Buy this BMW 2002 and Become the Coolest Babysitter

The car: 1974 BMW 2002

Price: $42,500

Location: Sun Valley, California, USA

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As a child, my babysitter drove one of those foreign jobs that was much smaller than Mom’s Buick Estate wagon behemoth. It had a manual transmission, seatbelts that were awkward to buckle, and a turn signal indicator in the dashboard that blinked the same whether you were turning left or right – just like the Volkswagen that my buddy Stephan’s mom drove. I didn’t know it at the time, but Cassie, my babysitter, drove a BMW 2002.

When BMW introduced their Neue Klasse of sedans for 1962, the brand was trying to re-establish its reputation after rough patches in the 1950s. The engineers settled on a unibody structure with independent rear suspension, giving the new 1500 four-door sedan the basis that would evolve into the slightly smaller 1600-2 two-door for 1966. With a two-liter four from the sedan, the new 2002 two-door debuted in 1968 as a tossable, willing sports sedan that was at odds with the cars on American roads at the time. However, it was the impetus of the BMW formula as we know it today–the same formula that every brand seemingly emulates today.

Indeed, the 2002 made such an impact with driving-oriented enthusiasts that it continues to enjoy a vibrant place in the hobby today. Many folks upgrade their 2002s for more modern performance capabilities, but few are likely to have been modified to the degree of this 1974 2002 on eBay. It is #11 of a series that tuner Manofied Racing has modified with a balanced and blueprinted 2.7-liter “M20” six-cylinder (from the first-gen 3-series) and a turbocharger. Pretty much everything else on this Bimmer has been upgraded as well, from the suspension and brakes to the body and interior. For $42,500, you could buy a brand-new Bimmer and get free oil changes, or you could go back to where it all began and be the coolest babysitter in the neighborhood.

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Petrolicious makes no claim as to the accuracy of the information contained in the car’s original listing, nor will it be held responsible for any errors in said information. If you’re interested in this car, do your homework and research it extensively before you buy.