And he also got the first outer cill (sill?) positioned and fitted....Attachment 6180

This afternoon and working together we offered the metal strengthening cage into position in order to mark out and drill the rear fixing stud holes through the inner rear wings to the boot. Easier said than done as the main tubes slide down inside the Z3 roll-hoop tubes but are an extremely tight fit!

Half an hour and several hundred thwacks with a soft-faced hammer later....
Attachment 6181
After which of course we had the fun of removing it again :mmph:

The rear left hinge in the picture is going to need to move if we're going to be successful in fitting the filler where I intend in the rear deck. Ian tends to get these cages fully prepped and powder coated before fitting too so it'll look a lot different further down the line!

Making great progress in little time. Well done. Keep the photos coming, watching with keen interest. Thanks.

I had a look at your car today, when visiting CC. Very nice.

Apologies - I replied to your private message about the hood but not to your comment here! Early days yet, but hopefully will turn out nice in the end - many thanks!

Ian and I have been busy with other things so things have been a bit quiet in the past couple of weeks, until today...

After much deliberation we've come up with a plan for the fuel filler and filler pipe route. The first step of which was to approximate where it should go and both look good on the lines of the car as well as ape, more or less, the originals...
Attachment 6193
Note the various pencil lines for versions 1 through 18 or so!:nono:

I've decided not to recess the filler at all so I don't need to worry unduly about spillages getting into any recess. So the next step was to get stuck in and cut the boot lid....
Attachment 6194

We then cut off the inner skin around the hinge and moved this inward before re-bonding it to the lid, still allowing a 40mm lip around the perimeter and making sure to keep the hinge bolts aligned...
Attachment 6195
Looks a little messy at the moment but will be very solid when blended back into the original lines:blabla:

While we were in a cutting mood we also cut the boot lid ready for a couple of recessed number plate lights (sorry, forgot to photograph that!) and also marked and cut the rear for a pair of flush fitting fog/reverse lights where the reflectors usually are...
Attachment 6196
Now I know the originals had no reverse light and usually a drop down suspended fog but I always feel these just look wrong on the lines of the car and I wanted to tidy things a little...plus it's mine so I'll do it my way...so there! :icon_lol:

What a great idea on the fog and reversing lights.
May I ask which flush fitting lights you are using?

Next step is to get the roll cage off to the welders and have the one hinge moved across by the corresponding amount as we've moved the boot lid fixings, then in turn get it away to the powder coating specialists for a nice black finish!

Meantime the cut piece from the boot lid will be bonded to the body shell and built up ready to take the filler flap in due course.

Ben at Classic Coachworks is a complete BMW Guru and is also kindly giving the brakes an overhaul for me this week while it's on the ramp, plus he's already replaced some perished hoses for me too :thumb:

More soon....

They are flush fitting Hella ones, about £12-15 each from Ebay. A little bigger than the reflectors but not by a huge amount.

I'm in two minds about the different coloured lenses though tbh, although it may look better on a dark colour car (I'm intending a dark blue). I might try two white units, one fitted with a red bulb, or I may go with two red ones and try to come up with something else for the reverse lamp. The jury is out....!

Mine will be dark as well (BMW Dunkel Green )
No problem here using the different color lenses.

Thanks for the info!

Jack

Gary, is this the correct part number for the reversing light?

OE Hella SIDE & REAR LAMP REVERSE LIGHT FLUSH MOUNT CLEAR 2ZR006609-171

Have not found the red lens as yet.

Jack

That's the part, although try this auction no and you get both lights 362072282382 (you may get them cheaper separately though!):wink:

Thank you sir!

Gary
Found it but "may not post to the United States".
I have the first of two 250 SWB coupes in the USA.
Great price though.

Ah sorry, didn't even occur to me you were Stateside so didn't look at the shipping aspect!

There's another few advertised on Ebay.co.uk but I can't tell from this side of the pond whether they will ship to you, maybe if you log in you can check the following auction no's?...

323422545170
391865271427
172248932286

Failing that, it appears the part no is 2ZR006609-171, manufacturer is Hella.

Good luck!

Sorry, just realised those are the white lens reverse lights, here are some auction no's for the red lens fog lights for you to try re the shipping....

223124804150
362072903992
264277253676
391746250859

I believe the part no is 2NE 006 609-197.

Again, good luck!

Thanks Gary, I'll have a look

Jack