Bumper talk (Update - rear tucked)

"HoustonRunner" (houstonrunner)
09/06/2020 at 17:00 • Filed to: None

Update: Got the rear done today as well with help from my brother in law. Looks pretty good. If I could figure out a way to cleanly radius the plastic corner strips I think it would look really good.

On the front I’m going to leave the spoiler off for now, I have some original BMW color on order so I’ll san d and repaint it before reinstalling.

Original

Finally got around to doing the BMW bumper tuck - the cheap way to get close to the look of Euro bumpers without shelling out $1k or more.

Didn’t take many pictures, but first had to take off the front spoiler, held on by this metal bracket.

Once you get it off you have to drill a hole in the pistons (shown still attached to the bumper) and compress it.

One thing the YouTube videos of this gets right - the fluid inside is pretty rank. I followed the lead of others and drilled it out inside a box, so I caught the fluid when it shot out.

Only had time for a quick test fit, don’t have it fully installed or the spoiler back on, but it definitely looks better.

DISCUSSION (24)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 22:22

Ah, that is an improvement. Sure, the Euro bumpers look better in my opinion, but these are subtly different.

Merkin Muffley > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 22:28

I have an r107 that needs this surgery

jminer > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 22:44

I like that.

Did you put a pin or bolt through the cylinder to keep it from expanding again?

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 22:46

Yeah I would like euro bumpers, I think I have heard of tucking these in a bit too.

Kinja'd!!!

facw > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 22:48

Aw, I like the diving boards... I think I’m in the minority though.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 22:53

I actually prefer the big stupid 80s US-forced bumpers in the sense that everyone is a horrible driver and parker, but aesthetically what you did looks SO much better.

HoustonRunner > jminer
09/05/2020 at 23:08

No, from what I’ve read once you compress them without the fluid in they don’t expand again. But that is a good point....

jminer > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 23:10

I figure it won’t push itself out, but with all the bouncing, jostling and braking I figure it would slide out or just be askew if not locked in place.

HoustonRunner > facw
09/05/2020 at 23:10

In some applications I agree, but they pull so much attention away from the shark nose of the E24 and E28s.

HoustonRunner > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/05/2020 at 23:11

Yeah, this is a weekend car kept in the garage 95 % of the time, so I’m not as worried about the impact on safety.

HoustonRunner > jminer
09/05/2020 at 23:13

Now that you mentioned it I may do something like that tomorrow. It is only on with one bolt on each side right now.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 23:16

Best look is no bumper imo

Monkey B > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 23:19

Kinja'd!!!

I did something like this to my first e28, it was also red. I used this pictured body kit from BMP. My second e28 was a gray market M535i.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 23:32

BETTER

DipodomysDeserti > HoustonRunner
09/05/2020 at 23:50

Looks good! When I did this on my E30 I drilled the holes then slowly idled it into a brick building that I was paying rent on in order to compress the cylinders. And yeah, I don’t want to know what toxic waste they filled those with.