E30 leather trim

[SidewaysScouser]

Hello All,

I'm trying to find the following pieces of factory leather trim for my E30 M3. I know the bits I'm looking for are rare, especially given the the car's LHD, but any advice on where I might find them would be greatly appreciated!

They must have been standard equipment on something!













And here's everything I'm looking for as fitted to a Cecotto:-



Does anyone know if BMW manufactured the Cecotto with black leather?

Did BMW supply the header panel (where the check control panel sits), the A, B, & C Pillar trims, and parcel shelf in black leather?

I'm looking for the doorcards and rear quarter panel trims too!

Thanks in advance for any help you're able to give.

[Alex]

leather dash you cannot get that in the uk, it looks

[maxfield]

My Dad's Cecotto came with black leather.

That's Markus's car on www.s14.net.

Maybe worth a try, he knows a lot about M3's!

[SidewaysScouser]

leather dash you cannot get that in the uk, it looks

It's going in a left hand drive M3, so that's not necessarily a problem!

[SidewaysScouser]

My Dad's Cecotto came with black leather.

That's Markus's car on www.s14.net.

Maybe worth a try, he knows a lot about M3's!

Hi Jamie, Thanks - I admit I did take some the photos from S14.net! I'll pm Markus and see what he says.

Did your dads car have all the leather bits?

P.S. Did you pass your test?

[maxfield]

It had leather door cards and centre console. The dash isn't leather though.

Got theory test tomorrow.

[Alex]

leather dash you cannot get that in the uk, it looks

It's going in a left hand drive M3, so that's not necessarily a problem!

all m3's are lhd bar a hand full

[SidewaysScouser]

Thanks Jamie - Did your dads car have any other leather bits? The A,B, & C pillar trims? Glove box and knee rolls?

Got theory test tomorrow.

Best of luck!

[SidewaysScouser]

Thanks Alex - are you saying that the leather dash wasn't a factory option on the 279 officially imported M3s?

[csl]

I've not seen or heard of any leather dash like that one before !

Are we sure these are factory fit ?

I'll agree with Max thou,i have also come across a Cecotto or 2 with full black leather

[maxfield]

Hmm, I'm also pretty sure they're not leather. I'll take a look this weekend, I need some stuff out of it

Thanks.

[SidewaysScouser]

Cheers CSL - I think the dash is factory, but I've never seen one in the flesh, so I'm not 100%.

So the Cecotto and the Evo II are a good place to start - I'll keep an eye out for one being broken! (only about 1000 built, so it might be a long wait!)

I forgot - I'm after the leather door handles and glove pockets too!

[Alex]

Thanks Alex - are you saying that the leather dash wasn't a factory option on the 279 officially imported M3s?

dont think so

[SidewaysScouser]

Hmm, I'm also pretty sure they're not leather. I'll take a look this weekend, I need some stuff out of it

Thanks mate - if you could have a look and tell me exactly what's leather in the Cecotto I'd be very grateful.

Theory test isn't too difficult, I did mine a couple of years ago when I was doing my bike test - let us know how you get on!


Thanks Alex - I've got the original 1990 sales brochure for the M3 and M5, and theres no mention of these bits being available as factory options. That doesn't necessarily mean they weren't tho.!

[dannyboy759]

Seen a few on German Ebay

[Alex]

Hmm, I'm also pretty sure they're not leather. I'll take a look this weekend, I need some stuff out of it

Thanks mate - if you could have a look and tell me exactly what's leather in the Cecotto I'd be very grateful.

Theory test isn't too difficult, I did mine a couple of years ago when I was doing my bike test - let us know how you get on!


Thanks Alex - I've got the original 1990 sales brochure for the M3 and M5, and theres no mention of these bits being available as factory options. That doesn't necessarily mean they weren't tho.!

true there is always accsesories you can still buy from bmw

[SidewaysScouser]

Seen a few on German Ebay

Unfortunately I don't speak German!

Any idea which bits and how much they went for?

[Alex]

Seen a few on German Ebay

Unfortunately I don't speak German!

Any idea which bits and how much they went for?

use an online german translator

[SidewaysScouser]

true there is always accsesories you can still buy from bmw

I think I'd need a chassis number - the bloke on the parts desk at my local stealer probably wasn't even born when these cars were made!

Online German translator?

[csl]

Cheers CSL - I think the dash is factory, but I've never seen one in the flesh, so I'm not 100%.

So the Cecotto and the Evo II are a good place to start - I'll keep an eye out for one being broken! (only about 1000 built, so it might be a long wait!)

I forgot - I'm after the leather door handles and glove pockets too!

Can't say i have seen an Evo2 with full leather thou,i did once "nearly" purchase a damaged Ravaglia with full grey leather however.

[bss325i]

There was a RHD Alpina auto C2.27 convertible based on a calypso red motorsport which was featured in TBMW mag back in 2001, it was featuredby Paul Wager, now current editor of the mag iirc, i still have the mag. It had lotus white leather like all genuine calypso motorsports had and a black leather dash board and centre consol which was i think was factory, i cant remember and i dont have the mag to hand at the mo but will check later. The stitching looks very similar.

[SidewaysScouser]

So I'm looking for an Evo II, Cecotto, or Ravaglia - next question is what bits were leather in these models? It doesn't sound like they all had the dash. The A,B & C Pillars? The parcel shelf? Knee roll and Glove box cover?

