1990 BMW E32 750i - Stealthbomber

[jrevillug]

B+W showplate for the rear? Excellent monochromaticness. ;D

[mclellanmac]

Even more win, this is indeed the most über of uber barges!

[mylittletony]

Glad to see sunday was slightly more productive than saturday! What with EmDee's suspension funtimes and me breaking spark plugs then sitting on my ass, it's a miracle!

Looking good though fella, will be in touch for RRG plans and ting.

p.s. HC's VIP modelling agency ftw

[HARDCORE]

Jul 9, 2012 16:51:40 GMT jrevillug said:

B+W showplate for the rear? Excellent monochromaticness. ;D

Excellent observation Mr.VileRug - more on them soon..

[ChasR]

Just caught this thread and read it from start to finish. It certainly has been transformed into something special during your ownership. I guess the smoothness (and swiftness) of that V12 is too addictive no doubt? .

[euroshark]

Love these big beautiful cars! Awesome work on your part. How has the V12 been maintenance wise?

[HARDCORE]

Jul 12, 2012 14:49:28 GMT euroshark said:

How has the V12 been maintenance wise?

I haven't even touched it - everything appears to work *franticallyfindssomewoodtotouch* ;D


Some updations? Ahhh g'wan then! Last night's tinkerings..

Jun 28, 2012 21:57:58 GMT bstardchild said:

Hardcore - have you had chance to see how much the light output is reduced at night with the film on - 7 series lights I've found are pretty wibblepoo at night - add in some rain and they are appauling!!!!

Yeah - properly not good! ;D So...


Before:



Shiny new 100W bulbs..



After: (on the right, honest..)



Looks exactly the same, lol I did later discover (on the way home from being in the pub with Elk) that they are much improved

Doing t'other side:



And final After:




Also I mentioned before I had some pressed plates (actually legal ones ) made up..



Much better will do the rear sooooon.. (some associated paraphernalia I'd ordered to make 'the plan' possible wasn't up to the job)




Mwoar after this weekend, all being well...

[VIP]

Get some silvered bulbs in those indicators, stat.

[Soopahfly]

I've always found the blue tint bulbs to reduce light output.
Have you measured the voltage at the bulbs with 100w 's in? Do they already have a relay harness for drawing power direct from the battery?

[mantaphil]

Jul 19, 2012 9:24:49 GMT Soopahfly said:

I've always found the blue tint bulbs to reduce light output.
Have you measured the voltage at the bulbs with 100w 's in? Do they already have a relay harness for drawing power direct from the battery?

it will still be 12 volts, i take it you meant the amp draw. HC will have to re-wire his lights with a relay to the battery as the extra amp draw from the bulbs will melt his wiring loom.

[jrevillug]

^ There will be a voltage drop that increases with the current due to the resistance of the stock wiring and relays (or switches). This drop affects the output of the bulb dramatically (something like a 1% voltage drop causeing a 50-10% drop in light output).

Fitting alternative wiring and relays to feed the headlamps, along with attention to the earths etc. should increase the light output significantly. It did on my car.

[VIP]

I've run 100W bulbs [these exact ones in fact] on the last 5 cars I've owned, including both my current Lexus and Civic, and each time the output has increased, and not once has my wiring loom melted.

[oli8925]

I upgraded from 45W old bulbs to 60/55W H4s on my Viva and that started to melt the switch. I added in relays for the circuits that cured the current draw on the loom and switch as all that has to do now is pull in the relay, and also increased light output.

I'd say it depends on the specification of the wiring and switches on that specific model of vehicle, the condition of the loom and probably a few other variables.

[HARDCORE]

Hmmm.. I mostly understand most of that. Either way, the lights are brighter and nothing gets hot so I guess I'm fine. If not MantaPhil can tell me what I need to do (/fix it for me)

[RobinJI]

You'll likely be fine, but I'd bet there's a load more light available by relaying the lights. My Sciroccos main beams with 130W bulbs were no brighter than the relayed driving lamps with 55W ones in them, old wiring/switches really do kill the output.

Love the 7 by the way.

[HARDCORE]

Improving the rear...

Jul 11, 2012 21:15:28 GMT HARDCORE said:

Jul 9, 2012 16:51:40 GMT jrevillug said:

B+W showplate for the rear? Excellent monochromaticness. ;D

Excellent observation Mr.VileRug - more on them soon..

As promised..


Quick 'before' shot:



Required bits & bobs - 2 number plates, some Araldite and 50 neodymium magnets (10mm round x 1mm thick)



Glue half the magnets all over the back of the plate you don't want to stay on the car (the white one) in a nice neat regular pattern (erm, yeah )



Then centre the permanent plate (yellow one) on top and let the magnets tell you where they want to be stuck (this way you don't have to mess around getting the polarity all the same, or do it neatly - and the plate will only ever stick centralised )



All glued on:



I had to keep mixing up more araldite cos it went off quicker that I could work (summer has arrived!) and the magnets are damn fiddly! Every time I dropped one on the floor/bench it got covered in swarf ;D



Yellow plate now covered in double sided sticky wotnot to attach it to the car..



More on the 'plates later.

The chrome badges were offending my eyes, so.. Mark their position:



Then scotchpad..



..etch-prime..



..satin black..



..trim/attach sticky pads.. (tedious!)



..clean/polish the area.. (don't you hate it how the bits in between badges are always grubby & full of polish residue? Not any more!) - mad props to VIP, on detailing detail as ever



..reapply..



..win at life!



Also this:



The Auto Bahn approved vehicle stickers, with many thanks to Bruce Mystery Machine for his amazing design skills
(& no, you can't have one )




Here's how it sits now - rear end 1million% better in my opinion I think I'll probably still tint the lights sometime.



And make it lower..

[doctorblack]

Excellent, really enjoying this!

[micrat]

looking smart HC

[ChasR]

I was a little worried when you took the badges off (Normally you see BMW debadging their cars to make them seem like a bigger engine than they are!) but wow, the rear of that is looking lovely .

It is great how this car is taking shape.

[jrevillug]

Looking good there. ;D

Jul 26, 2012 12:24:40 GMT HARDCORE said:

I think I'll probably still tint the lights sometime.

But not the reversing light lens.