E30 Taillight panel replacement

[Ausatz]

So I've been scouring the webs and R3V for a while trying to find information and pictures showing what it takes to remove and weld in a new taillight panel?
I know I've seen it done before but I am struggling to locate any of those threads, if anyone could point me in the right direction that would be sweet!

Basically, my poor e30 got rear ended again and the insurance company isn't giving me hardly any money for it since it had an R-title from the same thing happening last year. My only option to keep the car at this point is to do the repair myself. Luckily I'm pretty handy but seeing images or having some information on how its been done in the past would be hugely helpful! Thanks all!


and please... keep the "OHHH if you need to google how to do it then you already have failed" and the "Part it out BRO" to a minimum. This is where I'm at, and I'd like to try to see if i can fix it. its a totaled R-title chassis so cant really get worse..

Thanks!

[zwill23]

God damn, that is such a bummer :(

I'm going to have to replace my panel at some point for rust reasons, so I bookmarked Diirty-30's blue nose thread:

https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forum/general-forums/members-rides/263749-meet-blue-nose-m62b44-swap-pic-heavy/page39?t=295719&page=11

He does a pretty solid job of showing how he removed the panel and where those spot welds are at.

[1987E30project]

I am in the process of replacing that panel but I did not find any videos that helped. Once done I was thinking of posting one ... maybe. There are lots of spot welds behind where the the bumper sits and at the top corners. Also you will have to cut the sides. Here is a picture of some of the spot welds. My car had some extra damage and rust in the driver's corner so it required additional work. Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[1987E30project]

Fix it part is not too expensive even new. It's all labor Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[Ausatz]

I am in the process of replacing that panel but I did not find any videos that helped. Once done I was thinking of posting one ... maybe. There are lots of spot welds behind where the the bumper sits and at the top corners. Also you will have to cut the sides. Here is a picture of some of the spot welds. My car had some extra damage and rust in the driver's corner so it required additional work.

Sweet! Thanks for the help guys! Yea after seeing some of the images you guys are posting, it all looks much more manageable, it should be fun! I'm trying not to get too bummed about it, it gives me a first hand opportunity to improve my skills in body work, should be a good learning experience.
I'm planning on using a Mig to tack it all in place, would you guys recommend .023 wire?
So I see all the spot welds across the bottom, do you mind marking on the sides where you had to cut?

[Ausatz]

Am I interpreting this all correctly? Red being where you need to cut and tack weld when reinstalling Green being spot welds to drill out and tack again upon installation Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[1987E30project]

Yes green is where most of the tacks are. But there are a few more where the bumper gets attached, at the top corners, the bottom corners also. The top corners you have to look from the inside of the trunk. The bottom corners tacks are covered by like a seam sealer. BMW seem to have brazed the red areas when attaching this piece to the body Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[1987E30project]

These are some of the bottom tacks driver side Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[1987E30project]

Btw I'm replacing mine with a new part the way BMW attached it. You can always get a used one and just stitch weld it on. Not sure of the results. I'm using .023 wire mig weld mix gas. Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[agent]

General Discussion is not a catch-all; please do not ask technical questions there. If you don't know where to ask your question, post it in General Technical and we'll move it to the appropriate subforum if necessary. Thanks in advance.

[Ausatz]

Oh, that's my bad. If it needs to be moved somewhere else that's fine