Power Window to Crank Conversion - How bad?

[thrash]

I've got an 87 325is coupe with power windows and sunroof.

I'd like to convert the car to crank windows and remove the wiring, motors, etc involved.

How much is involved in the swap? What kind of cars can be donors for a crank-window swap?

What other vehicles can use my 87 window components if they want to upgrade to power windows? Can an 88is use them?

[Apex381]

I actually just did this last week. I love having the crank windows, and I was tired of replacing stupid bosch motors. What you really need is to find an early 318i donor car. You'll need the cranks themselves, the regulators, and the center console that doesnt have any button holes. You have an 87' so you can use your door cards (the 88+ dont have the window crank cut-outs). The swap itself is easy. I got lucky and found everything I needed in one 318 parts car that a friend was about to crush. The center console was even in great shape. I'm thinking about a crank sunroof, but not anytime soon.

[thrash]

thanks for the info!

Actually, this is a track car. It's bare sheet metal in most places, and once i don't need to support the power window switches, the center console will be gone alltogether :)

Given that, i'm not running door cards either..

is my conversion literally just removing the power motors and putting in the hand cranks? The glass, tracks, lifts, etc, are all the same?

Any idea if i can sell my parts to an 88is who wants a power conversion?

[Apex381]

yep thats all there is to it! I pulled the window glass out of the early 318i only to find that its the same as the 87. Idk if the glass connectors on the bottom of the window are the same in the 88, somebody told me they are different but idk. Also idk if the motor connectors are the same in the 88is as the 87. In 88 they went to the scissor type regulator instead of the screw type thats in the 87. So he could use the 87 stuff if he changed to the screw-type regulators, but he might have to chop and solder the motor wires or something.

you'll lose some weight too. Have I told you how much I like cranks?

[intense_jono]

how about the other way.. haha.. from crank to power windows? i have a 88 325is euro.. (in Aus) and getting power windows out of 87 e30.. is there anything thats going to go wrong?

[MrK]

I'm interested in this topic as well in a half OT sort of way...

Are power window motors so problematic as to make a crank-to-power conversion a bad idea? I've got crank windows AND sunroof, and I've been wanting to powerize my windows forever.

[Apex381]

how about the other way.. haha.. from crank to power windows? i have a 88 325is euro.. (in Aus) and getting power windows out of 87 e30.. is there anything thats going to go wrong?

you should be fine. You would need to swap consoles, and wire up the motors. It could be that your e30 is pre-wired for power windows, so go take a look.

[Apex381]

I'm interested in this topic as well in a half OT sort of way...

Are power window motors so problematic as to make a crank-to-power conversion a bad idea? I've got crank windows AND sunroof, and I've been wanting to powerize my windows forever.

I know as soon as I say anything somebody is going to say "crank windows suck! I've had my power windows for 500+++ years and I havent had any problems, RABBLERABBLERABBLE". It came down to the fact that I went through 3 motors in my passenger door in 1.5 years and I was sick of buying motors. New motors are about 200 dollars and used ones are at least 40, so I had had enough. I've never had a car with power windows that didnt have them screw up at least once, and every time I turn around I know somebody who's calling me up wanting me to fix their window thats not working or stuck. I had just had enough and I wanted to go back to something I knew would not break. Plus, like I said a friend of mine had them just sitting in a parts car, and the time was right.

[KenC]

I know as soon as I say anything somebody is going to say "crank windows suck! I've had my power windows for 500+++ years and I havent had any problems, RABBLERABBLERABBLE". It came down to the fact that I went through 3 motors in my passenger door in 1.5 years and I was sick of buying motors. New motors are about 200 dollars and used ones are at least 40, so I had had enough. I've never had a car with power windows that didnt have them screw up at least once, and every time I turn around I know somebody who's calling me up wanting me to fix their window thats not working or stuck. I had just had enough and I wanted to go back to something I knew would not break. Plus, like I said a friend of mine had them just sitting in a parts car, and the time was right.

You had larger underlying problems if you replaced your motor 3 times in that period of time. I have power windows in my 84 318 and I've never had a problem with them. Moreover, I've never heard of any problems with any of the PNW crew's cars either...

[nando]

I would never go back to a car with crank windows. I'm thinking you guys haven't driven too many cars from the '60s..

[Van Westervelt]

I have only had one regulator with a problem and it was like that when I bought it. It was from California. Unless its for the 3 lbs of weight savings :) I would stay power.

[Apex381]

Its just one less thing I have to worry about. I didnt care enough about power windows to pay 150 bucks to keep them. I've had the cranks for 3 weeks now and I dont mind rolling them up or down. I also like them because its different and you hardly ever see them on US e30's. I think they are kinda neat with the euro obc-less hvac panel.

[MR 325]

In 8 E30's all windows have always worked.

That being said I have a pair of crank window tracks I may sell.

[Philipangoo]

I kno im bumping a old thread but I noticed this and was wondering has anyone done this before ?

Im looking into a car that has had all its power sunroof components gutted, but I think a sunroof would be very nice where I live in TX. I am considering converting it to a Crank but as of now the car has nothing, just the metal sunroof and the foam insulation on the inside. How much work would this be ?