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DISCUSSION => General Topics => Topic started by: ak96ss on September 15, 2007, 04:57:10 PM

Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: ak96ss on September 15, 2007, 04:57:10 PM
Work continues on my latest project: new carpet, new headliner, new dash, rewire stereo, alarm, seat heaters, etc.

Just thought I'd share!  :)

(http://lh3.google.com/2006TopBanana/RuxUWaqFQDI/AAAAAAAACSw/BWSlYv8M0Pg/s800/p9150166.jpg)
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: FL318is on September 15, 2007, 07:37:00 PM
Looking forward to updates.  Where did you get the carpet from?
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: ak96ss on September 15, 2007, 08:16:26 PM
BMW via BMA. Not cheap, but certainly less expensive than from the dealer. It will be another week or so at least before the new carpet is in, though, as I have to spend a fair amount of time on the rewiring work.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: tjts1 on September 15, 2007, 09:30:25 PM
Is that all there is on the floor of the 318? No glued on insulation like this?
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=95227
If so I'm going to ad some.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: D. Clay on September 16, 2007, 12:46:29 AM
Quote from: tjts1;33780
Is that all there is on the floor of the 318? No glued on insulation like this?
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=95227
If so I'm going to ad some.
I think it's there - just not visible in the picture. There's also a lot of insulation, padding, etc. molded and attached to the carpet. Some of it is almost an inch thick and quite heavy. I had mine out once and was surprised at the weight. I'm sure that lighter pad would work just as well with the aftermarket carpet made to fit over the existing carpet.
http://www.motorcarpet.com/Default.aspx?tabid=76&CategoryID=48&List=1&Level=a&ProductID=16
The OEM carpet lasts forever though unless stained, cigarette burned or whatever.
By the way, people laugh at me for putting holes in cars with a hole saw for access to certain things. Right there in the floor of an E30 is a hole with a plug in it that serves no discernible purpose.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: ak96ss on September 16, 2007, 08:31:09 AM
Yeah, there is some, but not much.

(http://lh6.google.com/2006TopBanana/Ru0vI6qFQEI/AAAAAAAACTo/DjHFh2VT9LM/s800/p9150170.jpg)

The carpet has a thick foam padding underneath - in places it is several inches thick!

There are actually several plugged holes in the floorpan, I'm sure they must have a reason for being there, but no clue what it is.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: Vladi on September 16, 2007, 02:16:31 PM
Check your hand brake, it's way too up. :D
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: ak96ss on September 16, 2007, 02:42:04 PM
Quote from: Vladi;33804
Check your hand brake, it's way too up. :D


Yeah, it's on the list, but since the car isn't moving anywhere right now, it's not near the top.  :p
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: christophbmw on September 18, 2007, 07:19:28 PM
Quote from: tjts1;33780
Is that all there is on the floor of the 318? No glued on insulation like this?
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=95227
If so I'm going to ad some.


the 318 did not have nearly as much insulation as the 325's did, thats why if you want to make a track car you start with a 318 :), less shit to remove.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: biglar on September 18, 2007, 10:01:03 PM
ive stripped just about everything out of my car... i kind of regret it.  Haha.  well itll be a track star one day
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: oldtimer on September 19, 2007, 08:41:21 AM
How hard was it to removed the dash.  I have several crack on both the 1984 318i and the 1991 318is?  If one is to get one from a junk yard what year if one cannot find the exact year, am I looking for that will fit the "is". and how much will expect to pay?
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: Wise Old Dog on September 19, 2007, 10:02:44 AM
Removal is a b***h. Installation must be worse. I have one that I just removed from my parts car last weekend. Kicked my butt. It has one small crack about 3/4" long inside the little tray on top. Between the divider and the aft edge of the tray. You can't see it untill you look down on the dash through the windshield. The rest of it is excellent. If you are interested, I'll sell it for $90+ shipping.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: ak96ss on September 19, 2007, 05:09:52 PM
I think they are all the same in the E30, so year shouldn't matter too much, although I would look for the newest one you can find, of course.

It's a PITA, but it's not terrible. I found instructions through BimmerDIY.com, they were pretty much right on. The hardest part is getting it out around the steering column, honestly.

