Help me sort out my early model coupe (wheels, bumpers, etc)

[JasonC]

If you're wanting some inspiration, here is scabzzz white car with euro bumper swap

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=107279

[agent]

I knew things would turn around....which is why I've been hoarding alum bumpers :D

TUCKED Dbs that is...LOL

I'm holding out for the day that DBs are more rare than Euro bumpers and PBs combined. At the current rate of E30 bastardization, it won't be long!

[fiveightandten]

That's the only pic I have up at the moment. Maxed out gc touring camber plates in the front as well. I will be rolling the fronts, and backs before putting the car on the road. It road great for the 15 minutes it was running. Picking up my second s52 on sunday. More setbacks then I care to remember, but this is year it gets back on the road!

Those tires look good on the wheels, but that front fitment does indeed look aggressive for stock fenders. Seems like 205 is what needs to happen. Thanks for the pic, and again for the info.

Good luck getting her back in action. :up:

To the OP: first, congrats on such a sweet fine...64K? Wow.

Let me tell you, an ETA with a 3.73 and a chip is an absolute blast to drive around town. Decent enough mileage too, its a great combo.

Second, why such an issue with rolling? Honestly, it isn't that big a deal, just use a heat gun and a proper roller. It does take a ton of heat, way more than you would expect, but you needn't flare the hell out of the fender, either.

I chickened out on the heat and ruined my paint.

Here is my old early car, was an '87 325iS. The fenders were rolled flat and stretched about half an inch. This is with a 215/40/17 but my wheels have no ET markings. Most assume these to be around 15, I don't know.



Welcome to R3V!

Luke

Thanks. 69K on the clock. The car is currently in the time out corner. Interior is extremely clean. When I got it, it had a crack free dash. "Had" is the key word there. I took it out yesterday and the dash split right above the cluster. It must've been the cold weather. I'm not talking a crack starting. I'm talking, nothing wrong with it, then a huge 14" split 10 minutes later. Other than that, it's been great.

Anyways, there are a number of reasons I don't want to roll the fenders:
-It introduces the possibility of cracking the paint. To me, this is a deal breaker. I spent 5 months trying to find a car without cracked paint around the fenders (which is an absolute epidemic with E30's at this point). I'm not about to buy one, then crack the paint around the fenders.
-I don't need it for the fitment i'm looking for. I just don't need to get that aggressive.
-If the tire rubs with stock fenders, it rubs an area that doesn't matter, and won't do any visible damage. If if rubs with rolled fenders, chances are, you're doing visible damage.
-Once the car is rolled, it can not be reversed. If I am happy with the fitment as the car sits, that's fine. But if I roll the fenders needlessly, I have all the drawbacks and potential issues for no reason.

Clean looking car, BTW. The tuck looks good with the es valance. :up: ETA is indeed decently torquey. I have an E36 M3 and E46 330ci, which are obviously faster cars. But the ETA is just as fun to drive around town.

If you're wanting some inspiration, here is scabzzz white car with euro bumper swap

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=107279

Thanks for the link. I hadn't seen that one.

I'm holding out for the day that DBs are more rare than Euro bumpers and PBs combined. At the current rate of E30 bastardization, it won't be long!

They're almost there. Within the enthusiast scene at least. Take a look at any "post your car" thread. There are very few DB cars in the mix.

[mr2peak]

Take a look at any "post your car" thread. There are very few DB cars in the mix.

And I'd say that's for a reason. The diving boards were a last minute addition, they weren't part of the original design package and don't do the rest of the car justice.

[Shock(/\)ave]

I know I'm late to this thread, but I wanted to reply with a welcome (even though I haven't started posting here as much as I'd like to).

It's amazing how many of us E36 M3 owners have added an E30 to our garages. :)

You're off to an excellent start with a car with that mileage in that condition. I think trying to bring a car back from the brink is a lot of hard work and expensive, and most don't honestly really succeed when they've finished the project.

Have you considered 15" European basketweaves? I have them on one of my cars and I think they look great.

[fiveightandten]

I know I'm late to this thread, but I wanted to reply with a welcome (even though I haven't started posting here as much as I'd like to).

It's amazing how many of us E36 M3 owners have added an E30 to our garages. :)

You're off to an excellent start with a car with that mileage in that condition. I think trying to bring a car back from the brink is a lot of hard work and expensive, and most don't honestly really succeed when they've finished the project.

Have you considered 15" European basketweaves? I have them on one of my cars and I think they look great.

Awesome to see another familiar face over here. You still have that awesome E36 of yours? I had to grab an E30 before they all turn into rust buckets with chewed up fenders and smashed in frame rails. :mrgreen:

I actually picked up some wheels. I cheaped out and got some ESMs. They look the part, IMO. Not the best quality wheel. But new wheels look new, ride new, and they serve the purpose of the car. I got in under $1K with tires (including shipping & mounting). It's hard to argue with.

Here's how it's looking currently (detail, wax, wheels, drop, and a few aesthetic bits).

[mbonanni]

That looks clean as hell. Great looking car.

[Shock(/\)ave]

Awesome to see another familiar face over here. You still have that awesome E36 of yours?

I had a roof leak in the garage and it's covered in bits of drywall and sitting in water right now, but I'll finally be rescuing it this week and cleaning it up. I hated seeing it like that, and with the winter only just having left us there was nothing I could do about the situation.

I had to grab an E30 before they all turn into rust buckets with chewed up fenders and smashed in frame rails. :mrgreen:

Smart move. They aren't getting any cheaper.

