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Thread: 97' 840 Interior and Audio Resto-Mod

  1. #1
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    1997 840ci

    97' 840 Interior and Audio Resto-Mod

    Hi fellas,
    840Rod here been a long time since I had any input, but I'm still around lurking in the shadows. Still come here when I need an answer so when I started this project I felt I should share with the community. First thanks to Wolf at WOKKE, Frankie, Timm, E31 Wiki, Roadfly and of course this forum for all the information I obtain again and again.
    My car is still pretty much stock and coming up for 100K on the clock. I replaced the headliner way back when I purchased the car and did all the head unit swapping and DICE installations, which are posted in here, till I couldn’t take it anymore. About 5 years ago I installed a Kenwood BT with 6 Pre-amp outputs, and USB front and rear (even has a CD player). All other audio components are stock.
    This project started as a repair on my wood grain console panel as the top two of the four stand-offs that retain the HVAC module had failed. The panel was leaning inside the console at the top and kinda floppin around. So out comes the console which is fairly easy like all this stuff… easy till you break something. So now I have the module out and start looking at the light mod for the HVAC. I take it apart, not a problem, but decide to reassemble the unit and send to Wolf at WOKKE to do the light mod. I think I could do the LED’s in the wheels, but didn’t want to solder onto the board for the buttons.
    Remove components in panel, shifter, three screws in top of panel and two at the shifter as I recall and panel is loose… unplug components and remove panel.
    So now I have the console out and am looking at my interior and the rest of the sound system as well. The driver’s seat has a repair on the bolster, I call it the Frankenstein stitch. There are no rips, but the leather is beat. Rear seats are OK as are the side panels. Slight wear showing at door handles, but nothing noticeable. Rear deck is good.
    I have decided to leave my somewhat purist ways and do a resto-mod on the interior and audio, there are those who will disagree and I’m not really looking for a debate. If I can find a more aesthetically pleasing head unit in the future that does what my Kenwood does… well maybe ;-)
    I have the center console apart and am going to mod it. I previously did the roofing nail repair on the ashtray cover, but the woodgrain has splits. I’ve decided to move the cigarette lighter to the lower bin on the rear center console by adding a marine panel that includes two USB charging ports, a digital voltmeter in red, and a power port which I want for the trickle charger. I’m also running a USB 3.0 plug from the head unit/receiver to the cigarette lighter port in the ashtray which now has no cover. I’ll mount a cell phone holder in the ashtray and that will be where my phone resides. With the USB port I can use any phone by changing the dongle. Not seeing an armrest in the near future.
    Front and rear seats are out, center console and medical kit cover out, ski bag assembly out, all trunk carpet and trim removed as well as amplifier and amplifier cover, CD changer is out and not going back in.
    Daniel Sanchez from Stitch Tech in Costa Mesa is doing the upholstery. Daniel did some front seat repair including the armrests and entire headliner on my daughter’s E34 wagon.
    My car is Artic Silver with silver gray on silver gray interior… quite boring as Frankie says and I agree. I thought of doing the same two tone silver gray on silver gray to the seats to maintain a purist approach. After conversation with my wife and Daniel I had to agtree the contrast was very limited and could go unnoticed.
    Daniel doesn’t like to influence… but after extended conversation and looking an newer and custom cars I decided to go with Silver Gray and Black. Daniel is bringing by some samples of Diamond Tuck and I think we will be adding some to the interior panels and seats.
    Daniel has everything pretty much except the door and side panels… that and the kick panels and the interior is as far down as I think I’m going. I'll add pics before I continue interior and updates on audio…
    Kind of feel like a part crasher jumping in with a post this big after being gone so long... car is still cherry ;-) just achin for a little love.
    Yo!
    Rod
    Last edited by RcktRod; 07-13-2018 at 09:26 AM.

  2. #2
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    Looking forward to seeing how the interior turns out - definitely on my list as well...

  3. #3
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    Can't wait to see it!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2018
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    1997 840ci
    Thanks for the response fellas... Gotta give credit where and when due... Martha, my wife, has been helping bag and label parts. She said she would clean the carpet too... love and appreciate that dear woman.
    Was back in here today looking for the driver's kick panel removal... hood release handle difficulty. The little cap on the end of the shaft had me going, but I got it out and that's the last part I plan on pulling from the interior (sure). Took the door panels and kick panels out today. Remaining in the car is the headliner, rear deck cover, front and rear carpet including section of carpet behind rear seats which is all in good condition. Debating on whether or not I want to due anything trick on the back of the seats and the carpet behind the seats for when seats are folded. There is a budget, so we'll see what develops in next couple of days.
    There are a couple of interior issues that I would like to address while in this deep.
    1) Driver's door rattles when closing with window down. sounds like the traditional bank vault door with window up.
    2) Radio reception sucks wondering if I have an antenna issue.

