Z1 replacement front wings

Ian W

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2023
Points
6
Hi all, I'm trying to source some replacement front wings for my Z1 but not having any luck. I'm in the UK, have tried BMW Classic and all the various euro part, aurodoc, etc. but nowhere seems to have any stock. Could anyone help me please?
 

backseateducation

Zorg Guru (II)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Dec 30, 2021
Points
119
Location
Par, Cornwall
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:)
1000063345.jpg
 

Ian W

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2023
Points
6
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!:oops: :) 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...?
 

backseateducation

Zorg Guru (II)
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British Zeds
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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!
 

Kenhayes247

Zorg Guru (I)
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Jun 17, 2019
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Location
Meissendorf, Germany
Model of Z
3
A link to Potti's garage. They also appear to do carbon panels.
 

John_B

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British Zeds
The M44 Massive
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Derbyshire, UK
Model of Z
Z3 2.8 pre-facelift (Izzy)
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 :)
 

Ian W

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2023
Points
6
Thanks all for the responses, much appreciated - I will try out each of the suggestions to see if I have any options to choose from. :)
 

Ian W

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2023
Points
6
Just by way of an update for those interested:

I contacted all those ideas that were put forward plus seeing if I could convince some Superyacht composite specialists working at Port Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth UK, to use my original wings as a mould. Unfortunately, every avenue came to a dead-end apart from one! Edeldesign Tuning in Germany had one pair of carbon wings in stock. So, long story short, I'm now feeling very poor whilst they are being packaged for delivery to the UK...... I also now need to work out how to justify this expenditure to the wife....... so has anyone tried sleeping in their Z1, asking for a friend?! :p;)

I'm sure those interested would like to know how much and I can't give a final figure yet as I'm still yet to find out how much VAT and duty will be. However, the price quoted to me from Edeldesign was 1,340 Euros for a single wing, not incl. german customs & insured delivery; or 2,730 Euros for the pair with all included. Naturally, I have no idea if this was a standard price (even if they had to make the wings from scratch,) or was a special price as they were in stock. So far, I can report their communication has been exemplary and they're updating on every step of the process.

Although I intend to get these painted, that first picture did make me think (if money was no object), how cool would a total carbon Z1 look...?:cool:
 

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Richard29

Zorg Guru (I)
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Mar 10, 2022
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Z3 3.0 Auto
Just by way of an update for those interested:

I contacted all those ideas that were put forward plus seeing if I could convince some Superyacht composite specialists working at Port Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth UK, to use my original wings as a mould. Unfortunately, every avenue came to a dead-end apart from one! Edeldesign Tuning in Germany had one pair of carbon wings in stock. So, long story short, I'm now feeling very poor whilst they are being packaged for delivery to the UK...... I also now need to work out how to justify this expenditure to the wife....... so has anyone tried sleeping in their Z1, asking for a friend?! :p;)

I'm sure those interested would like to know how much and I can't give a final figure yet as I'm still yet to find out how much VAT and duty will be. However, the price quoted to me from Edeldesign was 1,340 Euros for a single wing, not incl. german customs & insured delivery; or 2,730 Euros for the pair with all included. Naturally, I have no idea if this was a standard price (even if they had to make the wings from scratch,) or was a special price as they were in stock. So far, I can report their communication has been exemplary and they're updating on every step of the process.

Although I intend to get these painted, that first picture did make me think (if money was no object), how cool would a total carbon Z1 look...?:cool:
A carbon z would look awesome..
 

backseateducation

Zorg Guru (II)
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British Zeds
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Hi Ian thats brilliant news. I look forward to seeing the finished article!
My friend who spotted the car in the first place went back into the bodyshop today for a quote on his M3 and told me the good news.
I'll post up the BMW Car Club magazine piece I mentioned it in as soon as the next issue is out.
 

Pingu

Zorg Guru (III)
3rd Party Trader
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Dec 8, 2011
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I'd be tempted to contact Chris at Tribute Automotive, as he makes kit car bodies for Z3s. I'm sure he would make a few if he knew he could charge £1000 each, and everybody was happy.

info@tributeautomotive.co.uk

or


I know that he uses Facebook, and he is based in Dorset.
 

backseateducation

Zorg Guru (II)
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British Zeds
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Par, Cornwall
As promised!
This is the latest issue of what I'm sure some of you will recognise as the BMW Car Club magazine - you may read the rubbish I write every month already!
Guess I better write an update - this will appear in the September issue now.

IMG_20250806_181120.jpgIMG_20250806_181133.jpgIMG_20250806_181145.jpg
 
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