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      08-24-2007, 02:51 PM   #1
mister_roger
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Standard Z4 to Z4M front bumper conversion

If you are looking to give your tired Z4 a facelift, then here is instructions on how to convert your standard Z4 front bumper to a Z4M front bumper. The Z4M front bumper is a direct fit onto a standard Z4, with the exception of the brake air ducts. These are simply bolt-on pieces that require minimal modification.

This DIY will cover tools and parts needed, and instructions on how to install the new hardware and bumper. I also created a separate DIY on how to remove the front bumper, which can be found here:
http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthre...38#post1321138

So without further adieu, let's get this DIY started!

Tools required:
-(see bumper removal DIY for tools to remove bumper)
-8mm socket/wrench
-10mm socket/wrench
-13mm socket/wrench

Diagram from Realoem.com


Parts needed:


Part Number____Qty___Description + approx. dealer price
51-11-8-040-340 1 Primed Front Bumper (1) - [cost may vary if new/used]

51-11-7-895-842 1 Grid, Center (2) - [$86.69]

51-11-8-044-701 1 Front Left Brake Air Duct (18) - [$40.56]
51-11-8-044-702 1 Front Right Brake Air Duct (18) - [$40.56]

51-71-7-837-531 1 Bracket Left (19) - [$22.07]
51-71-7-837-532 1 Bracket Right (19) - [$22.07]
07-11-9-904-269 2 Hex Bolt (21) - [$.78/ea]

51-11-7-078-261 1 Cover, Spray Nozzle Left Primed (8) - [$38.88]
51-11-7-078-262 1 Cover, Spray Nozzle Right Primed (8) - [$38.88]

63-14-6-944-879 1 Side Reflector Left (round) - [$30.04]
63-14-6-944-880 1 Side Reflector Right (round) - [$30.04]


The Spray Nozzle covers and side reflectors can really be considered as optional. You could decide to have a body shop fill out those holes and have a smooth look, but they may charge a lot for labor. Then again, these four parts alone will probably run you about $150 at the dealer (seriously!!), so you can weigh the options on your own. I opted to buy the parts and have them painted.

Pictures of the parts:

Grid (center grill)


Brake Ducts. Notice they replace the fog-lamp access panels completely




Bracket. This holds the brake duct securely to the chassis. It attaches to the duct by locking tabs. This one pictured is the passenger side bracket.




Hex Bolt (8mm). These attach the bracket to the chassis.


Front bumper side reflector. If you have an '05, you could just reuse your reflectors.


Headlight washer covers. These little things are RIDICULOUSLY expensive. Also, they do not really attach to the front bumper, so you may need to use some super glue or contact cement to stick them on.


And last, but not least -- A Z4M front bumper cover, painted to match your vehicle. I purchased the bumper used off ebay, and it was originally painted Interlagos Blue. There were a few surface scratches and front lip scrapes, but the paint shop did an excellent job of feathering out the damage and making it look good as new!!! I also had them paint the washer covers and reflectors as well, which are affixed to the bumper in this picture.

Don't mind the cats -- they are curious little creatures. And that is NOT a piece of poop in the upper right. It's a catnip cigar.


STEP 1:

Remove the old front bumper as directed here:
http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthre...38#post1321138
-or here (original DIY)-
http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63034


STEP 2:

We need to mount brackets that hold the brake air ducts in place. If you look under the headlight area, this is what you will see (passenger side):

The mounting points are circled in pink.

As you can see from the picture, the horn module is occupying the space where the bracket is supposed to mount. This will need to be relocated to another spot in order to make room.
Using your 13mm socket, remove the nut holding it in place. Save the nut -- you will reuse it later.


If you look back towards the corner, there is an available bolt sticking out with an 8mm nut. Remove this and affix the horn module to this mounting point:


With the horn removed, you can see how the bracket fits into this spot. It is mounted on the right side using the existing bolt and 13mm nut, and then on the left side using a newly supplied 8mm hex bolt. (in this pic, i removed the horn, but know that it is supposed to be there).



STEP 3:

To mount the brake air ducts, first remove the old fog-light access panels. To insert the new brake ducts into the same spot, you could either:

(a) jack up the car, remove the tire, and go from the inner fender well.
-or-
(b) carefully force the brake duct through the hole from the front side, without removing the tire.