My car's got black leather SportEvo trim, so I don't want to take it out if I find the other bits in grey!

[SidewaysScouser]

There was a RHD Alpina auto C2.27 convertible based on a calypso red motorsport which was featured in TBMW mag back in 2001, it was featuredby Paul Wager, now current editor of the mag iirc, i still have the mag. It had lotus white leather like all genuine calypso motorsports had and a black leather dash board and centre consol which was i think was factory, i cant remember and i dont have the mag to hand at the mo but will check later. The stitching looks very similar.

Thank you, I've got all the TBMW's from 2001 - I'll dig them out and have a look. Appreciate your help, cheers.

[Yaninnya]

The leather dash was one of the option available in BMW Individual program. The dash on green M3 is from factory.
Jan

[pacerpete]

Ceccottos came standard with black half leather or grey half leather. I have only seen two ceccottos with full leather including leather door cards and consoles and one with everything including glove box and dash in stitched leather. I have never seen leather A or B post trims on an e30.
When your next down Stuey , i'll bring you to the M ******* room and show you my collection of leather door cards,consoles etc !

[DaveD]

spotted this in the cc site...no connection with me

e30 m3 cecotto spares
Details: full interior with door cards rear parcel shelf with sunblind,bonnet boot front and rear bumpers,front wings,set of 5 16" cecotto wheels,set of 4 e30 m3 wheels both with tyres,full heater assmbly,various trim bits for interior,eibach front strut brace,ring 07729720142 for prices/more info
Price wanted: ring 07729720142 for prices
Contact: 07729720142

[pacerpete]

Another rare car ruined by a sparcoc0ck.....


PS all the good bits are sold...

[maxfield]

Another rare car ruined by a sparcoc0ck.....

I bet you rate my Dad highly then

[bloom_meister]

The leather dash was one of the option available in BMW Individual program. The dash on green M3 is from factory.
Jan

just to clarify, BMW was not running the individual program back then, what happened is that they would do 'individual type stuff', but very limited, if you made a special request. leather dashboards on M3's (and other E30's) were available but not listed as an option in the brochures therefore they are very very rare. They were factory fitted btw.

really glad you posted those pictures as now i have a template for my trimmer to work to for the dash to show where the seams need to be!

Good luck with the search but i'd just get a trimmer to recreate the original look if i were you as chances of finding that stuff is remote.

[Andyboy]

The first BMW individual car was built in late 1988/early 89, a two tone 320i 2 door in Luxor over Bronzit with full beige/brown leather trim including headlining and dash, BBS split rims etc. It was shown at one of the big shows (possibly Frankfurt) and still exists.

Leather dashes were quite common on the M3 Convertible, both first and second gen cars.

[e30m3s50b32]

i recall the alpina bss325i mentioned, a very fine car, but the power figuers quoted were bit higher then i personaly belive.

in regards to the leather dash, i have seen 1 and it was in black, the centre consoles and h.brake section do occasionaly come up on e bay, i think a contact of mine may have them. i shall make some enqiueries if you wish. never seen a pilars in leather, but i think these would be faily straight forward to trim.

[bloom_meister]

To clarify further, i am talking about Individual cars as an official program from BMW that was 'live', sure they did bespoke on a very small scale before the E36 were introduced but there wasnt an actual individual program in the 80's. I have no doubt that the car mentioned was a showcase to test public reaction (all manufactueres do this) and was then judged to be a viable business proposition but it wasnt until the 90's that Individual as a programme for BMW was launched.

Happy to stand corrected if anyone can show me an official documents/picture of individual brochures for the E30, i have been buying some old brochures from some people who make their living selling them and they were both positive there were no pre 1990's individual ranges.

[Demlotcrew]

Ceccottos came standard with black half leather or grey half leather. I have only seen two ceccottos with full leather including leather door cards and consoles and one with everything including glove box and dash in stitched leather. I have never seen leather A or B post trims on an e30.
When your next down Stuey , i'll bring you to the M ******* room and show you my collection of leather door cards,consoles etc !

^ Thats not the only thing he'll show you

[gazza]

is your room now open for general viewing after the portugese police forensic team left............

[SidewaysScouser]

i recall the alpina bss325i mentioned, a very fine car, but the power figuers quoted were bit higher then i personaly belive.

in regards to the leather dash, i have seen 1 and it was in black, the centre consoles and h.brake section do occasionaly come up on e bay, i think a contact of mine may have them. i shall make some enqiueries if you wish. never seen a pilars in leather, but i think these would be faily straight forward to trim.

Thank you, yes, please if you could enquire as to what he's got and more importantly how much he wants for it I'd be very grateful.

Thanks to everyone for their input. To recap,

Leather A, B, & C post covers, parcel shelves, and the "header panel" (where the check control panel sits) were never available from the factory?

Door cards, rear 1/4 cards, door handles/bins and the handbrake console were available in leather and were fitted to very few Cecottos, Ravaglias, and Evo IIs'.

LHD Dashboards were seldom covered in leather, and were fitted to more M3 convertibles than coupes, but even so are still very rare.

Knee roll and glove box covers in leather were a factory special order item fitted by request only.

And, based on Andyboy's description of the first "Individual" car, at least one car exists with a leather headliner - Now that would be the ultimate finishing touch!

Thanks again all, Does that pretty much sum it up?

I wonder who did the original trimming work for BMW - I can't imagine there was demand sufficient to merit them doing this type of trimming in house? Any ideas?