I would never have thought or written this in the past, but I think I agree with the earlier comments that you should try tucking your bumpers and sticking with them.



This type of front end reminds me of under bite, and a thin European chrome bumper won't work with that lower spoiler / valence / air dam / whatever it's called. I really think to change bumpers and have it look right would require a complete front end overhaul.

Why not very carefully prepare the rubber and blacken it with Forever Black (or whatever permanent shoe polish type dye it's based on), then use some aluminum polish and tuck that bumper? You could also paint the aluminum either body colour or black to match your mirrors.

Whatever you do to the front, you'll obviously want to do to the back.

I love the drop, and the wheels really suit it. Great work so far Nick! :)

[Shock(/\)ave]

That looks clean as hell. Great looking car.

You should see his E36 M3! ;)

[mbonanni]

If he decides to go with euro bumpers then he cannot use that lower valence, the euros wont fit with it. He has to get a euro bumper specific valence.

I say tuck those DB's, get some skirts, some skirts, and a rear late model (or any) valence.

[Sykohtic]

Why remove the bumper and valance setup you have? It's less common than euro bumpers.

THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Besides, I love it when someone keeps the divers and just sinks them with a custom bracket or by blowing the bumper shocks. The more and more I look at my e30, the more and more I appreciate also that if I'm backing up and dont see a 2 foot tall cement wall or pole, the worst it will do to my car is scrape up the plastic core on my bumpers.

[fiveightandten]

I had a roof leak in the garage and it's covered in bits of drywall and sitting in water right now, but I'll finally be rescuing it this week and cleaning it up. I hated seeing it like that, and with the winter only just having left us there was nothing I could do about the situation.

Arg. That sucks. :-? Well, it's above freezing and hopefully the salt is washed away up there. Time to dust the ol' girl off!

Smart move. They aren't getting any cheaper.

I'm not sure i'd say buying a 3rd BMW is "smart". But I do enjoy it. :-D I've been daily driving the E30 for the past few weeks. I had to start up my 330ci this weekend because it had been sitting.

I would never have thought or written this in the past, but I think I agree with the earlier comments that you should try tucking your bumpers and sticking with them.

This type of front end reminds me of under bite, and a thin European chrome bumper won't work with that lower spoiler / valence / air dam / whatever it's called. I really think to change bumpers and have it look right would require a complete front end overhaul.

Why not very carefully prepare the rubber and blacken it with Forever Black (or whatever permanent shoe polish type dye it's based on), then use some aluminum polish and tuck that bumper? You could also paint the aluminum either body colour or black to match your mirrors.

Whatever you do to the front, you'll obviously want to do to the back.

The cow plow has really grown on me, and I do like the look of it. I just wish it didn't stick out so far. I like Euro bumpers, and if there was some way to get them to work with the cow plow, I would. But it seems like that's not feasible.

I've considered tucking the DB's. The only thing about that is that the sides of the trim pieces often no longer sit flush with the curve of the bumper. Mine aren't wavy or warped, so it likely wouldn't be an issue. But I hate that look.

Options for the front are relatively open. It's the rear that's an issue. The quarter panels are completely different from early to late model, and the rear metal valance (welded to the car) is completely different. You can't fit late model stuff without modification, so for an early model car you're limited to euro bumpers, Mtech 1 (or reps), or body kit specifically made for the early model.

There are body kits that will fit, but they're cheap fiberglass and would require some fitting and paint. before you know it, you're into a set of bumpers for $1500+. No combination i've seen has made me $1500 excited to rip off my DB's. The euro bumpers are short on compatible valances.

You should see his E36 M3! ;)

That ol' grocery getter?

If he decides to go with euro bumpers then he cannot use that lower valence, the euros wont fit with it. He has to get a euro bumper specific valence.

I say tuck those DB's, get some skirts, some skirts, and a rear late model (or any) valence.

Do you know what the issue is with fitment there? I've seen people fit a late model valance with Euro bumpers. I realize it required modification to the valance, but i'm curious as to what the problem is with trying to fit an early model es/is cow plow with Euro bumpers.

THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Besides, I love it when someone keeps the divers and just sinks them with a custom bracket or by blowing the bumper shocks. The more and more I look at my e30, the more and more I appreciate also that if I'm backing up and dont see a 2 foot tall cement wall or pole, the worst it will do to my car is scrape up the plastic core on my bumpers.

Truth be told, the DB's have really grown on me. I thought i'd be in a rush to get rid of them. But I like the way the car looks with the wheels, and a bit of a drop. If I piece together another setup that I think will look better, i'll do it up. But for now, i'm content with running it as is and semi-actively searching around for alternatives.

They are functional, that's for sure. ;D

The funny thing is, people outside of the BMW community absolutely love them. I've gotten quite a few comments from friends and co-workers about how they love the big huge metal bumpers on the car.

[JonTheHero22]

That's a sharp looking car Nick. You've made very tasteful mods. I didn't realize it until reading this thread but the DB's are actually not that bad. And I do agree with the others telling you to keep the ES front set up, however if you do find a nice way to set up the Euros, that would be sick

[mbonanni]

I would like to see the late model valence with euro bumper because from what I have gathered there will be a large gap between the valence and bumper.

As for early model valence and euro valence with euros I do not know why you cant.

[84bimmer]

Nick, what suspension? and are those 205/50's on the ESM's? Looks good!