Freshening up the Z a bit

shantybeater · Post by **shantybeater** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 12:48

Just wondering has anyone out there color coded the door handles & jet washers for both the windscreen & headlights? After some thought I think I'd prefer it to a chrome look which sort of gives off the impression of an aftermarket mod (I prefer little mods like this to improve the look but go unnoticable rather than draw attention)

The only thing is aren't the washer/handle surrounds outlined with rubber which won't paint well??

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 15:12

Some of the coupe guys have done the handles / boot handles I think so must be possible.

You can paint pretty much anything these days with the correct paints

shantybeater · Post by **shantybeater** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 18:15

Cheers for the reply jon i'll take a look on z3mcoupe

yalden · Post by **yalden** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 19:56

I've done my handles, but being black on black... it's not as much of a stand out feature! I just prefer it when polishing as I don't need to worry about leaving residue!

I also colour coded the handles on my e36, again leaving the black seal... they don't look out of place!

Click to enlarge (you'll also note my flushed petrol flap)...

shantybeater · Post by **shantybeater** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 20:06

nice yalden, are they easy to remove etc..?

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 20:07

yalden wrote:I also colour coded the handles on my e36, again leaving
the black seal... they don't look out of place!

Oy! - get polishin' - there's fingerprints on that door panel and handle

When you say "flush" petrol cap is that because you've beaten out the finger-pull or found a little rubber grommet

yalden · Post by **yalden** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 09:01

Shanty - Removing the handles is easy when you know how, I didn't know how... so I just prized them off and broke the clips - I wasn't concerned as I'd purchased brand new ones anyway (I believe you can't buy new seals separately so i purchased the handles just to get the seals).

I believe you are supposed to pull at something through the hole in the side of the door (behind a rubber grommit), I tried but gave up after a minute or two!

Titan wrote:
yalden wrote:I also colour coded the handles on my e36, again leaving
the black seal... they don't look out of place!
Oy! - get polishin' - there's fingerprints on that door panel and handle

When you say "flush" petrol cap is that because you've beaten out the finger-pull or found a little rubber grommet

I get annoyed at my own finger prints each time I look at that photo lol...

I didn't beat the 'pull' flat, I got my bodyshop to cut a triangular wedge out and beat it flat, then weld, grind, skim etc... I don't bite my nails so I can still open it without any problems!

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 09:53

There was a recent thread about replacing the rubber surround gromet which I think can be pruchased off eBay (ie same as e36). So that will show you how to remove and you may as well replace the gromet as well

Topaz Z3 · Post by **Topaz Z3** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 16:15

Shanty,

I have replaced the black covering to the door handles with the chrome effect and left the lifters as black to give a two-tone appearance.

You need to remove the black plastic (sausage shape) cover, about the size of your thumb from the end of the door panel, in-line with the door handle. Can lift with nail / credit card.

You will see with a torch the flat end of a bar pointing away from you (item no.11 below on weblink diagram). Push this away from you, whilst having a friend ready to catch the handle covering as it releases, as it may fall off the top of the lifting handle mechanism.

Note: the release bar will NOT fall into the inside of the door (so do not worry). It is held in-place with all the other door mechanisms, it will just become loose.

If the covering does not fall off, then either way should now be loose for you to lift off. Replace with the new one (chrome or sprayed etc.).

Your trusty friend will then need to hold the new covering in-place over the lifter and close to the door bodywork, whilst you will need a screwdriver type device with a nice hook on the end that you will need to put through the access hole and grab onto the release bar again and pull towards you as far as possible. This will lock onto the covering lugs if you have them in the right place clost to the door bodywork.

Actually managed to find a screwdriver set with hooks to do this, but also did this with a coat hanger and a pair of pliers to pull the hanger wire tightly.

http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/Z3/Ro ... rol_front/

<a href="http://s766.photobucket.com/albums/xx30 ... ndleZ3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx30 ... ndleZ3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s766.photobucket.com/albums/xx30 ... ndleZ3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx30 ... ndleZ3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Good luck if you choose to do it, Dave.

Brian H · Post by **Brian H** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 16:38

Shanty,

linky to the door handle removal

Look further down the thread, there is a grommet on the side of the door to allow access to the retaining strap.

HTH

shantybeater · Post by **shantybeater** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 17:33

Thanks for all the replies, I'll give it a go over the weekend