M535i bumper on a us spec e12?

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claytown03
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Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 2:37 am

M535i bumper on a us spec e12?

Post by claytown03 »

How easy is it to fit a m535i valance on my us spec 528i? Any help would be much appreciated :mrgreen:
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maybeillbuyit
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Location: Vancouver BC

Re: M535i bumper on a us spec e12?

Post by maybeillbuyit »

I just recently did this to my 77 530i. Install was actually quite easy. It took a long time to source all the trim and fasteners. I also made the brackets that hold the upper part of the airdam to bottom of the headlight frame. I just looked though my photos and it looks like I didn't take many.



Image919C1491-1D82-48F9-8F27-D90DD18F5E08_1_105_c by Image072686F9-055F-4C30-8EBE-9794074BAC9C by
1977 530i another project
1979 635csi Euro "project"
1987 635csi
claytown03
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Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 2:37 am

Re: M535i bumper on a us spec e12?

Post by claytown03 »

do you by chance have a list/ sources on what trim and fastener you need? where did you source the m535i bumper?
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maybeillbuyit
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Location: Vancouver BC

Re: M535i bumper on a us spec e12?

Post by maybeillbuyit »

The airdam itself I bought on ebay.uk. It was in used fairly rough shape. It had thousands of little stone chips in it that took forever to sand and fill . Not much fun.
As for parts list and instructions I used Adam Wilsons excellent write up here: http://www.firstfives.org/faq/M535i_air ... m_faq.html

Most of the fasteners I got from BMW the dealership. The ones that are NLA I just tried different things until I found something that worked.

The rubber trim strips I got from : https://www.classicbmwparts.nl/en_GB/a- ... escription
The rubber strips are made too long and needed to be trimmed to length.

Part number 6, the brackets I did what Adam did, and just made my own out of aluminum stock. Next on my list is finding Euro front fenders to eliminate the bugeyed turn signals
Last edited by maybeillbuyit on Wed Jul 21, 2021 1:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
1977 530i another project
1979 635csi Euro "project"
1987 635csi
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maybeillbuyit
Posts: 333
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:26 am
Location: Vancouver BC

Re: M535i bumper on a us spec e12?

Post by maybeillbuyit »

A little eye candy for inspiration:
Image072686F9-055F-4C30-8EBE-9794074BAC9C by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/151834021@N05/
ImageBE24D12F-8153-4798-A086-AE51669DA9FA_1_105_c by
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mcxTXi]Image
F397EC09-7F6D-4482-A84E-E7CC42644E55_1_105_c by
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mct8wX]Image
5FF7E000-6636-4513-8ACA-356A397DF108_1_105_c by [url=https://flic.kr/p/2mcBZ6d]ImageB7482BD0-D051-44CA-84A7-AC6EE5078A90_1_105_c by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/151834021@N05/]

In the last photo I'm doing a test fit of the BBS RS 005s I'll be putting on the car after the steering/suspension refresh thats hopefully going to happen.

This project is actually quite easy to install. It was very time consuming tracking down all the correct fasteners end trim etc. Finding an original airdam isn't easy although I see there is at least one guy making reproductions. I would have to wonder about the fit on a reproduction as the fit on the original was a little fiddley.
1977 530i another project
1979 635csi Euro "project"
1987 635csi
canada karl
Posts: 1058
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 3:50 pm

Re: M535i bumper on a us spec e12?

Post by canada karl »

Why not delete the oversized turn signals for a cleaner look?
1976 530i. BMW 59 Triumph TR3A(rolling resto). 67 Triumph TR4A(salvageable). 86 900S Winter car
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maybeillbuyit
Posts: 333
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:26 am
Location: Vancouver BC

Re: M535i bumper on a us spec e12?

Post by maybeillbuyit »

canada karl wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 1:26 pm Why not delete the oversized turn signals for a cleaner look?
From my post above. " Next on my list is finding Euro front fenders to eliminate the bugeyed turn signals"
1977 530i another project
1979 635csi Euro "project"
1987 635csi
tlake
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:33 pm
Location: WA

Re: M535i bumper on a us spec e12?

Post by tlake »

maybeillbuyit wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 1:06 pm A little eye candy for inspiration:
Image072686F9-055F-4C30-8EBE-9794074BAC9C by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/151834021@N05/
ImageBE24D12F-8153-4798-A086-AE51669DA9FA_1_105_c by
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mcxTXi]Image
F397EC09-7F6D-4482-A84E-E7CC42644E55_1_105_c by
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mct8wX]Image
5FF7E000-6636-4513-8ACA-356A397DF108_1_105_c by [url=https://flic.kr/p/2mcBZ6d]ImageB7482BD0-D051-44CA-84A7-AC6EE5078A90_1_105_c by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/151834021@N05/]

In the last photo I'm doing a test fit of the BBS RS 005s I'll be putting on the car after the steering/suspension refresh thats hopefully going to happen.

This project is actually quite easy to install. It was very time consuming tracking down all the correct fasteners end trim etc. Finding an original airdam isn't easy although I see there is at least one guy making reproductions. I would have to wonder about the fit on a reproduction as the fit on the original was a little fiddley.
Really professional, factory looking job you did there. When I saw the first pic I thought it was some early gray market M car :!: 8)

I heard recently e12 Euro fenders are NLA. Hope I am wrong about that. :(
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maybeillbuyit
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Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:26 am
Location: Vancouver BC

Re: M535i bumper on a us spec e12?

Post by maybeillbuyit »

Thx for the kind words. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I think you may be right about the fenders being nla. There is an aftermarket brand of euro fenders out there as well I believe. I've hesitated a few times on good deals on fenders when I should have just grabbed them. I'm not in a rush to do that part of the conversion. I'll just keep my eyes open for fenders. Right now I've got issues with the 5 speed I just installed into the car. :cry:
1977 530i another project
1979 635csi Euro "project"
1987 635csi
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