Screwdriver colour

Post in this forum for topics relating to the exterior. This includes body, windows, and accessories

Moderators: GRNSHRK, ron, bfons

User avatar
olympia57
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 1389
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2012 1:47 pm
Location: Ireland

Screwdriver colour

Post by olympia57 »

The tool kit on my car is short of a couple of items .
Last night on Ebay I secured the small Heyco reversable screwdriver but unfortunatley it is grey in colour whereas the large one on my tool kit is green .
Were the colours I've seen ( grey , green and red ) year dependent ?
User avatar
dwcains
Posts: 1465
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:01 am
Location: Lutz, FL

Post by dwcains »

My understanding is M cars got red, non-M's got green, and the grey ones are much newer and not from any e24. I recently bought new green ones from BMW-NA, but the red are rare and $$$.
Dean
Lutz, FL

'85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z

Image
User avatar
Brucey
6 Series Guru
6 Series Guru
Posts: 10077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 7:17 am
Location: Cambridge, UK

Post by Brucey »

I think it is quite possible that the final E24s did not have either a Green or Red pair of screwdrivers, but someone else will confirm or refute that I am sure.

Red screwdrivers were found in non-M toolkits too, BTW.

cheers
~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pod
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 4492
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:32 pm
Location: usually in the barn, Kent, England.

Post by Pod »

So what are the current "going rates" for the various-coloured 'drivers then :-k
User avatar
dwcains
Posts: 1465
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:01 am
Location: Lutz, FL

Post by dwcains »

We've been told here in the US that the tools were installed at the dealers, which can account for the red vs. green, but we really didn't get any M E24's until '87 and '88. I wonder if any US 635's ever had red handles back before then? My '88 M3, which I bought new in 6/87 had grey screwdrivers, though.

FWIW, I bought the majority of my 635 tool kit brand new maybe 8 months ago from BMW-NA, for around $120. It came with both green screwdrivers, both pliers, all the wrenches, sunroof tool, etc. It lacked the the small Z-shaped Allen wrench, the white plastic power window hex tool, towel, and foam pad for the spare bulbs and fuses. The foam pad for the tray and trunk lid were also available, and very inexpensive.

I've seen just the large red-handles screwdriver sold on eBay for ~$200, which seems a bit silly to me. Also very rare are the original antenna wipes in foil packets, which I've seen sell for $50 each.
Dean
Lutz, FL

'85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z

Image
jacko
Posts: 416
Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2014 6:43 pm
Location: DFW Texas

Post by jacko »

"The ultimate OCD machine" :-)
Jack
Arlington, Texas. USA

1989 635csi
Automatic
bpoliakoff
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3312
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:28 pm
Location: scottsdale, arizona
Contact:

Post by bpoliakoff »

Number 1, the new tools available for a while from BMW are not the same as originals. The green screwdrivers are not even close as the handle design on the large is way different and will not fit in the tool kit. The blade on the large is also different as it has a hardened tip which the original do not have.The grey and black replacements available for $6 are also way off. The manufacturers info, forged into the handles are also not close to the originals. I have them with BMW forged into the handles which is also rare.The color of the screwdriver handles are close to year specific, except for the “Mâ€
Attachments
greens .jpg
greens .jpg (52.66 KiB) Viewed 11045 times
Red screwdrivers.jpg
Red screwdrivers.jpg (87.66 KiB) Viewed 11045 times
81 Euro 635 M90 with motronic. Currently under a complete nut and bolt restoration. Pictures at
flickr.com/photos/bertsphotos.
User avatar
dwcains
Posts: 1465
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:01 am
Location: Lutz, FL

Post by dwcains »

I'll agree that the new tools aren't the same as the originals, but for my purposes, they're close enough. The screwdriver handles' shape/size did cause some problems getting them to sit properly in the tool tray, but a little massaging of the plastic with a blow dryer did the trick, and now they fit fine. The small pliers are also a bit different, with the handles padded.

