BMW Classic to produce more parts for older BMW's.

[skipunda]

For transparencies sake we have intervened by cutting out a few silly posts. Any comments surrounding why, how, or what will be dealt with in the same manner or we'll lock this hugely important topic up.

Back on topic

[beemerbird]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the smaller size Tech 1 steering wheel.

[daimlerman]

In general,parts availability for E30 is excellent,when I was working on my cabbie(one of only 50 imported,remember)the ONLY bit I struggled with was seat base foam and a seat base cover.Both issues were solved with a little work and laterial thinking.
OK,we have all read the odd post refering to some bits going NLA,but in most cases these have re-appeared after a few weeks,there was a claimed shortage of front wings a while back,for example,but no further reports of total NLA.
Simon reports that odd bits of stuff such as sound deadening is currently NLA,but this sort of thing can usually be sorted out as the stuff is designed to be hidden,so a slightly different pattern or colour is not vital.

What we need to ensure,however,is that BMW themselves retain all tooling for as many parts as possible,and that they are encouraged to re-manufacture themselves,and not to do as has happened previously in the classic car world when tooling has been sold off to an indipendant supplier,who then has replica parts re-manufactured in the far east out of inferior quality material.
Door seals,for example,for Mk2 Jaguar are readily available from the likes of Manners at Oldbury,Barret at Bridgenorth and Robey at Tamworth,BUT,the things are made in China out of rubber so hard that you are unable to close the doors properly or get a decent wind seal without hours of work with a razor blade trimming the things....or you buy a modern hollow section rubber,get a decent fit and seal but lose marks at the showring...

So far,as E30 moves eveer closer to being accepted as a 'classic car',we do very well,although the inevitable rise in price is now starting to be noticed for parts that are being re-made,Simon highlighted BMW supplied alternator at an eyewatering £465,but careful shopping around brought this down to a more acceptable level.

We are already seeing M3 prices rise to a level where they are moving from 'enthusiast' to 'collector',we (those of us of a certain age)saw this with '60's Jaguar,followed by a thumping great crash in values as these 'collectors' suddenly realised that old cars need lots of love and maintainance whereas old paintings just needed hanging...

Perhaps the much vaunted 'Bracknall Special' will be the next victim,or will it be the minty base 316 chromie?

[zaust]

Well it dawned on me today,

NEW BODY SHELLS!!!

I will be on the phone to BMW Park lane tomorrow to see what the coo is but i have found out this so far,

41001979078 M3 shell, unit price £3992.45

41001942094 Pre sept '87 2dr shell (chomie), unit price £2903.31

41001966981 Post sept '87 2dr shell (facelift), unit price £1019.88

I got the details on the shells that im interested in but for the others just get a part number off realoem and phone your local dealer.

All of the above shells are NON SUNROOF but for sun roof versions they were approx £200 more.

The price and all plus VAT and most likely wont be the price if/when they are reproduced.

I also read today that should be feasable to build a complete car from new parts but the cost of this meant that a 2002 would be into 6 figures!

First thing that came to my mind too.



Would love a brand new shell to start with, No problem in putting vgc parts on it. Just nice to know that there is 0 rust present.

[daimlerman]

Unlikely that body skelitions will be made,IMO.

Just think of Heritage and the MGB shells,a 'one fit for all',not a range of shells that properly fit each model/year variant.

Best that we can hope for is that BMW retain the rights to re-make all the bits that mount to the base frame.This is vital,IMO,to keep the quality up.The snag is that because numbers will be small by comparison to the original production runs,costs will be very high to us,the end users.Objections to high price will just simply mean a move to far east production with vastly inferior quality control.

One of the great joys of playing with E30 is the way in which bits fit,I swapped a keep-fit sunroof the other week for a power one,all the bits I needed just slotted into place with no fettling at all,even the outer lid was a perfect colour match!Try that with a '60's Jaguar or Ford.

[m_jermyn]

A brand new shell will be very expensive indeed and I cant see BMW doing it unless they have firm orders with deposits payed.

BMW although lovers of all things BMW and E30 are a business and will not do anything unless they can make money from it. This goes for everything listed, not just shells.

Look how hard it is to get a group buy going on here... Imagine one for E30 body shells

[Felix79]

One of the great joys of playing with E30 is the way in which bits fit,I swapped a keep-fit sunroof the other week for a power one,all the bits I needed just slotted into place with no fettling at all,even the outer lid was a perfect colour match!Try that with a '60's Jaguar or Ford.

Thing is you are talking about 20 years difference in manufacturing processes and British ( I am guessing the Fords were ) v's German built cars. Let's face it in the 60's things were starting to go down the toilet with the British car factories and Germany in the 80's were becomming the powerhouse of car makers.

[Royalratch]

New and complete Shadowline Trims.

New Carpet.

New Rooflinings.

New Door Cards.

I can live with everything else!

[daimlerman]

One of the great joys of playing with E30 is the way in which bits fit,I swapped a keep-fit sunroof the other week for a power one,all the bits I needed just slotted into place with no fettling at all,even the outer lid was a perfect colour match!Try that with a '60's Jaguar or Ford.

