M-tec 2 Kit

[delboye30]

Hi all,

I wonder if any one can help me, I've got a 1990(H) plate cab as per below. I purchased an m-tec 2 kit(off a sport) for her, the front bumper fits fine, but the guy fitting the kit told me that the valance does not fit and he is also having trouble putting the back bumper on.

Is there something missing, such as clips/mounts?



Any advice would be grateful.

Cheers
Raj

[maxfield]

You have a chrome bumper car. Which needs a tech 1 kit.

Take it he hasn't got to the side skirts yet as they will also cause plenty of problems.

[1an]

You have a chrome bumper car. Which needs a tech 1 kit.

Take it he hasn't got to the side skirts yet as they will also cause plenty of problems.

Jamie its a facelift car which is correct for the tech2 kit,

but the sideskirts are going to be a real pain, as the sills are deeper on a cab

[maxfield]

Jamie its a facelift car which is correct for the tech2 kit,

but the sideskirts are going to be a real pain, as the sills are deeper on a cab

Look at the bumpers

Pre facelift cabs were made after '87 I believe...

[Cabrio]

Maxfield was correct...Ian forget about the year look at the fog lights etc

Can be fitted as I have done it, need a facelift front panel, and blanks knocking through at the rear and use the facelift bumper mounts and shock absorbers

But if its a chrome bumper car fit the MT1

If you are going the fits sideskirts whether MT1 or 2 use the proper cab sideskirts and correct fixings

If you go ahead and fit the MT2 I will have the chrome bumpers off you

Cheers

[shknapps]

It can be done with tec 2 kit in process myself with mine. In the article section on this site is quite helpful.
Your mate is write by the later valance (bolts on) your need to trim down the lip on sills and rear bumper has different fixing points. However not that far myself yet!! Do a search on this site i asked similar questions and got a few answers.
Good luck.

[Cabrio]

Also remember the shells for pre and post are also a little different in sizes of panels...so best you dont fit the MT2 skirts regardless cheers

[maxfield]

It's a lot of work to get it to fit... and looks weird with the rear lights.

Sell it and get a tech 1 kit, cab side skirts are pretty rare mind...

[delboye30]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies, TBH I don't really like the look of the tech 1 kit, much prefer the tech, as I've got a tech 2 sport and you can't beat em'

Can be fitted as I have done it, need a facelift front panel, and blanks knocking through at the rear and use the facelift bumper mounts and shock absorbers

Where do I get these parts from??? Can I get them from the stealers LOL.

[delboye30]

Also the side skirts have been fitted.

Can't beat the look of a tech 2 sport/cab

[Cabrio]

Just dismantled a touring with MT2 so have the front panel...and can supply the bumper mounts...send me a pm and can tell you all the bits you need...but you have to understand it is wrong for the car body..only the Motorsport cabs 1990 have the kit on what technically is the wrong car...so will have gaps between rear panel and bumper

[FormerMember]

You have to cut rear bumper if you are going to use old rear-panel (it's few centimeters longer, you'll see when you try it..)

If you want to do it right you'd change rear-panel, rear lights and front panel (which is easy bolt-on job) and use only original parts.

[grantfk10]

Can't beat the look of a tech 2 sport/cab

[Cabrio]

Old panel has blanks you can knock out...but the shape is different but the Motorsport Cabs Macau and Sebring also have the old rear panel but have a fill panel...that is not listed on the ETK

[kman82]

You have to cut rear bumper if you are going to use old rear-panel (it's few centimeters longer, you'll see when you try it..)

If you want to do it right you'd change rear-panel, rear lights and front panel (which is easy bolt-on job) and use only original parts.

I don't mean to question your knowledge but is this still true for cabs? I was led to believe that all cabs had the facelift rear wheel arch profile so the tech 2 rear bumper doesn't need cutting to fit???

[FormerMember]

I don't mean to question your knowledge but is this still true for cabs? I was led to believe that all cabs had the facelift rear wheel arch profile so the tech 2 rear bumper doesn't need cutting to fit???

