Dashboard - The Bue Ribbon Finale

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
Zed Carer
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  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Wakefield

Dashboard - The Bue Ribbon Finale

Post by Zed Carer »

Having replaced the passenger seat belt guide last Saturday today I started on removing the dashboard to finally fix the de-bonded extended leather. Started just after lunch and progress so far:

These help when removing seats working alone - access to the wiring without trying to hold the seat as well:
Image

Driver's side - two problems here: one of the screws holding the airbag to the wheel will not undo at all - tried T20 & T25- the other one came off with a 4mm allen key. The connection to the diagnostic socket is rock solid - the locking bar slides across but can't get it undone.
Image

The passenger side was much easier and the only problem here is getting the radio out - I've tried 1.5mm and 2mm allen keys with no joy. Can you get the BMW (or equivalent) from Halfrauds or will I have to wait until Monday and go to the dealer?
Image

Looks like I'm building a Z3 in the garage :lol:
Image

Any suggestions gratefully received - so far it's been a mixture of "that went well" and "just how does bl$$dy thing come apart".

About 4.5 hours so far - so not the quickest - to afraid of breaking something.
Last edited by Zed Carer on Sat 17 Jul, 2010 21:09, edited 6 times in total.
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VikingSven
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Post by VikingSven »

My set of allen keys has 2.5mm and 3mm ones - I used one of these to take the stereo out, but can't remember which it was! They came in a cheap toolset, so should be easily obtainable.
seb.a.james99
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Post by seb.a.james99 »

i dont know the size of the allen key i just grabbed one from my tool box and it worked so just use loads of dif sizes, if i get out to my car i'll check the size
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Titan
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Post by Titan »

ZC

It's a 2.5mm allen key, and you need to turn each one anticlockwise a loonnnggggg way.
The bolt is inclined and captive with a sliding plate that grips the rear of the fascia.
Don't worry - the plate won't drop of the end!

Having removed the side trim panels from the footwell, you should be able to push the head unit out form behind.
There is a central rubber antishock mount at the rear which can get well seated into it's housing, giving the impression that the unit is stuck.
Use you third hand to try lifting the rear as well as pushing it away from the dash.
(Standing on your head makes it easier) :P

Hope these pics of one I prepared earlier may help :wink:


Image

Image

Image
Image :devil:
Zed Carer
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  Z3 roadster 2.8
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Post by Zed Carer »

Thanks for all the replies - so progress this morning:

Radio came out using a Torqx T10 - so much for BMW's special 5 point tool.
The other steering wheel airbag retaining bolt finally surrendered to a 4mm Allen Key.
Steering wheel came off OK until it slipped and unwound the slip ribbon - sorted by Mrs ZC

Having downloaded all the useful posts on removing the whole interior and for the various switches I've now realised that a lot of them are for pre-facelift Z3's and there's some subtle differences for the facelift cars.

So everything is now unscrewed, disconnected, removed, etc and the dashboard is freeish at each side but still absolutely solid in the middle - time for torch and mirror to see if there is anything else waiting to be undone. If not it will have to be the use more force approach.

Edit: well using advance contortionist skills, a torch and mirror I've found 2 more fixings one each side of the radio aperture - haven't even been able to photograph them as there're so well hidden. Looks like I'll need a cranked TorqX T20 or T25. Would have been easier if it had been 8mm or 9mm bolt as it all has to be done by feel.
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Zed Carer
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Another Day and finally the Dashboard is Out.

Post by Zed Carer »

Well the two additional fixings were a real PITA - these don't exist on the pre-facelift models so it took a lot of finding This picture was taken with the camera where the passenger airbag normally sits looking across the underside of the dashboard and shows the back of the nearside fixing
Image
After trying many different options the double ended cranked Allen key as supplied by IKEA worked a treat - after I had taken more switches out of the centre console to move it back so I could get access. So the inside of the Z3 now looks like this:
Image

It's surprising just how much the leather has shrunk back - a good 10 to 15mm on the worst side so for the next 2 or 3 days it will just be more of this:
Image

The next problem will be separating the cowl from the lower section as BMW in their infinite wisdom has used 3 screws and 5 plastic tongues that have been inserted into plastic slots, the ends melted and small pieces of a fine metal mesh pushed into the molten plastic. nice job for tomorrow evening then.
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Looks like you've been having "fun" :D
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aceman
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Post by aceman »

Yikes your zed does look very sore :shock:

Have you got to seperate the cowl because the leather has shrunk too much ? will it not pull back into shape after being soaked for a couple of days.