I opted for option (b). If you gently bend the new access panel and fender lining, you should be able to push it through from the front side. Much easier than plan (a).

Once the brake duct is secured at the access panel, the top is secured to the braket via locking tabs that snap into place.


Repeat on the other side.


NOTE:
I discovered that the brake air ducts are actually quite secure when held only by the access panel without the bracket. The bumper itself also holds the front of the scoop in place, so it is quite sturdy. I would say the these brackets could be considered an OPTIONAL part if you want to save a few dollars (more like ~$60). But if you want peace of mind, then go ahead and purchase them with hex bolts.


STEP 4:

Now to put some necessary hardware on the new bumper. First you'll want to snap the center grill in place from the back side. Unfortunately i didn't take any pictures, but it's self explanatory. Make sure you do this on carpet or a soft surface -- the grill takes a few smacks to secure the roughly 20 or so tabs that need to snap into place.

Next, transfer the kidney grills to the new bumper. The old grills just pull off using some firm force. Pretty straightforward.

Finally, you'll want to transfer the bumper emblem. It is attached to the bumper from the underside using 10mm retaining bolts.


If your old roundel is faded and chipped (like mine), now would be a good time to replace it. It is a specially made 70mm hood emblem, which you can get at your dealer (or elsewhere). Part Number 51-14-7-044-207.


The emblem screws back into place using the same 10mm bolts. They etch into the plastic pins as they are screwed on.


STEP 6:

Last step is to mount the front bumper. Here's a comparison of the two bumpers. Out with the old, and in with the new


Reinstall the bumper in the reverse order that you removed it. The brake ducts should line up with the openings. Be sure the underside of the bumper is pushed in all the way by tucking the splash guards into the bottom edge.

The sides of the bumper where it meets the fender may need a few good hard smacks to set it in place, so give it some patience. It'll eventually budge.

Attach the bumper using the 7 hex screws along the top edge and the 8 expanding tabs along the fender wells.

Since the Z4M bumper is a tad lower than the standard Z4 bumper, the underside does not completely line up with the splash guards. You won't be able to reuse the 7 8mm screw/bolts along the underside. But the bumper is actually held quite securely by the top hex screws and fenderwell expanding tabs, so the underside hardware won't be necessary. Just put them away in a safe place as spare parts.



Now you are finished, and can sit back and admire your newly facelifted Z. This bumper truly makes the car look so much more aggressive.

Before:


After:




And that is how it's done!

Best,
-Roger
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Last edited by mister_roger; 08-25-2007 at 11:02 PM.. Reason: added prices
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      08-24-2007, 07:51 PM   #2
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Well done and well documented! Nice notations on the MM sizes.
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      08-24-2007, 11:51 PM   #3
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...so THAT'S what you've been doing this past week, huh?

Cracking DIY, mate! Almost makes me wanna... oh, I already have the M bumper!
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      08-25-2007, 12:56 AM   #4
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You sneaky guy.... you didnt even give us a clue!!!! Looks excellent!!! So I think a new photoshoot is in order SOON!
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      08-25-2007, 08:30 AM   #5
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very nice...how much?
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      08-25-2007, 12:24 PM   #6
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question where do the fog lights go?
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      08-25-2007, 01:56 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aztec View Post
question where do the fog lights go?
They go bye-bye; M cars don't have fogs, so the bumper doesn't accomodate them.
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      08-25-2007, 02:11 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aztec View Post
question where do the fog lights go?
M's are too fast for fogs
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      08-25-2007, 03:55 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MakoBimmer1 View Post
You sneaky guy.... you didnt even give us a clue!!!! Looks excellent!!! So I think a new photoshoot is in order SOON!
He DID give us a clue... I noticed his tow-hook plastic cover was missing. He said that he was using it to match paint.

Subtle, but very effective.
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      08-25-2007, 10:57 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MakoBimmer1 View Post
You sneaky guy.... you didnt even give us a clue!!!! Looks excellent!!! So I think a new photoshoot is in order SOON!
Actually, i think i might have briefly mentioned when we had the photoshoot with Eric in the business park, but that was way back in June. I was procrastinating a bit on getting this done.