I can't speak to putting one back in, I've pulled two but never installed one. Fortunately, I have my windshield out, so I think reinstallation might be a bit easier.

:)
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: christophbmw on September 19, 2007, 07:11:36 PM
Quote from: oldtimer;33961
How hard was it to removed the dash.  I have several crack on both the 1984 318i and the 1991 318is?  If one is to get one from a junk yard what year if one cannot find the exact year, am I looking for that will fit the "is". and how much will expect to pay?

if you get one from the junkyard it will only be a matter of time before that one cracks to. i would get a new one if your going to spend the time of replaceing it, just my .02 cents.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: ak96ss on September 22, 2007, 05:55:12 AM
Current status:

Windows are out, carpet is out, headliner is out, test fit of the new headliner revealed that it really isn't as plug 'n play as we would like...  the loops holding the bows in are sewn all the way to the edge, but the headliner needs to extend past them to the edge of the rear side windows.

Fortunately, my wife has a sewing machine...

Anyway, the sunroof liner is on, pics later today, and looks pretty good.

(http://lh5.google.com/2006TopBanana/RvTmW9-t-II/AAAAAAAACVw/ERiveT-vjnc/s800/p9210247.jpg)

(http://lh4.google.com/2006TopBanana/RvTmXt-t-JI/AAAAAAAACV4/4HK8quo7liU/s800/p9210254.jpg)
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: sheepdog on September 22, 2007, 10:15:32 AM
If I remember correctly, there si something special about the headliner, making it a bitch to re-install.

Good luck.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: ak96ss on September 22, 2007, 10:51:24 AM
You mean besides the fact that it is glued in around the windows?  ;)
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: christophbmw on September 22, 2007, 03:13:19 PM
.....just curious, how comke you ran your rca's under the carpet? why not run them in the left door sill? my geuss would be that it is harder to run them under the carpet.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: ak96ss on September 22, 2007, 03:45:25 PM
Primarily because I didn't want to run under the dash with them - I already have a ton of added wiring around the column, I didn't want to add to the mess.

At any rate, you only need to remove two bolts and two nuts, the seat comes out, and you can stuff the cable through along the tunnel without pulling the sill plate off.

That's part of this project anyway, to reroute the stereo wiring and fix a lot of the other wiring that I did when I only had limited access to the OE harness.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: gearheadE30 on September 22, 2007, 09:46:37 PM
How do you take off the little vent panels behind the rear windows? Mine have a little bit of rust under them that I can't get to, and I want to fix it before it gets out of hand.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: ak96ss on September 23, 2007, 07:53:08 AM
Pretty much just pull them off. They are held on by four studs that go into plastic/metal clips.

(http://lh4.google.com/2006TopBanana/RvZfaN-t-LI/AAAAAAAACW4/HSVUt4JxVzs/s800/p9230259.jpg)

The clips will come off with the wing, so you'll need to replace them. The upper three are plastic with a metal ring in the base that locks onto the stud on the wing. It was something of a PITA to remove them, since the metal ring didn't want to let go of the stud.

(http://lh6.google.com/2006TopBanana/RvZfZt-t-KI/AAAAAAAACWw/QYYa9YZgLzg/s800/p9230258.jpg)

The bottom one is the same plastic retainer used by the roundels - it's a tight fit, so you'll have to pull with steady, even force straight out from the car. I've pulled several off without breaking anything, but, of course, the potential is there...

So, for each side you need

51 13 1 870 459, 3 ea. (retaining clip)
51 13 1 904 479, 4 ea. (foam gasket)
51 14 1 902 279, 1 ea. (plastic clip)

and for both sides, order one of 51 13 1 906 969, which is the foam rubber gasket that goes along the inside edge where the wing rests on the body. It's one long piece, you just cut it to fit.
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: badboypolar on September 27, 2007, 01:17:49 PM
What "A" pillar gauge pod is that?
Title: Carpet is out, moving on
Post by: ak96ss on September 27, 2007, 01:33:12 PM
IIRC, it is a Lotek unit - picked it up on eBay.