I need to come and see this for myself before I attempt mine although it sounds as though mine might be slightly easier being a pre-facelift. Are you around tomorrow night Bill so I can come and have a nosey.
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Post by rgf »

ZC, you are a very brave man! :bow
I hope you don't have too many bits left over.
Good luck!
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Zed Carer
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Post by Zed Carer »

aceman wrote:Yikes your zed does look very sore :shock:

I need to come and see this for myself before I attempt mine although it sounds as though mine might be slightly easier being a pre-facelift. Are you around tomorrow night Bill so I can come and have a nosey.
Aceman you have a pm.

Just as I finally reached the point of the dashboard coming free - getting it out was some time later - Mrs ZC did her Ebay magic and I got a set of mats for £27 including P&P. :D She emailed the seller to confirm that they were BMW mats as stated and the man said "Yes".
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jmai
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Post by jmai »

I did this repair several years ago. I have a DIY article that describes how to remove the cowl from the instrument bezel. Here is the link.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showth ... ash+repair
Zed Carer
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Post by Zed Carer »

jmai wrote:I did this repair several years ago. I have a DIY article that describes how to remove the cowl from the instrument bezel. Here is the link.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showth ... ash+repair
Hi and thanks for the link it makes interesting reading. At the moment I'm keeping the leather wet with leather conditioner and gradually stretching it. I know that this won't be a permanent cure but hopefully it will last for a couple of years. In the meantime I can look out for a 2nd hand facelift dashboard to practice on :lol:

Thanks again for the information.
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Tufarlian
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Post by Tufarlian »

ZC

You are a braver man than I, Gunga Din!

It has obviously taken more than a trim remover to get to this stage.

Good luck getting all that back together. :shock:

M.
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snoops
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Post by snoops »

Hi ZC - I'm following your thread with interest and you are a very brave man, the mind boggles at how many "bits" you have now taken off your zed.

Sorry, but not quite worked out why you are doing this?? Don't understand your opening thread.

Just want to keep up :D
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TitanTim
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Post by TitanTim »

snoops wrote:Hi ZC - I'm following your thread with interest and you are a very brave man, the mind boggles at how many "bits" you have now taken off your zed.

Sorry, but not quite worked out why you are doing this?? Don't understand your opening thread.

Just want to keep up :D
Well a bloke has got to have something to do of an evening :lol:

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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

He was that keen to get started that he forgot to show any pics of the actual problem :D
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snoops
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Post by snoops »

So I take it I'm not the only one who doesn't know what the problem was but I'm the only one to ask :D :shock:

We need some "before" pics ZC or we won't know how good the repair has been :wink:
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TitanTim
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Post by TitanTim »

snoops wrote:So I take it I'm not the only one who doesn't know what the problem was but I'm the only one to ask :D :shock:

We need some "before" pics ZC or we won't know how good the repair has been :wink:
I didn't want to ask in case I embarrassed myself :oops: Glad you asked first Snoops :lol:

Tim.
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snoops
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Post by snoops »

eeeee wot you like you lot... :head:

Come on Bill..... where are you :?
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Titan
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Post by Titan »

TitanTim wrote:
snoops wrote:So I take it I'm not the only one who doesn't know what the problem was but I'm the only one to ask :D :shock:

We need some "before" pics ZC or we won't know how good the repair has been :wink:
I didn't want to ask in case I embarrassed myself :oops: Glad you asked first Snoops :lol:

Tim.
Go on Tim
Hide behind a good woman!

The answer is all there in ZC's first post:
Zed Carer wrote:Having replaced the passenger seat belt guide last Saturday today I started on removing the dashboard to finally fix the de-bonded extended leather.
Image :devil:
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TitanTim
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Post by TitanTim »

Titan wrote:
TitanTim wrote:
snoops wrote:So I take it I'm not the only one who doesn't know what the problem was but I'm the only one to ask :D :shock:

We need some "before" pics ZC or we won't know how good the repair has been :wink:
I didn't want to ask in case I embarrassed myself :oops: Glad you asked first Snoops :lol:

Tim.
Go on Tim
Hide behind a good woman!

