With the E30 almost ready to leave the body shop, I'm searching for some European bumpers to finish the car off. I can't bear to put the diving boards back on, and I don't want to do a plastic bumper conversion. Does anybody know where I can find some of the small international bumpers? I don't care if they're shiny, they're going to be blacked out like the rest of the car, anyway.
I've heard doing a USDM-to-Euro bumper conversion is not easy, at least not on the E24 6-series. Does the same hold true for E30s? Just curious.
ummm, yerup? 
You can order them through a bmw dealer although it's not cheap. The GRM version... took the rubber trim off the diving board and attached to body for the challenge e28.
I remember reading an E30 build thread on here where the guy just shortened the bumper shocks and redid some trim to bring the diving boards in a lot. The car looked really good and it was a nearly free mod.
Too bad the search function is too broad or I'd be able to find it. I'm totally unfamiliar with E30s other than stripping them for parts in the junkyard.
^^ forgot about bumper lipo. You can drill holes in the bumper shocks to drain them and carefully back into something solid to compress them.
oldtin wrote: ^^ forgot about bumper lipo. You can drill holes in the bumper shocks to drain them and carefully back into something solid to compress them.
Yeah, I know. I don't really want to tuck them though. You still end up with all of the heavy US bumper stuff, including the horrible plastic trim on the sides.
RexSeven wrote: I've heard doing a USDM-to-Euro bumper conversion is not easy, at least not on the E24 6-series. Does the same hold true for E30s? Just curious.
It's supposedly real easy on an E30. "Just drill two holes in the front." Either way, I have two shops at my disposal
, so I think I'll be able to make them work.
oldtin wrote:
Ehh, E30s have modern car syndrome, in that is there isn't nice flat shiny sheetmetal under the bumpers. It's all wires and vents and such.
I'm leaving for the field tomorrow but if you want me to scour some Euro junkyards when I get back let me know. E30s are as common as dirt around here. Can't imagine shipping'd be cheap, but the parts probably will.
I won't be home until late October though.
I like your line of thought on this matter. If I were to rebuild an E30.. it too would be a chrome bumper model with the euro blades instead of the bulky american things.
Did canada get the euro bumpers.. or were they also stuck with the US stuff?
We were stuck with the Yank stuff.
I'm headed to Aus. in a few months, and may try to find a way to sneak a set or two of the Euro E30 bumpers back with me....
Tommy Suddard wrote: Yeah, I know. I don't really want to tuck them though. You still end up with all of the heavy US bumper stuff, including the horrible plastic trim on the sides.
Having done the diving board to late plastic swap myself I was suprised that the early setup weighed LESS than the plastic bumpers. A thin aluminum shell two bumper shocks and some very lightweight but ugly plastic trim came in 6lbs lighter than the steel backed plastic unit.
Yeah the diving boards are ugly but they aren't that heavy.
I always searched ebay.co.uk looking for someone who would ship E30 early euro bumpers to the US. The bumpers themselves sell for maybe $30 but the shipping (if you can talk the seller into it) will be over $150
Tommy, contact my friends at www.GutenParts.com, Levent is an awesome guy and should have more than 1 complete kit to swap Euro bumpers on.
Ooo, Ooo, I know! I know!
I posted this mishap a while ago. Drill a hole in the bumper piston and then slowly drive toward a wall. Pushes the bumpers back. 
Find the original thread, it's good.
Bumper tuck is weak, since you still have the crappy US surrounds.
my dream E30 would involve M3 fenders with early chrome euro blades. Sort of an early m3
914Driver wrote: Ooo, Ooo, I know! I know! I posted this mishap a while ago. Drill a hole in the bumper piston and then slowly drive toward a wall. Pushes the bumpers back.
Tommy said: Yeah, I know. I don't really want to tuck them though. You still end up with all of the heavy US bumper stuff, including the horrible plastic trim on the sides.
Tommy Suddard wrote: Ehh, E30s have modern car syndrome, in that is there isn't nice flat shiny sheetmetal under the bumpers. It's all wires and vents and such.
I understand the problem. No one has ever created a method to remove metal then another way to put smooth pieces in place of them.
Too bad really.
John Brown wrote:Tommy Suddard wrote: Ehh, E30s have modern car syndrome, in that is there isn't nice flat shiny sheetmetal under the bumpers. It's all wires and vents and such.I understand the problem. No one has ever created a method to remove metal then another way to put smooth pieces in place of them. Too bad really.
Imagine the kind of money someone could make inventing that. It would be a revolution.
thatsnowinnebago wrote:John Brown wrote:Imagine the kind of money someone could make inventing that. It would be a revolution.Tommy Suddard wrote: Ehh, E30s have modern car syndrome, in that is there isn't nice flat shiny sheetmetal under the bumpers. It's all wires and vents and such.I understand the problem. No one has ever created a method to remove metal then another way to put smooth pieces in place of them. Too bad really.
I will call the first process... frothing... NO, SPANKING!
And the second process will be tickling.
Everyone could use a little spank and tickle in the garage, right?
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