E30 Zone

Hello peeps,

This is a call going out to all (M-Tech 2) Sport owners in the Worthing/Brighton (or anywhere in sussex really) area. I desperately need to have a look at your rear bumper, and how closely it fits to the rear wheel arch.

If anyone can help, please get in touch. I really need to look in the next day or so.

Failing that, can anyone with a late model Sport take a good close up picture that shows how close the M-Tech 2 rear bumper sits to the rear 1/4 panel (just behind the rear wheel, on the edge of the wheel arch lip).

I'm trying to confirm if there's much of a gap between the plastic bumper/valance, and the metal 1/4 panel.

Thanks,

Ian.

Yeah mate there is about a 5mm gap all the way down with a bracket at the bottom near to the arch holding the bumper sides in place. The Bumper does not over lap the bottom of the arch like the front valance does.

HTH

Andrew

There is a gap if i'm thinking of the right location! my mums taken the digi cam but i'll have dig or take a pic later

Thanks guys. Pics would be excellent

Cheers,

Ian.

I've done a few HTH

My head is cluttered with useless information like how far away the bumper sits from the body of the car, why cant i have useless information regarding my university work?

There is room for both Andrew! i just got my bricklaying exam results back distinction in both! surprised to say the least! As i say to my bird only a few more weeks then done forever!

tis as demlot said ian mine is the same...akthough i knocked my nearside recently... so it sits a couple mms more than usual away on that side...

Karan

Thanks guys

I'd still like to se it in person though. There must be someone around here with a tech 2

The reason I'm asking is because mine (still in the bodyshop ) seems to be sitting further out than it should. I seem to remember mine sitting really close to the metal, but now it's a good 5 to 10mm away, and looks very wrong.

Unfortunately, there's no way to adjust it inwards any further, so not sure what has happened. I know it's just had major surgery, but everything is where it should be. I'm starting to wonder if my bumper has somehow distorted, but will not know for sure without trying another one.

Don't suppose anyone has an M-tech2 bumper I could borrow for a few days. Just need to offer it up to the car to see if it's any different. If I can see 100% that it's the bumper, I'll just buy a new one. If it's not the bumper, then we'll probably modify the mounting point on the new 1/4 panels so that it pulls it in further, but I really don't want to

If anyone else could get photo's, it would also be a great help.

Cheers,

Ian.

Ian,
Not sure if it will be of any help but my Sport is parked up in my garage all this week as i'm getting the train into work.
You are more than welcome to come and see it anytime and have a poke about if required!, i can leave you a key somewhere. I'm in Coulsdon mate, not sure if it's a bit far for you though.
Cheers
Nick.

Sounds like a plan nick, where did you say u will leave the key for me?


Ian what has the car had? like mines or new pannels?

Andrew

nickp wrote:Ian,
Not sure if it will be of any help but my Sport is parked up in my garage all this week as i'm getting the train into work.
You are more than welcome to come and see it anytime and have a poke about if required!, i can leave you a key somewhere. I'm in Coulsdon mate, not sure if it's a bit far for you though.
Cheers
Nick.

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the offer. I may well come and have a look

Probably won't be able to make it until Wednesday though (working nights at the moment). Are you far from Les Stannards place ?

Cheers,

Ian.

Demlotcrew wrote:Ian what has the car had? like mines or new pannels?

Andrew

Lot's of new panels matey

Both rear 1/4's
Rear panel
Both inner arches
Boot lid
Battery tray
Bit of work around the front jacking points and sundry other little pieces.

It's been in the bodyshop since the 17th Jan

Ian.

Wow that is alot of work!

There are runners on which the bumper slides on, if this was not put on correctly then it could cause the sides to stick out a little more.

Andrew

Demlotcrew wrote:There are runners on which the bumper slides on, if this was not put on correctly then it could cause the sides to stick out a little more.

Andrew

Yeah, I know the ones.

The plates that they mount on (with the two threaded studs), came as part of the new 1/4 panels. The plastic slides then just bolt in place. There's no way to adjust anything inwards to close the gap up. I'm 99% sure I had virtually no gap before, but it's been so long that I can't actually remember for sure.

Ideally I need to try another bumper. If this sit's the same, then I'll get the mounting plates modified so that it pulls the bumper in further. Unfortunately, the clocks ticking, and I need to figure it out before it gets painted.

I went down today to confirm that all the panel gaps were correct before they welded them in place, and he reckons it will probably be ready for paint by Wednesday or Thursday, so I don't have much time.

Ian.

Oh okay, i dont know what else it would be then, cause those runners are the only things that govern the distance between the bumper and body.
Why would the bumper sit further out now?

Andrew

Demlotcrew wrote:Why would the bumper sit further out now?

This is exactly what I want to know.

Either something has changed on the bumper (unlikely), or I'm possibly loosing my mind, and it always sat like that (possible, but it looks very wrong to me).

Oh well, look on the bright side. There's no rust left

Yeah only if i had the money to get new pannels put on mines!

Andrew

Rear 1/4's were not part of the original plan. I was just having outer repair sections fitted. Unfortunately, they fcuked up fitting them, and made the joint right on the transition between the main panel, and the arch itself.

