A Day Spent Carving Corners In A Tweaked BMW 2002
http://www.petrolicious.com/a-day-spent-carving-corners-in-a-tweaked-bmw-2002
This, of course, is nothing new; high-performance cars have been too fast for public roads for quite some time now. Nevertheless, there seems to be no end to the constant upstaging amongst auto manufacturers or the public’s appetite for the outcome. Still, the old idea of driving a slow car fast seems more relevant today than ever before and none more so than with Radu Muntean’s 1971 BMW 2002.
Angular fender flares punctuate the car’s four corners, giving this once tame BMW a stubborn, combative stance. Yellow fog lights, Minilite wheels and aggressive front air dam fashion a narrative reminiscent of old European rally competitors. From the rear, the license plate reads, “STITCH”, a reference to the car’s distinctive petrol blue paint. Radu’s background in automotive design, coupled with his inherent flair for color and apparent fetish for Disney permeate through the car’s aesthetic—the results of which are impossible for me to resist.
Inside, it’s just the bare essentials: there is a wheel, shifter, two seats, a roll bar and not much else. The BMW jolts to life as the starter motor giving way to the unmistakable sound of its Bavarian engine.
Its transplanted E30 powertrain resonates through the mostly metallic cabin, sending energetic bursts of adrenaline to my fingertips; the unassisted steering becoming lighter as I depress the heavy accelerator pedal. Within moments, the intoxicating sound of the car’s unbaffled exhaust screams for second gear. I oblige, but the car wants more: third, fourth and fifth gears quickly follow. I feel like the conductor of a symphony of combustion. Its inline-six engine barks its way down Oak Knoll Avenue, no doubt a slight on Pasadena’s overly delicate sensibilities. Ahead, a red traffic light inspires rapid-fire downshifts, which in turn trigger car alarms to sound in protest. As the green light illuminates, I attack the intersection with a series of flat shifts at full throttle; the car responds in turn with a ferocity that, thankfully, dwarfs our actual speed. Finally out of the city, it’s time to hit the open road.
We travel north towards the Grapevine. The single overhead cam of its M20 engine incites a heavy right foot, but the lack of functional instrumentation leaves speed to wild speculation and my license susceptible to the short end of the law. Nevertheless, at this moment, the drive is so electrifying that all sense of restraint is quickly lost…is it me reaching for more speed or the car?
Four northbound lanes of Interstate gently make their way toward the Tejon Pass, but dark clouds hang above the verdant topography, casting ominous shadows against the Tehachapi Mountains ahead. As if on cue, the percussion of heavy rain pounds the horizontal planes of this little blue bomber. Rainwater is thankfully pushed away from the windscreen—the wipers don’t work, anyway. Inside, condensation builds quickly; in response I crack both windows open, although this only exchanges one annoyance for another, as droplets of water find their way to my shoulder and seat.
カーデザイナーの乗る車とは・・・
1971年式 BMW 2002であった。
70年代のヨーロピアンカーが好きだそうです。
ワイドフェンダー、ワイドホイール、M20エンジンスワップなどなど。
M20はBMW製の2リッター直6エンジンで、ノーマルで大体130馬力。
インジェクターなどいじっている模様。
駆動系もE30から流用っぽい。
軽い車体+そこそこのパワー+低いギア比で、最高速は出ないが峠では速い。
（ラリーマシンのような感じかな）
ホイールは、ワタナベ8スポークではなく、パナのフォーミュラワンのようなデザイン。
（スポークの断面形状が異なる）
この色、綺麗ですね。
日本車でつくるなら、510ブルベースだろうか。
峠は、小中排気量でパワーバンドを外さないように、ギアシフトして走らすのが楽しいですよね。
"If I was to pick between painting and drawing," says, Radu Muntean, "I'd have a hard time picking. It's like, 'Which kid do you like the best, your oldest or youngest?' I love them both."
A car designer by trade, Muntean's tastefully modified 1971 BMW 2002 is the mechanical expression of his passion for cars. Knowing early on that he wanted to be a car designer, the 2002 is an "uncommon" look that forced Muntean to spend some more time with the Bavarian coupé in order to truly fall in love with it. "It's not a super fast car," he says, "but it's a loud, fun, super quick car."
Ever Wonder What A Car Designer Drives?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz1cVnyFzvI
シャンパンゴールドと記事の2002。（青は比較用）
ともにフェンダーは、モディファイされているようだが、
リアの膨らみ具合が異なるようにも見える↓
昔、キットで出ていたのだろうか？
Highly-modified late model BMW 2002…
http://bringatrailer.com/2007/01/23/highly-modified-late-model-bmw-2002/
ブリスターフェンダー、見たことあるデザインと思ったら、E30のM3ですね↓
いろいろないじり方がありますね↓
2002にターボかな。
一番下は、やり過ぎか（笑）
