Convertible front wings

General E30 related discussions -
Please put technical questions in E30 Tech Help forum below

Moderator: martauto

User avatar
Joedean
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:00 pm

Post Tue Nov 14, 2017 12:58 pm

Does anyone have a contact for convertible e30 front wings? mine is 1990.
BMW want 200 pounds each and I have to cut the indicator hole.
Wondered If there was a patterend parts company? you can easily find the coupe,and estate but not the convertible wings.
Please help =-)
Tedswagon
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 2195
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Edinburgh

Post Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:06 pm

I cant help other than confirm the convertible wing is different to the other models which I believe are interchangeable.

Are your existing wings beyond repair?
E30 316i auto coupe build thread here viewtopic.php?f=25&t=273035
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49359
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Post Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:56 pm

The saloon wing is a one piece pressing, but the cab. wing is two pieces welded together.
There's no obvious reason why the cab. wing should be made out of two pieces, which leads me to believe that BMW didn't invest in a separate set of dies to produce wings for the relatively low production number cabs, but simply chopped off the sill section of saloon wings and welded on the slightly longer cab. sill section.
There's no reason that this production method can't be recreated on a DIY basis. Either use the sill section from old cab. wings, if in good condition, or a reasonably good copy can be made from bending sheet steel - it's not a difficult piece to fabricate, and when in place on the car, is not exactly at eye level.
The join is hidden behind the extra piece of trim that cabs. have in this area, so no great welding skills are required, or small nuts and bolts, or even pop rivets, would do at a push.
User avatar
mineralblue
Rocking Horse Poo
Posts: 729
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Nottingham

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 7:37 am

Mine is currently undergoing a resto and I thought it needed 2 new wings, The pattern wings are of inferior quality and would require much fettling so Danthe had his welder cut off the rot on the bottom of mine and patch in the same piece of the replacement wings we brought, a much better solution I am more than happy with.
User avatar
mineralblue
Rocking Horse Poo
Posts: 729
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Nottingham

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 8:10 am

WingsImage
User avatar
Joedean
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:00 pm

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 8:18 am

Be good to see a pic Mineralblue
User avatar
mineralblue
Rocking Horse Poo
Posts: 729
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Nottingham

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 8:59 am

Image
User avatar
Joedean
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:00 pm

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 5:41 pm

Thabks for the pic,my wings have gone higher up over the trim point[/url]
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49359
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 7:03 pm

Joedean wrote:Thabks for the pic,my wings have gone higher up over the trim point[/url]
In that case, saloon wings will do + some simple metalwork.
User avatar
Joedean
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:00 pm

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 7:09 pm

oh I get you.... as the wings are all the same size across all e30s to the point where the trim is! its just the part under the trim is longer!!! get it =-) so u just cut it and add a bit to lengthen =-)
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49359
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 7:17 pm

Joedean wrote:oh I get you.... as the wings are all the same size across all e30s to the point where the trim is! its just the part under the trim is longer!!! get it =-) so u just cut it and add a bit to lengthen =-)
Exactly! Cut the bottom off saloon wings, and add the longer bit from your old wings, just as I'm fairly sure BMW did at the factory.
User avatar
Joedean
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:00 pm

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 7:47 pm

Wouldn't be able to use old wings as they are rotten =-(
User avatar
Joedean
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:00 pm

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 7:51 pm

sure a good body shop will be able to knock something up =)
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49359
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Post Wed Nov 15, 2017 8:26 pm

Joedean wrote:Wouldn't be able to use old wings as they are rotten =-(
Joedean wrote:Thabks for the pic,my wings have gone higher up over the trim point[/url]
?????????
User avatar
mineralblue
Rocking Horse Poo
Posts: 729
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Nottingham

Post Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:02 am

I think he possibly means the bottom bit is rotten and its gone higher up than mine had as as well?
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49359
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Post Thu Nov 16, 2017 9:51 am

Plan B, then.
Brianmoooore wrote: a reasonably good copy can be made from bending sheet steel - it's not a difficult piece to fabricate, and when in place on the car, is not exactly at eye level.
User avatar
Joedean
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:00 pm

Post Thu Nov 16, 2017 5:16 pm

great guys,more top advise. I'll post a picture up when I work out how to do that! In fact how did you attach that picture mineral Blue ?

oh on another subject I was browsing the pictures in the gallery on here and came across my current car from 2009 when it belonged to another owner =-) was great to stumble across her when she was younger )
User avatar
mineralblue
Rocking Horse Poo
Posts: 729
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Nottingham

Post Fri Nov 17, 2017 6:59 am

I haven't posted a picture on here for some years, the last time was on image shack, which is now gone/charges?
Go to Members E30s and there is a sticky at the top telling you how to do it.
I used IMGUR. Pretty straight forward even for a mong like me, that said my pic is a little big :roll: