Installing Side Markers

firestorm · Jan 30, 2002

I have a '90 LS coupe and I bought some auxillary side markers to put on it. I was just wondering what is the easiest way to put them in. Would it be easiest to take the whole fender off? And how should I wire them? I was thinking about just tapping the line to the front corner marker lamps(they are the same bulbs - 194). But, this would leave them on all the time. Most of the casing on the sidemarkers is aluminum but the lense is plastic... could a lil' 194 bulb melt it if left on all the time? What could I coat the bare sheet metal with along the edge to keep it from rusting? thanks in advance for all the help... I'm just a lil hesitant before drilling wholes in my baby.

'90 LS coupe

20% tint
Custom clear bumper lenses
Custom mesh grill
Kenwood 10 disc CD
166,000 miles

92coupeon18s · Jan 17, 2002

just run the wires to your corner lights as for putting them in u wil have to drill the hole and put some weather resistant paint or whatever to keep it from rusting. be carefull haha u only get one shot at this. i bought some and though twice about drilling into the legend and changed my mind.

firestorm · Jan 30, 2002

thanx for the info... i'm nervous about putting them in but ya know... i hope itll work out... ill let ya know once i get them in how it goes.

'90 LS coupe

20% tint
Custom clear bumper lenses
Custom mesh grill
Kenwood 10 disc CD
166,000 miles

92coupeon18s · Jan 17, 2002

it will work i just couldnt get the nuts to do it and yellow river collsion wanted $100 to do them so there just sitting in my garage till i do something with them

firestorm · Jan 30, 2002

Hey,
What kind of sidemarkers did you get? I was looking at the sidemarkers i got and when i took them out they look like really cheap construction. All plastic- and the cover looks like it will fall off. What are your sidemarkers like? Would you be willing to sell them?

'90 LS coupe

20% tint
Custom clear bumper lenses
Custom mesh grill
Kenwood 10 disc CD
166,000 miles

92coupeon18s · Jan 17, 2002

M3 sinde markers. i migh tbe willing to sell them but i need to think about it ill get back to you

Triton3K · Jan 17, 2002

I went to the BMW dealership yesterday and they wanted $34 for a pair of clear sidemarkers. I might go back and get them.

92coupeon18s · Jan 17, 2002

i would i personally like them the best out of any aftermarket ones they look good. take out a Z8 while your there

firestorm · Jan 30, 2002

I just don't know how Z3 side markers would look on a G1 coupe with stock rims... I would prefer the rectangle instead of the slanted rectangle... however thnx for the info... I heard bmw dealer lights would be like a ton of money. But if they are BMW dealer lights they must be good quality. I'll check that out.

'90 LS coupe

20% tint
Custom clear bumper lenses
Custom mesh grill
Kenwood 10 disc CD
166,000 miles

LegendGS · Jan 17, 2002

Alright, I'll share.

Here's an alternative you can consider if you're afraid of cutting into your fender. It's on my GS, but I'm sure you can do the same on your G1. You will still have to cut it, but the hole will be behind your fender moulding. I built mine flush with the fender moulding, but you can mount it on top of the moulding if you prefer.

Triton3K · Jan 17, 2002

LegendGS said:
Alright, I'll share.

Here's an alternative you can consider if you're afraid of cutting into your fender. It's on my GS, but I'm sure you can do the same on your G1. You will still have to cut it, but the hole will be behind your fender moulding. I built mine flush with the fender moulding, but you can mount it on top of the moulding if you prefer.

holy cow batman, that looks very very very freaking good. I hope you don't get upset if I decide to do that to my sedan. It looks amazing as if the side markers were standard on the car.

LegendGS · Jan 17, 2002

Triton3K said:
holy cow batman, that looks very very very freaking good. I hope you don't get upset if I decide to do that to my sedan. It looks amazing as if the side markers were standard on the car.

Fine... You can do it if you want

q12eusg · Feb 27, 2002

props man, That looks really slick!

92coupeon18s · Jan 17, 2002

so you got a little side marker and took the side molding off and cut a hole in it and put the marker behind it or what??? and what side marker is that i love that look ALOT!!! thanks

LegendGS · Jan 17, 2002

Well, it was a little more work than that.

After cutting the mouldings to fit around the side markers, I had to patch using body filler around the edge to build it and smooth it to where it is snug and even around the lens. It took some shaping, sanding, and filing to get it to look snug. Then of course was primer, paint, and clear coat.

It's actually a lot of work, but that's how I have always wanted it.

FutureX 2001 · Jan 17, 2002

LegendGS do you have any pictures of this at night? or when the sun is *just* about to go down?

92coupeon18s · Jan 17, 2002

sounds good to me i can definately handle doing that. one question first doest he side molding jus tpull off or what? thaks

--cody

WhiteLegend · Jan 18, 2002

LegendGS said:
Well, it was a little more work than that.

After cutting the mouldings to fit around the side markers, I had to patch using body filler around the edge to build it and smooth it to where it is snug and even around the lens. It took some shaping, sanding, and filing to get it to look snug. Then of course was primer, paint, and clear coat. It's actually a lot of work, but that's how I have always wanted it.

I did that with mine a while back, the side marker I got was a little bigger than yours. So I decided to just cut the molding in half, but it didn't turn out as good as yours. Actually I was dissatisfied with mine, so I bought some new molding and covered up the hole. (that's the whole beauty of drilling a hole behind the fender.)

How did you cut and trimed the molding? The molding was made out of this half rubber half plastic material, it was impossible to cut.

Avarice · Jan 17, 2002

LegendGS: Those sidemarkers look hot!! Which BMW sidemarker did you get? How big of a hole did you actually have to drill into the fender ?

LegendGS said:
Alright, I'll share.

Here's an alternative you can consider if you're afraid of cutting into your fender. It's on my GS, but I'm sure you can do the same on your G1. You will still have to cut it, but the hole will be behind your fender moulding. I built mine flush with the fender moulding, but you can mount it on top of the moulding if you prefer.
]

LegendGS · Jan 17, 2002

No, I don't have any dusk or night pictures of it yet.

The side mouldings are held on by clips which you can release from the back.

Cutting was done with the good old trusty Dremel.

A hole actually had to be cut and not drilled into the fender. It had to be large enough to swallow the entire side marker piece. That was done using a Dremel too.

The side-markers are of the 2001 BMW 7 series (clear lens).

Installing Side Markers

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