Project Facelift

[Jand3rson]

Today we finaly started, yes, Project Facelift is underway! What you'll see from this point on in this thread is the FULL body conversion of my car, a 1986 325es into the late-model body styling. This includes plastic front and rear bumpers, as well as a late-model front valence, and yes, even a late-model OEM rear apron. I will chronicle each stage of the process with pics and details on how we performed the work.

Part I - Doing what BMW should have done in the first place...

Today (09/23/06), we started on the rear apron, trimming out ALL excess material and cutting it down to nothing more than the external skirt. Here are the pics and info:

The OEM unibody rear apron, cut off of a '92 325i cabrio:





Starting to cut off the excess material from above the determined mounting area:



Cutting around the existing bumper shock mounting points. Since we'll be using the bumper mounting points on my car, these were not needed:



Removal of the material making up and surrounding the existing battery tray. All of this material has to be removed in order for the apron to fit on the rear of the car:



Nearly all excess material removed, almost finished with removal of battery tray material:



All of the material removed from the rear apron:



The $6 Harbor Freight pneumatic cutting tool that did the job:



New wheel on the left, used wheel on the right. We went through only two:



The finished rear apron, with all material removed, awaiting prep, primer and paint:





Tomorrow: Front valence.

[Teaguer]

Good start Josh ! :up:

Are you going to keep the textured finish or grind that junk off and go smooth ?

Also is that Kalypso ? If so that is a semi-rare color .

[Mot]

ya I parted that car out, it was a 91 325iC Calypso on Tan. 69k miles, rearended some one.

[BDSax]

man, this is going to look really good

[Van Westervelt]

Are you painting prior to fitting or post attachment? Good start, see you are putting that new compressor to work to eh?! :)

[Bimmer Ese]

Wow...I can wait for this thread to develop. I have the same exact car as you do....only with a little more rust :(

[Jand3rson]

Good start Josh ! :up:

Are you going to keep the textured finish or grind that junk off and go smooth ?

Thanks. It went pretty smoothly, except for that battery tray part.

The rear apron will stay textured, to help against shit flying up off the road. The front will be smoothed, though.

Curt, everything will be painted prior to installation.

[nefarious7907]

its not going to be a complete later body conversion unless you take the rear quarters off a later style too, remember they have lower rear arches.

But I think it will turn out great, good luck

[Jand3rson]

its not going to be a complete later body conversion unless you take the rear quarters off a later style too, remember they have lower rear arches.

But I think it will turn out great, good luck

Oh I'm terribly sorry, you're right, I'll get right out there and hack the rear quarter panels off a parts car and chop mine out. :D

Try not to take things QUITE so literally. I figured most people would know what I meant.

[nefarious7907]

Oh I'm terribly sorry, you're right, I'll get right out there and hack the rear quarter panels off a parts car and chop mine out. :D

Try not to take things QUITE so literally. I figured most people would know what I meant.

I know what you meant and you know what I meant, sorry I dont know how to put a mrgreen smiley at the end of a statement on here.

[Jand3rson]

I know what you meant and you know what I meant, sorry I dont know how to put a mrgreen smiley at the end of a statement on here.

It's all good, I knew what you meant. :up:

[aaron.j]

eurobumpers own you

[rede30]

rock and roll, when do you think you will finish.

[fretburnr]

i personally wouldn't mind having a late-model body with small tails and high rear arches.

looking good man!

[Jand3rson]

rock and roll, when do you think you will finish.

Probably inside a month, as long as all goes well. Bumpers will be here Tuesday, Andy and I are getting started on the front valence in a little while.

I'll have pics up when we get done stripping it.