Good things begin on Jan. 12, 2009!!

Document your Sixer project here.

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Masked Man
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Post by Masked Man »

Yeah, they were pretty much decorative ornaments. Dirty decorative ornaments :lol:

Phillip
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85 635CSi Euro
Big Brake Upgrade
Ireland stainless exhaust
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New tie rod kit
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Masked Man
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New Nose! WHOOO HOOO!!

Post by Masked Man »

So, yesterday night at 10:50PM local, I became the proud owner of a new nose for my sweet baby! I pick it up tomorrow and the latest quote I've received is $600 to repair and respray the airdam AND install and color match the new nose. I think that's a good price, yes? No?

Phillip
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85 635CSi Euro
Big Brake Upgrade
Ireland stainless exhaust
Upper & lower control arms
New tie rod kit
The Sixer Kid

Re: New Nose! WHOOO HOOO!!

Post by The Sixer Kid »

Masked Man wrote:So, yesterday night at 10:50PM local, I became the proud owner of a new nose for my sweet baby! I pick it up tomorrow and the latest quote I've received is $600 to repair and respray the airdam AND install and color match the new nose. I think that's a good price, yes? No?

Phillip
Thats a good price Phillip. You could do the painting yourself if you have the space and patience but chances are you won't be able to match the quality level of a good bodyshop (Earl Sheib maybe). I've given it a try myself several times.

FWIW, I paid $275 to have a trunk lid painted and $300 for a front spoiler. Both of these were Schwarz (no clearcoat) though.


I want some PICCCCSSSSS when its done. 8) 8) 8)
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Masked Man
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Post by Masked Man »

Absolutely, George! Oh and I paid $132.00 for the nose.

Phillip
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85 635CSi Euro
Big Brake Upgrade
Ireland stainless exhaust
Upper & lower control arms
New tie rod kit
C-Fade M-Tech

Post by C-Fade M-Tech »

get the new corners yet :wink:
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Masked Man
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Post by Masked Man »

Got em! WOW they're dark! Pristine and exactly as advertised. Thanks Nick!

Phillip

PS The check IS in the mail, I swear!
Masked Man
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85 635CSi Euro
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Ireland stainless exhaust
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New tie rod kit
C-Fade M-Tech

Post by C-Fade M-Tech »

^ lol no it isn't :wink: I just put is in my glovebox :lol: Oh and pics when you get them on your car! I think they'll really set the car off :twisted:
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Masked Man
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Okay NOW I'm annoyed!!!

Post by Masked Man »

So I had my choice of noses from zoomzooming and I figured the unit with subassemblies attached was a better bet since the body shop could cut it where they want and there wouldn't be any, "Aw geez, we can't use this one, it doesn't have tab A, or slot B!" But what DO they say? "Aw geez, I thought you were gonna bring me just the nose section! This is gonna double my work. I gotta drill out ALL of these spot welds and that's gonna take me twice the time. I can't do this. Why'd you buy this?"

I am quite proud of myself, I maintained my equanimity and simply said, "Well, we're done here." and drove off............seething. Now I guess I'ma get out my Makita, buy a half dozen titanium bits and drill out the frelling spot welds. ~le sigh~

Live and learn, live and learn. Oh yeah, I then went to one of the other shops I'd gotten a quote from and the lady behind the desk patiently explained that since it was Friday afternoon AND the end of the month? Well, all of their appraiser/estimators had left but if I wanted to come back on Monday? They'd be happy to check on the cost of the work and a new nose. No no, i said, I have the nose. Oh, we don't work that way, sir. You can't bring in your own parts. I left.

Phillip
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85 635CSi Euro
Big Brake Upgrade
Ireland stainless exhaust
Upper & lower control arms
New tie rod kit
german performance inc

Post by german performance inc »

..... sounds like you are on your way to doing it yourself,
this sounds like a replay of my experience quite a few years ago except i got pissed off by two more places and then finally working with a shop only to pick up my car at the end of the job and realize i could have done better for half the price....leaving mad without the car helped the price though ,....they called with a discount :wink: good luck
Chris Wright

Re: Okay NOW I'm annoyed!!!

Post by Chris Wright »

Masked Man wrote:So I had my choice of noses from zoomzooming ....
Can you still buy the right one? And put this one up on FleaBay?
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Masked Man
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Post by Masked Man »

Chris? Thing is, I don't know that the other one had the tabs in place that they'll need. I just didn't look at it all that closely. I figured, "Hey, this is the whole magilla, so it's gotta be better, right?" And he had someone who was interested in the other one. I'll just drill out the welds and move on.

Phillip
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85 635CSi Euro
Big Brake Upgrade
Ireland stainless exhaust
Upper & lower control arms
New tie rod kit
EMMMM_90

With this tough economy and....

Post by EMMMM_90 »

..people still have an attitude. Phillip it was good that you walked away. It happened to me at several places I called about having my transmission output shaft replaced. They all gave me an attitude because I would be brining in my parts. They said they could not guarantee the work if I brought in my parts I purchased from the dealer. I'm not talking about using knock off parts as I believe genuine parts like in a transmission cannot be substituted.

You are better off doing it your self. If you'd like a help let me know as when I was 19 I changed my front end clip to my E30. It was a great experience and I can lend a hand and at the same time have some fun putting it together.