The answer is all there in ZC's first post:
Zed Carer wrote:Having replaced the passenger seat belt guide last Saturday today I started on removing the dashboard to finally fix the de-bonded extended leather.
:lol: I need a good woman who owns a Zed, the problem is they are all taken :head:

Tim.
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snoops
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Post by snoops »

Titan wrote: I started on removing the dashboard to finally fix the de-bonded extended leather.
I don't know what that means :cry:
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Titan
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Post by Titan »

Ok Snoops
Some Zeds have colour coordinated leather that extends up the dashboard to incorporate the instrument binnacle and passenger airbag cover.
With age, this leather sometime shrinks and wrinkles away from the substrate surface.
It's not mission critical but is very unsightly.
ZC had this problem so is removing the dash to rectify it.
Does that make more sense?
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seasurfer
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Post by seasurfer »

[/quote]:lol: I need a good woman who owns a Zed, the problem is they are all taken :head:

Tim.[/quote]



Why? do you need parking lessons :D

Gill
[/url]
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snoops
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Post by snoops »

Thanks Titan... :wink: It's all perfectly clear now FOR EVERYONE !!

Sorry to temporarily hijack your thread ZC :wink:
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unclemart
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Post by unclemart »

seasurfer wrote:
:lol: I need a good woman who owns a Zed, the problem is they are all taken :head:

Tim.[/quote]



Why? do you need parking lessons :D

Gill[/quote]

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

Rofl :D 1 - 0 to the ladies
Remember "To become old and wise - First you need to be young and stupid"

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TitanTim
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Post by TitanTim »

seasurfer wrote:
:lol: I need a good woman who owns a Zed, the problem is they are all taken :head:

Tim.[/quote]



Why? do you need parking lessons :D

Gill[/quote]

No I need someone to operate the hood :geek:

Tim.
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Zed Carer
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Post by Zed Carer »

snoops wrote:Thanks Titan... :wink: It's all perfectly clear now FOR EVERYONE !!

Sorry to temporarily hijack your thread ZC :wink:
Apologies accepted and this is a LINK to the original post seeking advice on the problem of the de-bonded leather. As Titan has said not critical but not nice either.

Aceman has been round this evening to have a look as his Z3 has developed the same problem - seems that the older the cars get the more you need to keep the leather treated to stop it shrinking.

Now snoops you did the seatbelt guide first and I followed the weekend before last, now I've gone first with the dashboard so your turn next ':D'
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snoops
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Post by snoops »

There's nothing wrong with my dashboard, Zippy has lived in a garage for 9 years all wrapped up in cotton wool :D except for when we've been out having fun :drive

It's probably the effects of the sun ?? maybe ?? ...

Let's see, what can I do next :puzzle:
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Zed Carer
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Post by Zed Carer »

Well after all the excitement :roll: of getting the dashboard out watching leather stretch is about as interesting as watching paint dry :|'. I've now rigged up a miniature version of a leather torture rack :D' OK its a bit Heath Robinson but the leather has now stretched back almost enough to wrap round the bottom at which point I can glue it.
Image

The problem is the leather on the cowl as there is no real way of stretching this back so I'm now resigned to having a (hopefully) small slither of black plastic showing - the good thing is that you won't be able to see it from the driver's seat :D'
Image

On the upside I've tried the leather dye from Gliptone and the colour match is just about perfect and this set me thinking about the long term solution. Buy a 2nd hand dashboard and take it apart, get some treated leather and then find a car upholsterer who will dye the leather and cover the appropriate sections of the dashboard. Then just take the old dashboard out and fit the new one :roll:

I did mention this to Mrs ZC who responded with: "You haven't put this one back together again yet". :shock:
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Titan
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Post by Titan »

Looks like someone's nicked your washing ZC
You may find horizontal clothes lines more effective :oops:
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snoops
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Post by snoops »

Not quite worked out the purpose of the pegs, or are they just for fancy ?:D

Are you assisting the stretching process.... here are a couple of options if you're not:


Warm Water Method

• Fill a container or tub with warm water.
• Immerse the leather item fully in the water.
• If needed, twist and knead the leather item until it is completely soaked in the water.
• Leave it soaked in water for 10 minutes.

