Mark Cartechine 1974 BMW 2002Tii
BMW has been an automotive legend since its creation back in 1916. Almost everyone across the world has associated that German acronym with luxury and performance. The 2002 was a landmark car for the German company with its introduction in 1968. This car sealed their reputation for serious, driver-focused cars.
Owner: Mark Cartechine
Socials: @carts2wheels
‘62 1500
In 1962, the German auto manufacturer unveiled the BMW 1500. This four-door, compact executive sedan set many standards for what would come off a BMW assembly line in the future. It came stock with their M10, a 1.5L, 80 horsepower at 5,700 RPM, inline-4 power beast. While the M10 motor sounds incapable, this engine was known for its durability and would even become turbocharged and power Formula 1 cars. It was a single-overhead-camshaft (SOHC) setup. It only came paired with a 4-speed manual transmission as a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sedan. The suspension setup wasn’t mirrored front to back, with the front having independent MacPherson struts and coil springs, and the rear being an independent semi-trailing arm with coil springs. It came with a now unique recirculating ball steering mechanism. It had fairly impressive brakes with a disc setup in the front and drums in the rear.
This car was also the first glimpse of the modern variation of their iconic “kidney grille” design. While the two individual side-by-side grilles had been around since the 1933 BMW 303 and also seen in the 1950s BMW 501 and 502, the smaller, more front fascia-oriented kidney grille setup was introduced in the BMW 1500. This car also came with a whole new front look and large circular headlights as seen in the 2002 model and E30 generation.
8 Years From the 1600 to the 2002Tii
Production of the 1500 ended in 1964, and the 1600 and 1800 series BMW picked up in ’64 and ’63, respectively. Eventually, in 1968, the BMW 2002 was a direct descendant of the 1600-2 BMW in the mid-1960s. The 2002 came when their engineers saw potential for a more powerful and lightweight 2-door sports car by putting in a 2.0L engine in place of the weaker 1.5L. Eventually, in 1971, after the 2002 established itself in German and American markets, they were ready to unveil their sport and performance variant.
The BMW 2002Tii was part of the BMW 02 Series of cars but eventually laid the foundation for the 3-Series. The Touring International, Injected (Tii), had a mechanically fuel-injected 2.0L inline-four. This specific feature, with a model year 1974, was still equipped with the M10 from before, but now as a 130 horsepower SOHC engine, paired to either a 4-speed manual or a rare 5-speed manual. It had a similar suspension setup to the 1500, with independent struts and springs in the front and semi-trailing arms in the rear.
This year and trim had small exterior changes. The United States market saw the federally mandated 5-mph impact bumpers, which broke up the design but not by much. It was very close aesthetically to the 1500 but just modernized by a decade of auto design trends. The 1974 2002Tii continued the refined look of the kidney grille, as well as its prominent circular headlights. The shape of this car was iconically 1970s, with sharp lines and a boxy form.
M. Cartechine
Mark Cartechine found this car all the way out in Syracuse, NY. But prior to that, the 2nd owner of the car was based in Dunkirk, NY. This second owner reached out to Cartechine, whose name was on a BMW VIN list. At the time, it was wrecked and needed a new front end. The history between the car’s sale to the gentleman in Syracuse and Cartechine’s purchase is largely unknown.
The details of how Cartechine came to own the car are quite unique. At the time, Cartechine had listed a parts car on the BMW2002FAQ marketplace. Not long after, Cartechine received a phone call. With the website being fairly difficult to navigate and list on, Cartechine’s parts car listing was one of the only ones that provided photos. The individual who called was looking to get advice on how to upload his own photos for a car he was listing. The car’s owner ended up sending Cartechine photos of the car he was looking to sell.
Cartechine recalled, “We discussed the car he was selling, and I told him I was interested. We arrived at an agreement that he would send the pictures directly to me, and if I was not interested in the car, I would get online with him and teach him how to upload the pictures for his classified.”
That agreement was largely in vain, as the next weekend Cartechine took a scenic trip to Syracuse to purchase this 1974 BMW 2002Tii. “I still owe the 2nd owner a visit and a ride in the car,” Cartechine stated.
Tastefully Altered
Mechanically, this car has seen slight but tasteful modifications. The engine remains stock aside from the aluminum flywheel. However, the transmission has been swapped to a 5-speed manual from a BMW E21 3-Series. In the corners of the car, the suspension has been upgraded with H&R Sport Springs, ST Sway Bars (22F/19R), and Bilstein HD Shocks. The stopping power has been modified with stainless steel brake lines.
The aesthetics of this car remain just as impressive as the nameplate itself. It’s painted in BMW Atlantikblau (Atlantic Blue - BMW 041). The car has no window tint. The wheels on this classic rider are BMW BBS 14x6.5” +30mm Basketweaves fitted with Falken Azenis RT615K+ measuring 195/60. Inside, the cabin is as clean as ever. Installed is an aftermarket Nardi steering wheel, short throw shifter, Kooglewerks under-dash speakers paired with Rockford Fosgate speakers. It has a Kenwood head unit in the center.
A Drivers Car
Cartechine has put a lot of thought into how he would like to continue enhancing this car. He states his first order of business is removing the U.S. Department of Transportation-regulated bumpers and installing authentic European bumpers, along with adding the rain gutter and rocker panel trim. He’s considering some period-correct fog lights. More modestly, Cartechine would like to have the car repainted. For the interior, he wants to add rear speakers and perhaps a subwoofer setup with a modest amplifier.
