Car of the Month

April 2009

Finally after years of arm-twisting good friend: -

Jeremy Browne's 2002 Cabriolet

Want to see your 02 featured here? Email me any 02, any condition richstern@hotmail.com.

BMW 467L "BORIS" has been part of the family for 27 years, too long I hear you say. Purchased whilst out with a gril friend in Chester from a garage called Chester Chariots where I part exchanged a Morris Minor convertible. The deal was struck and then on the 3 rd day of ownership the oil boiled. The car was then taken to Olympus Engineering in Shaftesbury, the owner a David Plimmer was also restoring an Aston Martin Vatage owned by Georgie Fame.

Boris under went 2 years having the engine completely rebuilt with genuine parts and a full inner and outer wings sills and floor replacement. I was in the Royal Navy so kept going away to sea for 9 months at a time which was perfect to allow Booris to have new life put into him.

Over the many years of ownership the car has been treated to various upgrades to allow it to compete with the demands of the modern roads and motorways as follows :
* Full body restoration to include all inner wings , bonnet, boot, floor , petrol tank door skins, full photographic record of the work carried out.
* Full respray twice in its life by CJ body refinishers whom specialise in CSLs and the older bmw.

* Uprated suspention to include TII callipers front legs and lowered ebach springs all round.
* New rubbers as required.
* 5 speed gearbox from an E21 with new clutch and associated master/slave cylinders.

* Strut brace front and rear for stability and improved tyre ware.
* Engine rebuilt to include flat top pistons, webber carbureter, genuine bmw inlet manifold (very rare). Unleaded, petrol king fitted and stainless steel exhaust by Jaymic. Magnet technology fitted and spark enhancers by Rolls royce, performance coil and contactless ignition by moblec.

* Mohair hood with new fibre glass centre section from Jaymic, saves your back.
* Half connolly hide leather with original 70s dogtooth inlay to all the seats by Larry Piper and sons of The Haynes Motor Mueseum, Red collection..
* Liquid Ice of Yeovil did the Pioneer Alpine stereo fit with remote control, you need to have clear music. A custom made sound box was fitted to the boot area, all sound proofed.

* New wilton made to measure carpets through out and centre console completed in a leather dotted design. Carpeted boot and specially made raised spare wheel area to accomodate the 5 th Alloy wheel.
* 5 alloy wheels 14 inch with 185 x 60 x 14 profile by performance, with Avon to the front and Yokahama to the rear and spare.

Featured in 2002 in Total BMW the editors had been after me for years and I said come back in 2002 and they did in Jan.

Also signed by Patrick Head of Williams F1 fame whom said he had done his early engineering days on the 02 and believed it to be one of the best cars bmw ever made.

Featured in a hard back book on classic bmws and has toured the show circuit for many years. This car was also on display at The NEC in Nov 2007 for all to see with the BMW CAR CLUB.