Alcohol Method

• Mix three parts of water with one part isopropyl rubbing alcohol and fill the solution into a spray bottle.
• Spray the solution on the areas where the leather item is too tight.
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Zed Carer
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Post by Zed Carer »

snoops wrote:Not quite worked out the purpose of the pegs, or are they just for fancy ?:D

Are you assisting the stretching process.... here are a couple of options if you're not:
Hi snoops - the pegs are part of the tensioning - the ties are wrapped round the pegs and it helps keeping an equal tension.

Thanks for the other tips on stretching leather - I've saved these for when I do a permanent repair. I've been searching for nearly 2 years to find replacement parts but the only ones that I've been able to find have been either red or black. I'm almost 100% convinced now that getting a 2nd hand dashboard, removing the relevant bits and recovering them with new leather is the only real longterm option.

Everything is all glued now and I've dyed the worn patch on the driver's seat side bolster so hopefully will be re-building the dashboard tonight ready for re-fitting tomorrow.
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Post by Tori »

You could always use the appropraite coloured leather off the back of the seats and have the back of them re trimmed in black.
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Post by Zed Carer »

Tori wrote:You could always use the appropraite coloured leather off the back of the seats and have the back of them re trimmed in black.
I can see where you're coming from Tori and it's another good idea but as the back has the join up the middle the 4 pieces are relatively small and the back of the head restraint would still be blue. There wouldn't be any real cost saving as I would have to buy new leather for the back of the seats. The real attraction for me in getting a 2nd hand dashboard is that I can take my time and only remove the existing dashboard when the new one is ready - the Zed has been parked up for a week now :bawl:
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Starting to Re-build

Post by Zed Carer »

A significant milestone this evening as I'm ready to start re-building the Zed. As well as the dashboard I've managed to tidy up a few other bits like the drivers seat bolster:

Before and After (specially for snoops :lol:)
Image Image

The "finished" dashboard - it was never going to be perfect :(' but hopefully better than it was before
Image

Just got to remember where all this goes - now where did I put my key :roll:
Image
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Ian_C
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Re: Starting to Re-build

Post by Ian_C »

Have I missed something ZC? Looks like you've refurbed blue seats but have black ones in your garage :?
Zed Carer wrote: Image Image

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Re: Starting to Re-build

Post by Zed Carer »

"myredzed" Have I missed something ZC? Looks like you've refurbed blue seats but have black ones in your garage :?
No the ones in the garage are the same seats - the closeup picture of the refurbed seat was taken late last night with flash. I think that I'd better check that nobody has swopped seats ':D'
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Post by Zed Carer »

Aceman - you have a pm
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snoops
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Post by snoops »

Looking good !! Thank you so much for the side by side piccies :D

I'll tell you what, I'll be so impressed if you haven't got a little jar of "bits" left over when you've put it all back together unless your better half has made a "journal" for you to follow in reverse :shock:

Will it be back together before the 11th ???
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Post by Zed Carer »

snoops wrote:Looking good !! Thank you so much for the side by side piccies :D

I'll tell you what, I'll be so impressed if you haven't got a little jar of "bits" left over when you've put it all back together unless your better half has made a "journal" for you to follow in reverse :shock:

Will it be back together before the 11th ???
Hopefully (crossing fingers, touching wood, etc) will be back together this weekend.

As for my "better half" the quote of the day when she got home from work and I showed her the completed dashboard was "You mean that you are going to all this trouble just for that" :shake:

I think it's something to do with the fact that I've been promising to get a new roof for the study for 2 (no actually 5) years now - must do something about it this year or we'll have to get more buckets for when it rains :lol:
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VikingSven
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Post by VikingSven »

What did you use to re-dye the seat bolster? Need to do mine, and if you can recommend a specific product, that'd be much appreciated :)
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Post by DC »

I think I read somewhere in this thread that this is the stuff.
http://www.liquidleather.com/scuffs.htm