Yea no prob, it's always good to question things

The rear arches are the same as in facelift-models, but the rear valance is different in pre-facelift cabrios than in the facelift models.

I did the facelift to my cabrio (1987 model) and fitted full mtech2 kit, though it was 3 years ago..

Anyways, here's one pic:



And more here if interested; http://users.tkk.fi/jhaukile/Projekti.html though not too many pics of the body things..

[kman82]

^ wow that is an impressive build mate! she looks stunning!

I see what you mean about the way the bumper fits against the wheel arch. What did you have to do in the end then? I couldn't see a photo of that area in much detail in your album. have you got any?

thanks

[mrLEE30]

i still have not gotten a definitive answer to the rear arch issue. true that tin tops have different arches, not sure if same is true for cabs.

however this link does cover all

http://www.r3vlimited.com/tech/bumper/bumper1.htm

and my guide in the wiki may also help you

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... ar_bumpers

if the tech 2 kit is from a tin top then also the side lower sill covers will not fit without mods, they must be cut out to fit over the thicker sill as found on a cab, not too hard and you will see what i mean when you offer them up to the car.

good luck!

[FormerMember]

I see what you mean about the way the bumper fits against the wheel arch. What did you have to do in the end then? I couldn't see a photo of that area in much detail in your album. have you got any?

The bumper itself fits well to the wheel arch (though i had to cut them slightly as i rolled the fenders quite heavily).
The rear valance comes ~15mm further back in the facelift-models, so if you put the rear bumper on with the pre-facelift valance (which is in your cabrio now), there will be around 10mm gap between the bumper and the valance. That's why you have to weld facelift valance in conjunction with newer rear light surroundings (lower parts) to the car in order to fit the bumper properly.

And don't even bother to try the 2d / 4d mtech2 "helms" to the cabrio, they just don't fit properly. You can buy new ones from BMW if you don't find ones used.

[kman82]

Ahh! head ache. I have been saving for what seems like forever for my full respray and i was nearly there and making arrangements to get the car booked in. If my spray man has to do shed loads more welding its gonna put the price up massively!

The rear valance comes ~15mm further back in the facelift-models, so if you put the rear bumper on with the pre-facelift valance (which is in your cabrio now), there will be around 10mm gap between the bumper and the valance. That's why you have to weld facelift valance in conjunction with newer rear light surroundings (lower parts) to the car in order to fit the bumper properly.

So to try and fully understand, In your picture here:

The section between the tech 2 bumper and the lights and number plate area has been cut in and is from a facelift car?

And don't even bother to try the 2d / 4d mtech2 "helms" to the cabrio, they just don't fit properly.

What are helms mate?

cheers for all your help

[johnt0709]

Eh? :8O

All you have to do is change the front panel, knock out on the back panel for the rear bumper facelift mounts, fit the facelift mounts, use an adhesive at the bumper/arches junction - clamp for 24 hours, trim the cills back a bit fit to a cabbie, prime and paint.

Click on my restore - the kit looks bang on and Ive compared it to tech II fitted facelift cars.

[kman82]

Ok cool. That gives me hope.

also a lovely looking motor by the way Johnt

[kman82]

By the way, i've seen this mtec kit in the parts for sale section. I came to the conclusion that my bodywork guy will have enough on his plate trying to fit a good kit and to stay away from a knackered one but in your opinions what do you think to this?

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=180554

lots more work to repair?

[FormerMember]

The section between the tech 2 bumper and the lights and number plate area has been cut in and is from a facelift car?

No, i bought new part (number 2 "tail panel" http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E30/C ... tail_trim/ ) from BMW and changed it. Not a big deal to change, though when welding facelift panel on pre-facelift car, you need to change also the lower rear light surroundings as the new tail panel goes ~15mm further back than the pre-facelift one.

Damn it's hard to explain but i hope you get it

What are helms mate?

