One of my favorite cars at the recent Retrospective by Revworks event was this BMW 1502. It had that little something that grabbed me. The owner bought this car two years ago. It was not the kind you’d find in a showroom with a smug salesman and a cappuccino machine. No, this one came with rust, questionable welds, and the faint smell of regret. Naturally, the owner loved it as car lovers do.
Since then, it’s been through more metalwork than a Viking sword. Everything’s been re-welded that needed it. Other improvements include a new set axles that have been swapped out for those from a turbo model. Because the ones the car came with were beyond repair.
Sourcing parts for this thing is like trying to find a polite cyclist in Amsterdam: technically possible, but wildly unlikely. Every bolt, bracket, and miscellaneous parts has been a battle. But the owner persevered. Stabilizers have been added, a roll cage now snakes through the cabin, and strut bars brace the chassis like it’s preparing for that final race of the season.
The body kit is the only part with fake patina. Everything else? That’s real rust. Authentic, flaky, and unapologetic. It is an acquired taste but if done coherently you can’t fault it. Although I wonder what it would look like with a fresh coat of paint.
The air suspension is from Air Lift and the shock absorbers are from TA Technix. The wheels are 15” PLS, made in France and modified with new barrels and hardware. Très magnifique. And as for what’s next? Winter is coming, and with it, a new project: an engine swap. A 1.8-liter M10 block from a BMW E30 is going in, and yes it’ll be turbocharged. Because subtlety is for accountants.
I’ll be honest and didn’t even know the 1502 existed. I thought it started with the 1602 and ended with the 2002. But in 1975, while the world was panicking over oil prices and disco was somehow still a thing, BMW introduced the 1502. It was the economy version of the already modest 02 Series because apparently, someone in Munich thought the 1602 was just a bit too extravagant.
Under the bonnet? A 1573 cc engine. Same size as the 1602, but with a compression ratio so low it could’ve been powered by disappointment. Just 8.0:1, which meant it churned out a mighty 75 PS. That’s 74 horsepower in real money.
And while the rest of the 02 Series was gracefully retired in 1975 to make way for the E21 3 Series, the 1502 soldiered on until 1977. Probably because it was too polite to leave. It wasn’t fast. It wasn’t flashy. But it was frugal, functional, and fantastically German. The 1502: proof that even BMW can do sensible… when absolutely forced to.
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