Thing is you are talking about 20 years difference in manufacturing processes and British ( I am guessing the Fords were ) v's German built cars. Let's face it in the 60's things were starting to go down the toilet with the British car factories and Germany in the 80's were becomming the powerhouse of car makers.

Point I am attempting to make is that quality control is paramount here.
Classic car parts are driven by price,as the price drops so does the quality.
BMW made/supplied parts are still a perfect fit,if this aspect is hived off to an outside source,quality will be the first to suffer.

We must,therefore,be prepared to pay the price to get the same quality of fit and manufacture.This is why re-producing a complete shell/frame will not be viable IMO,original panels,at a price,no problem.Carpet mats,ballpark fiqure,what? £100 a set?

What we need are the 'difficult' bits,as ratch mentioned,trim is currently well into this catagory.I for one,would be prepared to pay whatever was asked for a neon green cloth seat base! And remember,last summer when I bought two seatback covers,the cost then was over £150 a set,with VaT....

[djscottfree]

i take a set mats please

[Royalratch]

What is it with Mats?

All the parts that are NLA and everyone wants Mats?

[e30topless]

TEC2 2dr
Non sunroof 41001966981 £1019.88..... last price change7/1/98

yes please

I remember new shells in stock at simpsons of york back in 97, wish i had bought one think they were £850 plus vat

[B7]

What is it with Mats?

All the parts that are NLA and everyone wants Mats?

Have you been to halfords lately? the range of mats is quite horrific

[gooner1]

TEC2 2dr
Non sunroof 41001966981 £1019.88..... last price change7/1/98

yes please

I remember new shells in stock at simpsons of york back in 97, wish i had bought one think they were £850 plus vat

DOH !!!!!!!!

[pacerpete]

What is it with Mats?

All the parts that are NLA and everyone wants Mats?

+1


I suppose it is easier to fit some new mats in a vain attempt to keep your feet dry than repairing holes in the floor/bulkhead etc

[Royalratch]

Ouch Barry !

@ B7 - I got some very decent replica mats a year or so ago. They are an exact match for the Blue of my carpet and the seller claims they are made by the same factory as the BMW ones (don't they all). Fit is perfect too.

The pile is very HQ - and they came with the correct fixings too - £60.

They are not made of that weird harsh nylon ribbed stuff that the OEM mats are tho...

[bss325i]

Ratch, there are two types of OEM BMW mats, the coarse loop plie type you mention and the cut pile plusher type.

People want original BMW mats as the have the BMW heel pad and are a finishing touch for originality.

I have a very nice condition set of the cut pile type but would love some new ones!

[gooner1]

What is it with Mats?

All the parts that are NLA and everyone wants Mats?

Have you been to halfords lately? the range of mats is quite horrific

I don,t imagine Ratch has EVER been in Halfords, then again
i too do not possess a vivid imagination.

[shimsheemer]

Royalratch, are you willing to disclose where you got the mats from?

[djscottfree]

i have the course loop pile in blue in v good nick in my chromie, but would love a set of cut pile mats

[gooner1]

Royalratch, are you willing to disclose where you got the mats from?

Brick Lane ?

[shimsheemer]

Royalratch, are you willing to disclose where you got the mats from?

Brick Lane ?

Lost me there Gooner!?!?

[h7fal]

New OEM mats would be nice.

Also replacement leather for front seats and any extended leather parts like ashtrays, doorcards etc.

[gooner1]

Royalratch, are you willing to disclose where you got the mats from?

Brick Lane ?

Lost me there Gooner!?!?

http://www.visitbricklane.org/#/brick-l ... 4537676886

[Royalratch]

Don't know how you got to Brick Lane, I hate that area and all skinny jeans wearing crunchy hipster fools - I'm a West/North West Londoner.

Got them from MotorMec.

[modcer]

Payment sent

[johnt0709]

http://www.motormec.co.uk/carpet.html

[Morat]

Thread cleaned. Again.
Getting really bored now.
Please keep this topic to the discussion of new manufacture BMW replacement parts. Insults, point scoring, manhood measuring and e-peen waving should be done in the privacy of your own head.



Thank you!

[Royalratch]

http://www.motormec.co.uk/carpet.html

That's the stuff.

They have the soft cut pile stuff - no heel pad or logo but the colour, fit and carpet quality are spot on.

They do look totally factory in the car.

[DanThe]

Do they have the holes to lock the mat down with Ratch?

[Royalratch]

Yup.

Pre cut holes with plastic bezels around them and the large fixing screws - all included.

[Andyboy]

Thread cleaned. Again.
Getting really bored now.
Please keep this topic to the discussion of new manufacture BMW replacement parts. Insults, point scoring, manhood measuring and e-peen waving should be done in the privacy of your own head.

No, it should be left on so that we can have a laugh. I had a cup of tea in hand, ready to revel in 3 pages of insults - and they've all gone.

[Royalratch]

3 pages! i only saw the first inklings.

Come on man these are few and far between these days...

[DanThe]

Its political correctness gone mad

[gareth]

Ratch, while we're discussing mats (of all things) any chance you could rustle up a pic of yours? Then we can all go any buy them leaving BMW to make more important bits