My current project... (pics galore)

[dternst]

For the last couple of months, I only get to work on it on the weekends, I've been cleaning, restoring and replacing the interior in my 530i.

It all started out quit innocently, actually. I wanted to clean and condition the leather seats. I used a product called Leatherique (www.leatherique.com). Although it is not required to remove the seats, I wanted to be a little more thorough. With the seats removed, I determined the previous owner loved either coffee or cola. The carpet under the seats were a light brown.

As I was cleaning the carpet, it looked as if the mystery liquid had been poured all over the console. So I removed the console and cleaned the carpet underneath the console.

While I have the console removed, I decided to replace the emergency brake, nothing wrond with the hand brake except the abuse of the leather handle. I could go on and on, but you can see how all of this just snowballed.

Here are a few pictures. BTW.....no peaking. The majority of the parts are covered to reduce the amount of dust. So I'll take more pictures after the transformation.

http://members.roadfly.com/dternst/127-2792_IMG.JPG
http://members.roadfly.com/dternst/127-2789_IMG.JPG
http://members.roadfly.com/dternst/127-2795_IMG.JPG
http://members.roadfly.com/dternst/127-2794_IMG.JPG

Other upgrades:

I added the rear head reats and replaced the steering wheel last year. I've also placed the CD changer in the rear armrest.

http://members.roadfly.com/dternst/126-2677_IMG.JPG

During this transformation, I've also purchased, as a few of you already know, a set of staggered E32 "Throwing Star" Wheels. The wheels will be mounted in a week or so after the wheels arrive from TireRack.com.

This is what it looks like before I took it a part.

http://members.roadfly.com/dternst/126-2659_IMG.JPG

NOTE: To all the newbies, this forum is the reason I was able to do this on my own. This is the best forum you can belong to for any information pertaining to BMWs.

[632 Regal]

thing looks real clean inside! I admire the depth of this "clean up"

[Dan in NZ]

I can't really tell what yours are like, but I noticed my interior light lenses were slightly dirty, especially around the bulb. the rear ones come apart easily, and on the front one the lens comes out, but the back stays in. I gently scrubbed my lenses in warm soapy water with a soft brush, and they became a lot cleaner. Seems that the inside of the cover/lens gets a film on it over time.

This summer I plan on taking my seats out and cleaning the carpet too. What did you clean the carpet with? I thought one of those hot water/steam vacuum things you can hire would do the trick, I could use it on my velour seats too...

[kentish]

Cd changer installation?

Was it easy to install the cd changer to the armrest?

How did you proceed? Easy job?

email to kenvin@intnet.mu

does the changer skip in that place? I got a 540ia with lowering spring and I get some skipping problem with the changer. May be putting the changer in that place will limit the skip?


Kentish
540iA 1994

[infinity5]

I love the position of the Cd changer. thats an excellent idea! i'm still up in the air about what to do with my sound system.. i love the head unit look but i hate its sound and i hate how inaccesible the cd changer is. i was thinking of moving it to the glove box, but the wriring makes it seem like i'd need to take half the car apart.

[JonE]

Very cool idea for the CD changer. Does it work when you have 5 people in the car (the arm rest is up)? If it does, I might have to think about getting a changer...

[Kamil]

Wow, very nice.
I would consider doing this... and fix my warped front seat while I'm at it. :)
Did you actually remove the whole carpet?

Where did you get the rear headrests and how much were they?

[dternst]

I removed everything but the carpet. I didn't have a workspace big enough for everthing else I'd already taken out and the carpet. So I just left it in the car.

The found the headrest on eBay for $80 and purchsed the brakets from my local dealership. I think the total bill was about $140, give or take $10.

[dternst]

I believe you can set the CD changer to play in either position. I believe the switch is on the back of the unit. No issues with current configuration.

[dternst]

I have the directions available on my home computer.

[JD525IA]

That CD player in the armrest is brilliant. Are there any overheating issues, since the player is enclosed in the leather and material? How about putting a small fridge/cooler into the skibag passthru? I have seen them on some custom car TV shows but they can't be cheap.

When you had the back seat out, could you tell if the leather material just above the armrest, between the two belt slots, looked like it could possibly be partially removed? I have some stiching popping on one side, probably due to deterioration from sun exposure over the last 14 years.

Please post some more picts later. I'm dying to see the finished product.

Good job.

[uscharalph]

Great in-depth cleaning job. Puts the idea in my head to block out a few days in the future and really go at it.

[E34-520iSE]

I have the directions available on my home computer.
Hi! Any chance you could put this info on a web-page? It looks great! Any chance of a close-up pic?

Cheers,

Shaun

[Dave M]

Intrigued by the armrest CD mount. Sounds as though many of us would be interested in the details.

Do tell,

DAve M

[bjl4776]

And I was figuring out how to run a keg tap into the ski boot area :) Drinking and driving in MS isnt illegal, unless the driver has above a .08.

[rph]

I have a $299 iPod (20 Gb hard drive = about 4,000 mp3 format songs) + a $39.99 iTrip FM transmitter that slots into the top of the iPod. It sits neatly in the tray between the seats. I have the OEM radio/cassette/trunk 6 CD changer, and this arrangement works like a charm. You can easily set the FM frequency to any of a heap of choices, but i'm too lazy to mess with it, so if there's some local interference on the default setting of 87.9 I just pause the song and turn off the radio for a few minutes. I admit my ears aren't quite as good as they used to be. I find the BMW sound system to be quite satisfactory (I did try my son's boom box/booster amp in the trunk but it was causing the battery to drain for some reason). You might need to throttle back the volume on the iPod and boost your radio volume, otherwise you tend to get some distortion. And if you visit mp3search.ru you can download stuff for 10 cents a song (if you feel Limewire or whatever for nothing is a bit illegal). I've been progressively moving all my most favorite CDs over to mp3, and next month I'll be making moves on my olde vinyls. I take the iPod to the office and plug it into my computer speakers (and simultaneously charge the battery through the computer); when i get home, it can play through the stereo receiver -- no wuckin forries! :D

[dternst]

I will need to locate the instructions I used on my home computer. I meant to post the instructions after making the post but I've spent the majority of the time traveling.

[brodee]

I have a $299 iPod (20 Gb hard drive = about 4,000 mp3 format songs) + a $39.99 iTrip FM transmitter that slots into the top of the iPod.

I have an iTrip for my ipod too, haven't used either for about 3 months. The itrip was neat for a couple weeks then it just seemed like too much trouble having 2 devices to mess with in the car. And this from a guy that's getting ready to put a computer in his car :)

[ilya]

hey, is it easy to remove the backseats and then put them back?
i want to see if i have the alarm box under there..

[Kalevera]

It's a 3 minute job after you've done it once and know how to pull things apart. I assume you're just talking about removing the rear seat cushion (not the rear backrest), which is a 1 minute job -- just PULL UP HARD on the seat bottom. There are two clips that fasten it to the "frame" there.

The seat back is held in via four plastic nuts. http://www.bmw4life.com/suspensionLowellRA.htm. Read that on where to find and remove them.

best, whit

[632 Regal]

the rear seat botton is held with 2 clips (clamps) that are right in the center of where you sit. Grab on both sides of the 'clip' and pull up like a mother****er, I mean hard strong quick pulls. The first time you do this make sure you dont have to go to the bathroom or anything cause youll mess your seat. After you do it a couple times it seems easier but I still dont enjoy doing it. Everything is under there and you shouldnt need to remove the rear part.

enjoy!

[shragon]

nice job with everything! i really like the cd changer in the arm rest idea.