A new E34 owner after just a little help

[sharkfan]

Hi guys,

I'm new to this forum and also new to E34's - as of two weeks ago I'm the proud owner of a 1995 540i manual touring in Orient blue - I'd post a picture but I haven't taken too many yet but any UK readers would recognise it as the photoshoot car from the recent 'E34 V8 Tourings' article in Total BMW a month or so ago.

I'd been looking for about a year or so for the right car without too many compromises and this came down as the best with an excellent history - just 42 k miles on a new Alusil engine , new clutch, new brakes and master cylinder, black leather and 17inch rims with good rubber.

The couple of compromises I'm dealing/dealt with are the 'comfort' front seats; which as of yesterday have been replaced with black leather recaro's; the awful 'wooden' gearknob which I quickly replaced with a 6 speed Non - M Technic leather type ( I love the stealth appearance of the car without a single trace of 'M'-posterery about it) and, last but not least, the wooden tray around the gearlever - which is where I'm asking for help.

Can any of you guys tell me how to get this out so I can either cover or replace with leather - it's just a personal thing - I don't mind the wood trim on the rest of the car - it's dark and discrete - but the centre console bit is just that - a 'bit' too much.

I don't know if it makes it easier or harder but my car has the 'ASC' switch and mount set into the back corner of the area - I hope you guys can help me, I've posted this question on a couple of sites but with no answers so far

Oh, and if it makes a difference - I'm a long term BM fan still keeping my 1982 635CSi and 1985 M635 much to my wifes annoyance

Oh, and I think I've managed to upload some pics

Sharkfan

[632 Regal]

pop the act button out and you should be able to lift the piece out and recover, or paint or whatever and pop it back in.

[sharkfan]

Thanks Jeff, but a little tentative playing and it came out - for others who might want to know; lift off the gearlever surround, then ease the front end of the panel up from in front of the gearlever and underneath - the 'pop' fixings at the front end will give and then just angle the front end up and slide the rear of the board forward to clear the two clips at the rear - easy-ish

I'll probably get some black leather tomorrow and finish off my last 'compromise' - hey presto - it's perfect

Now those wheels - they're genuine BMW but wouldn't it look better with some period M5 throwing stars or parallel twin spokes.......

Sharkfan

[Marshy]

Give me a shout if you decide to replace the wheels... my 15" basketweaves are knackered...

And what colour/condition were the comfort seats you took out and replaced with recaros?

[sharkfan]

Give me a shout if you decide to replace the wheels... my 15" basketweaves are knackered...

And what colour/condition were the comfort seats you took out and replaced with recaros?

Replacement rims for the Genuine BMW 17 inch Style 18's are a little down the list due to a number of other stable repairs being a little more necessary, but make me an offer - they have fairly fresh tyres and have been well refurbished with a very good finish and NO kerbing/marking - I would describe the black leather Saloon seats as 95% - there are marks but they are minimal and wear level is minimal and even with ABSOLUTELY no serious degredation of the leather - it's just the seats mind - no door cards or other trim but I'm a bit of a Petrolhead and they're kept clean and dry and well fed in West Yorkshire

HTH

Sharkfan

[genphreak]

Welcome aboard Sharky!

Sounds like you have it all well worked out there. An excellent fleet if I might say so, and yes- the 540 is a perfect car if it wasn't for all that woodgrain. I guess this is why the last bastion for Jaguar was the US market? Pretty much most other manufacturers smartly stopped putting wood panelling in cars not long after cars replaced horses and carts... it's different in a Bimmer yes, but it doesn't sit well. Perhaps in a 7er or other limos, it's up to the designer. But in mkost companies the marketers decide on this issue as all the good designers know it is a pretty dull way to try to differentiate modern cars.

And at 150mph every car needs Recaros, unless you are on Autobahns and have a wider than normal ass Have a lot of fun, keep her well looked after and yes, keep that M635i. Does it have an M30 or an S38 btw- is it a euro? Nick

[sharkfan]

Thanks, the complete home fleet is;

my 1982 635CSi I've owned for nearly ten years and haven't got the heart to sell no matter what goes wrong with it - 'till rust do us part',
my 1985 M635 which is totally, dangerously addictive - every home should have an 'M'
the 540i which ticks every single box now - I've made a black suede pad (which looks OE) for the gear surround, a black leather 6 speed gearknob and the black leather recaro's - it really is a stealth destoyer,
my wifes Audi S3 which she bought to try and get her out of a Scooby Impreza addiction - not cured, still WANTS another one,
and her TVR Griffith 500 - for when you absolutely, positively, have to blow (virtually) every god damn thing into the weeds

It's a big-ish stable but we're not showy - we're just both real petrolheads

Sharkfan

[angrypancake]

Now those wheels - they're genuine BMW but wouldn't it look better with some period M5 throwing stars or parallel twin spokes.......

Sharkfan

you mean like these?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Very nice, I wish they made a 540/6 touring for the USA. I vote throwing stars, easily the best E34 wheels, and they look great on a touring. Nice 6'ers as well.

[sharkfan]

Hmmm, I agree completely, throwing stars or parallels - watch this space.....

Sharkfan