Japandrew73's OEM Euro Restore

[e30nub]

im a fan of your ocdness

+1 fucking million.

[Japandrew73]

+1 fucking million.

Haha thanks guys. Toolkit is slowly coming together...
Finally got both my headlight wipers wiping literally perfectly, except for timing (speed of motors, like when they stop at the same time or not). but the distance they wipe is perfect. they kiss the stoppers on each side. i might take a vid tomorrow

[Japandrew73]

For those of you who didn't read my thread about the logic behind German License plates ( Click Here ), I bought a custom new license plate. I put the new plate on and I think it definitely looks way better.



I also got a couple of little parts including two windshield washer end caps and a cigarette lighter that doesn't have a faded graphic (both parts new). The pic if poor quality but it makes a big difference.





I fixed the problem with my left headlight wiper and so I had them functioning perfectly, the distance they wiped was just enough on both sides and they had literally no flaws. And as I started to take videos for you guys, the wash wipe control unit mounted on the fluid tank pooped out on me. I actually caught it on tape (3rd video link). You can see it starts off fine, and then it squirts out water in random moments and the attempts after the video it squirts for a long time, then stops, then some more and the wipers wipe in random paths and it is definitely the control unit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rkIhKImG0k&feature=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJQd1QLkPAk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeCQllzmqko&feature=channel_page

My headlight wash wipe system is Murphy's Law. Anything that can go wrong has and will... and did. I am in search of a new control unit. I didn't get a chance to get the chrome tip on, it is in fact just a slide on one. Does anybody know how to get my previous chrome tip off? It's the same tip as the new one except aftermarket. It just slid on too.

[cepa318is]

wow. that is something I need to do with my wipers. gj man.

[Japandrew73]

My parents finally made me take on the maplight mirror project for safety reasons and it's about time I got that thing off my dresser and into my car anyways. I found it's actually a big project but once you do it you realize it isn't that bad.

Overhead Panel and Sunroof Crank Out


Making My own Harness with the right connectors. I thought about getting the plug housing, but I didn't have any time to order the part. I could but it's a bit pointless.


Making use of that Foam is comes with

Harness Complete

I was amazed at how easy it was to put the maplight mirror in with the overhead panel off. I struggled for at least 2 hours trying to put it in with the overhead panel on, but when I was forced to take the overhead panel off to run the wiring, I found it was incredibly easy.
The way the wiring runs...

Down the A Pillar


Through the backside of my glovebox. For those of you who haven't seen my glovebox, it's what you'd expect. I spread everything out so you could see it but it's very neat and tidy. It's got the original owners manuel and a foreign owners manuel behind it, and the original radio manuel along with the OEM cigarette lighter extender thingy and an ipod charger. The white thing that looks like a chair kind of is actually a bluetooth ipod connector. My stereo is bluetooth and automatically connects to my phone and when I plug my ipod touch into the white thing, and turn the white thing on it plays my ipod wirelessly. It's a custom setup because the white thing is something on ebay I found and the stereo is Clarion. So I thought it was a pretty cool improvisation.

Anyways, under the glovebox.....

Down through the side...

Through the Center Console...

And out the cigarette lighter hole where it will be getting it's power

To try a little test I connected the wires into the cigarette lighter wires

and success!

So now it was just about cleaning it up.
One problem I did have during the install is when i heard to wire it into the cigarette light i thought it meant to the ash try light. So when I tapped into those wires the light started to fade and then just went out, and now my instruments, all the HVAC stuff, and the ash tray lights don't light up anymore, along with my right tail light is out. It isn't burnt out bulbs because I replaced those and it isn't a fuse either. What could it be? I think it might be my headlight switch since it controls all of the dimming features...

Here are the wire taps

picture of my new cigarette lighter in better lighting. It seems so miniscule but it really makes a difference in the car appearance wise.

I used glass polish on the mirror, but felt the lenses were a bit dirty so i wanted to clean the inside of them


for those of you who don't know they come off with the trim, U shaped piece, and two shock screws

and then you have this
You can see all the shit inside the lens

Turns out even with it fully dissembled you can't take the lenses out, or at least I didn't know how. anybody else know?

The one downside in this project is that I'm a complete retard. I went to clean the windshield behind the mirror and on my old mirror i just slid my hand behind it and did the same for this mirror and forgot the stabilizer was there. So i broke off the stabilizer and it pissed me off. If anybody has just the stabilizer please let me know and i'll buy it off you.


So besides the setbacks I love the maplights!




I also spent about an hour and a half trying to replace my aftermarket tail pipe tip with an OEM chrome one but I couldn't make it budge, I'll take it to an exhaust shop and they'll do it in front of my for $5.

[e30edward]

Did you check your fuses? You didn't blow one did you?

[IRON-E]

You are a sick, sick man.

I love your project! ;)

[Japandrew73]

Did you check your fuses? You didn't blow one did you?

Nope, all my fuses are fine, judging from the Bentley I think I might have shorted out my headlight switch since it controls all the dimming, but I'll investigate tomorrow

[NC325iC]

you make me feel sloppy and disorganized

[Holland]

Very nice, Where did you get your plate from?

[e30frosh]

Tidy glove box, but I see no flashlight.

[iwantspeed]

its all in the details.
Nice work

im in socal and it would be cool to check out your car.
Do you go to any of the local car shows?

[bimmer_E30]

still needs an M10 delete mod.

[Japandrew73]

Tidy glove box, but I see no flashlight.

On the list... :)

Very nice, Where did you get your plate from?

https://www.europlates.com

its all in the details.
Nice work

im in socal and it would be cool to check out your car.
Do you go to any of the local car shows?

Unfortunately, I have never taken my car to one. I have only been to a few auto shows but really want to go to a BMW one. I've been to the Orange County Auto show, the LA auto show, and some american good guys thing at the OC fair grounds. I'd love to take my car to a meet all shiney and clean but I work mostly all the time on the weekends and then have school on the weekdays. During the summer I will be free up most of the time and I'll go to a ton of meets in the summer granted a bunch of meets happen in the summer

[Jparkr]

My parents finally made me take on the maplight mirror project for safety reasons and it's about time I got that thing off my dresser and into my car anyways. I found it's actually a big project but once you do it you realize it isn't that bad.

Why is a map light mirror a safety feature?