My car is an '87 325ic originally equipped with diving boards, swapping to euro valance and euro bumpers. Not sure what the pieces I used are like on other cars but maybe it can help others. I had searched on here but I figured there had to be an easier way.
I did some creative engineering and found a way to maintain the wiring integrity of US setup and have it operate in the euro look. Rather than bastardize or cut wiring, I decided to bastardize the euro light housing. As you can see below, I used the white plastic insert out of the american light housing, cut a hole in the euro housing and kept the wiring, turn signal and marker light all functional!
The white insert pops out of the US housing towards the back, it takes a bit of force but it will come out.
I used a 1 1/8 inch holesaw to cut the hole (1-1/4 is TOO BIG and I didn't have a 1-3/16"), it will need to be filed a little to open it up. It will be snug but holds the insert in there nice and tight. It sort of "snaps" in about a 1/4 of the way in. I'm sure some of you will say that its not flush, will leak, come loose, etc but it won't. Push it in any further and you risk the bulb touching the outside lens. I used RTV to seal any holes. You can see where I drilled out the first hole directly in the back, that DID NOT work due to clearance. So learn from my mistakes!
There are two little plastic tabs that hold the euro light connector in place, these need to be broken off as well as all bulb sockets, etc removed.
The silver reflective piece needs to be rotated, to have it sit flush those 2 plastic tabs need to be broken off and the bulb hole elongated to fit.
Its not exactly pretty or factory looking but it works and all my wiring is still intact should I ever decide to go back to US style...not that I would!!!
So what to do with the side marker wiring? Well i'm going to run that to my fog lights so they will be on with the parking lights. I know they will stay on if I use the high beams but a lot of us have done that override already.
I will roll the o-ring down flush to the housing and add some RTV. I showed this so you can see where I first drilled. As I said before, DON'T DO THAT!!!
You can see where I flipped the insert over and had to open it up a little. I'll trim it a bit cleaner one day but its not a prioroty right now as it will be out of sight and mind behind the amber (for now) lens.
I did some creative engineering and found a way to maintain the wiring integrity of US setup and have it operate in the euro look. Rather than bastardize or cut wiring, I decided to bastardize the euro light housing. As you can see below, I used the white plastic insert out of the american light housing, cut a hole in the euro housing and kept the wiring, turn signal and marker light all functional!
The white insert pops out of the US housing towards the back, it takes a bit of force but it will come out.
I used a 1 1/8 inch holesaw to cut the hole (1-1/4 is TOO BIG and I didn't have a 1-3/16"), it will need to be filed a little to open it up. It will be snug but holds the insert in there nice and tight. It sort of "snaps" in about a 1/4 of the way in. I'm sure some of you will say that its not flush, will leak, come loose, etc but it won't. Push it in any further and you risk the bulb touching the outside lens. I used RTV to seal any holes. You can see where I drilled out the first hole directly in the back, that DID NOT work due to clearance. So learn from my mistakes!
There are two little plastic tabs that hold the euro light connector in place, these need to be broken off as well as all bulb sockets, etc removed.
The silver reflective piece needs to be rotated, to have it sit flush those 2 plastic tabs need to be broken off and the bulb hole elongated to fit.
Its not exactly pretty or factory looking but it works and all my wiring is still intact should I ever decide to go back to US style...not that I would!!!
So what to do with the side marker wiring? Well i'm going to run that to my fog lights so they will be on with the parking lights. I know they will stay on if I use the high beams but a lot of us have done that override already.
I will roll the o-ring down flush to the housing and add some RTV. I showed this so you can see where I first drilled. As I said before, DON'T DO THAT!!!
You can see where I flipped the insert over and had to open it up a little. I'll trim it a bit cleaner one day but its not a prioroty right now as it will be out of sight and mind behind the amber (for now) lens.
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