped into the metal plate on top of the steering column. If the car still has its original engine block, the engine number
on the block, above the starter mounting flange, will match the VIN.
and top end power. The lower front aluminum engine timing cover and alternator mounting location are different from a normal 2002, as well. tii's also have an extra fitting on the intake side of the engine block for an injection pump oil return line as well as an extra fitting on the oil filter head for the injection pump oil feed line. Look for a complete, intact fuel injection system when identifying an original tii.
An original E12
2002tii cylinder head (late '72-'74 model year) has no fuel pump mounting holes on it for a standard 2002 mechanical fuel pump. 121/121TI head equipped '72 tiis have standard mounting holes, but the center pushrod hole is plugged. The fuel pump mounting holes are used to mount the intake plenum on '72 cars.
The tii has larger front brake discs, which measure 10.08 inches (256 mm) in diameter vs. 9.45 in (240 mm) for the standard 2002. These are accompanied by larger calipers and pads, as well as larger hubs and spindles. The rear drums are the same size as a normal 2002, but the wheel cylinders are larger (17 mm vs. 15 mm). In the rear, the trailing arms of tii are boxed, for increased stiffness (instead of the standard C-section).
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
, limited edition of BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
's 2002 automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
model line. It was a two door sports sedan based on the four door BMW 1500 of 1961.
Background
The BMW 2002 series is important in the history of BMW for several reasons, not the least of which it brought the company out of near bankruptcy in the 1960s and put BMW as a marque on the map in the United States. It was the ancestral grandfather to the BMW 3 SeriesBMW 3 Series
The BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in five different generations and in no less than five different body styles. It is BMW's best-selling model, accounting for around 30% of the...
and was produced from 1968 to 1976.
German BMW importer Max Hoffman
Max Hoffman
Max Hoffman, , was an Austrian-born importer of automobiles into the United States during the 1950s. Doing business among gentlemen who knew one another well, he was known for his handshake deals that always were upheld without a written contract...
is credited for the car's creation. He had suggested to BMW's engineering director that a 2.0 L engine should be installed into the small two-door 1600-2 to improve performance and emissions
Motor vehicle emissions
Motor vehicle emissions are composed of the by-products that comes out of the exhaust systems or other emissions such as gasoline evaporation...
. The engineering director argued that the larger motor would not fit, but Hoffman countered that it certainly would fit; if he refused to put the motor in, Hoffman would personally take a car with the new engine to Georg Meier
Georg Meier
Georg Meier was a German motorcycle racer famous for being the first foreign winner of the prestigious Senior TT the Blue Riband race of the Isle of Man TT Races in 1939 riding for the factory BMW team and the first motor-cycle racer to lap a Grand Prix course at over 100mph.-Biography:Meier was...
, a famous motorcycle racer, for installation. Almost immediately, this brought action, and the resulting 2002 (named after the new motor's displacement) was popular in its first year on sale stateside.
BMW's 2002 Series is credited for inventing the category for compact sporting sedans, a category widely popular now through models from various German, Japanese and American makes of small 2-door sedans with high performance engines, suspensions and aggressive sports car
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
-like features.
Overview
The 2002tii is considered by many to be the most desirable '02 produced by BMW and imported to the United States. Compared to a standard 2002, a tii offers greater performance and overall value. Thus, a 2002tii is usually worth more, and therefore, more highly touted.Since the last U.S. tii's were made in 1974, finding one in good shape without owner modifications has grown increasingly difficult. This is especially true considering the tii's mechanical uniqueness and the cost of replacement parts. Furthermore, since the 2002 is a "tinkerer's car," many owners have upgraded their regular 2002s with tii hardware to increase performance. Likewise, tii owners sometimes strip their cars of original tii items, such as the Kugelfischer
Kugelfischer
Kugelfischer is the name for a mechanical fuel injection pump. It was produced by FAG Kugelfischer and later by Robert Bosch GmbH...
mechanical fuel injection system in favor of cheaper (but not necessarily better) carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
s. These factors can cause some confusion for a prospective tii buyer.
