Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

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yamsel1
Joined: Sat 03 May, 2014 19:53
Posts: 55

  M roadster S50

Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by yamsel1 »

Hello all.
I am interested to see if anyone has or knows of a Z3 with a clear coat inner body shell. I was under the impression that Z3's left the factory with a matt finish to the engine bay and boot areas. I have a 1999 2.8 auto, which was imported from Japan in 2006, which has a completely lacquered inner body shell. After looking at the engine bay I thought that it might have been repainted and lacquered after an accident repair but after further investigation found that the whole body shell is coated with lacquer.
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BladeRunner919
Joined: Fri 17 Feb, 2012 20:18
Posts: 2225

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by BladeRunner919 »

Is the whole shell body-colour? Have a look under the trim in the boot - if it's all body-colour, I'd guess that the whole shell has been repainted.
yamsel1
Joined: Sat 03 May, 2014 19:53
Posts: 55

  M roadster S50

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by yamsel1 »

Hi. Yes, I have checked the boot floor area ect, they are all lacquered. I have even peeled back the corners of the factory stickers in the engine bay to check. It is all lacquered.
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by mrscalex »

Is it possible it's been re-shelled? And the bare shell was painted in a body shop by someone unaware it didn't need to be lacquered?

Just one theory. And possibly not the sort you welcome!
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
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pingu
Joined: Fri 30 Apr, 2004 16:01
Posts: 3412

  M roadster S50

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by pingu »

mrscalex wrote:Is it possible it's been re-shelled? And the bare shell was painted in a body shop by someone unaware it didn't need to be lacquered?

Just one theory. And possibly not the sort you welcome!
Sounds like you may have a better Z3 than left the factory. I reshelled a car once and I'm pretty certain that its demise wouldn't be due to tin-worm :wink: .
Pingu
yamsel1
Joined: Sat 03 May, 2014 19:53
Posts: 55

  M roadster S50

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by yamsel1 »

Yes, thought that it might have been re-shelled as well but the VIN number, which looks like a factory pressing, matches the build code.
Oh well, it looks good anyway.
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by Del »

I have seen comments that it is a characteristic of "individual" coloured BMWs. I assume that if a non-standard colour is used, the shell is removed from the standard paint production line and done "individually" which leads to it being painted all over :shrug
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by mrscalex »

What colour is it?

Individual colours tend to have a black engine bay don't they?
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
yamsel1
Joined: Sat 03 May, 2014 19:53
Posts: 55

  M roadster S50

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by yamsel1 »

The car is finished in Arctic Silver and has a very impressive build sheet. LC67211
therealdb1
Joined: Tue 25 Jun, 2013 21:47
Posts: 263

  Z3 roadster 2.0

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by therealdb1 »

My "Individual" has body colour engine bay and it appears laquered because it is metallic. I have not checked under carpets inside or in the boot though. Perhaps I should but not at this time of night!
Metallic paint generally looks awful without the clear coat which is probably why the O/P's Arctic Silver car has the laquer.
Rafolian
Joined: Wed 27 Feb, 2013 08:41
Posts: 547

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by Rafolian »

My '98 2.8 is Artik Silver and is not lacquered under the bonnet.
roadvoyager1
Joined: Sun 19 Jan, 2014 18:30
Posts: 71

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by roadvoyager1 »

My '99 arctic silver does not have any clearcoat in the engine bay, or boot interior. This I believe is totally standard.
If your car is very early production for the Japanese market it could be an ex-motor show display/press launch car. It was not unusual for such cars to be given a non standard (full interior paint) finish and this could explain why the factory stickers are over the clearcoat. If it is you may find some other extras (increased sound deadening, better tuned engine etc) and should have a very well put together car.
yamsel1
Joined: Sat 03 May, 2014 19:53
Posts: 55

  M roadster S50

Re: Z3 CLEAR COAT LACQUERED INNER BODY SHELL

Post by yamsel1 »

Thank you for your post Roadvoyager1.
That could explain the anomalies with the lacquered bodywork.
The car does have the revised 2.8 duel vanos engine so i suppose it could have been a show car for that year.
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