Bavarian Remix | Articles | Grassroots Motorsports

Story by Scott R. Lear • Photography as Credited

“Well, I always liked to drive fast.”

It doesn’t take more than a few words to realize that Paul Tillery Jr. possesses a true Southerner’s knack for spinning a yarn. A quick question about his burgundy BMW 2002 prompts a recollection of when he was 16 and got his first car. When a Carolina storyteller starts weaving a tale, it’s best just to hang on and enjoy the ride.

Paul, a commercial real estate agent in Raleigh, North Carolina, got his first taste of four-wheeled freedom in a second-generation Chevy Corvair. The car was equipped with a four-speed manual, and that made all the difference in Paul’s mind. “The guys I ran with admired driving as an art form,” he declares. “I learned to double-clutch, rev-match and row the gearbox well. I learned driving on back-country roads.”

Next he upgraded to a Pontiac GTO, and while he loved the increase in power, he lamented its lack of agility in the corners. In 1969, Paul decided to try something different: a BMW 2002.

“I picked the car up in Germany and drove it around Europe for a while, then brought it back. It had a close-ratio gearbox, a limited-slip differential—it was something special,” he notes. “I drove it until it was pretty much falling apart underneath me, but I never forgot what a wonderful car that was.”

Fast-forward to 1983, when Paul found a used BMW 2002. He couldn’t resist another round of ownership with the plucky German sport sedan, so he modified the car a bit and drove it for several years. As his family grew, however, Paul had to make the switch to a station wagon. The BMW was retired to a spot behind his house, and for more than a decade, Paul’s driving passion was on pause.

Finding the Beat

…