Specifications
- Engine: 4 CylinderStraight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
- Valve linkage: SOHC, 2 valve/cylinder
- Displacement: 1990 cm³
- Power: 130 hp (97 kW) at 5800 rpm
- Torque: 130 ft·lbf (176 N·m) at 4500 rpm
- Gearbox: 4 speed manualManual transmissionA manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
- Top speed: 118 mph (190 km/h)
- 0-60 mph: 9.8 s
- Weight: 1010 kg (2225 lbs)
- Length / Width / Height: 4216 mm (166 in) / 1626 mm (64 in) / 1410 mm (55.5 in)
- Wheelbase / Track (front/rear): 2497 mm (98.3 in) / 1372 mm (54 in) / 1372 mm (54 in)
Identifying a 2002tii
The tii model has the following differences over a regular BMW 2002:- 1972-1973 US 2002tii VINs begin with 276
- 1974 US 2002tii VINs begin with 278
- KugelfischerKugelfischerKugelfischer is the name for a mechanical fuel injection pump. It was produced by FAG Kugelfischer and later by Robert Bosch GmbH...
mechanical fuel injection - Alternator mounted down low, under battery
- Oil return line in block for injection pump, feed line in oil filter head
- Larger brake booster
- 23 mm master cylinder
- 17.46 mm (11/16") diameter (rear) wheel cylinders
- Larger 10.08 in (256 mm) diameter front brakes, larger calipers/pads
- Larger front hubs and spindles
- Boxed rear semi-trailing arms
- Larger diameter exhaust manifold
- Interior clock
- "2002tii" emblem on rear body panel
VIN information
The vehicle identification numberVehicle identification number
A Vehicle Identification Number, commonly abbreviated to VIN, is a unique serial number used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles. VINs were first used in 1954...
is found on the metal plate under the hood, on top of the inner fender, behind the upper shock mount on the right side. It is in plain view, and should be easy to spot. On this plate, it will identify the car as a 2002 TII for 1972-73 cars. 1974 cars share the same identification plate as the standard 2002, so the plate will read 2002/2002tii USA. The VIN is the long number which is stamped into that plate.
For 1972-1973 U.S. tiis, the VIN will begin with 276, running from 2760001 (the first '72) to 2764522 (the last '73). 1974 tii's begin with 278, running from 2780001 to 2782929. This number should match the number stamped into the flange on the right front wheel housing itself, next to the fender, behind the hood lock bar, as well as the number stamped into the metal plate on top of the steering column. If the car still has its original engine block, the engine number
Engine number
-Automobiles:Every vehicle engine is marked with an engine number by the factory. The engine number includes coded information, which can be decoded to reveal information such as year of manufacture, country of manufacture, and engine type.-Trains:...
on the block, above the starter mounting flange, will match the VIN.
Fuel injection
The Kugelfischer injection system is the tii's distinctive feature, and along with the higher compression ratio the Kugelfischer gives it a combination of midrange torqueTorque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
and top end power. The lower front aluminum engine timing cover and alternator mounting location are different from a normal 2002, as well. tii's also have an extra fitting on the intake side of the engine block for an injection pump oil return line as well as an extra fitting on the oil filter head for the injection pump oil feed line. Look for a complete, intact fuel injection system when identifying an original tii.
An original E12
BMW E12
The BMW E12 BMW 5-Series was made between 1972 and 1981. The E12 was the first series to bear the 5 Series name: the '5' denoting BMW's fifth 'New Class' platform. Designed as a replacement for the popular BMW New Class mid-size sedan, the E12 5-Series models were smaller than the large BMW E3...
2002tii cylinder head (late '72-'74 model year) has no fuel pump mounting holes on it for a standard 2002 mechanical fuel pump. 121/121TI head equipped '72 tiis have standard mounting holes, but the center pushrod hole is plugged. The fuel pump mounting holes are used to mount the intake plenum on '72 cars.
Brakes
Under the hood, the tii has a larger diameter (23 mm vs. 20 mm) master cylinder, and a longer brake booster; look for the larger master cylinder when verifying that the car is the tii model. This larger booster is 6 inches (152 mm) long and 7 inches (178 mm) in diameter.The tii has larger front brake discs, which measure 10.08 inches (256 mm) in diameter vs. 9.45 in (240 mm) for the standard 2002. These are accompanied by larger calipers and pads, as well as larger hubs and spindles. The rear drums are the same size as a normal 2002, but the wheel cylinders are larger (17 mm vs. 15 mm). In the rear, the trailing arms of tii are boxed, for increased stiffness (instead of the standard C-section).