Image

BTW, that's your valve adjust tool and you also sold me that window crank tool - thanks again.
Dean
Lutz, FL

'85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z

Image
Chris Wright

Re: Screwdriver colour

Post by Chris Wright »

olympia57 wrote:The tool kit on my car is short of a couple of items .
Last night on Ebay I secured the small Heyco reversable screwdriver but unfortunatley it is grey in colour whereas the large one on my tool kit is green .
Were the colours I've seen ( grey , green and red ) year dependent ?
My '87 (US spec.) has the large green and small grey screwdriver and I am pretty sure it is original.
bpoliakoff
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3312
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:28 pm
Location: scottsdale, arizona
Contact:

Post by bpoliakoff »

All of the E24s came with matched screwdrivers. The original grey handled ones came in 2002s
81 Euro 635 M90 with motronic. Currently under a complete nut and bolt restoration. Pictures at
flickr.com/photos/bertsphotos.
User avatar
Brucey
6 Series Guru
6 Series Guru
Posts: 10077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 7:17 am
Location: Cambridge, UK

Post by Brucey »

FWIW my late '81 635 CSi had red handled screwdrivers and a slightly different tool tray to later cars, too. There are at least three different versions of the tool tray moulding for E24.

cheers
~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
bpoliakoff
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3312
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:28 pm
Location: scottsdale, arizona
Contact:

Post by bpoliakoff »

Since there is not a definitive way of knowing, I have researched on a practical level what screwdrivers and trays were what. Yes Brucey, there are a fair amount of large tray tool kits out there all the way through the E28s and including E23s and E21s . Who knows where and when one could have been switched out. I am sure of 4 different large tray configurations and maybe more. Last week I bought one from an early euro that had a configuration I never saw before. there wasn’t a provision for the window emergency tools.

My research has led me to believe that tools were sent to the dealers in bulk to be installed when the cars were prepped for sale: ergo you get what some lot boy grabbed at hand which after about 84-85 lead to the screwdriver conundrum as the greens came into play I have sold over 30 tool kits and find the tools are very consistent all the way through the production runs except for tray configuration
81 Euro 635 M90 with motronic. Currently under a complete nut and bolt restoration. Pictures at
flickr.com/photos/bertsphotos.
Chris Wright

Post by Chris Wright »

I've been informed that my small grey should be a green one ...... I guess the "Lot Boy" grab whatever was to hand. #-o :-k

Here is brucey's thread on the tool kits:
viewtopic.php?t=2125&
User avatar
olympia57
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 1389
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2012 1:47 pm
Location: Ireland

Post by olympia57 »

Just to add a bit of confusion ......
I was cleaning and polishing up the dulled items in the toolkit on my E12 based car today and noticed that the kit has what looks like the correct blade type spare fuses fitted into the slits in the foam holder but the car is equipped with Bosch "torpedo " fuses .
Should there be an additional " holder" for the Bosch fuses on early cars or has my car had a different sponge pad fitted ?
User avatar
Ralph in Socal
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 2745
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 3:32 am
Location: High Desert of SoCal

Post by Ralph in Socal »

olympia57 wrote:Just to add a bit of confusion ......
I was cleaning and polishing up the dulled items in the toolkit on my E12 based car today and noticed that the kit has what looks like the correct blade type spare fuses fitted into the slits in the foam holder but the car is equipped with Bosch "torpedo " fuses .
Should there be an additional " holder" for the Bosch fuses on early cars or has my car had a different sponge pad fitted ?
Yes there is a different type of sponge pad that accepts the torpedo fuses. Found on e28s as they maintained the torpedo fuses until 1988.


Ralph
There is a very fine line between "Hobby" and Mental Illness.

85 635csi Zinno Auto
84 528i Euro
83 635 Euro Arktik
81 528i Kastanien 5-speed
88 528e Bronzit (Granpa Car)
86 535i Auto (For Sale)
81 633 csi (retired)
User avatar
dwcains
Posts: 1465
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:01 am
Location: Lutz, FL

Post by dwcains »

There are a few different foam pads. Some are for the old bullet fuses, some for the new blade fuses, and the Euro cars had foam with a space for a spare H1 headlight bulb, too.

