Z3 Roll Bar installation

Geoff Crispin

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British Zeds
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Aug 20, 2015
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145
Location
Somerset
Model of Z
3 1.9 & 3.0
Those pics are helpful, but the holes in my turrets will need enlarging and after taking off the round blanking plate on top of turret there are obstacles in the way, a tube would not go down, so I will have to remove box and turret to see what is in the way I think..
How much would you want for your grey turrets ? just encase I cant enlarge mine.

Regards
 

spurs fan in a coupe

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I've got these



Can find any others, until I break the one with the individual hoops, but will be looking to sell them as a set first, before parting with the trims.
 

t-tony

Zorg Expert (II)
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Dec 31, 2013
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Location
Torksey Lock,Lincoln, England
Model of Z
E89 Z4 23i Auto
Does your car actually have the factory outer roll bar tubes fitted Geoff. What year is your car please?

Tony.
 

Geoff Crispin

Zorg Guru (III)
British Zeds
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Points
145
Location
Somerset
Model of Z
3 1.9 & 3.0
Hi Tony

I don't know but it is a sept 1998 so should be OK I hope.

Hi Spurs fan
Those in the first pic seem to be what I might require, do you have the inspection covers ?

Regards

Geoff
 

Geoff Crispin

Zorg Guru (III)
British Zeds
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Points
145
Location
Somerset
Model of Z
3 1.9 & 3.0
Hi Spurs fan

Sorry I am talking rubbish, there are no covers as the openings are for the seat belt, I thought at first that they were on the side,

Geoff
 

t-tony

Zorg Expert (II)
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E89 Z4 23i Auto

Antm72

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2.8
My first zed had this bar fitted too and as said it was a tight fit and was never bolted in as once in it wouldn't budge.
It is just a matter of making the holes in the turrets bigger to accept the bar i used a dremel if i remember correctly.
 

Geoff Crispin

Zorg Guru (III)
British Zeds
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Points
145
Location
Somerset
Model of Z
3 1.9 & 3.0
Hi chaps
What a pain it is trying to remove the trim, I have got the cubby lid off and the inside section of the cubby box.
This is a bigger job than my first thoughts. I still cant get to the 2 remaining screws holding the top of the turett without dismantling/removing fixings in some very hidden locations.
Thinking of drilling holes large enough in the side of the cubby box to be able to get at the 2 screws which should enable me to remove the lid and see what the grey/brownish polystyrene bung is doing, but if anyone can tell me I think that it can be cut/dug out thus enabling me to insert the roll bar tube ?
Any guidance/help would be very very much appreciated

THANKS in advance

Geoff
 

Geoff Crispin

Zorg Guru (III)
British Zeds
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Points
145
Location
Somerset
Model of Z
3 1.9 & 3.0
Hi Eddie
Thanks for the info. I have got this info but for me it is not detailed enough, I have printed it off but very feint and it is as it appears on the screen with words missing as each bit has to be opened up, but not finding it very helpful.
I have got some work on this week so wont get time to look at it till next weekend then on the following Monday its going to my body shop man to have a dent taken out of the seal panel and bonnet that were on car when I purchased it, so might ask them to see if they think my idea of drilling 4 holes, 2 each side is a good idea/short cut as they will be covered by the inner cubby box and the lid cant be used unless I try to modify the lid operation.
.What do you think of the short cut, it will (should) enable me to remove turret (seat belt retractor housing) remove what ever is in the way of sliding the tube into position, fixing and replacing turret and all box sections. This should over come having to remove the last big box section of the cubby box ?

Regards

Geoff
 

Eddie Zedder

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Megawatt Valley, Notts.
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Z3 2.0
Hi Geoff, the cubby box only has 7 screws holding it down, 3 at the back 2 inside and 2 at the front. The 2 front ones are hidden by the centre console, to get at them you have to remove the three screws on each side of the console, remove the ashtray and then its carrier which is held in by another screw, under which is another screw holding the console to the bodywork. Then you can lift the back of the console a couple of inches to gain access to the 2 front screws of the box. You can prise out the alarm led unit to see and maybe access these front mountings but at the risk damaging the tabs that hold it in. It should take around 40mins to get the box out.
Once out you can then remove the turrets covers and drill the holes for the roll bar fixings with a bit more accuracy. Make sure that you fit the torx bolts in a couple of threads on the turrets before replacing the covers, if you try to put them in after you have refitted everything, you are at risk of losing one and having to rip it all out again to find it.
Here are some pics that might help.


