F30 Dash in an E36? Things to consider?

[Hva36]

Hi,

Lately I've been thinking about how bland I find the E36 interior, mostly the dash and steering wheel. While I was browsing through later model BMWs to see what I like for a reasonable price I've found a cheap wrecked f30.

Due to my lack of car knowledge I probably tend to look at thing quite simply, so I'm wondering what is there to consider in getting an F30 dash into an E36?

My focus is what it would mean electrically, how it would work, if it would? I'm not to worried about physically making it fit in terms of being able to cut it up and fabricate bits.

At the end of the day I could just try it and find out for myself, searching the internet doesn't give me any direct information, so I guess I'm just after opinions. If anyone has thought about it, or has experience in actually retrofitting complete dashs. I know the E46 has been done.

Cheers.

[blckstrm]

Hi,

Lately I've been thinking about how bland I find the E36 interior, mostly the dash and steering wheel. While I was browsing through later model BMWs to see what I like for a reasonable price I've found a cheap wrecked f30.

Due to my lack of car knowledge I probably tend to look at thing quite simply, so I'm wondering what is there to consider in getting an F30 dash into an E36?

My focus is what it would mean electrically, how it would work, if it would? I'm not to worried about physically making it fit in terms of being able to cut it up and fabricate bits.

At the end of the day I could just try it and find out for myself, searching the internet doesn't give me any direct information, so I guess I'm just after opinions. If anyone has thought about it, or has experience in actually retrofitting complete dashs. I know the E46 has been done.

Cheers.

This would be a monumental task for someone with a LOT of car knowledge, both electrical and mechanical. The fact no one has tried this should be an indicator it's not going to be cheap or easy. Unless you have time and money to burn, you could probably find something else more productive to do.

[ChuckDizzle]

Hi,

Lately I've been thinking about how bland I find the E36 interior, mostly the dash and steering wheel. While I was browsing through later model BMWs to see what I like for a reasonable price I've found a cheap wrecked f30.

Due to my lack of car knowledge I probably tend to look at thing quite simply, so I'm wondering what is there to consider in getting an F30 dash into an E36?

My focus is what it would mean electrically, how it would work, if it would? I'm not to worried about physically making it fit in terms of being able to cut it up and fabricate bits.

At the end of the day I could just try it and find out for myself, searching the internet doesn't give me any direct information, so I guess I'm just after opinions. If anyone has thought about it, or has experience in actually retrofitting complete dashs. I know the E46 has been done.

Cheers.

The spartan interior of the e36 is part of its charm. Sure, swap a different steering wheel if you like but a complete dashboard change is going to be a difficult task without thorough knowledge and experience.

[bluptgm3]

Going from a 3-spoke to a 4-spoke wheel from a Z3 or ‘99 M3 is done easily, Saturday afternoon and does not compromise safety, should increase resale value slightly.

A good way to turn a$3k car into $250 car is attempt to retrofit a later model dash and instrument panel.
There will most likely a huge disconnect between the ECU and late model cluster.
Plumbing the HVAC dash ducts will require ‘special’ fabrication, then there is the issue of HVAC ‘head unit’ interface.…not to mention the dimensional and shape differences of the dash.…


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[Hva36]

A good way to turn a$3k car into $250 car is attempt to retrofit a later model dash and instrument panel.
There will most likely a huge disconnect between the ECU and late model cluster.
Plumbing the HVAC dash ducts will require ‘special’ fabrication, then there is the issue of HVAC ‘head unit’ interface.…not to mention the dimensional and shape differences of the dash.…

I think you're missing a couple zeros off the latter value there :P
I just find I love the body of the E36 but the interior is too rounded and boring to look at. Other than the fact I found a cheap F30 so that's where I stopped looking, the F30 interior has nice sharp lines that I feel suits to square E36 body better. Anyway..
Your points about the ECU and Cluster and HVAC lines are more what I was hoping to touch on here with this thread. Getting it to actually fit and look nice is just a matter for my ability, the electrics and what works with what is where I'm lost. I did think of the HVAC ducts and of course that'd probably be something to solve oince you're actually staring at it, but it's just plastic tunnels isn't it? Can just make custom fibreglass ones I'm thinking.


I'm just getting lost in my imagination here. Hopefully it plants the seed in someone elses mind, and we'll have an F30 version of the "How much of the E46 fits in my E36" thread.

