How a BMW 1502 winters in Germany
Normally, a winter garden is used to overwinter plants that wouldn’t survive the winter outdoors in our region. However, a BMW engineer from Gelting near Munich has demonstrated that the glass structure can also protect BMW history. Hubert, a team leader and development engineer at BMW M, had been searching for a classic car for a long time when he found a 1976 BMW 1502 on E-Bay Kleinanzeigen with the help of a work colleague’s tip.
400 hours of restoration
Although the car was nearly destined for the scrap yard due to engine failure and severe corrosion, Hubert purchased it immediately without hesitation. Following this, the BMW 1502 underwent an eventful restoration process. The car was dismantled and sent to Poland in January 2020 for paint stripping, welding, and repainting. Despite the pandemic, the body of the car was only returned to Bavaria in October 2021 after being reworked from the ground up.
Hubert then began restoring the entire vehicle with the help of colleagues from BMW M and BMW Classic, as well as other motorsport enthusiasts. Repairing and acquiring parts that were no longer available, such as a suitable clutch, posed a significant challenge. He invested almost 400 hours of work, while his friends and colleagues contributed a further 200 hours. Finally, in April 2022, the freshly restored yellow BMW 1502 was back on the roads around Munich, having already completed a longer trip of around 100 kilometers. Larger tours are planned for 2023.
However, one last issue needed to be addressed: a storage location for the newly restored classic car. He quickly converted his conservatory into a classic car garage, providing the BMW 1502 with a dry and visually appealing winter home.
As a refresher, the BMW 1502 is a compact two-door sedan produced from 1975 to 1977. It was part of the BMW “02 Series” and was the forerunner of the first BMW 3 Series generation (E21). The 1502 was powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 75 horsepower, which was enough to propel the car from 0 to 60 mph in around 14 seconds. It was available with a four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic transmission. One of the unique features of the BMW 1502 was its interior, which had a minimalist design with a black dashboard, black vinyl seats, and simple console. [Photos posted with the owner’s permission]
[Photos posted with the owner’s permission]