early and late differences

[Bradlini]

I was wondering what diffrences the early and late model e30s have bodywisse. I they have diffrent bumpers but other then that im hard pressed to find any differences. I have heard the tailights are diffrent but how diffrent are they, can you interchange them. Thanks.

 

[OreoGaborio]

first, check this site out... this breaks it down year by year - http://www.geocities.com/empower99/differences.html

the timeline for cabrios are a little different, but basically the biggest differences are this...

before '88, the US e30's had the big aluminum "diving board" bumps... after 88 they had plastic bumps....

before 88 they all had high rear fender arches, in the year 88 they lowered them a little

before 88 they had tail lights w/ a vertical reverse light... 88 and after they had a horizontal reverse light & the entire rear light assembly is a little taller

and now i'll go try & find pics of different years to post for your viewing pleasure... brb

 

[OreoGaborio]

these pics are mostly from the same site i linked to above... it's Fred Kim's site... good guy

post 88 front end... notice the iS lip on the bottom of the valence, the valence w/ incorporated fog lights... this car belongs to Randy Walters (i can't remember if this is his first one or his second... they both look so alike ) his rims are Ronal LS's... 16x7... they don't need spacers... i want a set baaaad

here's a pre'88... diving boards, non-integrated fogs, higher rear fender arches

here's an '88... it's sorta a blend between the two... divingboards, but later style valences

so that covers the front end... now lets move to the rear, shall we?

late model -

early model (also all e30 m3's i believe... and i like this style better.. and no, they'r not interchangable) -

again, thanks to Fred for unknowingly letting me link to those pics... hope he doesn't mind u guys taking up his bandwidth

 

[Bradlini]

Thankyou for the help it was everything i needed and more. But i do have one final question. Has anyone done a tail light swap from later to newer style?

 

[OreoGaborio]

not sure... it'd be really tough to do, since you'd have to modify the rear bodywork... not something i'd like to do

besides, i like the early style lights better...

why do u ask? if it's because u have a car that looks like an early style but has the late style lights, it's probably an 88... that year was the "mutt" vintage