As far as cost, I just added Dealer List prices for the hardware above, so take a look. It adds up quite fast. I'm not sure of the dealer cost of the front bumper skin though, but I paid $250 for it shipped. It had some scuffs and scrapes, so I had to pay extra for bodywork. I'm guessing if you were to buy it from the dealer new, it would cost well over $500. So either way, used or new, you'll probably be paying alot in the end. Don't forget good quality paint and prep work too. Total cost of conversion will probably run you around $1200. Not exactly a budget mod.

Sadly, the foglights had to go, and I do kinda miss them. They helped brighten the road a bit on those dark nights. The unplugged harness is just hanging there under the bumper.
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Last edited by mister_roger; 08-25-2007 at 11:13 PM.. Reason: typo
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      08-26-2007, 06:21 AM   #11
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Curious why you bought the side reflectors?
Did you put them on or did you get them filled when it was painted?
.....can't tell from the pic.
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      08-26-2007, 02:26 PM   #12
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I really Like My fog lights...
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      08-26-2007, 03:14 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by inTgr8r View Post
Curious why you bought the side reflectors?
Did you put them on or did you get them filled when it was painted?
.....can't tell from the pic.
I actually did purchase the side reflectors and had them painted to match. After weighing the options, it would have been more cost effective to do it this way rather than have the holes filled in. It would have cost a lot more to do so (as with the washer holes). As much as I would have liked to have a clean bumper look, it doesn't really bother me to have the painted circles showing.
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      09-06-2007, 11:56 AM   #14
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Same goes for the facelifted bumpers which I did this week on mine.



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      09-01-2008, 03:49 AM   #15
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Hello,

First of all, congratulations for this DIY and for this forum in general.

I live in France and I would like to buy a 3.0i Z4. And I like cars with "agressive" aspect but with that keep the original outline of the car. That's the reason why I like very much the Z4M front bumper.

I called BMW in france in order to have the price in euros and here are the results:





Front bumper (1) : 695 euros

Center grill (2) : 75 euros

Joint (7) : 13 euros

Light washer covers (8) : 27 x 2 = 54 euros

(17) I don't know the aim of this part : 29 x2 = 58 euros

Brake air ducts (18) : 27 x 2 = 54 euros

Brackets (19) : 14 x 2 = 28 euros

Total = 977 euros => about 1400$ !!!

This is the price WITHOUT painting and handwork.

So I have a few questions:

1) Part (8) light washers covers : that means that it is impossible to keep the light wash function with this bumper?

2) As it has been said by inTgr8r : I don't find the emplacement for the side reflectors. could you please show them to me on a picture?

3) Is it really necessary to buy part (17)? If yes, what is it for?

4) Do you think that It would be better to contact a BMW garage in the US in order to have a better price ( I know that the shipping could be a problem) ? If yes, do you have one to recommand to me (you can also send this information by private message)?

Once again, thank you for your help and I'm sorry if my english is not perfect

Last edited by kalani; 09-01-2008 at 06:19 AM..
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      12-26-2008, 02:07 PM   #16
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Gel have you fitted the facelift rear bumper as well? Did you change the lights?
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      03-17-2009, 03:09 PM   #17
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heres mine!
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      03-21-2009, 05:23 AM   #18
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and Mine...this is becoming a very popular mod...







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      03-21-2009, 07:13 PM   #19
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Wow, those are sexy rims.. can you post a side view?? i think i have to go 19" with deep dish after seeing these!!!
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      03-21-2009, 08:35 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tsr View Post
and Mine...this is becoming a very popular mod...







For all that Money you spend on upgrade etc. you could have gotten yourself a real M !
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      03-21-2009, 09:13 PM   #21
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damn,got me thinking now, i love the way the new bumper looks ,maybe next year when i'm inally home.
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      03-22-2009, 03:39 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dieter View Post
For all that Money you spend on upgrade etc. you could have gotten yourself a real M !
In normal circumstances I would have to agree with you. Tinkering with cars is a family business so all labour work etc is FREE P and most parts are discounted... I was thinking of buying an M before I started modding this one but the purchase price + insurance (I'm 24) put a complete stop to that!

xg3 I'll try an get some pics up soon (I haven't got any side on shots at the moment)...

P.S. I'm not trying to produce a fake M (just like the styling), I've still got the 3.0i badges on
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