Z1 replacement front wings
- Thread starter Ian W
- Start date
Hi Ian, I don't wish to sound like a stalker but is this the red car currently at KJ Rule bodyshop in Cornwall?
I haven't been on this forum for some time since the demise of my Z3 but over the last couple of years I've been looking after the Cornwall area of the BMW Car Club - one of my members alerted me to the car after he picked his own vehicle up. I've had a bit of an ask around including to a member of this forum I know through the club, plus our Z1 Register and there seems to be no real option other than repair. There was talk of carbon fibre replicas being made in Germany but I can find no more info. The last person I knew to own one had the wings repaired by Autostyl in Chacewater but I don't expect they can do anything more than KJ Rule can.
I will send Simon at Rule's an email this weekend telling him what I have found out - I had to go to our depot next door (I work for Imerys) so have seen the car myself. I'll keep digging! hope you don't mind me posting a photo.
Matt
I haven't been on this forum for some time since the demise of my Z3 but over the last couple of years I've been looking after the Cornwall area of the BMW Car Club - one of my members alerted me to the car after he picked his own vehicle up. I've had a bit of an ask around including to a member of this forum I know through the club, plus our Z1 Register and there seems to be no real option other than repair. There was talk of carbon fibre replicas being made in Germany but I can find no more info. The last person I knew to own one had the wings repaired by Autostyl in Chacewater but I don't expect they can do anything more than KJ Rule can.
I will send Simon at Rule's an email this weekend telling him what I have found out - I had to go to our depot next door (I work for Imerys) so have seen the car myself. I'll keep digging! hope you don't mind me posting a photo.
Matt
Ha ha, not stalkerish at all. Yes, that's my poorly zed and no problem over a picture - first time I've seen her without her clothes on! Thank you so much for taking up the quest, I too have been trying the various routes advised by others and had also heard the carbon fibre rumours but am also lacking in actually finding any panels - even trawling the German and European websites.
In case of interest to another BMW aficionado, as you can see my Z1 has been converted to right hand drive but also was one of a very select few that was converted by Griffin Motorsport (now defunct I think), so rather than the standard 2.5ltr from the 325, it has been bored out to a 2.7ltr and has various other tweaks to give it a little more performance in line with what the very capable chassis can handle. Anyhow, I digress!
Being in Falmouth, there are a number of very skilled boat builders/repairers here and as a last ditch resort, a friend is having a word with his 'composite guys' to see whether they could make a mould off the existing wing and then create a new glass fibre panel. Having said that, I am surprised that KJRule have said that one of the wings is irreparable because following chats with other Z1 owners, they appear to have had worse splits and have managed to repair them with plastic welding? KJRule have advised that they have they right equipment for plastic welding but there was a lot of fizzing and bubbling and they were worried the panel would distort (....or perhaps has and hence is now irreparable?!) KJRule were recommended to me and indeed had the car in just over a year ago to repair a split and that's why it's back with them as the repair hasn't lasted very well.....having said that, on the plus side, their painting and colour matching was absolutely perfect! Perhaps, it's worth me talking to Autostyl, in case they have more experience with this polycarbonate material...?
Thank you so much for taking up the quest, I too have been trying the various routes advised by others and had also heard the carbon fibre rumours but am also lacking in actually finding any panels - even trawling the German and European websites. In case of interest to another BMW aficionado, as you can see my Z1 has been converted to right hand drive but also was one of a very select few that was converted by Griffin Motorsport (now defunct I think), so rather than the standard 2.5ltr from the 325, it has been bored out to a 2.7ltr and has various other tweaks to give it a little more performance in line with what the very capable chassis can handle. Anyhow, I digress!
Being in Falmouth, there are a number of very skilled boat builders/repairers here and as a last ditch resort, a friend is having a word with his 'composite guys' to see whether they could make a mould off the existing wing and then create a new glass fibre panel. Having said that, I am surprised that KJRule have said that one of the wings is irreparable because following chats with other Z1 owners, they appear to have had worse splits and have managed to repair them with plastic welding? KJRule have advised that they have they right equipment for plastic welding but there was a lot of fizzing and bubbling and they were worried the panel would distort (....or perhaps has and hence is now irreparable?!) KJRule were recommended to me and indeed had the car in just over a year ago to repair a split and that's why it's back with them as the repair hasn't lasted very well.....having said that, on the plus side, their painting and colour matching was absolutely perfect! Perhaps, it's worth me talking to Autostyl, in case they have more experience with this polycarbonate material...?
Hi Ian
Yes it may well be worth having a chat with them - I'm sure if you could get fibreglass ones made you could probably recoup your costs by selling a few on!
If you are around next Sunday we have a stand at the West Cornwall Motor Show at Wendron Cricket Club if you'd like to pop along - I'll be the fat bloke with the orange 1-series!
Yes it may well be worth having a chat with them - I'm sure if you could get fibreglass ones made you could probably recoup your costs by selling a few on!
If you are around next Sunday we have a stand at the West Cornwall Motor Show at Wendron Cricket Club if you'd like to pop along - I'll be the fat bloke with the orange 1-series!
A red Z1 being broken in the US - might be worth an email?
Is this of any help? Use DEEPL or similar to translate.
www.kleinanzeigen.de
BMW Z1-Carbon Seitenwand vorne in Premium Qualität!
!! aktuelle Lieferzeiten mindestens 2 Wochen bitte beachten!! Top.1. Preisanpassung....,BMW Z1-Carbon Seitenwand vorne in Premium Qualität! in Baden-Württemberg - Linkenheim-Hochstetten
A link to Potti's garage. They also appear to do carbon panels.
www.kleinanzeigen.de
BMW Z1 Carbon-Teile mit TÜV Teilegutachten H Kennz/ Prepreg
Hallo liebe Z1 Freunde, Info: Sommerfest bei Pottis Garage am 17 Mai 2025 ab 11 Uhr Tag der...,BMW Z1 Carbon-Teile mit TÜV Teilegutachten H Kennz/ Prepreg in Baden-Württemberg - Linkenheim-Hochstetten
Could it be worth contacting someone like Classic Coachworks or companies that do aftermarket body kits? I've heard of cases before where if you had a brand new and/or rare car, they will give you a hefty discount on panels and parts if you allow them to use your car/panels to create their moulds. Plus you get to solve any panel shortages for other Z1 owners in the future