Is this side trim an original OEM optional part for my 1972 3.0 CSI

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ocra67

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Hello,
Could anyone shed some light if this side body trim (dark blue color rubber insert) on my newly acquired 1972 3.0 CSI is an OEM original optional part.
I am in the process of repainting the car and I am debating if I should keep this side trim which I have never seen on any other 3.0 CS or CSI pictures.
I have removed all the trim on the car and the holes don't look like they where drilled afterwards to accommodate the trim, the holes look identical to the top chrome body trim that you find around the rest of the car.
Does anyone have any other information regarding this trim.
 

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ocra67 said:
Hello,
Could anyone shed some light if this side body trim (dark blue color rubber insert) on my newly acquired 1972 3.0 CSI is an OEM original optional part.
I am in the process of repainting the car and I am debating if I should keep this side trim which I have never seen on any other 3.0 CS or CSI pictures.
I have removed all the trim on the car and the holes don't look like they where drilled afterwards to accommodate the trim, the holes look identical to the top chrome body trim that you find around the rest of the car.
Does anyone have any other information regarding this trim.
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keep it, it is ssoooooo cooooool ;-)!
 
The car has already been repainted so maybe the holes look fine because they were done carefully and repainted. Is there such a thing as an OEM hole?
 
Does not look like BMW accesory catalog side trim. Even if it was, if I were repainting I would remove it for better aesthetics.
 
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+1 I have an accesory catalogue from BMW which shows available side trim but it doesn't look like this.

HB Chris said:
Never delivered on a coupe, a dealer could have done it at customer request but it is definitely after market.
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Congrats on the new coupe!

She looks great! Some may like the trim, i guess it's a matter of preference but it definitely does not look BMW to me and since "no trim there" is definitely BMW I would remove it- you could re add it for allot less than plugging the holes after it's painted- Good luck though whichever way you go!
 
dascoupeguy said:
I would dump it...IMHO. DCG
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I vote to dump it as well. In my opinion it looks odd; the metallic upper trim strip (factory) just doesn't match the lower rubber lower strip. The two fight with each other. I predict that if you don't remove it while you are doing body & paint, you'll regret it later.

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Likely dealer added at customer request, (and expense.) Dealer profit item. (You really need that Perma-Plate protection and the optional trim package, sir!) Seen it on many coupes over the years.

Probably protected from lots of door dings at the cost of no improvement over stock aesthetics. And some holes which need to be plugged prior to paint. Lose it. Perfect time to do it now if you're going to repaint.
 
I'm with Erik... There was a time when aftermarket "door ding protectors" were all that, and I think this is a remnant from that era. They are worthy if you are severely allergic to door dings and/or you park in crowded anonymous shopping mall lots, where door dings will happen at a rapid rate, or if your stall in the condo lot is next to someone who doesn't give a rip.

I do think they conflict with the belt line chrome trim, but if you want to keep them, there's a reason to do so.
 
I would remove it, fill in the holes for the repaint.
Then put the strips back on with black 3m double sides tape, but maybe sitting 1 to 2 inch lower to match the level of the bumper strip.
And later when you are sick of it, just remove it. :mrgreen:
 
Another one..

Here:

http://bringatrailer.com/2008/09/25/bargain-driver-1974-bmw-30cs-coupe/

Seller Picasa link is dead..

I discovered this option on a 3.0 CSi (one of the last) in 1986 in France, on a car I wanted to buy.

The seller told me it was done, on demand, by a sub-contractor of BMW, as an anti-caddies protection in the supermarket (?)

Ugly and definitely not on the list of BMW E9 options.
 
Here is one I saw back in 2006 on a Polaris coupe. Not my taste, but not offensive either.
 

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These riveted body side moldings were aftermarket and quite common during the era where slab sided cars picked up door dings on a daily basis. I personally had three cars so equipped between 1979 and 1987 by local trim shops and the good news is that when they were sold, their doors were ding free. Note that paint-less dent removal had not yet been "invented" and ding free doors were worth the effort for many people. Fast forward 30 plus years and they are now equivalent to a large wart on one's nose !

By 1999 someone had come up with magnetic rubber side moldings cut to fit that could be attached and detached at will and accomplished the same result. I bought my sister a set for her then new Black Jaguar XJR as it ended up in a public parking lot daily. Slightly inconvenient but no one ever stole them so I guess it was an acceptable tradeoff.
 
My Coupe was a daily driver at one time and I put the stick on type side protection because I hate door dings. It has been hit hard enough with a door to put a little ripple in the body even with the protectors. I am now to lazy to remove them and have gotten used to the look. I guess I will have to be the black sheep of the Coupe family.
 
THOSE ARE DEFINITELY NOT ORIGINAL! IN THE 1970s I USED TO INSTALL THEM...

Those are definitely NOT OEM (Original BMW) moldings... How do I know?

Because when I was in High School in the 1970s my after school job was working for a company that went to Auto Dealers to install aftermarket accessories. Including the drill+rivet moldings. A couple of us 17 year old kids drilling 30-40 holes in the sides of brand new cars! And yes we did screw up once in a while and brake a drill bit and scratch the hell out of a few cars...

We would put a piece of masking tape down the side to mark the level line then one guy would drill followed by myself with the pop-rivet gun. I hated that part after 30-40 rivets per car my hands hurt! A car took about 15 minutes and cost $19.95.

We would go to every New Car Dealer from Rolls Royce to BMW to Jaguar to Mercedes to Fords even VW Bugs sometimes in the same day.
 
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