1968 BMW 1600 GT – Project Profile

Hen’s teeth. Gold dust. Rocking horse poop. Any one of these idioms could be used to accurately describe the BMW 1600 GT because there’s no denying it’s a rare beast and it was a toss up whether or not to showcase this particular example in our Have You Ever Heard Of series, but seeing as it’s a little down in the dumps and needs piecing back together we thought a Project Profile feature would be more apt.

It would certainly be at home nestled amongst the likes of the Stevens Cipher Coupé, Qvale Mangusta and the Unipower GT that’s for sure, seeing as how only 1,259 were ever built over a 12 month period. Couple that with the fact that it’s technically a Glas rather than a BMW and it’s no surprise that not many people will have heard of it but the Munich connection is there and the Bavarians did stuff their M10 four-cylinder from the original BMW 1600 under the bonnet. But how did this pairing come about? Well, read on ladies and gentlemen and all will be revealed.

Hans Glas GmbH started life as an agricultural machinery manufacturer way back in 1883 and much like a lot of similar companies around that time, it slowly evolved, first to produce scooters, and then, branching out further in 1955, it began making cars with the wonderfully titled Goggomobil – a series of microcars that were just about the cutest things with four wheels to ever grace the straße.

Fast forward to 1966 and BMW was growing at an exponential rate, triggering the need to expand in order to cope with demand. In order to facilitate this expansion, BMW looked to its neighbour in Dingolfing and acquired Glas, including all of its engineers as well as (supposedly) the company’s patent for a timing belt with an overhead camshaft. Whatever its reasons, BMW now had a host of additional models with which to play with. Granted, most of them were immediately discontinued (including he Goggomobil, sadly) but some, including the 1600 GT, were re-badged and allowed to live on.

In addition to the engine swap, BMW also fitted its semi-trailing arm rear axle, complete with coil springs, in place of the car’s original and outdated solid axle and leaf setup, meaning that the car now handled better, matching the increased 100bhp performance that the 1600 lump provided. Stylistically the car remained the same, with the exception of rounded rear lights and the now famous twin kidney front grill, albeit waaay smaller back then compared to today’s monstrosities but we won’t get into that right now.

What is it? 

This is a two-owner, 1968 BMW 1600 GT that has covered less than 60,000 miles from new. First registered in Italy with chassis number 1217 it’s one of the last BMW 1600GT models built and was originally painted dark blue, later resprayed in white as part of an earlier restoration.

Why is it a project? 

Before the car could be fully reassembled following this regenerative work it was put into dry storage in 1982, where amazingly it remained for 42 years until 2024. It’s an incredibly original, solid and unmodified car with lightly patinated body and interior, but the best news is that it’s complete. Sold with numerous spare parts (some of which will require refurbishment) the car needs to be reassembled but during its extended dry storage the engine was fired up regularly until the early 2000s and is reported to turn freely.

What should you look for? 

Currently available via our auctions platform this BMW 1600 GT has been given the full treatment by our team of experts which means you can bid with confidence knowing that the information contained within the listing is accurate. Not only that but we’ve compiled over 70 images of the car, highlighting everything you’d need to inspect.

With our new auction comments functionality you can also ask any questions you may have and they’ll be sent directly to the seller, so head on over to the listing and have a read of the full run down and take a look at the photos before safely placing your bid because you know you want to.

What should you do with it? 

This is an easy one folks and a pretty simple restoration on the face of it. All the parts are there, including two engine blocks and two gearboxes, amongst various other components, it just needs putting back together, essentially. Refurbish those bits and bobs that require it and clean up the rest and at the end of it all you’ll be the proud owner of an incredibly rare piece of BMW’s rich and storied history. Ask yourself this: when was the last time you saw one? If ever. And be honest, had you ever heard of the BMW 1600 GT until now?

What we have here then is exclusivity and style all wrapped up in a straightforward project that will have you beaming with pride on every drive.