Bumpers, bumpers, bumpers!

[fporro]

^ Yeap, MT2 kits still available from BMW. not cheap, then again, neither is sitting at a bar due to running out of mods to do ;(

Here's a set of front euros,

With early euro valence (short rubber strip).
You can't see this but this valence upper corners are not cut off (above fog light openings) as on US early versions (with non integraded fog lights), that makes US versions look odd when euros or plastics are swap onto them., also notice that there's openings for left & right tow hooks.




Look at second pic, just below bumper, running from turn signals towards outer corners, see that ?
Well, it is more notible when looking from above, specially if you use this US early valence with a Euro bumper.



As far as the rubber lips goes, there's 2 corner lenghts I know of on early valences, be it Euro or US came with shorter ones, but, ealy iC convertible valences came with longer lips thst do fit onto late style (plastic bumpered / integraded fog lights) valences., as i did here ...

I recycled my early (external fog light valence) iC convertible lip and color matched it to late style valence...


Then, euro bumper & mt1 valence, in this case there's no need for full valence, but you'll need to save your oem section between bumper and headlight grills, it is very easy to trim off the rest of metal valence and a must do if going this route. There is an oem piece that is basically "just" that section. as seen on realoem.com

[talltorontoguy]

Mine is an 11/87 build. Before and after pics below... rear valence, skirts, and front lip are from eurostyle (www.maxbimmer.com)

[scabzzzz]

fporro, good addition to my comments. Everything is indeed factual. I've recently been through the whole deal until I settled on my euro bumpers with euro front early valence with US front lip with brake ducts only. Looks better in my opinion. You can however make the US metal early valence look nice with euro bumpers. Fabricating fog plate covers (or lack thereof) is pretty simple and would cost next to nothing to have some made out of scrab metal or plastic.

[fporro]

fporro, good addition to my comments. Everything is indeed factual. I've recently been through the whole deal until I settled on my euro bumpers with euro front early valence with US front lip with brake ducts only. Looks better in my opinion. You can however make the US metal early valence look nice with euro bumpers. Fabricating fog plate covers (or lack thereof) is pretty simple and would cost next to nothing to have some made out of scrab metal or plastic.

Yeap, that's the beuty of having actual parts on hand.
You get to try them on and be able to factually comment about them.

Tell you the true, I think early euro valence with euro bumpers give the best visual effect when looking at car lenght wise.
I love the way that valence follows the fenders contour without sitcking forward as with all other valences, be it mt1, mt2 or plastics.

I settle with mt1 on delphi iC and plastics on Zinno iC.

At the moment I'm helping a friend install euros and mt1 kit on his 1/87 coupe, we trimmed the US valence and keep section between bumper and grills, I could clearly see section where the missing material is from above, I mentioned and we concluded that recyling the corners from the section we removed would deffently work.

Aloha :)

[fporro]

Mine is an 11/87 build. Before and after pics below... rear valence, skirts, and front lip are from eurostyle (www.maxbimmer.com)

Hey,

So those side skirts are (eurostyle} mt2 cabrio units, or, coupe/sedan ones ?

Asking since you retained that lower black trim piece, hence, I wonder how would you add mt2 door/fender & 1/4 panel mt2 cards to them.

I have a oem mt2 cario kit, those side panels slide into skirts as they act as the lower retention point.

Aloha

[Kwaaahhh]

Hey guys, I started working on my rear plastic bumper swap today and not sure how to mount the rear bumper bracket to the body of the car. My car is a 90' vert and I got the plastic rear bumper, reinforcement, shocks, and brackets from a late model 325. The arches near the rear wheel well matches up fine, but I can't figure out how to mount the bracket. Do I drill new holes? If so where? Thank you!

[thereisnoyun]

yea you have to drill. as for as where, I'm not certain. I just looped mine with a tietie and its on tehre for over a year now. :P

[fporro]

I did by eye.

Mount bracket to bumper, line up bumper to wheel arch, then use the bumper shocks to hold it in place.

If I remeber correctly, bracket uses 2 mounting screws, but you'll only need to drill 1 hole per side ???

:)

[e34biturbo]

Ok here is my latest project

I have a 10/88 e30 325ic and have the short plastic bumpers and have access to the front valence, what else do I need?

[Stephen]

I didnt see it mentioned, that you can use 88 numper shocks, which are shorter.. by i about at inch form looking at them... not much of a tuck, but you get shocks out of the deal

just a thought

Edit: im going to try plastic bumper shocks soon, i think

[willsol]

Ok Im a LITTLE confused on this I have an 89 325Ic and I want to convert to plastic bumpers.

Apparently the front is just pop and swap...

After that Im confused on the rear. Im not exactly sure what people mean by rear valence is part of the unibody... yes Im dumb can I get some pics please?

If this is true how hard will it be to fit a plastic rear on my vert? Will I need extra parts or need to keep some of my own.

Thanks and I appreciate the help... Im trying to learn as much as possible before doing this swap.

[ethree]

Ok Im a LITTLE confused on this I have an 89 325Ic and I want to convert to plastic bumpers.

Apparently the front is just pop and swap...

After that Im confused on the rear. Im not exactly sure what people mean by rear valence is part of the unibody... yes Im dumb can I get some pics please?

If this is true how hard will it be to fit a plastic rear on my vert? Will I need extra parts or need to keep some of my own.

Thanks and I appreciate the help... Im trying to learn as much as possible before doing this swap.

Plastic bumpers will be a direct fit swap. I don't know about verts but the early models do not "hang down" as far in the back underneath the bumper sort of giving early models the appearance of being higher in the back.

[willsol]

thanks

[willsol]

Ok guys Im having some issues.

Im trying to swap plastic bumpers from a 91 onto my 89 vert with a build date of 9/88.

Nothing has been a direct swap over. Apparently the metal on rear under the bumper slopes in and has a plastic piece the bumper has two clips that slide in.

The front had the same things but we were able to make stuff fit. I did have to cut the two front tow hooks though.

Any tips on the rear?

[j30]

i know im a little late to the party but i had a question

when doing the tuck for the rear bumper its pretty much drilling holes into the rear shocks and reversing into a wall carefully right?

would i be able to do the same (drilling holes and driving into wall) for the front bumpers? this sounds much easier than removing the front DB and doing the stuff mentioned in the write up but i wasnt sure. can i get some answers please