This was all fine and dandy until we offered the bodykit up, and none of it fitted right around the arches. Where they used filler to blend the join, it stopped the kit from sitting correctly. They also put a load of filler in the main panel to get it flat again after the arch was welded. Not happy at all

They tried several times to fix it, but it was never going to be 100%, so I went for new 1/4's. A bit drastic I grant you, but I would never have been happy knowing that the panels were full of filler (even if they got the kit to fit).

Ian.

Ian i am off work this week and doing nothing apart from 2moro? My car although a bit rusty is very straight, but i can't get the last torx bolt out of the bumper!

Simon13 wrote:Ian i am off work this week and doing nothing apart from 2moro? My car although a bit rusty is very straight, but i can't get the last torx bolt out of the bumper!

Simon,

I had a nightmare getting those Torx bolts out of mine. Both bolts had rusted solid into the tube on the end of the bumper shocks.

I had to undo the bumper shock mounting bolts to get it off the car, and then had to strip the bumper down to remove the shocks (and the brackets that fit inside the bumper). Once removed, I got a mates garage to remove the rusted bolts. They had to use an Oxy torch to heat it up, and a Windy gun to get them moving.

I'm actually passing pretty close to you on Thursday (popping down to Bristol), so could pop in an have a look if you are around.

Cheers,

Ian.
P.S. Don't suppose I could borrow your bumper for a day (if you can get it off)

no probs but i will have to try and get it off! i've rounded this offending item like a fool. i suppose i'm only any use if i can get it off. I am defo around though

I'm on 07789 482705 anytime

Simon13 wrote:no probs but i will have to try and get it off! i've rounded this offending item like a fool. i suppose i'm only any use if i can get it off. I am defo around though

I'm on 07789 482705 anytime

Sounds good. I'm meeting a guy in Bristol at 1pm, and will be on my way back along the M4 soon after, so will give you a shout sometime in the afternoon.

Cheers,

Ian.

ok mate will await your call!

If your passing Cambridge you can borrow mines? Its not on the car but its in very good nick.

Andrew

ian332isport wrote:Rear 1/4's were not part of the original plan. I was just having outer repair sections fitted. Unfortunately, they fcuked up fitting them, and made the joint right on the transition between the main panel, and the arch itself.

This was all fine and dandy until we offered the bodykit up, and none of it fitted right around the arches. Where they used filler to blend the join, it stopped the kit from sitting correctly. They also put a load of filler in the main panel to get it flat again after the arch was welded. Not happy at all

They tried several times to fix it, but it was never going to be 100%, so I went for new 1/4's. A bit drastic I grant you, but I would never have been happy knowing that the panels were full of filler (even if they got the kit to fit).

Ian.

were your arches that bad? as mines had some surface rust and the guy said they dont need to be cut.

Andrew

Demlotcrew wrote:If your passing Cambridge you can borrow mines? Its not on the car but its in very good nick.

Andrew

Andrew,

Thanks for the offer, but I don't often 'pass' Cambridge

Ian.

Demlotcrew wrote:were your arches that bad? as mines had some surface rust and the guy said they dont need to be cut.

They were not bad cosmetically, but I have had them done a couple of times. The problem is that the rust gets in the seam between the inner/outer arch. Once there, you can't do anything to stop it from returning.

If all you have is surface rust, then you should be fine. Mine was not crumbling away by any means, but I knew it was there, so it had to go.

Ian.

ian332isport wrote:

nickp wrote:Ian,
Not sure if it will be of any help but my Sport is parked up in my garage all this week as i'm getting the train into work.
You are more than welcome to come and see it anytime and have a poke about if required!, i can leave you a key somewhere. I'm in Coulsdon mate, not sure if it's a bit far for you though.
Cheers
Nick.

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the offer. I may well come and have a look

Probably won't be able to make it until Wednesday though (working nights at the moment). Are you far from Les Stannards place ?

Cheers,

Ian.

I'm 5 mins from Les Stannard mate.

Let me know if your up this way for a peep.
Cheers
Nick

ian332isport wrote:

Demlotcrew wrote:were your arches that bad? as mines had some surface rust and the guy said they dont need to be cut.

They were not bad cosmetically, but I have had them done a couple of times. The problem is that the rust gets in the seam between the inner/outer arch. Once there, you can't do anything to stop it from returning.

If all you have is surface rust, then you should be fine. Mine was not crumbling away by any means, but I knew it was there, so it had to go.

Ian.

Did you ever consider the New Shell from Germany as an option?

Andrew

Demlotcrew wrote:Did you ever consider the New Shell from Germany as an option?

Andrew

It did briefly fly through my head, but I did not think they had any left.

Ian.

IF any one could get one its you!

Would be a nice option still to do !

nickp wrote:I'm 5 mins from Les Stannard mate.

Let me know if your up this way for a peep.
Cheers
Nick

Cheers Nick,

I think I've got it covered now, but will be in touch if I need another one to inspect.

Ian.

Demlotcrew wrote:IF any one could get one its you!

Would be a nice option still to do !

It would indeed be nice

Mind you, I don't have much original metal left. Just need to change the doors, wings & bonnet and I'm pretty much there

Ian.