    Daniel stops by tomorrow to pick up the rest of the interior and show us some samples... more to follow.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2018
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    1997 840ci
    Picked out the leather and stitch pattern... all good on upholstery. Two tone black and silver gray, with the black replacing the silver on all panels front and rear. Some diamond stitching on the seats and door panels. Black leather is stitched with gray thread. Going with single stitching on the diamonds thinking panels may be too small on doors for a double stitch. The lower door panel, lower dash panel, console side panel trim will not be diamond stitched but stitched with gray thread here too.
    As far as audio I have removed the dash panel and console boxes. Rear deck and kick panel speakers and boxes are out. Amp is out as well as the box, remove carpet from fiberglass and there is a hole for a pin punch ... stick it in and the box pretty much falls out. Ski bag assembly and all panels are removed from the trunk as well as the CD stacker, which ain't going back in.
    I've followed threads in here over and over and the comments on the wiring... agreed the wiring is a trip. Without a doubt I'll replace the rear wiring for the speakers off the new amps. Haven't decided on the fronts. Plan on running 6 1/2" components front and rear. With an 8" sub at the Med Kit console where I'll add a grille. Have two old Precision Power PPI Art Series amps I'm going to use. They were made in the USA back in the day and still function well. One is a A404 for the cabin speakers and provides 50 amps per channel at 4 channel. The other is a A300.2 providing 300 Watts bridged to a boxed 8" Kenwood Excelon sub I picked up.
    Currently working speaker boxes and looking at replacement speakers. It is easier, i can imagine quit well, doing the audio with the seats and stuff out. It requires dropping a few extra panels, but at least I can lay down with my face in the kick panel to see what I'm doing.

  6. #6
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    If a moderator could/would please help me re-open my old account I sure would appreciate it. I couldn't see where to click to reset my password. Not sure if it's the same email acct either... 840rod no not very original, but I had a few posts and would like to recover the acct. Prolly something I'm missing... please advise.

  7. #7
    MauiM3Mania's Avatar
    MauiM3Mania is offline Observer/Master Skeptic Moderator
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    840rod hasn't been active on the forum in a few years. Where have you been? LOL

    To access your old account, you will need the password. Once you locate that shoebox of important papers, come to the forum, LOG OUT (upper right on a desktop) and enter your membership name and password.
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  8. #8
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    I found the shoebox ... dang that was hard...

  9. #9
    MauiM3Mania's Avatar
    MauiM3Mania is offline Observer/Master Skeptic Moderator
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    Quote Originally Posted by 840rod View Post
    I found the shoebox ... dang that was hard...
    We do keep that old stuff for a reason. Glad you located it.
    04M3 TiAg 69k slick-top 3 pedal
    99M3 Cosmos 61k S50B32 euro 6Spd

    88M3 AW 43k miles Project FS


    WTB: 3.5" Eurosport/Conforti CAI

  10. #10
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    OK so I have pretty much completed the LH rear speaker box and will post some pics of it and the carnage I have created so far.
    On the speaker boxes there is a video on YouTube to remove the grill and then there is one screw holding the box in and it can be accessed from under the grill. Then in the trunk you will see two clips on the side of the boxes and press then in towards the box and the box will drop. The clips are fragile and if you didn't break them taking the boxes out, don't stress cause you will have plenty more opportunities when modding the box. Biggest hassle with the drivers side box is the wire bundle coming in from the cabin. The box has to have a relief at that corner or it will not install.
    I used the stock sub woofer placement for the 6 1/2" mid-bass, the stock mid-bass for the tweeter and the stock tweeter placement for a port. The tweeter came with a cone to install it in and I installed that cone under the speaker back plate and I removed the partition wall in the box. That opened up the port and kinda isolated the tweeter. I'll install some sound dampening material to the box prior to installation. Plan to finish the RH side this week... cut up the box yesterday.
    I'll start thinking of the fronts next... it will be a big relief to have the new speakers installed.

  11. #11
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    https://www.flickr.com/photos/142866036@N02/

    Photo-stream of the disassembly and fabrication so far.
    Last edited by 840rod; 07-23-2018 at 11:22 PM.

  12. #12
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    I bet it is already on your list, but much needed soundproofing is easy to attend to with all this stuff liberated.
    What "thumbs up" really means




  13. #13
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    Actually I had not intended to add any additional soundproofing other than to the plastic speaker boxes. Where would you be thinking of adding it? Trunk? I don't plan on pulling the carpet out. Never really gave it much thought thinking that the car wasn't in that much need for it. Tell me your thoughts on it bro.

    I have come up with an idea for a 6 1/2" speaker in the kick panel and recessing the speaker into the box so it doesn't interfere with the kick panel installation.
    Speaker box mod design complete... copying onto opposite side boxes.

    And... I ordered 36 sq-ft of Dynamat Extreme...
    And... I ordered an additional 36 sq ft of Dynamat... trunk is almost complete.
    Last edited by 840rod; 08-28-2018 at 01:23 PM.

  14. #14
    Join Date
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    I actually finished this project... will post pictures shortly.

  15. #15
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    2) Radio reception sucks wondering if I have an antenna issue.
    Did you resolve this? 12V supply to the antenna module in the C pillar may have been lost when you removed the OEM amp.

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