Anyhow you wonder why this economy is bad. I think its more of a bad attitude equaling to a bad economy. I know I take pride in my work at WET that I give it a 110 percent to please the customer and everyone around me.

Let me know we can knock this out in an evening.
C-Fade M-Tech

Post by C-Fade M-Tech »

^ thats Nice of you!

good you walked out! apparently they dont want your money :wink:
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Masked Man
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Post by Masked Man »

Hey Abel,

That's damn nice of you! My biggest concern is color matching. Well, color matching and all of the work.
;-)

As I noted in the Saloon section a few minutes ago, I'm headed to Maui for a week but when I get back I'll be in touch, for sure!

Phillip
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85 635CSi Euro
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New tie rod kit
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Wrenching

Post by EMMMM_90 »

Not a problem. Would love to help out.

Just came back from Kauai Hawaii about a month ago. Loved it! I can't wait to go back again soon. But my shark won't let me go until I get it on the road. I have to get all the transmission mounting, Shield, Seals all taken care of. After That I will handle my exhaust now that is out.
Finally6

Post by Finally6 »

Man everyone is going to Hawaii, you lucky dogs!!! I went there 5 years ago and enjoyed my week out there :D
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Masked Man
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And then The Car GODS smiled!

Post by Masked Man »

Okay, so those of you following this little saga may remember that there is a guy, a friend actually, who is a crackerjack body man. Local Santa Monica surfer dude who's been spraying cars for the last 40 years. BUT I ain't been able to get ahold of him cuz he was moving, the grandkids needed Poppop to do this, blah blah blah.

Well, yesterday I spoke with him and my heart soared. He said, "What do you need, Phillip?" I told him about the nose and the airdam and the new nose and he said, "Send me some pictures and then when you get back we'll get you fixed up. We may be able to fix the old nose and that would be preferable since otherwise we're talking LOTS of drilling. Old nose to get it off and then new nose to it ready for install and then the spotwelding to put it in. The airdam is a piece of cake."

Stay tuned!

Phillip
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85 635CSi Euro
Big Brake Upgrade
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New tie rod kit
EMMMM_90

Re: And then The Car GODS smiled!

Post by EMMMM_90 »

Sounds awesome. Just see if he can minimize the drilling and bondo used in the process.

While you are at it ask him how much would be to do a good respray for our sixers as I would be interested and depending on the job perhaps other fellow enthusiast might be interested. I would ask if if he would take a trim dismantled vehicle where it would minimize his labor and have him concentrate on the goods of spraying the vehicle.
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Masked Man
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Post by Masked Man »

Will do, Abel. :mrgreen:
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85 635CSi Euro
Big Brake Upgrade
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Upper & lower control arms
New tie rod kit
EMMMM_90

Post by EMMMM_90 »

The only reason I say that is because the nose of our Sixers are one of the key features that everyone focuses on. When hood is opened last thing you want is to see holes and bondo oozing out as if it was pasta being made. Those are the worst body works jobs I see. Especially those where they body workers are just lazy to remove panels to hold a backing behind it.

I like those welded studs that are out now in the industry to minimize if any holes at all to bring the sheet metal close to its original area.

Good luck and see if you can take pictures of his process as they are usually nice to see. Bert here had many pictures and its always nice to see any car "deconstructed".
alpinacsi

Post by alpinacsi »

I have reworked many bad noses on the e24 and find that they reconform nicely unless they are just totaly mangled. The panel has decent accessability and the damage is usually limited to the kidney area. To replace it (which I have done several times as well) you will need to remove the fenders and then drill or grind out the existing spot welds. You will have to dress the used panel as well as prep the existing area.

Let your body many decide how he wants to do it and have him explain to you why that is his path. If it was a pimple bolt on panel, it would be a much easier decision.
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Post by Hefeweizen »

Phillip,
my nose saga starts here:
http://www.house-calls.us/BMW2.html
that is a PITA....
Rainer
03 330Xi (DD)
85 635CSi (RIP 3 May 19)
80 633CSi (Red Euro, Project)

"If you think a good European mechanic is expensive, try a bad one!"
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Masked Man
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Post by Masked Man »

Yeah Rainer,

I looked at those pages when I first bought mine and I was frankly intimidated by the sheer volume of work involved. I have a garage space out back but it's too small to work in. However, being as how it's SoCal, it ain't gonna rain on me so I can shade tree. We'll see what my body guy sez.

Phillip
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85 635CSi Euro
Big Brake Upgrade
Ireland stainless exhaust
Upper & lower control arms
New tie rod kit
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Masked Man
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Which Hood insulation is right?

Post by Masked Man »

Hey campers!

ALL OPINIONS WELCOME!! I need to figure out which way to go. Foil finish or the dark gray? Does one or the other keep my engine bay cooler or is it a wash?

I ask because she's about to go to the body man and the hood is coming off, ergo replacement will be infinitely easier. Oh and keeping the raggly scaggly mess that is there now is NOT an option. Also? If I go with the dark gray, should I get the 1/4 inch or the 1/2 inch?

Phillip

PS I can't find the link to the foil hood install. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
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85 635CSi Euro
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New tie rod kit
e28rusty

Post by e28rusty »

I don't have an educated opinion on which is "better" but awhile back I saw someone with the gray put a big white roundel on it... That's probably what I'll be doing when the time comes, I just think it looks cleaner than the foil, just my $.02.
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