Back fixings

IMG_0132.jpg


Front

IMG_0131~3.jpg


Inside

IMG_0134~2.jpg


IMG_0133~2.jpg


Turret cover

IMG_0135-1.jpg
 

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Geoff Crispin

Zorg Guru (III)
British Zeds
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Points
145
Location
Somerset
Model of Z
3 1.9 & 3.0
Hi Eddie & Co
Thanks for all your helpful info, but I decided to not take the rest of the box out, but instead cut away the polystyrene sound proofing/packing which revealed a black plastic like saucer which was probably fixed to the bottom of the polystyrene. Drilled a series of holes in the black saucer and cut through the areas between holes, once in half removed it through the turret hole.
Then with difficulty measured the inside diameter of the tube that the roll bar was to fit into and hey presto it was just the right size. Then marked out the larger hole area required to gain access for fitting the bars which took a bit of time as my dremel was not man enough for the job went to the car bits shop some miles away from the village where I live and purchased the tool for the job a 5 pce. rotary rasp set that did the job and bobs your uncle it went straight in. So next job today is to do the other side the same
Prior to fitting the roll bar into place I will put all the box bits back but will see if I can alter in some way how to be able to still use the cubby box. I have a few ideas but will try them out and see if they work.
Once roll bar is in final position it may require fixing which I think I will do near the top of the curved side of the turret and find a neat black plug.
Monday its off to the paint shop for some dent removal/spray and the chrome bonnet grille vents can be fitted which I got for £25 second hand. By the way after all the mix up re the trim that was missing from my purchase with the bar (hoops) I paid only £40 for the bar plus £10 post which I think is a good deal ?
I will post pic of car when finished.
 

t-tony

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E89 Z4 23i Auto
Hi Geoff when I fitted my bar, once it was knocked completely down into tubes it didn't need any fixing at all. It hasn't moved in 5 years.:)

Tony.
 

Geoff Crispin

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British Zeds
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
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Somerset
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3 1.9 & 3.0
Yes Tony I think that I will leave them as they are, but I have got details of the bolt size required to fix them from BMW Bridgewater but would have to find the right size planking cap/plug or ? but maybe not worth the bother.
I am pleased with the bar I think it looks very good, shame cubby box cant be used my thoughts do not work unless I disc off the hinges which I will not do.
I will post a pic soon.

Regards

Geoff
 

t-tony

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E89 Z4 23i Auto
Yes Tony I think that I will leave them as they are, but I have got details of the bolt size required to fix them from BMW Bridgewater but would have to find the right size planking cap/plug or ? but maybe not worth the bother.
I am pleased with the bar I think it looks very good, shame cubby box cant be used my thoughts do not work unless I disc off the hinges which I will not do.
I will post a pic soon.

Regards

Geoff
Happy you got it done after all mate and yes I agree they do look good too.

Tony.
 

Geoff Crispin

Zorg Guru (III)
British Zeds
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Points
145
Location
Somerset
Model of Z
3 1.9 & 3.0
Hi Tony
Yes it does look good, I am very please with it. It was not the easiest of jobs, had to be accurate with enlarging hole in turret.
Now have the black cubby box and the base sections for the turrets to sell/get rid off as they take up a lot of space, do you know of any one who is in need ?
Also now thinking of getting a Perspex wind shield to fit on the bars as it is draftee and used to the surry top on my TR4 which is a curved rear window and keeps all the drafts off. What do you think of the screens ?
My seats move forward when braking is it worth doing all that is involved to replace the bushes ? or just put up with it ?

Regards

Geoff
 

t-tony

Zorg Expert (II)
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E89 Z4 23i Auto
I haven't suffered the dreaded seat bush problem Geoff so I don't know how it feels, I can however tell you that it would annoy the hell out of me. Ian @Aceman on here sells the bushes and there are a lot of threads about fitting them.

Tony.
 

Jack Ratt

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I haven't suffered the dreaded seat bush problem Geoff so I don't know how it feels, I can however tell you that it would annoy the hell out of me. Ian @Aceman on here sells the bushes and there are a lot of threads about fitting them.

Tony.
@Geoff Crispin I replaced my seat bushes a fortnight ago. It's a straight forward job and will take a couple of hours. It will make a massive difference to your driving enjoyment. There is a step by step instruction thread in the "How to" section
 

Geoff Crispin

Zorg Guru (III)
British Zeds
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Points
145
Location
Somerset
Model of Z
3 1.9 & 3.0
Thanks chaps, looks like another job when I get some time, as lots to do in garden before winter getting greenhouse ready to over winter tender plants.
 
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