bravo 35 Report post Posted December 26, 2004 I just pulled out my old faded parcel tray and restored it to a nice dark grey - almost black. It cost me about an hour and a half and $10 for a can of spray dye from repco. I'll post pics, but I forgot to grab the camera so next time. It was pretty easy with the hardest bit pulling the shelf out of the car - (not that hard). I also took the opportunity to punch out the ski hole in preparation for impending sub, and remove the gahstly over-sized high-light (to be replaced maybe with a new LED one, but quite like the look without it. I may change my mind once someone rear ends me! The results were so good, I am now considering doing the intire interior with the exception of the doors which I like being a slightly lighter colour to contrast with the black vinyl trim. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted December 26, 2004 the repco cloth and vinyl dye works a treat on parcel trays...i also did my old headliner with it which worked well...just dont use it on high wear places like carpet......just leave the high stop light out and put back in for warrants...i never had a prob...i took my skihole out too! was awesome experience Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted December 27, 2004 Re Hi-light - as it wasaftermarket to start with, I am hoping it falls under the category of "If it is there it has to work, but if not there at all, no prob" for warrants. If not, then I'll prob go with the LED light just so I don't have to f**k about putting it in and out every six months. Here are some bad pics of the removal (I was trying to do 4 jobs at once including painting a boat, so the pics were hurried jobs) - I will take some good ones of the finished product tomorrow. Back Seat out with tray as it was before dying. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted December 27, 2004 (edited) The bloody huge hi-light. (It's bigger than it looks - use the bimmersport sticker [large] for scale) Edited December 27, 2004 by bravomikewhiskey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted December 27, 2004 Abracadabra! no light. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted December 27, 2004 (edited) Tray out, and no light. (Boat in background) Tune in tomorrow for pics of finished product. Edited December 27, 2004 by bravomikewhiskey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted December 27, 2004 Viola! Done! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Munts316i 0 Report post Posted December 28, 2004 that looks real nicely done. was wondering if you have any pics of the hole you cut out? when cutting the hole out do you need to remove the backing in the boot? cheers Alistair Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted December 28, 2004 Hi Allistair - sorry, didn't take a picture of the hole. If you look at the fourth picture which shows the tray and seats and light all missing, you will notice a big hole in the seat backing which wasn't there before. This is where the ski hole is. There are two ways to access the hole. 1. From inside the car: Remove the lower half of the rear seat by lifting up firmly at the front (it is on two very robust clips - no chance of breaking, and not too hard to pop off). The bottom then just lifts out. Then if you look down where the seatbelts attach at the bottom, there is a small 12mm bolt (mine is behind a small flap of vinyl) which bolts the seat back on on both sides. Undo these and then ease the bottom of the seat back out to release it. You then simply lift firmly to unhook the seat from two hooks at the top and the whole thing lifts out. On my car there was a carpet-like lining behind the seat glued to the boot firewall. It was perforated where the ski hole is so I didn't even have to cut it, I just pulled out the hole. The ski hole itself is also perforated, so a pair of tin snips, or even better a hacksaw will make quick work of it. I cut one or two strategically placed perforations and then kung-fued that sucker like Bruce Lee. Fun Fun Fun! (Just make sure you don't go right through the boot lining or remove it first). 2. From inside the boot: - much easier if you do not have to remove the seats for anything else. Simply remove the boot lining over the boot firewall which is easy, just grab the small central bit of the plastic clips holding it in place with a pair of pliers and pull. The central bit pulls out, followed by the rest of the clip - you may have to remove the floor lining first (easy, just lifts out), but shouldn't have to touch the side linings - little bastard things that are hard to remove, and worse to reinstall. You then need to cut all of the skihole perforations as if you kung fu it, you'll wreck your seat. Done! Good luck. I have not cut a hole in my boot firewall lining yet as I want to try it with it undamaged for resale value, but if it is not a workable solution, I will cut it, and maybe source a secondhand one as a replacement on sale. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmccormack 0 Report post Posted December 28, 2004 Your car won't get a warrant without a hi stop light if your car was registered after a particular date, but I'm not sure what the date is. My 84 didn't need a light but if I fitted one it had to work & my 88 must have a light and it must be working. I think the date is somewhere around 1987 when the importing restrictions were relaxed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted December 29, 2004 Thanks for that - think I will need a light then esp. as the car is an import and so was first regeistered in the nineties. Bugger - LED all the way then. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Napier_E36 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2005 its cars that are 1990 or newer that have to have a high stop light - my 1988 toyota wagon never had one and never got hasseled, my parents 89 bighorn never gets bothered either - but as was said above, if you have one in there it has to work. My hilux that I just bought has one but it doesnt work so gunna rip it out - but why you'd put one in a old single cab ute.... BOT - that looks a hell of a lot better man! I discovered that i had a ski hole and how to remove it quite by accident in my e36 - had the rear seat out to cut a big ass hole and there was an outline for a hole already there so i punched it and it basically fell out after the 4th hit! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aliluya 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2005 I discovered that i had a ski hole and how to remove it quite by accident in my e36 - had the rear seat out to cut a big ass hole and there was an outline for a hole already there so i punched it and it basically fell out after the 4th hit! Yeah thats what happened with my E36, the ski pole hole thingy was bashed out to make more bass come through into the cabin ... the foam for the center seat was also lessened ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted January 2, 2005 Thanks Napier - I had a look on the TNZ website and found the warrant check handbook - my car was first registered in '97 - jap import imported for the wife of some big-shot at BMW NZ, so has all of the electrics etc, but none of the go fast bits . Anyway, means I need the light. Interesting reading in the handbook though - it is a must read for anyone thinking of modding there cars as there is a lot in there I didn't know even just regarding spot and driving lights etc. Link to warrant guidebook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted January 2, 2005 Your car won't get a warrant without a hi stop light if your car was registered after a particular date, but I'm not sure what the date is. My 84 didn't need a light but if I fitted one it had to work & my 88 must have a light and it must be working. I think the date is somewhere around 1987 when the importing restrictions were relaxed. The 84 323 had a light when you gave it to me - it only has one at warrents now. Regardless of year - if your car was first rego-ed after '91 it needs a high stop light. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dave 2 Report post Posted January 2, 2005 have done it also... here were the results click me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmccormack 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2005 The 84 323 had a light when you gave it to me - it only has one at warrents now. Regardless of year - if your car was first rego-ed after '91 it needs a high stop light. Andrew I was talking about my NZ new 84 toyota not the BMW, sorry for any confusion Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