I've got the wrong new one (blades, no H1) in my '85 Euro now because the old correct foam is so discolored. Otherwise it's in good shape. Anyone know how to get it clean again? I've tried hot soapy water, and also Oxy-Clean, but no improvement. Bleach?
Dean
Lutz, FL

'85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z

Image
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3710
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

More confusion . . .

Post by GRNSHRK »

Just to add to the mix, my '80 has red colored screwdriver handles #-o

Fairly certain that they are original, since I've had the green beast for 25 years :roll:

:mrgreen:
Attachments
Tool kit
Tool kit
IMG_1013-sm.jpg (82.51 KiB) Viewed 10991 times
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
User avatar
Brucey
6 Series Guru
6 Series Guru
Posts: 10077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 7:17 am
Location: Cambridge, UK

Post by Brucey »

that is a dead ringer for the toolkit that came in my '81 car; tray, foam, screwdrivers and all.

Here's a question though; anyone know what the slot on the left is for? Maybe someone told me once (different sunroof tool?) but I honestly can't remember; it is a different size to the one in the later trays that takes the emergency window tool.

My '81 didn't need the plastic emergency window tool because all four motors had the plastic hex on them.

The other difference to the 82-87 tray version is that there is no middle slot for the cranked allen key for the sunroof.

cheers
~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3710
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Updated photo . . .

Post by GRNSHRK »

So I put this other tool in that slot, but it doesn't fit right, and I'm not even sure what it's for #-o

I think it's part of the manual window crank tool setup, but in all honesty, I have no idea :-k

Guess I should pose that question as well, WTF is that white doodad, appears to be made out of nylon :-?

:mrgreen:
Attachments
IMG_0044-sm.jpg
IMG_0044-sm.jpg (66.98 KiB) Viewed 10948 times
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
User avatar
Brucey
6 Series Guru
6 Series Guru
Posts: 10077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 7:17 am
Location: Cambridge, UK

Post by Brucey »

the white doodad is the manual window winding attachment. Its use is explained in the manual and in the other toolkit thread.

It doesn't fit into the slot in the earlier tool tray and I can't remember what does go in there; my '81 didn't need the window adapter, each motor already had one fitted.

cheers
~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3710
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Oh, so that doodad is not needed?!?

Post by GRNSHRK »

Well, then I guess it's for sale #-o

For some strange reason, I never thought about looking in my owner's manual, until now :roll:

Hpoefully they've included a photo of the contents [-o<

:mrgreen:
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
User avatar
Brucey
6 Series Guru
6 Series Guru
Posts: 10077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 7:17 am
Location: Cambridge, UK

Post by Brucey »

if you remove each of the blanking plugs and there is a white hexagon in there already on each of the four window motors then you don't need the white doodad. On the rear motors the hexagon is recessed back about 4" or so, on the fronts it is right in your face once the plug is out.

cheers
~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
User avatar
Da_Hose
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3236
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:15 am
Location: Santa Ana, CA.

Post by Da_Hose »

Isn't the white doodad in there so you can manually operate the sunroof motor?

Jose
1987 M6 - My dream car
User avatar
hornhospital
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 2929
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 6:46 pm
Location: Silverhill, AL
Contact:

Post by hornhospital »

Nope, just the windows. At least the white doodad in my 635 doesn't fit the sunroof drive. The drive on the 633 is totally, absolutely rusted solid. Can't even begin to turn it with the hex key, at all. Fit it in the drive, but not turn it.
Ken Kanne
'84 633CSi "Sylvia"; '85 635CSi "Katja";'85 325e "Hazel Ann"; '95 M3 "Ashlyn"
ron
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 4569
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:35 am
Location: South Wales U.K.

Post by ron »

hornhospital wrote: The drive on the 633 is totally, absolutely rusted solid. Can't even begin to turn it with the hex key, at all. Fit it in the drive, but not turn it.
Have you backed off the big hex. nut?
They are ALWAYS rustier than you thought!!!!!!
'85 M #228
'87 M #367
'88 High line.
'10 X5
‘84 Alfasud 1.5 ti
Post Reply