[blckstrm]

I think you're missing a couple zeros off the latter value there :P
I just find I love the body of the E36 but the interior is too rounded and boring to look at. Other than the fact I found a cheap F30 so that's where I stopped looking, the F30 interior has nice sharp lines that I feel suits to square E36 body better. Anyway..
Your points about the ECU and Cluster and HVAC lines are more what I was hoping to touch on here with this thread. Getting it to actually fit and look nice is just a matter for my ability, the electrics and what works with what is where I'm lost. I did think of the HVAC ducts and of course that'd probably be something to solve oince you're actually staring at it, but it's just plastic tunnels isn't it? Can just make custom fibreglass ones I'm thinking.


I'm just getting lost in my imagination here. Hopefully it plants the seed in someone elses mind, and we'll have an F30 version of the "How much of the E46 fits in my E36" thread.

The actual structural part of the dashboard you may be able to pull off, though exactly how you tackle the massive size difference (the F30 is the same size as the 5 Series made during the E36's time) and make that look anything less than completely hacked would be a significant challenge. But likely surmountable.

But the instruments, or electrical as you put it...

For reference, some F30 clusters use a fiber-optic cable. How much effort do you think it would take to convert whatever signal an E36 sends to the correct optical signal - and then do that over and over again for various inputs, and THEN figure out how to combine that all correctly into the right kind of input to the F30 cluster?

This is so far beyond "coding" and wiring. And even if you don't have the fiber-optic cluster, you're likely looking at a cluster that gets all its readings from a central computer in an F30 versus mostly from the actual sensors in an E36. The only way to make this work would be attaching the E36 gauges to the F30 cluster.

I mean, this whole operation would quickly become a giant cluster...

[gdavid]

I think you're missing a couple zeros off the latter value there :P

I believe he is very accurate because most likely a project like this would stall out with a car in pieces. That said it makes projects that are completed as this would be extremely impressive. The easiest way to go about instrumentation would probably be going with a tablet based instrument panel, the rest of the controls (lights & HVAC) would remain a big challenge to make it work and not look terrible. The e36 heating and air conditioning system is a large assembly that attaches to the firewall, filling a significant hole (~18"'x10" and protruding about 16" into the car, working around and integrating it to a foreign dash would be a nightmare. You would probably have an easier time fabricating a new dash to your liking out of fiberglass and having it upholstered to taste.

If you take it on, please take a lot of pictures. It would be an interesting project to see.

[Moron95M3]

Just do it and post your progress.

Assuming you:
-Do not require daily use of this car
-are a great fabricator
-preferably have a 3D printer & CAD software
-proficient at programming new BMWs
-Don't have a wife/GF that is time consuming
-want cut up fingers and a hatred of life

[xxxxxxx]

The spartan interior of the e36 is part of its charm.

This.

[Hva36]

I believe he is very accurate because most likely a project like this would stall out with a car in pieces. That said it makes projects that are completed as this would be extremely impressive. The easiest way to go about instrumentation would probably be going with a tablet based instrument panel, the rest of the controls (lights & HVAC) would remain a big challenge to make it work and not look terrible. The e36 heating and air conditioning system is a large assembly that attaches to the firewall, filling a significant hole (~18"'x10" and protruding about 16" into the car, working around and integrating it to a foreign dash would be a nightmare. You would probably have an easier time fabricating a new dash to your liking out of fiberglass and having it upholstered to taste.

If you take it on, please take a lot of pictures. It would be an interesting project to see.

Yea I agree with what you've said. I think the way forward is building my own, essentially just giving the E36 dash an F30 based facelift.

Just do it and post your progress.

Assuming you:
-Do not require daily use of this car
-are a great fabricator
-preferably have a 3D printer & CAD software
-proficient at programming new BMWs
-Don't have a wife/GF that is time consuming
-want cut up fingers and a hatred of life

That's a good list. I like lists.
Can tick most of those off, though I have some ideas for the remainders.

[M3AN]

Attempting to integrate the F30 electronics is a fool's errand, will never happen.

However, if you transplanted all the E36 electronics into the F30 dash (with the required cut and fab) then it's eminently possible.

I suspect however that you'll find a hard stop on the passenger airbag as there will be no practical way to fire it. If you can get away without that airbag then the project itself is possible.

Do post pics...

[Yeti Poacher]

Ever thought about doing the reverse? 3D model an E36 body for the F30 frame.

[bluptgm3]

Ever thought about doing the reverse? 3D model an E36 body for the F30 frame.

Me to, except the roof line is all wrong.


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[Alex0607]

I once read someone here did a dashboard swap from E46 to E36. Made my M3 conversion from 318i a cinch.

[spyderg0d]

I'd rather just buy the actual car.

[MParallel]

Consider not doing it.