"helms" = "side skirts" (the ones that come to the sides of the car to the lowest point)? You can put them from 2d / 4d but they will never fit well, only the ones originally made for cabrio do fit properly as the "skirts" are much deeper in the cabriolets.

[FormerMember]

.. and one more comment. If you are going to take shortcuts, buy 300€ complete mtech kit made of fiberglass and bolt it on the car. But if you want to do it properly, change the rear tail panel & rear light surroundings and get cabriolet side skirts.

[johnt0709]

Jonsku no disrespect mate but I would say the ' common sense' approach is to fit it my wayand that suggested by mrlee which is up to a good respectable standard, alternatively by a facelit cabbie.

[FormerMember]

Jonsku no disrespect mate but I would say the ' common sense' approach is to fit it my wayand that suggested by mrlee which is up to a good respectable standard, alternatively by a facelit cabbie.

Yea, sure do however you like. Just wanted to point out that other than the cabrio skirts will never fit properly.

[GovR]

Why wont non cabbie side skirts fit??? Yes I understand the cabbie has deeper sills.....BUT like MrLee says you have to chop the LIP off the sideskirt (which you use clamps - check realoem diagram) to clamp to the sill.

Ive done this myself and this is what it looks like.....

chopped the lip


clips marked out according to skirt and fixed on




This is what it looks like now.....





Hope this clears up alot of confusion regarding fixing non cabbie skirts to cabbie's - As far as im aware....the tech2 kit i brought off a zoner along time ago was from a coupe tintop.

[kman82]

^ Thanks GovR, that was really useful actually. My side skirts arrived yesterday I was wondering which bits need to be trimmed.

EDIT: GovR I've also stumbled across your request about the price of a tech 2 fitting kit. Cant believe it was 400 odd quid!

Did you order all the bits separately in the end and did you only use 2 clamps for the main side skirt?

cheers mate

[GovR]

Kman82 - No probz!

Lol@the price of the fitting kit........no chance was i paying £400 for clips and grommets haha.

I only ordered the stuff I needed which to be honest wasnt alot....

For the side skirt i ordered 'part 6 - Clamp' from the following illustration...
http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E30/C ... technic-2/

I used 6 or 7 for each skirt....Check how many slots there are on the sideskirt to make sure (in the picture you can only see 2)

Then either order part 7 or use self tappers for the 2 holes which go onto the front wing.

[GovR]

And a word of warning.......It stinks like mad when your cutting the sideskirt....nearly choked to death!! lol

[FormerMember]

Why wont non cabbie side skirts fit??? Yes I understand the cabbie has deeper sills.....BUT like MrLee says you have to chop the LIP off the sideskirt (which you use clamps - check realoem diagram) to clamp to the sill.

Yes I know what's in the way as I've testfitted the hardtop skirts to cabrio. How do you attach the bottom part of the skirt to the body?

I also know you can fit "any body kit" to the cabrio with "big enough screws", but to do it properly is completely different thing.

Ive done this myself and this is what it looks like.....

.. and a pic showing the underside, please.

[gooner1]

Apologies for jumping in here, does anyone know if the clamps posted by GovR
would be suitable for Zender sideskirts, been that long since i,ve
seen them i,ve forgotten what they are like.

[kman82]

Sorry to bombard you with questions but I like to be sure of what I'm doing....

These clamps, (Part 6) does the side skirt just clip onto these using the slots on the side skirt or does the skideskirt need some kind of clip fitted for them to hold.

Did you use the visable screws (Part No.s at either end to fix the wheel arch?

cheers mate, appreciate it

[johnt0709]

Sorry to bombard you with questions but I like to be sure of what I'm doing....

These clamps, (Part 6) does the side skirt just clip onto these using the slots on the side skirt or does the skideskirt need some kind of clip fitted for them to hold.

Did you use the visable screws (Part No.s at either end to fix the wheel arch?

cheers mate, appreciate it

Part Nos 18,7 and 8 in the diagram and the skirt just pushes onto the clip.