There's another thread somewhere which mentions it and prompted me to order some for my other car.
I've not used it yet but they are good to deal with and the colour looks to be spot on.
Please excuse me butting in Zed Carer.
Dave. 1998 Arctic Silver Z3 M44 1.9 Automatic
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Post by Zed Carer »

VikingSven wrote:What did you use to re-dye the seat bolster? Need to do mine, and if you can recommend a specific product, that'd be much appreciated :)
I used Gliptone who make Scuffmaster as well. I bought the cleaner, leather treatment and enough dye to do all the leather if the colour wasn't a good match but it was spot on. ':D
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Post by Zed Carer »

Started re-building this evening with the first thing being to fit the dashboard - for anyone else contemplating doing this be warned that you can actually push the dashboard too far forward. So it's best to fit one of the side bolts each side finger tight - as arrowed below:
Image

Then the three bolts at the front - these are a bit fiddly to get started but once started they are OK. Then there are the two "hidden" ones - one each side of the centre console - one took all of 3 minutes and the other 30 minutes.

When threading the wires for the instrument panel back through i noticed that they rest and rub on quite a sharp edge (IIRC I've read about this in a previous post) so I wrapped a short length of pipe insulation around them:
Image

So now I had this:
Image

As Mrs ZC was late home again I managed to get the instrument panel and the headlamp and fog lamp switches re-fitted before calling it a day.
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snoops
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Location: Lancashire

Post by snoops »

Looking good ... Can't help wondering what a shock someone would get if they tried to knick your car at the moment.

Was Mrs ZC impressed with your progress so far?
Image...........No Mods...... I like him just the way he is
Zed Carer
Joined: Thu 13 Dec, 2007 20:27
Posts: 1642

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Wakefield

Post by Zed Carer »

snoops wrote:Looking good ... Can't help wondering what a shock someone would get if they tried to knick your car at the moment.

Was Mrs ZC impressed with your progress so far?
I think that Mrs ZC is getting a little bit impressed - not that she would actually admit it :lol:

The Z3 is parked where her car normally is and she has admitted that every morning this week when going to work she has gone to try and open the Z3 :roll: She followed that by saying it was only when she saw the blue inside that she realised her mistake - what blue? It's all in the garage :lol:
Hers: Z4 2.0i Sp --------------------- His: Z3 2.8
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Zed Carer
Joined: Thu 13 Dec, 2007 20:27
Posts: 1642

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Wakefield

Post by Zed Carer »

2 hrs last night and just over 5 hours today and the Zed is back in one piece - everything OK until I took it for a drive and found that the OBC display wasn't working. The screen appears to light up and there is a single narrow (1 to 2mm) bright strip at the top - when cycling through the display options the number of lines appears to vary between 1 and 4.

The screen did fall out when I was re-fitting the centre console - could it be that I have put in back upside down? Would this make a difference? Could it be that the OBC hasn't fully seated itself - I struggled for quite sometime to get it stay in place?

Any suggestions gratefully received before I start taking the seats, etc out again :head:

I suppose that the upside is that everything else works OK. :D
Hers: Z4 2.0i Sp --------------------- His: Z3 2.8
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Brian H
Joined: Tue 16 Dec, 2008 19:55
Posts: 2505

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Another Day and finally the Dashboard is Out.

Post by Brian H »

Zed Carer wrote:Well the two additional fixings were a real PITA - these don't exist on the pre-facelift models so it took a lot of finding This picture was taken with the camera where the passenger airbag normally sits looking across the underside of the dashboard and shows the back of the nearside fixing
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Hi ZC,

For referance if you are looking for a replacement dash, I am sure my pre-facelift had these fixings and yes they were a PITA. I still have the old one if you would like me to check.

Good work fella :thumb:
Courageous
Joined: Wed 13 Jan, 2010 19:22
Posts: 352

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Rosas, Spain
Contact:

Post by Courageous »

Yeah nice one ZC.

You may be able to stop me making a big mistake...... I'm thinking of re-hooking mine to the left and this is the first chance I've had to see what's behind the dash. That tubular frame which spans the cockpit wouldn't be removeable would it? Also there seems to be a piece of square section which runs fore and aft from the bulkhead to the tubular section on the drivers side. Is that simply bolted on or part of the structure? Hope you can help........
In the land of the pigs the butcher is king.
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