Tell me if you like this tail light conversion. I personally wouldn't mind it on an E21, but I would never take the effort to do such a boring conversion. Throw out some opinions...

I love inventive body mods like that, personally :stickoutt. That's something too exacting for me to try myself, however. Besides, I think the stock taillights look fine, especially when redone in all-red. Considering any other unusual mods? On another tangent, I think I'm going to end up with a mono-wiper conversion if it works any better than the stockers do.
nick

Yeah. I'm a sucker for little body mods that only an E21 kinda person would recognize. I honestly would love to replicate an E21 to look like a 2002 turbo with a similar valance and flares along with the turbo stripes.

That's an interesting idea. You could pick up a 316 grill and some lights for the retro look, and Ireland Engineering makes those rivet-on flares for the E21. Some oversize Hellas on Euro Bumpers would do the trick for the front end. The deeply-scooped Zender front spoiler looks nice and old-skool to me...www.carshine.com.au sells them, I think. As far as I know, steel 2002 mirrors will fit an e21, too. Maybe you could be the first to route an E21 exhaust out the center of the rear. :cool
Nick

I like the way you think. That sounds incredibly good. I think that will be my next project. The only pain in the ass is that I will have to acctually turbo the car for the full afect. Maybe attila could help me out with that part of the project. lol I like the image in my head of an E21 2002 turbo. lol :lol :lol :lol

:D Yeah, you do have to turbo it :stickoutt I was just in touch with jbob about a shopping list to make an m10 turbo. And maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan does it ever sound extensive. Here's a link to his posting on another board:

http://www.bmwe21.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=698

Of course, this is to run some serious boost, not a simple "keep the k-jet and go" sort of thing. I'm most likely going to turbocharge an M20 eventually, but I'll try it NA first.

I'm doing the body mods to my car first, as an incentive to build a motor to match :)

Nick

I think only on a darker color car like that...

I think on the lighter colors, it wouldn't look cool.

Yeah, I agree that the conversion is best on a dark car. I think it would work on a silver one too though.

Maybe you could be the first to route an E21 exhaust out the center of the rear. :cool
Nick

Ya know i was thinking about doing that for the simple reason there is a 71 2002 with the full ANSA exhaust with a header in the junkyard i frequent i just havent gotten around to pulling it out of the car to give it a try. I think the exhaust comming out the center would look very cool. - chris

I have seen a 320i with the tail pipe coming out in the center, it was UGLY, looked like a ricer.

Hehe, I think the difference in length between the '02 and the 320 is only about 1.5 inches...that exhaust may actually be the right size. I suppose you'd have to glass over the old exhaust exit, but that wouldn't be too hard. I'm thinking of going with a 323i lower rear valance when I replace some metal back there, so I can run dual exit exhaust in the future. One way or the other, it's all about symmetry.
Nick

Personally, I think those E30 tail lights look terrible. Want an E30? BUY an E30! The Euro E21 bum is one of the best bums BMW ever built. The slim tail lights, smooth corners, dainty little bumper, and the plate tucked underneath. It was brilliant. Those big, balky looking E30 lights are gross.

Here's my 323i, pre restoration. Look how tidy that is. MUCH nicer than the E30 units.

Al
http://e21.tricord.be/members/AlCanuck/Left%20rear%20in%20sun.JPG

E30 rearlight on an E21 want to make me throw up