Prior Owner and rust...

[wings&wheels]

I bought a BMW 2002 for my Wife a year+ ago. I drove one when we first met. It is an amazingly original, well maintained and almost rust free Southern car. The interior is a 44+ year old time warp down to the original carpet with no appreciable wear except for the heel pad area. The dash has only a few thin cracks. Underhood is similarly original and, except for the removal of some of the early emissions components, unimproved. Whoever maintained this car for the prior owner knew what they were doing and stuck to originality as much as possible.

Underside is great with no rot in the rockers, wheel wells, spare well, etc., but there was a rust perforation in the driver's side passenger footwell. Carefully removing the original flooring revealed a water line where water had pooled and soaked the floor. The leak must have been repaired at some point because there are no major leaks now...not a problem as this is now her run around town, nice weather toy.

There was a very long term owner before me. What baffles me is how can someone maintain the car as carefully and properly as it was, but not notice this letting it get bad enough to perforate the floor? Just can't understand it. I've learned to stop guessing PO logic.


The floor is now repaired...

 

[Leo99]

Wow, that's some garage you have!

 

[SatinSilver]

How about some pics of the 2002.

 

[wings&wheels]

Originally Posted by Leo99
Wow, that's some garage you have!


Thanks, I'm an addict with an enabling Wife who likes fast cars....

 

[Railrust]

Honestly you said you removed the carpet carefully. I'd say right there, that is your answer. Most will never remove a carpet no matter how meticulous they are. They may not have even known they had the leak.

And you said drivers side? I don't know how bad the leak appeared to be but I know with my cars/trucks, the driver's side footwell takes most abuse (by far). In the winter I can only imagine how much water from my feet get into the carpet and onto the actual flooring...never really gave it a thought...maybe I should?

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted by SatinSilver
How about some pics of the 2002.

Definitely. Pictures please!!!

 

[wings&wheels]

You are probably right, but I'd imagine that there would be some mildew smell. This issue was in the rear footwell, so if passengers rarely sat there you may not notice….

I am trying to find an original wheel (w working horn buttons) or the period BMW Sport wheel, this Momo I put on for now is close to the Sport wheel and looks contemporary though. I also have a NIB set of 1970's Marchal driving lights that I may mount above the bumper, but these are also period Cibie's and I may just mount them rearward a bit to look better and give them more protection. This is still a work in process.

I'd forgotten how much fun these were to drive. They were way ahead of their time, compared to most other cars of the era. These still drive and, especially, stop well compared to a contemporary car.

Pics by request:

 

[Michael_P]

WOW! Very nice!

 

[wings&wheels]

Engine room pic, thankfully un 'improved':

 

[wtd]

It's easy to miss stuff like that. My 98 1 ton truck leaks in the passenger side foot well and you would never know it. I just happened to find it when I replaced the carpet and there was surface rust on the floor and the underside of the carpet was wet. There was no mildew smell either.

It still leaks and I've tried to find out where, most likely the cowl because that is where a lot of them leak. I also use all Husky liners all weather mats over the carpet so I would never know it leaked if I already didn't know.