E30 Zone

I have a 1990 E30 320i Cabriolet and would like to buy a hardtop before the winter sets in. I have found a hardtop in Belgium for not much money but have heard/read that hardtops supplied on the continent will not fit UK supplied car without a fitting kit. Is this the case and if so where do I get a fitting kit?

Thanks and regards

Tony Mundy
1990 E30 320i Cab
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6

The continental hardtops are no different to UK specification hardtops as long as they are OEM.
If you have a normal fitting kit then this will be fine. I have detailed instructions (albeit in German but the piccies are good) which I can send a copy if you need.
I bought mine in Germany and have not had a problem. You will need the special tool to lock down the rear of the hardtop and it is available from the stealers.
Iain

Thanks for the reply Iain.

Yes, could you please send the fitting instructions tmundy(at)scj.com, that will be of some help. I am not sure if I have a fitting kit fitted or not, what do I check for?

Thanks, Tony

I get confused over what anyone means by a fitting kit. I've had 2 UK convertibles, and each has (under a small square-topped rubber bung) a hole on each side just in front of where the lid (when down) meets the rear interior trim, right on the same line as the window bottom rubber seals...

<draws breath>

each hole contains a socket which has bayonet fitting (like a lightbulb fitment) and an electrical contact for the hardtop rear screen heating elements.

On the underside of the hardtop at each side there are 2 metal plates with holes in them. Into these holes are fitted the pins which go into the sockets as described above on the car.

You fix the pins in the hardtop (with the special tool Iain mentioned; looks like Capt Hooks hook!) using big zig-zag washers and wide nuts, then you rotate the inner part of the pin (with an ordinary spanner) to lock the bayonet fitting.

<phew>

so is a fitting kit the big pins and washers?

Nice one Orangecurry, you covered it well !!!!

I assume one can buy the special tool from a BMW dealer?

do BMW like to make money? I think your assumption is a safe one. Have a gold ingot handy.

I havent got a special tool for mine all i use is a spanner out of the tool kit, is there something im missing and mines an original BMW hardtop.

HartgeH27 wrote:The continental hardtops are no different to UK specification hardtops as long as they are OEM.
If you have a normal fitting kit then this will be fine. I have detailed instructions (albeit in German but the piccies are good) which I can send a copy if you need.
I bought mine in Germany and have not had a problem. You will need the special tool to lock down the rear of the hardtop and it is available from the stealers.
Iain

Iain.
Could you also send the fitting instructions to me to :
Frank@Bond203.wanadoo.co.uk cheers

I can send them but please email the request to iainham@bigfoot.com and I will send them out over the next week.