Another US to Euro Bumper and Light Conversion Project

[BonitaBeast]

Stages of the rear panel conversion


Bumpers prepped for painting

[BonitaBeast]

Bumpers primed


Front and rear valances primed




Waiting a few days then we will be applying the "rubberized" coat to give the rough factory lower bumper finish. I can't remember what it's called.

Primed the section below the front grill with the Holes plugged up. Ready for a coat of fresh paint.

[BonitaBeast]

Undercoat applied to front and rear valances

[wkohler]

Why did you undercoat the entire front and the entire rear valances. That's not how BMW did it.

[BonitaBeast]

Why did you undercoat the entire front and the entire rear valances. That's not how BMW did it.

Look closer. We didn't undercoat the entire front and rear valances.

[wkohler]

Looks like you did.

[BonitaBeast]

Duplicate post

[Pavel]

For the rear, I was debating whether or not to install the whole rear piece or just cut off the bottom portion and weld it onto the existing rear portion. I went with the latter because I didn't want to have to re-align the the whole rear portion of the car including the entire rear flooring of the trunk which welds to a portion of the rear panel. Cutting the bottom portion allowed me to retain the original paint on the upper portion of the rear quarter panels. I will only need to repaint the bottom portions of the quarter panels and the bottom part of the rear portion. The portion I will be welding although not noticeable when finished, will be located behind the bumper which will make it even more difficult to notice when looked at closely.

To add to this from experience, the cutting of the whole panel is very involving and pricey considering the amount of paint work need to be done. I went that route due to the rust the car had. The floor doesn't line up with the euro tail panel so it needs to be extended. On the exhaust fitment, there were no issue with a Billy Boat and euro tail. And the tips are shorter so it doesn't stick out.







Great work OP.

[MicahO]

Yoikes! Seeing Pavel's pictures makes me happy I went basically the route that is shown in this thread. Cutting the original panel off would have been a shitty thing as there was not even any corrosion up there, much less any rust.

OP, is that undercoat or chip-guard on the external surface? Nice work overall - coming together nicely!

[BonitaBeast]

Looks like you did.

Here's a closeup of the rear of another M5 in a lighter color so you can see the finish of the rear valance. Notice how far up the undercoating goes. If you were to remove the rear bumper you would see the undercoat behind the bumper as well. I duplicated this for my rear.


This is a closeup of my original front euro valance from the donor euro E28. Notice how far up and down the undercoating goes; just until right below where the front bumper attaches on the sides and continues around just below the lights and continues on to the very bottom where the valance changes color. I followed this and checked other pics online to see how far up the undercoat really went on the valances


I want to point out that you won't be able to see or notice the very bottom portion of the undercoating for the front bumper when I'm done because it will be covered by the lower lip spoiler which is a different finish altogether

To add to this from experience, the cutting of the whole panel is very involving and pricey considering the amount of paint work need to be done. I went that route due to the rust the car had. The floor doesn't line up with the euro tail panel so it needs to be extended. On the exhaust fitment, there were no issue with a Billy Boat and euro tail. And the tips are shorter so it doesn't stick out.







Great work OP.

Thanks! [emoji482] [emoji106]

I'm glad I didn't go the route of cutting the entire panel out then! Zero rust for me luckily.

[BonitaBeast]

Yoikes! Seeing Pavel's pictures makes me happy I went basically the route that is shown in this thread. Cutting the original panel off would have been a shitty thing as there was not even any corrosion up there, much less any rust.

OP, is that undercoat or chip-guard on the external surface? Nice work overall - coming together nicely!

Thanks!

It's this stuff that acts as both a chip guard and an undercoat. I'll get the exact name and post it. When we're done the finish comes out exactly how the original undercoat looks with the added chip resistance.

[BuzzBomb]

On the US rear valance, the texture is behind and below the bumper, all the way across the valance.
As seen on Chris' rear valance, it overlaps the seam and stops leaving the center back smooth, not textured.


As far as the front valance goes, the only texture coating is under the part painted black. All the body colored area is not coated. The uneven areas you point out is sealer that is used where the panel is tacked together. The only texture in that area are brush strokes, since that sealer is hand painted on the panel.

[tig]

In talking with Paul & Joel (82 528e /w S52 fame, documented here) I didn't get the impression they needed to extend the trunk floor like this.

But now that I look at their pictures, I see they must have. Drat.

[wkohler]

Looks like you did.

Here's a closeup of the rear of another M5 in a lighter color so you can see the finish of the rear valance. Notice how far up the undercoating goes. If you were to remove the rear bumper you would see the undercoat behind the bumper as well. I duplicated this for my rear.


This is a closeup of my original front euro valance from the donor euro E28. Notice how far up and down the undercoating goes; just until right below where the front bumper attaches on the sides and continues around just below the lights and continues on to the very bottom where the valance changes color. I followed this and checked other pics online to see how far up the undercoat really went on the valances


I want to point out that you won't be able to see or notice the very bottom portion of the undercoating for the front bumper when I'm done because it will be covered by the lower lip spoiler which is a different finish altogether

It's not the way any of my Euro cars or the real Euro cars I've seen have been done.

This is how they all look:

[BonitaBeast]

Just for clarity, the rear valance is not texture coated as you did or as that blue car is from the factory. The texture is only below the line of the panel below the bumper behind the rear wheel arch and stops where the rear panel meets the side panel. There is no textured undercoating on the rear valance at all, as Chris said from the factory. Someone added the coating on that blue M5. As far as the front valance goes, the only texture coating is under the part painted black. All the body colored area is not coated. The uneven areas you point out is sealer that is used where the panel is tacked together. The only texture in that area are brush strokes, since that sealer is hand painted on the panel.

