Hello all.
So I am thrilled to own an R50 in Pepper White. She's got 111k on the odometer and could use a bit of cosmetic upkeep, but she's a strong runner and I have some neat plans for her. I started by replacing the black wing mirror caps with Chili Red ones. And have just installed a factory black R53 rear spoiler.

About a month ago the passenger side sunroof drain tube worked loose causing some inside flooding in the pass footwell and a water soaked roof. The headliner started falling down so I pulled it out and replaced the fabric myself. I decided to change the color of the headliner from grey to black. I sourced all new sun visors and reading/map lights in Panther Black. Shortly, I will be adding black grab handles as well. Such a neat look.

Next plans will be to switch out the Anthracite door card trim and dash trim to Chili Red for a little color contrast. I'll post some photo updates accordingly.
Cheers.

 

The new mods look great! What’s on the list after the door and dash panels?

The drain tubes falling off is fairly common and securing all 4 with small hose clamps is recommended. Some use zip ties but I think it’s better to go with clamps. Also, the BCM which controls most of the electronics in the car usually gets damaged when the passenger drain tube leaks. The drivers side is just as bad with the fuse panel and all of the relays behind it. Did you you have any issues with the BCM?

 

Is your plan to mask-off and paint door card plastics or to replace with NOS parts? If the latter, have you checked availability and cost for those? Many if not most new replacement door cards have gone NLA and those remaining in some cases are 2X from previous retail costs. BTW if you're not aware, door card plastics are heat-staked on the rear thus not easily removable.

 

Congrats on the new whip!

 

Planning on swapping to red door cards to match the Countach?

 

Hey thanks. After the interior panels, I am looking to add the rear fog lamp in the center. I ordered a new switch panel that includes the toggle for the fog lamp as well. I read that the BCM needs programming for it. Is that true? Is that something that needs to be done by BMW?
Down the road, I plan to get a Megan Racing exhaust system and a set of summer wheels. Possibly some XXR wheels in 16 inch.

Yes I made sure to use hose clamps for the drain tubes. Since the headliner was out of the car, I had the chance to remedy that flaw. And yes, I have some issues possibly caused by the water. My windshield wipers have stopped working, and my rear hatch wiper turns on by itself and keeps running until I turn the headlights on and off. Also my power locks don't work. I can hear a faint clicking sound, but nothing happens. I may have to pull the actuators and replace the motors...

Will I need a new BCM?

So, I did do some research into that and yeah it's kind of a task to switch out the trim. I went ahead and purchased some second hand door cards and dash trim. Since my original interior has the Anthracite color, I will need to paint the silver bits to match. I wish to keep my original parts as they are in case I want to bring it back to stock.

Thank you kindly.

I like the way you think. lol

 

Yes, the BCM needs to be coded so that the car knows it has a rear fog. It can be done with INPA and NCSExpert/NCSDummy.

 

Many thanks, deepgrey. I am a noob with programming, so I'll do some research. Cheers.

 

Once you get INPA talking to the car, it's not too bad. The dealer should also be able to do it, but many years ago when I added front fogs, Global Imports said the programming "wouldn't take," which is utter BS.

 

If you have the programming done you should figure out what other options or convenience features you want changed as they were only accessible by computer on the 1st gens and most places charge a flat rate for the programming. If the dealer still does it, they usually charged 1 hour.

It sounds like the BCM was damaged from the leak, but I would check the harness connector first and clean any corrosion on the connector and BCM. I think either of the programs above can also program a replacement BCM for your car. Info shouldn’t be too hard to find on replacing the BCM, and if going used is a possibility.

 

Thanks for the help. Anything involving wiring/programming is daunting to me, however now's a good time to get used to it. I will try to look at the BCM and see if there's any corrosion from the water. BTW, I hooked up my OBDII scanner to the car but found no error codes at all. A hunting we will go...