Throughout the BMW world, there are consistently tremors of which cars are going to be the next model to rise in value. Although high-quality 2002s have been on that list for a while, honest drivers that still need a good amount of finishing work are rapidly becoming desirable as well. This 1974 2002 tii here on eBay will need a fair amount of bodywork in the future, but it’s a running, driving example that you can enjoy while tackling the cosmetics in phases.

This tii has lots of desirable bits, from the Recaro seats to the European-style chrome bumpers. It also is a rare factory sunroof model. The three-spoke steering wheel is a take-it-or-leave it option for me; personally, I like the sport wheel out of an E21 for an OEM+ upgrade. No word on whether the dash is cracked, but given it lives in climate with lots of sun, I’m going to assume it needs replacing to be perfect. The Recaros are likely the ones found in the E21, but appear to be cloth. I’d want to have them recovered in black vinyl to match the rear bench.

The seller claims the motor runs well enough that there’s a likelihood it was rebuilt at some point. Though tii’s are sometimes harvested for the Kugelfischer injection system or because previous owners wanted to run carbs, this example appears unmodified. One of the modifications the seller did perform is a sensible one, which is the upgrade to a 5-speed gearbox. Other enhancements include an aftermarket suspension, consisting of Bilsteins and unnamed lowering springs and larger sway bars. The battery has been moved to the trunk for better weight distribution and the next owner will have his choice of either the Minilite wheels shown or stock BMW steelies.

The square tail light models were slapped with the generous “park bench” bumpers front and rear, so the presence of the neatly-tucked European-style chrome bumpers is a visually-pleasing upgrade. While the Golf Yellow paint is a tad rough, it’s one of the best factory colors to come on a 2002. More importantly, the rear shock towers are solid and none of the rust appears to be anything out of the ordinary for a daily-driven car of this vintage. Bidding is already over $5,000 with plenty of time left in the auction. Cars like these are always interesting to watch as it provides some indication as to the market’s appetite for original projects over turnkey drivers.