HOW TO
BMW TOP INSTALLATION
| BMW 318 & 325I
E30 BODY 1987-1993
|
 |
We Manufacture and Distribute Authentic Reproduction BMW Seat Upholstery
Kits (leather or vinyl), Canvas Convertible Tops, Boots, Carpet Sets, Interior
Panels and Original Materials
Part#330-3500 & #330-3504
To order, CALL 805-921-0100 or 800-222-9577
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The following information is supplied as a customer service
guide only. World Upholstery and Trim recommends professional installation
of all our products. No guarantee or warrantee with regard to results of
installations made by this guide is made or implied
Tools/Materials Required
Phillips & Slotted Screwdriver --Scissors --Marking
pencil or Chalk --Metric socket set.
Blunt stuffing tool (rounded putty knife)--Awl
Spray Adhesive 1 lb. #9410 or Brush Adhesive, quart #9411
Pulling wire
Weatherseal Adh. black #9412--Silicone Adh. Black #9413
Protective blankets --Masking tape
Pliers or Vice Grips--Hooked tool
Rivet gun & rivets
Additional Parts Available
Top Straps, pr. #3507, Header bow seal retainer
#3505, Top to windshield weatherseal #3506,
Door glass to top weatherseal horizontal #3522 &
#3521, Diagonal weatherseal #3523 & #3524,
Top to rear deck lid weatherseal #3520
Preparation
* Inspect contents of box against your invoice, especially
color & material.
* Protect car with fender covers or blankets to avoid
damage to finish.
* Tape protection over inside and outside of plastic
window on new top.
Pre-Installation
* Release boot lid & safety catch then raise lid to vertical
position.
* Use a making pencil to mark the hinge position on the
underside of the lid for later re-alignment.
* Removal of the lid provides better access to the top
and frame.
* Remove the lower bolts and loosen the upper ones.
* Carefully lift the lid from its hinges and put it aside.
Old Top Removal
* The front door glass and header bow weatherseals should
be removed carefully from the retainer to prevent tearing.
* Inspect the top to windshield seal & door glass
to top horizontal seals for damage or deterioration. If necessary
replace with Part #3506 front seal ශ-3522 side seals
* Cut the factory sealant sealing the retainer away from
the header bow.
* Remove the front horizontal door glass seal retainers
from the frame by removing the four phillips head screws.
* Note washer under rear screw.
* Separate the tension cable from the front of the retainer
by using a thin flat bladed prying device or flat screwdriver to carefully
create an opening in the crimped portion in the front of the retainer just
wide enough to free the cable.
* Tape the retainer to the frame so that is does not
become a nuisance through out the operation.
* Remove the 9 phillips head screws from the header bow
retainer.
*
(NOTE) THE OLD SEAL RETAINER IS
EASILY DAMAGED AND MAY NOT BE REUSABLE.
* Using a razor blade remove the retainer by cutting
through the sealant and through the old top along the front underside of
the header bow.
* Use a flat screwdriver to help with the separation.
* Inspect the old retainer, it may now be discarded
if damaged and replaced with Part #3505.
* Remove the front horizontal 1/4 flap and any other
frontal portion still attached to the header bow.
* The rear 1/4 glass weatherseal assembly is removed
from the diagonal frame member in the following manner.
* Remove the two acorn nuts holding the seal channel
support brace to the diagonal frame member.
* Do this very carefully so the nuts do not fall between
body panels. Then remove the support brace and put the parts aside.
* Remove the two rivets from within the lower portion
of the seal channel using a drill with a small bit.
* Spread the channel open for better access and to avoid
damaging the sealing surfaces with the drill bit, the seal channel will
now slide out of the retainer.
* Remove the retainer from the diagonal frame member
by drilling out the three rivets holding it in place.
* Inspect the diagonal weatherseals for damage
or deterioration, if OK set aside or replace with Part # 3523
& 3524.
* Use a thin, flat bladed instrument to help peel the
diagonal 1/4 flap from the frame member.