This must mean some came texture coated from the factory and some didn't because my rear was definitely texture coated from the factory. Here is a picture of the original bottom portion of my valance removed. You will see how the finish is. This continues around to both sides right below the rear quarter panels. There are little plates with the VINs on both sides of the rear valance and mine are in tact without any signs of alteration. Again, behind the US bumpers I removed, the paint was definitely textured from the factory. This is what I followed.


Here are shots from the side. Hope you can see the texture; again, from the factory

[joel323]

I did not have to extend the trunk floor at all , I had to cut away the US bumper mounts and the end of the support tunnel on the passenger side.

[BonitaBeast]

It's not the way any of my Euro cars or the real Euro cars I've seen have been done.

This is how they all look:

Love that B7 turbo!!

Looks like the sides of the rear valance are textured and the middle is smooth. Either from factory or not it looks funny. Since the original portion I removed was tectured, I made mine textured. And for the sake of consitency, I did the same for the front.

[BuzzBomb]

Regardless, You're doing a great job on your conversion, taking it way further than most. If I changed anything, I'd strip the bottom most part of the rear valance, which is never textured on Euro cars, and paint it satin black like it would have been from the factory.

[BonitaBeast]

On the US rear valance, the texture is behind and below the bumper, all the way across the valance.
As seen on Chris' rear valance, it overlaps the seam and stops leaving the center back smooth, not textured.


As far as the front valance goes, the only texture coating is under the part painted black. All the body colored area is not coated. The uneven areas you point out is sealer that is used where the panel is tacked together. The only texture in that area are brush strokes, since that sealer is hand painted on the panel.

Yup yup. I noticed this from the pictures he posted. Now I'm starting to think twice about how much of the valance is textured. Darn it all!
If you are saying all euro M5's are as Chris's front Valance is, then I might have to change how mine is painted..... I do like how it looks better smooth but for the sake of trying to keep the finish as original as the parts I started with, I overlooked that the front valance I am using did not come from an M5.....

This is why I welcome any and every comment from everyone....

[BonitaBeast]

Ok. I made a few minor changes. Exciting stuff!! Pics to follow

[Pavel]

In talking with Paul & Joel (82 528e /w S52 fame, documented here) I didn't get the impression they needed to extend the trunk floor like this.

But now that I look at their pictures, I see they must have. Drat.

Yep. I talked to Paul about as well, since his was the only documented complete rear tail replacement.

[BonitaBeast]

In talking with Paul & Joel (82 528e /w S52 fame, documented here) I didn't get the impression they needed to extend the trunk floor like this.

But now that I look at their pictures, I see they must have. Drat.

Yep. I talked to Paul about as well, since his was the only documented complete rear tail replacement.

I suppose this fact also accounts for the seemingly longer exhaust on the US e28's?

[pldlnr]

There is no need to extend any part of the trunk floor. You need to cut off the U.S. Bumper mount plates. If you don't remove enough of the bumper mount structure it will appear as though you need to extend the trunk floor. You do not. Joel and I have done this twice. Once with a complete tail panel replacement and once with a compete custom fabrication from the bumper line down. You will also have to trim back the structure along the right quarter panel if you replace the whole panel. If it looks like you need to extend the trunk floor, you're doing it wrong.

[BonitaBeast]

It's here!!! Talk about a photo finish!!

After months of waiting, the lower lip spoiler finally made its way to me



Just a few more days....

[MicahO]

I suppose this fact also accounts for the seemingly longer exhaust on the US e28's?

Consensus on that seems to be that the longer length is just for the much-longer US bumpers.

You may have gotten the last known Euro M5 front Spoiler!

Looks good!

[BonitaBeast]

I suppose this fact also accounts for the seemingly longer exhaust on the US e28's?

Consensus on that seems to be that the longer length is just for the much-longer US bumpers.

You may have gotten the last known Euro M5 front Spoiler!

Looks good!

Thanks! Yeah am kinda psyched about the spoiler! It was a long wait but well worth it because they came through and delivered before the said backordered date.

Just letting the clear coat dry. Then will be doing the last bit of finishing on the valances before putting the front and rear bits back on and installing the spoiler.

[BonitaBeast]

And as discussed earlier in the thread, here's the revised paint scheme of the front valance. Ready to install the front lip spoiler!

[BonitaBeast]

She didn't quite make it to completion for the holidays. All the parts made it in time for the holidays but a couple of setbacks prevented it from happening completely.

The replacement headlight that arrived was the wrong size so I was forced to do some surgery on the existing cracked one I have. I couple of "transplants" later I have a fully functional headlight in like new condition but I need to wait for the sealant to dry. Assembly will need to wait until Dec 27.

For now, this is where we are:
Almost there but not quite....

[Pavel]

Make sure to secure the tow hook covers on the spoiler. Lost one as soon the car left the shop... I was furious. Gladly a fellow texan owner from austin sent me one just on time for TexFest.

[BonitaBeast]

Make sure to secure the tow hook covers on the spoiler. Lost one as soon the car left the shop... I was furious. Gladly a fellow texan owner from austin sent me one just on time for TexFest.

Any ideas on a more secure way to fasten them on there?