Project Facelift

[Nai]

Damn it, read the whole thread, only to find no end-result pics at the end. :')

I found a picture of this E30 on Google, with the pre-facelift 'double chrome' trims, but with facelift bumpers, so I thought someone with a facelift E30 did a mod to do 'double chrome' (facelift only has the outer trim in chrome, as you all know, but that looks kinda weird to me), as I'm thinking of changing my shadowline to chromeline (and the pre-facelift 'double chrome' looks more oldskool). But then it turned out he facelifted his pre-facelift.

Luckily he didn't change the rear lights tho. I'm a big fan of the pre-facelift lights but I'm stuck with a facelift. Should've chosen for a pre-facelift tail after someone crashed into the rear of my 318is, but since a 318is is facelift-only, I decided to stick with the original. But since I have a black E30, and a 318is is always shadowline, I miss contrast. Should actually buy a pre-facelift 4-door again in an oldskool color like bronzit or something, since I still miss my first E30 (an '87 4-door bronzit 316 ^^), but I've spent a lot of money on my 318is already so changing to a new 'unknown' car that'll have it's own flaws again isn't easy, and prices of unspoiled E30's have gone through the roof.


Saw this really nice E30 with facelift bumpers (and the double chrome window trim). The bumpers where in chrome as well (with chrome vinyl/wrap) and it looked pretty nice. But it turned out to be a pre-facelift as well :( (with the cool pre-facelift tail lights) Can't find any how-to's to change shadowline to chromeline using chrome wrap either, but enough the other way (chrome to shadowline) around...





It looks nice on white, but don't know what it'll give on black. Maybe the bottom part of the bumper, will be too much, if that's chrome too, on a black E30. I'd have to get pre-facelift side-trims as well (with the chrome line in it), and also chrome line on the front and rear window rubbers.

Thread:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=324340

As for pics of OT's E30:














PS: I'm from Europe and have US-sidemarkers, cause I think they are cool. And over here it's rather rare to have them. Looks like the grass is always greener on the other side. :mrgreen: Though I also like the 'clean' look of non-US trims (or euro trims as you call it), I like having the side lights at night. :3

I'm also a fan of the orange 'running lights' they have in the US (looks exotic for me), and orange indicators in general. :mrgreen: (I hate white indicators, especially on older cars) But on the E30, it looks weird when the front indicators are on 'running light mode', so I'll just stick to the sidemarkers only (also I have seen some US E30's that have the side-markers on but the front indicators are 'off', and others where the front indicators are 'on', along with the side markers, but I wonder how the which one of the two is OEM (like when they left the factory)). But I heard those orange running lights are because they don't have 'daylight running time' lights in the US like they have in Europe?

This is mine btw:








But because the orange front sidemarkers where too visible compared to the rear red sidemarkers (and because I lost one of my orange ones on the road), I replaced the orange ones with smoked ones. But the downside is that only the rear ones reflect in the dark now.




Also thinking of replacing the yellow high beams to white again (normally I'd go full yellow, but the low beams of the yellow set were damaged), or a smoked set. Or see what it gives with yellow fogs first.. Choises.. choises... Too much choises! Yellow lights on a black E30 with chromeline don't look that good compared to a black E30 with shadowline tho (better noticable IRL than on photo).




Sorry for the sidemarker and headlight derail (and topic bump). :mrgreen:


Edit: Oh lol, seems like this is my first post, I thought I posted here before but apparently not. :V

[bradnic]

so he kept the side markers all this time... good for him

more pics




EDIT: found this shot from the same picnic - doesn't look like it's his car, but the early model rear plastic bumper+valance conversion looks pretty good.

[2mAn]

taken at the E30 picnic....

[bradnic]

6 years + and still no really good finished pics.. at least there's Janderson's sig :-)

posted here zoomed for posterity (hopefully)

[pantelones]

The most important part that I skimmed this tread for is not even here :( Josh if you read this in the next couple days or week, can you PLEASE post a photo showing the fit up of the bumper end, and wheel arch meeting point?

I was originally going to do Jordan's way using bondo to fill in the gaps and make it smooth, but I was thinking to myself that it was a stupid idea. It looks like sectioning the bumper (like you did) would work just as well. I am doing this conversion minus the 88+ rear valance, and I like your method better. Maybe my memory is not remembering things properly at the moment, but I don't recall a difference with the arch and bumper meeting point and it should work, right?

[Active16Bits]

No. Read the whole thread. There is much more valuable information in the thread than can be put into just pics and steps.

Don't half-ass stuff like this. Read as much as you can, get the right information, and do it right the first time.

I just read the whole thread because of this post. Most of the posts in this thread isn't even related to a facelift. Theres a whole damn page on your fucking 205/50 tires! I would understand if this was a general build thread, but c'mon...

Thanks for the valuable information and pictures but please supply a condensed version for future readers.

[Frog]

Ugh what happened to all the pics!!!!

[lagoon]

Quote:
Originally Posted by e30loverSC View Post
Is there a shortened version of this threadn out there? with just the pics and steps
No. Read the whole thread. There is much more valuable information in the thread than can be put into just pics and steps.

Don't half-ass stuff like this. Read as much as you can, get the right information, and do it right the first time.

6 months, and that was because I was doing it all in my spare time, didn't really have the time to devote straight to it. And this thread will be copied, and edited to show only pics and info here pretty soon.

In a few weeks when it warms up, I am going to paint the upper section of the rear valence. The bottom will remain satin, as they were stock.

haha not hating, just noticed this and laughed. obviously as time went on this thread accumulated more information than originally imagined

[Bmwmotorm52]

I need to get a 87..Best mod i every seen.you car look awsome

[Jester323i]

yes, lack of finished pics is a real bummer. Nice work, I'll be doing the same to mine here very soon.

[Slangbox]

Josh you really should have some finished pics of this project. The ones from JParker (Edit: Jparkr. My bad.) just don't do it justice, and for someone reading through all 44 pages it's a little bit of a letdown at the end. But a great thread/project/DIY nonetheless. This is my third time through it...

[Jand3rson]

Only had an issue with the paint that I fixed last year. It was starting to bubble in few spots, and crackle in others. I also accidentally tore some of it off when I masked the car up for the drive to the Picnic the year before last, so I stripped the whole thing down to bare metal and re-applied undercoated and repainted it. I had previously applied the paint over the existing paint and undercoating, which is what I think caused the issues.

[Huff]

So, now that this threads come back from a few years ago. Are you having any problems with your rear apron?

[Hyelifecl]

Great project. Great thread. Enjoyed going thru all the 44 pages. Would be nice to see some done pictures of the ride in this thread's ending.

Thanks.

[Jand3rson]

Is there a shortened version of this threadn out there? with just the pics and steps

No. Read the whole thread. There is much more valuable information in the thread than can be put into just pics and steps.

Don't half-ass stuff like this. Read as much as you can, get the right information, and do it right the first time.