* Raise the frame 1/2 way up so that it is in the vertical
position and free the old top from the diagonal frame member.
* Use a razor blade to cut the old top away from the
bows at the listings, the listings which are made of a skim coated material
will not allow the penetration of solvents to dissolve the adhesive.
* Strip the remnants of the listings from the bows and
clean up any remaining old adhesive with a solvent.
* Raise the back rail to the vertical position and carefully
start the removal of the weatherseal from the weatherseal retainer.
* An old perished seal could possibly tear at the
inner locking lip if caution is not exercised.
* Inspect the top to rear deck weatherseal for
damage or deterioration, if OK put aside. If not, replace with Part
#3520.
* Remove the phillips screws holding the weatherseal
retainer and put them aside, then remove the retainer.
* Peel the remaining reveal and back rail flaps from
the back rail to free the rear portion of the top from the frame.
* Use pliers if necessary to help with the separation.
* Once the top is completely free from the back rail,
remove it from the car.
* Inspect the frame and if necessary clean off any old
adhesive.
* Lightly lubricate hinge points with WD40 or similar
and wipe off excess.
IMPORTANT
Raise the header bow, inspect the two elastic straps running
from front to rear. It is imperative that these two straps have not
lost their elasticity and that the stainless steel loops in the front and
back have not become broken. (see drawing below) Failure of either strap
may cause premature wear or small holes to appear in the convertible top
fabric and void top fabric warrantee. Replacement straps are sold in pairs
only. Order Part #3507.
Installation
* Lower header bow and carefully set the new top into place
on the frame.
* Look it over to be sure everything is correct and in
order. Double check that window protection is in place
* Start the installation at the diagonal frame
member by fitting the pocket into the lower corner.
* Once the corner is set in place, go to the back rail
and set the double flap under the edge of the rail, working the belt portion
of the top into position. Continue the procedure around the back, pulling
the double flaps underneath and straddling the top stitch on the edge of
the back rail.
* With the back of the top evenly distributed around
the rear rail, raise the back rail.
* Double check the flaps and corners and make sure the
belt portion is properly positioned.
* Next apply contact cement to the back rail and inner
flap.
* Make sure enough adhesive is applied to insure a good
bond.
* When the adhesive has become tacky, the back portion
of the inner side flap is a good place to start setting the top to the
rail. * The objective when setting the belt portion is to obtain a perpendicular
alignment.
* If necessary, lower the back rail to make adjustments.
* When satisfied, set the inner flap permanently to the
underside of the back rail.
* Move over to the center of the back rail and adjust
the angle of incidence across the back.
* Remember the belt portion of the top should make
a sharp drop off the edge of the rear rail to meet the lid at a 90 degree
angle when the lid is replaced. Failure to position the top correctly
here will cause air leaks and improper alignment around doors
* Again lower the rear rail to check alignment and adjust
if necessary.
* Once the top has been properly placed on the back rail,
use the stuffing tool to permanently set the inner flaps and locate and
mark the trim line along the inner edge of the channel.
* Locate and mark the trim line for inner side flaps
as well.
* Trim the excess material from the inner flaps.
* Repeat the gluing and trimming process for the outer
flaps along the back and sides.
* Apply contact cement to the reveal (inner) flap and
to the portion of the back rail to which it will be attached.
* An area 4 inches wide across the full length of the
flap will be enough.
* Wait for the cement to become tacky then set the reveal
flap to the inside edge of the rail first.
* Use the stuffing tool to set and smooth out any irregularities
in the flap.
* When trimming the reveal flap, keep in mind it should
overlap the underlying back flaps by approximately 1/2 inch.
* With the belt portion of the top in place, now is the
time to make one final inspection and adjustment to correct any irregularities
before proceeding to the next step.
* Next reinstall the weatherseal retainer to the underside
of the back rail.
* Start with the last hole on the each end of the retainer
and re-install that retainer screw.
