Rear Valence for Early Model Cars with Plastic Bumpers?

[Mr. Wolfe]

Hey guys, looking for different options for a rear bumper. As you can see from my pictures, I need a lower portion. Would you guys provide any options that may be out there with links or pictures? Thanks so much!!

image000000 3 by Greg Wolfe, on Flickr

IMG_1465 by Greg Wolfe, on Flickr

Mr. Wolfe

[E30 Wagen]

Finding a rear valence for e30s is notoriously difficult. I haven't searched ebay in a while but I remember there being plenty of fiberglass replicas of ac schnitzer, hartge, etc, or you could get lucky and find a genuine aftermarket piece by zender, bbs, pfeba, kamei, racing dynamics, bmp/breyton... i'm sure there's more i'm forgetting. The issue with aftermarket rear valences is that some are designed as part of a whole kit so it looks a little goofy if you don't at least have the side skirts to go with it. Plus, since you will have to cut and shorten the rear plastic bumper, you may have to do the same to a rare and expensive part to get it to fit right, which i'd be reluctant to do. You can't go wrong with the factory late model rear valence, just requires cutting that section off a donor car if you can find one, and welding, but if you've got rust down there then it's a good opportunity to get that fixed. The mod I always wanted to do on my late model was to scrape off the grit guard and smooth out the seams where the sides and rear panel are joined. Then I'd apply new grit guard to just the bottom half of the valence and paint the whole thing body color, or skip the grit guard and just ppf the whole rear valence.

[Mr. Wolfe]

Finding a rear valence for e30s is notoriously difficult. I haven't searched ebay in a while but I remember there being plenty of fiberglass replicas of ac schnitzer, hartge, etc, or you could get lucky and find a genuine aftermarket piece by zender, bbs, pfeba, kamei, racing dynamics, bmp/breyton... i'm sure there's more i'm forgetting. The issue with aftermarket rear valences is that some are designed as part of a whole kit so it looks a little goofy if you don't at least have the side skirts to go with it. Plus, since you will have to cut and shorten the rear plastic bumper, you may have to do the same to a rare and expensive part to get it to fit right, which i'd be reluctant to do. You can't go wrong with the factory late model rear valence, just requires cutting that section off a donor car if you can find one, and welding, but if you've got rust down there then it's a good opportunity to get that fixed. The mod I always wanted to do on my late model was to scrape off the grit guard and smooth out the seams where the sides and rear panel are joined. Then I'd apply new grit guard to just the bottom half of the valence and paint the whole thing body color, or skip the grit guard and just ppf the whole rear valence.

Thank you for the great information. I am realizing a bunch of what you are saying. Finding a late model rear clip is definitely the best looking option in my opinion. I am just not sure how to source such a part.

Mr. Wolfe

[82eye]

wollothnesch lists a rear mtech from 87 up. be pricey to ship if they can source it.

edit: crap, they don't list the early one. it's in the catalog but unavailable.

[E30 Wagen]

Thank you for the great information. I am realizing a bunch of what you are saying. Finding a late model rear clip is definitely the best looking option in my opinion. I am just not sure how to source such a part.

Mr. Wolfe

These days it seems like facebook groups are the best place to connect with people parting out cars in your region.