Aliexpress classic cars

[Jacko 2146]

How long until new E30 shells etc can be bought? 

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/subject_1601210183332.html

[BM WORLD 1282]

turns up and its 80% of the orginal size

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2955]

Would depend on how much of the original tooling is still around I should think.

I know you can get shells for Mk1 and MK2 Escorts, classic Mini in Uk as most of the tooling was still around and is used.

Not sure the same would apply for the E30, some older parts are still being made so some are around, but lots of steel parts are now NLA.

E30 Garage Norway seem to be reproducing a lot of press parts, not sure how good they are though. They restore / convert old shells to M3 spec so could be close to having the whole lot?

[gjm 3254]

On 10/1/2024 at 3:39 PM, E30 325i Rag-Top said:

E30 Garage Norway seem to be reproducing a lot of press parts, not sure how good they are though. They restore / convert old shells to M3 spec so could be close to having the whole lot?

E30 Garage are manufacturing as close as possible to original spec. The manufacture a complete E30 M3 kit in better quality steel than BMW used, and to the same thickness to ensure as good a fit as possible. Their parts are used in E30 M3 restorations worldwide, and could be used to create a M3-a-like from any E30 coupe.

They'll make any E30 M3 panel part, from front spoilers and wings to C-pillar and roof. Some parts, like the C-pillars, are only to order.

They bought all remaining M3 panel stock that was available through BMW in Germany, which does kinda give them a bit of a monopoly on those parts.

[e30ftw 410]

I've bought some of the smaller panels from E30 Garage and they are very good quality. Far better than some of the other reproduction panels that come from Thailand that are thinner metal, stamped poorly and jagged edges.

I wouldn't be surprised considering the investment they have made to produce tooling to stamp M3 panels that they would eventually have enough to make a complete chassis almost.

I wonder what the original manufacturers think about it.. does it cross into their patents/trademarks selling an entire reproduction chassis

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2955]

1 hour ago, gjm said:

They bought all remaining M3 panel stock that was available through BMW in Germany, which does kinda give them a bit of a monopoly on those parts.

Their announcement about buying all the stock is a little mis-leading as BMW are still producing many of those parts, so there will be more stock coming to BMW shortly. Including the full rear quarter panels which E30Norway only make the smaller flared guard part which does not attach in the same.

I have seen varying comments on fit and quality of their parts online, some positive some negative.

Not sure I would use an E30 Garage part on a genuine M3, if there was a genuine part available. But that’s just me and I do get discounted pricing.

The trademarks question is a good one, if it’s something that isn’t available then that’s good,for owners, if it’s a part in competition to the manufacturer it could be interesting.

[Neil McCauley 394]

Buying genuine is no guarantee of quality though, you have to bear in mind that the dies and stamps for these cars aren't getting any younger - a prime example would be the absolutely awful quality of the 2002 guards coming out of Classic (née Mobile Tradition) . I was involved in a cost no object resto of a turbo a while back and the first three sets of guards were rejected before a workable set was acquired. And I stress the word "workable."

And what about parts being made that you can't buy from factory? E30 floor pans come to mind; they're notorious for ending up full of tin worm. Do you cut out factory steel from another shell or buy a brand new part? Both schools of thought with neither a wrong answer.

Not sure there's a trademark issue here, unless GarageNO are stamping the BMW logo or part numbers into the panels.

 

 

[e30ftw 410]

 

26 minutes ago, Neil McCauley said:

 

Not sure there's a trademark issue here, unless GarageNO are stamping the BMW logo or part numbers into the panels.

 

Yeah I wasn't talking about panel by panel reproduction, I was referring to the original posted link where they recreated every panel of the chassis and sell it as a complete body panel set Toyota AE86. 

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2955]

Another couple of parts orders to arrive and I could give the repro E30 chassis a good nudge I reckon…