Trunk Deck trim

[pamp]

Just curious,
But why on the coupes is there no trim on the trunk lid? Others who have seen my car and have no exposure to BMW have commented on this. Sort of looks odd, like there is a piece missing. On the 2002 the trim is a continuous and encircles the car. Maybe another business op for Mike P.! "The Missing Trim"...
Al

 

[jmackro]

You know, I wondered about that too, starting in 1989 when I first got my coupe, and really studied its lines. But I doubt anyone could explain why the designers left off the horizontal anodized aluminum trim across the trunk lip.

The photos below show the evolution of the e9. Most people credit the origins of the e9's design to the BMW 3200 styled by Giugiaro (left photo) - note that the 3200 has no beltline trim, so one could argue that the issue is less why BMW deleted the trim on the e9's decklid and more why did they add it everywhere else. The photo on the right is the 2000 CS which, not surprisingly, has the same beltline trim as its 6 cyl successors.

In my opinion, adding beltline trim to the decklid would produce something odd-looking, as we are all accustomed to e9's the way they are. And practically speaking, the "2800 CS" or "3.0 CS" emblems would need to be removed, or shifted upward to make room for the new strip - which would also look all wrong.

 

[pamp]

Trim

Yeah...but,
As an inquisitive sort, I wonder, if I could, take say, a rear quarter trim bit and lay it to the stern. It looks to me that it would have to over hang the trunk lip a bit to line up. That being the case, I cannot see a problem emblem - wise.
Again, just curious. The trouble with being married to a designer, she does not like that "missing trim" either. And as she has been a Bimmer rider from the first days of our courtship.(30 years and counting) She is a Volvo fan, and I basically have always built to suit.
Cheers as always,
Al

 

[jmackro]

I have been asked if the E9 is a: Glas 1600, a Karmann Ghia, a 2002, or even a Corvair??????

Well, tell 'em: "obviously it isn't a Corvair - it doesn't have horizontal beltline trim on the decklid!"

That Series II Corvair WAS a pretty car, though wasn't it?

 

[MMercury]

aircooled flat 6 look-a-like

That Series II Corvair WAS a pretty car, though wasn't it?

Others agreed:

"There were only minor styling changes until the 1965 model year, when the second-generation Corvari got the styling of an exotic Italian car and was partly responsible for Corvair sales to top the 200,000-unit mark that year.

Car and Driver magazine said the new Corvair was "undoubtedly the sexiest-looking American car of the new crop and possibly one of the most handsome cars in the world." A veteran auto photographer said, "It's simply impossible to photograph this car from an angle that makes it look (bad.) I don't know any other mass-production car from its period that you could say that about."

http://www.danjedlicka.com/classic_cars/corvair.html

 

[MMercury]

The photos below show the evolution of the e9.

My first reaction to Pamp's post was exactly the same as yours - look to the predecessor models.

It is unclear to me whether the surrounding aluminum trim fulfilled more of an aesthetic purpose or actually protected the car from runaway shopping carts. I don't have an E3 in front of me, but I don't think it had the trunk trim either.

Per the picture, the designers omitted trim on the hood of the E3. Absent trim on the trunk and hood "suggests" some symmetry, allowing for a conclusion that trim was a purely subjective design consideration.

Should the designers have stuck with the round tail lights for all its models too? (I have wondered about this since, over the years, I have been asked if the E9 is a: Glas 1600, a Karmann Ghia, a 2002, a 280SL or even a Corvair??????.)

 

[pamp]

Bad Taste

Man,
I myself love Corvairs as well, Nader be damned. My Mum had a '68 Spyder. Alas my older sister wrecked said same. But back to the subject, I say either all or none. Check out the look of any nice 2002...

 

[texcarguy]

Trunk Trim

I've long since wished for that final piece on the trunk. Any Chinese mfg. contacts out there? I'd sure jump for that piece!

 

[Stan]

I've long since wished for that final piece on the trunk. Any Chinese mfg. contacts out there? I'd sure jump for that piece!

Why not buy a piece from the side of a parts car and cut to fit?

 

[Bennett]

I have been wondering about the trunk lid alignment. Most cars I see have a slight bump at the rear, making the trunk look slightly open. same with the gas filler door. Any ideas on that?

 

[pamp]

The "Missing Trim"

Wish I had a piece kicking around to try, for esses and giggles. Could someone step to the plate? Not that I would recommend a permanent install... I would just like to see how it looks. Temporary like...
Al

 

[dave v. in nc]

no trunk trimmy

One reason that it wont work very well is plain old geometry..(I've also thought about the no trim, as I have a coupe, as well as an 02); the moulding on both cars is attached to an almost vertical surface, for the most part, around the perimeter of the car. Even at the rear termination of the e9 moulding, it is pretty much vertical, or even past that. Now look at the rear deck lid. It feathers out to nothing with an angle, unlike the 02 that comes to a fairly abrupt waterfall shaped edge. If you put said moulding on the angled edge of the deck lid, it wont marry up (or even close) with the angle of the quarter panel moulding. It used to bother me a little, but now it (the deck lid) reminds me of the feather-edge of a flap on an aircraft wing, or as a 3-D velocity stripe...
Another thought/point; when you open the trunk on an 02, the rear deck lid caps the quarters, whereas the e9 is captured between the quarters. If you had a moulding on the rear deck lid, there would be an unsightly crack that doesn't exist on the 02, since the moulding is completely on the deck lid.
The more I've studied it, the more I like it. Its such a beautiful tail end, that I think it might become heavy or clumsy-looking WITH a moulding. Just my 02 cents worth. Please remember that I design furniture, not cars. I sent a resume to Enzo Ferrari when I was about 13, but the a**hole never wrote me back. Swore that I'd never own a Ferrari. Like I could...teeheehee. Merry Christmas everyone. Dave V. in NC

 

[pamp]

The Trim

Many good points. Sorry about Enzo, I am sure this was just an oversight by his many under lings. Don't take it personally. Now, could you take a potato and build a couch...Reverse engineering...Damn!

 

[dave v. in nc]

mouldings and taters..

I like it, the Idaho Russet collection. Does kinda give you a warm fuzzy. Good one Al. DV

 

[pamp]

Taters

I love it! A "Potato Couch" would be, well...hot! A good place to crash when you are really f...ing baked!
Not to be confused with the "Potatoe Couch" marketed by former VP Dan Quale with out success...Please do not be late with my royalty checks!

 

[2800csm5]

Deck Trim

While restoring my coup in 1990, I decided not to replace the chrome strips because.

(1) Everywhere there was a fastener, there was rust, the edge of the chrome
did not have a rubber backing like the Bavaria and would cut into the paint, result, rust.

(2) The chrome would turn to a milky white hazy which was a b---h to clean,
If hit with the proverbial shopping cart, it would be dented.

I had the holes welded closed and used 3M one inch rubber belt to replace the
chrome strip. So far after twenty years no door dings or dents. The 3M belt can
also be used on the trunk lid to complete the total surround look.

You can see my coupe/coupes on the registry page it is S/N 2270173. It's the
blue one.