Blacked Out Kidneys: Why?

[fronton]

I like how there are 5 pages of thread dedicated to Kidneys only haha. Not to downplay them or anything, I totally agree that they are an essential part of an e30 especially.

That being said...^^^ this guy replying to everyones comments individually totally blows the importance of the Kidneys out of proportion lol...

Come on man, its only been 2 pages and a visible chrome grill helps distinguish an e30 from a 80s corolla a mile away. In all seriousness, as this is serious business, blacked out grills let the entire car down. You may have spent $5,000 on body work, Mtech spoilers, cf hood, 17" RS, hip thule canoe rack over a glass moonroof but the $8 can of rustoleum bbq flat black plays the queen of spades and spoils the whole game.

[nando]

mine is molded black, not spray painted. :p

[Deathtoll]

Wheni bought mine it was chrome... And still is. I like how it stands out.

[butters]

+1 for original kidneys, I'm with OP.

I am very anti-chrome in general, so after blacking the window trim I wrapped the kidneys in gloss black vinyl, to try out the look. My car is certainly very OEM looking but either way, I didn't like how the kidneys just disappeared. Went back to original chrome.

I do also like brushed aluminum or the look of it, in places where chrome is OE. Probably stems from my B5 days and the RS4 grills, Audi seems to have gotten the concept at one point. I always wondered how brushed trim would look, perhaps coupled with brushed window trim, on a black E30 <drool>. Never tried it though, I bet the chrome would just come off..

[VinniE30]

+1 for original kidneys, I'm with OP.

I am very anti-chrome in general, so after blacking the window trim I wrapped the kidneys in gloss black vinyl, to try out the look. My car is certainly very OEM looking but either way, I didn't like how the kidneys just disappeared. Went back to original chrome.

I do also like brushed aluminum or the look of it, in places where chrome is OE. Probably stems from my B5 days and the RS4 grills, Audi seems to have gotten the concept at one point. I always wondered how brushed trim would look, perhaps coupled with brushed window trim, on a black E30 <drool>. Never tried it though, I bet the chrome would just come off..

What do you mean by brushed? Post a pic.

[butters]

What do you mean by brushed? Post a pic.

Google image came up with this, looks like an E90 guy DIY'd brushing:




Audi cars are distinguished by the use of aluminum, or at least they were a decade ago. I would agree with them in that the brushed look is more sporting than the polished look. This kind of evolved into the trend of gloss black trim as the uber-sporting look.

You are probably aware of the sideview mirrors they used - polished aluminum signified an S car, while brushed aluminum signified an RS car. This is just the most obvious example that comes to mind.

[MC Hammered]

I liked the blacked out kindeys as it made the look a bit more aggressive

[Threehz]

I have yet to see a direct comparison picture, in every comparison picture that supports black kidneys, there has been other body mods done to enhance the appearance, and chrome would look better.

+1 for the brushed idea, brushed rocks, and metal > plastic all day (but I love my bumpers).

It really is like taking the tits off a woman. You see an E30 with chrome kidneys and you instantly know it's a BMW. I see an E30 with blacked out kidneys and I'm not sure what I'm looking at? It's like seeing a tit-less woman, is it a man? Is it a tranny?

Black kidneys are like poly bushings off the track. You do it because you think it's rad, but then you live with it and eventually realize you fucked up something that was perfect from the factory.

I will be forever only okay with on a black E30.

Ryan, your car is so god damn gorgeous, rock on, and I will never understand how people dislike the chrome window trim either.

[reelizmpro]

The grill also lines up with the lines of the hood too, which I always liked. Can't really see that with a blacked out grill.

[BMWE34M5]

Looks good with matching Euro Grills

Only $109 shipped for the combo.

[Slicktop_serg]

ON my first e30 i blacked out the kidneys cause it looked good cause it was alpine. But on my newest e30 im leaving it chrome.

[agent]

You see an E30 with chrome kidneys and you instantly know it's a BMW.

...and I will never understand how people dislike the chrome window trim either.

[Holland]

Chrome gets ya home:



But really, chrome trim and kidneys are the way to go. The grille needs that chrome contrast. It is kinda like having black wheels, it just sucks.

This post should be stickied.

[Simon S]

well shit – I’m currently rocking blacked-out – and thought I’d throw my 2 cents in.

1) I grew up loving RS Camaros and Chargers from the 60s. I loved how fully blacked-out grill sections made the car look like it was eager to suck up small human children (i.e. a look I wanted).

2) I sincerely prefer chrome kidneys – but (in general) on cars that have chrome window trim and chrome wheels of some sort (my car has neither).

3) I really wanted to push what many call “contrast” (usually best on “stormtrooper” (white) cars).

4) I consider my car to be in a [constant] progression stage. Like when I first got my car – I threw a bunch of “ebay crap” at it – then promptly proceeded to remove it in favor of a more “OE” look.


Closing notes:
- chrome kidneys are hands-down more “classy” and “true to what the car is”

- there will come a day when I go back to chrome kidneys – but that day will come when I can afford decent wheels. Until that day comes – I will be celebrating a childish “fun factor” and somewhat “stormtrooper-ish” contrast..

[Kevinl]

I prefer the chrome because it breaks up the grille