325ic Calypso Euro Conversion - Houndstooth & dbilas now, MT1 & MM 3.2 stroker coming

[jeffnhiscars]

I'll go through this in more detail later but for now I wanted to share...my OE (as in bmw logo) top is from a 1990 ar and has the zip in window. I'll compare the frames when I can study your pics in more detail."and will look for the extr bow...but as far as I can tell my frame is and always has been a manual...with a zip in window

[bradnic]

That's great to know Jeff. from what I've seen so far there aren't any enhancements to the electric soft tops that would make them incompatible with a manual frame. My guess is you're incredibly lucky - your OEM top was a replacement with updated design.

I'm still going through the 55 pages of instructions for electric top retrofit. There appear to be additional differences in the soft top near the mounting bases, straps that hold the canvas in place to the frame. I'll add them here once I've confirmed things with the electric top AI have and the new one once it gets here.

[bradnic]

^^ Thanks Brad! I will use my electric top frame for my new canvas top. That way I can sell my current manual frame and canvas top to recoup some money.

Good plan. I plan to do the same once things are all settled. The existing top and frame are in terrific condition. I also have a brand new replacement manual top to sell.

I asked about the difference between the $700 and $2100 tops a while back on the Yahoo Group. It's too bad no one had experience with buying the cheaper oem canvas top. Who know whether the cheaper top is a lesser product without zip-in windows, but since it's NLA now, I guess it don't matter. Thanks again Brad and good luck with the installs.

Yeah I tried looking for info there too with no luck. The old timer E30 folks just didn't document all that much about replacement stuff. Shame about the Yahoo vert message board. Completely overrun by spammers now. You can still slug through the oldest post to find info, but you need to be committed haha. Truth is e30ic.com already copied the top alignment info from those boards and I haven't really found much else that's useful and not already available elsewhere

[bradnic]

I have the following parts for the top retrofit

- electric top frame (needs to be stripped and refurbished)
- new oem canvas top (on order)
- top motor and tonneau cover motors with screws, plus a spare tonneau cover motor
- 3 of the brackets
- electric top switch
- complete electric top harness that includes both the control box and the pass side front bracket for the top latch that includes a microswitch.

known missing:
- reinforcement plate for the top motor (has to be welded in)
- right side trunk trim
- 2 Bowden cables
- all mounting clips and screws
- misc brackets and plates
- soft cover for the center bracket
- relay upgrade for the top motors

Also need to find en electric tonneau cover - the retrofit plate that adds the center bracket to a manual top tonneau cover is NLA. Nothing on eBay so will need to hunt craigslist. The center bracket on the electric cover is built in to the deck lid rather than welded on top of it so it looks better anyway

Will update with some pics and graphics when I get a chance

UPDATE: ordered all the missing parts that were still available.
thinking about just buying a new tonneau cover. will need to paint and vinyl wrap to match, but I'd need to do that plus repair and prep with a used part anyway right? Probably a wash

[bradnic]

Parts in red NLA
Yellow on order
rest I have or can get

also ordering the EM top / tonneau cover

[bradnic]

Shop got busy with insurance work so no MT1 fascias til next week.

not happy with the paint work on these but they're good enough for now.


body shop took some license and basically focused only on the tops of the bumpers, since they figured the mtech1 kit would hide the rest anyway. that's not for them to decide dammit. anyway they only prepped the top so these will have to be done again.

Spoke to the shop about the bumpers and they agreed to respray as long as I get the bumpers sandblasted before dropping them off. They don't have the equipment for that, which is why they only finish prepped the tops. Had I known that we could have avoided the respray.

I'll mount them as is this weekend for a quick look, then get them prepped for repaint.

[bradnic]

Heard back on the part orders - most of it is coming from Germany so late next week delivery at the earliest, probably 1st week May. Should have my angled tip Strömung by then too. Gonna be tight but I think I can get this done for Asheville..

My only hangup right now is finding the 4 NLA bits used. part 11 is the most critical since the 2 pieces mount the Bowden top latch cables to the back of the top compartment. Rest of the parts I can replace with non-OEM or potentially already have on the manual top config.

EDIT: found part 11!! 3 to go.

[bradnic]

Car's back together (without the convertible top) while I wait for the electric top bits to arrive. Wife will get to enjoy it for a couple of weeks before it comes back apart again for a pass side door window regulator replacement, electrical work and OEM radio re-install.

I went ahead and mounted the painted euro bumpers too, even though they're going to get sandblasted and resprayed. My wife and I really wanted to know if we were gonna dig the look. Short answer: yup. As expected the front and lower sides are peeling. Amazing how that horrifically bad chroming job is still haunting me even now. Can't wait to sandblast them and erase that chapter from my life lol.



the color match on the interior is just wonderful. only thing left to do now are the 2 kick panels.

[N2MYE30]

Im digging those painted bumpers!

[bradnic]

Andre says he may pull the trigger. then he said he barely had time to wax the vert before The Vintage. so who knows haha

[bradnic]

my favorite pic of the car right now

[bradnic]

we were genuinely surprised at how much we love the body color bumpers and shadowline trim. rich color+black is just yum


some pics showing the interior color match. having everything matched is just wonderful!



still need to do the kick panels.. they're discernibly lighter.
absolutely love how the leatherique carpet dye application turned out.

[bradnic]

Just replaced the pass side window regulator. Very straight forward job, simple to adjust the window height too. Pic explains all - no wonder the window refused to rise all the way and shuddered when it reached the highest spot


Waiting on parts now.. should be trickling in next 2 weeks

[c0rbin9]

Congrats OP, you're the first cabriolet that gets the c0rbin9 "Ballin' Out of Control" Seal of Approval.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Probably the only cabrio i'd ever own. Car is amazing man. I got mixed emotions of the painted bumpers. I just think the chrome bumpers help the paint stand out more.