* Using an awl to pierce the new flaps, line up the holes
in the weather seal retainer rail with the respective holes in the back
rail and install the remaining screws.
* With the weather seal retainer now in place the back
rail section of the top is near completion.
* Starting at the end of the retainer, use the stuffing
tool and work the weatherseal back into the interlocking retainer.
* Work your way around the rail placing the inner lip
of the weatherseal into the retainer groove.
* Lower the back rail and lock it in place by holding
it down while lowering the header bow.
* Move to the front of the frame and raise the header
bow.
* Apply contact cement to the underside of the header
bow and front edge of top.
* Wait for the cement to become tacky then use the first
bow and listings as a gauge for setting the top to the header bow. This
will help provide uniform placement of the listing stitch on the first
bow and even tension across the front of the deck.
* Work your way across the front a little at a time.
* Lower the header bow to check for alignment of the
listing stitch and fit as you go along.
* The top isnow in place on the header bow.
* Now install the side tension cables as follows.
* Raise the header bow to the vertical position.
* Insert a catch wire through the side cable sleeve so
that it goes in the front and out the back.
* Catch the ferule at the end of the tension cable and
pull it through the sleeve.
* Return the end of the side tension cable to its place
at the front of the weatherseal retainer and push it back into the groove.
* With a pair of pliers or vice-grips crimp the cable
tightly into the groove. Then check the cable to make sure it is tight.
* Re-install the door glass weatherseal retainer to the
horizontal frame member. Don't forget the washer for the back screw.
* Install the remaining screws.
* Latch the header bow and move back to the diagonal
flaps.
* Apply contact cement to the diagonal flaps and frame
members.
* Wait for the adhesive to become tacky then set the
flaps adjusting the top on the frame so that the binding sits properly
on the edge.
* Retract the frame, mark then trim the excess material
from the flaps, make sure the flap is wide enough to completely underlay
the weatherseal retainer.
* Put the weatherseal retainer back in place on the diagonal
frame member and use an awl to locate the respective holes and pierce the
flap.
* Make sure the awl does not go through the top material
behind the flap.
* Re-rivet the retainer in place, slide the weatherseal
back into the retainer and re-rivet the two rivets holding the seal.
* Replace the seal channel support brace with the two
acorn nuts. Be careful not to drop the nuts between the body panels.
* Move to the front header bow to begin installation
of header bow seal retainer.
* With an awl locate the respective holes.
* Lay a bead of sealant on the back of seal retainer
and beginning in the center replace the phillips screws.
* Begin installation of header bow weatherseal in the
middle of the header bow.
* Use a blunt stuffing tool to carefully push the lip
of the weatherseal into the retainer and continue down the horizontal retainers
on each side.
* Place a small amount of sealant behind the forward
corners of the header weatherseal.
* Close and latch top. Clean off any excess sealant or
adhesive.
* Allow sealant to dry with top latched closed.
* Move to the inside of the car to begin installation
of bow listings.
* Using a piece of cardborad or similar protection apply
contact adhesive to the front bow and underside of listing.
* Wrap the forward listing first, smoothing out any wrinkles.
* Re-apply cement and wrap the rear listing over the
forward one, smooth out any wrinkles and tuck the edge up under the bow
in front.
* Move to the other bows, and repeat the process.
* Unlatch and raise rear rail.
* Re-install boot lid by aligning with marks made previously.
Lower & latch lid, check fit.
* Lower and latch rear rail and header bow.
* Remove rear window protection, all tools and blankets
* Elapsed time approximately 5 hours.
World Upholstery & Trim also supplies additional
upholstery items most BMW as well as Ferrari. Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Alfa
Romeo, Fiat and Jaguar models. Call us @ 805-921-0100 or 800-222-9577
* Seat Upholstery in cloth, vinyl or leather. * Protective
Floor Mats * Carpeting * Headliners
* Tonneau Covers * Boot Covers * Convertible Tops
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10/05/2004
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