Chassis bolt question.

[quasi mofo]

I was under the car mounting my Garagistic chassis brace today when I noticed this bolt hanging down from a slotted section of the chassis rail on the right side of the car. It is adjacent to the exhaust ahead of the catalytic converter. It has a rectangular head and can slide forwards and backwards along the rail. It isn't currently bolted to anything and there isn't a similar bolt on the left side of the car.

Can anyone shed some light on what this is and what it is for?

[roguetoaster]

Well, normally it's for a transmission crossmember to body attachment. Was your car an auto at one point, or did it have a drivetrain swap?

[digger]

also holds the alloy drip tray (tray is held by 2 square/Tee-bolts and a couple screws to front subframe)

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=51_1863

IT14

[roguetoaster]

I knew there was something else, was thinking exhaust hanger, but couldn't remember one mounting that way. Digger nailed it.

[quasi mofo]

Well, normally it's for a transmission crossmember to body attachment. Was your car an auto at one point, or did it have a drivetrain swap?

The engine and transmission were out of the car at some point but everything is original.

[quasi mofo]

also holds the alloy drip tray (tray is held by 2 square/Tee-bolts and a couple screws to front subframe)

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=51_1863

IT14

Aha! Thanks. My car doesn't have that. I checked a couple of other E30s sold on Bring a Trailer and I haven't found a single car with that air duct (pn# 51711976719) in place. My car does have a sump guard installed. I'm not sure if I can have both the sump guard and air duct on the car at the same time.

Thanks for solving the mystery!

[uturn]

My car still has that drip tray/air duct. Can take pictures if you want.

[quasi mofo]

My car still has that drip tray/air duct. Can take pictures if you want.

Wow! That would be great, thanks!

I've found a few pics of cars with it in place but I can't tell if it would work in a car with a sump guard and the garagistic chassis brace. Obviously there it's not a critical component since so many cars don't have them but it would be nice to have to make the car more complete.