Interior e28 twin light upgrade

[Lock]

I have a sunroof with one interior light on the drivers side and it doesn't illuminate well, especially on the passenger side. The plastic was also cracked and crumbling. The light is held in by a stamped assembly in the frame, and e28s have lights on each side, so I wondered if there was the same holder assembly on the passenger side in my car.
Feeling the roof I could feel a cutout about 15cm/6 inches wide, the specs of the light. I ordered two e28 lights (identical except missing the switch) and cut a hole in the ceiling. Luckily I guessed right. Using a cable fishing line pulled wire from the original to the new cutout, installed warm white LEDs and mounted. Lighting is much better.
I have a 3-position rotary switch on order, which I will install where the fader knob is as I have an aftermarket stero and that knob doesn't do anything right now. Given the e12 roof is the same stamping as the e28, and they sold the e12 in LHD and RHD configs I'm going to bet everyone has interior light holder stampings. If you do this be very careful cutting the roof, it tears easily.

[528i-1981]

Looks fantastic - also this is the first glimpse I've had of your Saab sun/moonroof retrofit on the inside. That looks legit as well.

[Lock]

Thanks! I still have the original sunroof fabric and I'm 50/50 on replacing it. Despite being an obvious different color the gray felt blends with the interior pretty well.

[Mike W.]

Yeah, I thought about doing that but never got around to it. You can feel thru the headliner where the cutout is.

[Lock]

I always thought it was an odd choice for BMW to only put one side. It looks assymetrical, and doesn't work the best. Even if there are two bulbs in it.
Clearly they thought better about it with the e28.

[maybeillbuyit]

Funny I've read this post a few times and thought adding the second light was a good idea. I just went and looked at my car and it already has two lights in the headliner. It also has a nice feature if you play with the switches, you can turn on one or off both lights with the the switch on the drivers side. Or independently. It lights up the car pretty well. I guess I knew about this but just forgot. Not sure what years have one or two lights

[Lock]

Interesting, I thought the twin was an e28 thing but they probably always had the cutouts on both sides in all the cars. Just like how all e12s have the e28 door handle cutouts.

I mainly went for e28 units because they're currently dime a dozen on ebay and identical just without the switch, unlike the e12s which are much rarer now.