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My owner went to Cromer and all I got was this stupid bumper...
Sorry, I just couldn't resist. I've always had a soft spot for those charming "My parents went to Istanbul and all I got was this stupid tee-shirt," tee-shirts. So I have been designing a new bumper sticker for my beloved '02s' fancy new European bumper. Really though, I did go to Cromer, and found more '02 stuff than could possibly be imagined.
Cromer is a small coastal resort town, about 100 miles north of London. Along with beautiful seaside, Cromer crabs, and the best fish and chips I've had, the town is the home of Jaymic, Ltd. Many of you may know of Jaymic first hand or by reputation, although I'm sure that more are familiar with Mike Macartney, founder and owner. Mike has written two books which many of us look to as bibles, BMW 2002 the comprehensive guide and BMW '02 Restoration Guide. I had exchanged a few emails with Mike regarding some parts I was looking for, and mentioned that I was coming to the U.K. and would like to visit the Jaymic facility. Upon arrival to London, I called Mike and he graciously told me what trains to take to Cromer, and about few guesthouses where I might find a room.
I arrived in Cromer late in the evening and found my way to the beautiful Morden House. Since winter in the U.K is not exactly prime resort weather, I was the only guest in the huge bed and breakfast. After a serious nights' rest, a delicious English breakfast, and some tales of WWII by the innkeeper, I made my way off to Jaymic. Since I was walking, it was suggested that I travel along the coastal path toward Norwich to find the shop. The path led me over some of the most beautiful bluffs that I had ever seen. The English country and seaside are spectacular, especially on what I believe was the only sunny day in January. Some time later, I found myself at the intersection of a road, with several '02s off to the left.
Thinking that I may have found the spot, I hurried in and introduced myself. A few moments later, Mike came out of his office and warmly greeted me. With that I was given the royal tour of the facility, being introduced as "Tom from San Francisco," to all of the employees. And my friends, what a glorious tour it was! Mike was quite accommodating, explaining each area of the shop and how it came to be. A trailer in front of the building houses the main offices, which are filled with pictures of '02s and other vintage BMWs from around the world. Just inside the main building is the parts counter and upholstery shop. Several seats in various states of repair lay about the room, as well as rolls of much coveted original carpet. A few living room chairs were there as well, most likely getting new skins of BMW vinyl. Through the double doors to the back was where the real magic was happening.
The main garage was a wide open building with a few lifts and a large amount of cars. There were three '02s, each in different state of race preparation. Two were stripped down to bare body shells, while one was ready to be shipped off to its owner in Japan. The finished car was a beautifully prepared orange and black round taillight model with a wicked 200-hp motor. There were a few other BMWs as well, which were in for accident repair. In the back of the building was the fabrication area, where Jaymic also trains technicians for Compressed Natural Gas conversions. A full painting facility is also on premises, as well as a machine shop where a 12-cylinder Ferrari motor was being re-assembled.
Since I had to leave my car at home when I went on vacation, I didn't have a chance to experience any of Jaymics' service firsthand. From what I saw of the cars that were in for service, race preparation, restoration, or were finished, they do an incredible job. The attention to detail on the race and road cars was absolutely amazing. The '02 parts catalog is testament to the scale of detail that their projects take on. Jaymic has remanufactured many of the parts in their catalog, most of which were built out of necessity. They have reproduced or created many body parts that were never available, or haven't been for years. Why? Rust. As you can imagine, rust is a formidable enemy in the not always sunny climate of England. This is especially true of the versions of the '02 such as the cabriolet, targa, and touring models.
Besides manufacturing parts, Jaymic has amassed a large inventory of original, new old stock, second hand, and rare pieces. Again, they are often referred to as "the" source for restoration pieces for the non-standard '02 cars. Currently, they have a large container of new old stock parts that have been purchased from dealers throughout Europe. According to Mike, they aren't exactly sure what parts lurk within the container. So far, they have found items such as brake servos and Kugelfischer pumps, new in the original BMW parts bags! They also carry an assortment of replacement parts for Alpina and other vintage modified cars. In a loft toward the back of the shop lies the second hand area which Mike gave me free reign to dig through. There were piles of parts for '02s ranging from interior pieces to European-spec trim pieces. While the extent of the parts did not match the inventory of some California '02 specialists, most of the parts were in excellent condition.
Loitering about the facility were several vehicles that were further examples of the work that Jaymic does. I have never seen a 3.0 CSL before, and there were three running models and several more that were in the process of restoration or being used for parts. A particularly stunning example was a golf yellow model with a hot engine that had been converted to Compressed Natural Gas! There were several examples of the touring models, including Mike's supercharged injected "parts fetcher". In the completed cars for sale department, there was a beautiful Riviera blue touring and a green tii. The tii had the only set of factory Recaro sport seats that I have ever seen, and they were beautiful.
Jaymic really is a spectacular place. I have never met a group of people that are so dedicated to their jobs. Mike and the whole staff are genuinely interested in the preservation of vintage BMWs, and willing to assist customers in any way possible. This makes for a comfortable and impressive environment which to bring your car or stop by for a visit. If anybody has the chance to go to Cromer, I would highly suggest it. Beautiful scenery, cool cars, and massive slabs of fried haddock drenched in vinegar - what more could one ask for?
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