400-2
BODY-GENERAL
4-door
Sedan
Coupe
-
saas3
.7""
351
/
37
.3
O
I
x
`-193
267
o
oa
'3281
model
"M3
model
Convertible
BODYASSEMBLY
55
ass
.e
iss
""
-
66
.9
-
Fig
.
2
.
E36
body
dimensíons
.
BODY
ASSEMBLY
29
.4
29
4
The
BMW
3
Series
chassis
is
a
unibodydesign
constructed
ofhigh
strength
steel
.
Attaching
parts,
suchas
the
front
fend-
ers,
rear
quarter
panels,
doors,
trunk
lid
and
hood
are
also
constructed
of
steel
.
706
.31108
.7"
I
38
.5
174
.5
174
.5
O
oo
196
.3/106
.7'
"
35_5
1.
.
55
.9,566
".
106
.3/196
.7""
i.
358
-1745-
55
9/56
3'/56
6"
-
J
0013099
Windows
bonded
flush
to
the
body
and
the
guided
flow
of
cooling
air
into
the
engine
compartment
provide
a
good
coeffi-
cient
of
drag(CD)
.
TheE36
cars
have
a
CD
of
approximately
0
.30for
the
sedan
and
coupe
models,
and
0
.35
for
the
con-
vertible
models
:
The
exterior
panels
are
corrosion-resistant
zinc
coated
steel
.
The
front
fenders
are
bolted
on
and
easily
replaceabie
.
The
body
styles
of
E36
cars
coveredby
this
manual
arethe
See410
Fenders,
Engine
Hood
.
4-door
sedan,
2-door
coupe
and
convertible
.
Body
dimen-
sions
vary
slightly
betweenmodels
.
See
Fig
.
2
.
The
front
and
rear
bumpers
use
an
aluminum
framework
with
an
overlaid
high-impact,
deformable
plastic
cover
.
This
Exterior
and
Aerodynamics
bumper
system
keeps
damage
to
a
minimum
in
head-on
colli-
sions
of
up
to
10
m
.p
.h
.
(15
km/h)
.
See
510
Exterior
Trim,
TheE36
can
be
immediatelyrecognized
asa
typical
BMW
.
Bumpers
.
With
its
traditionalstyling
features,
suchas
the
BMW
kidney
grille,
circular
headlights
behind
a
glass
cover
(for
reasons
of
streamliníng),
and
the
"kick"
in
the
rearmost
roof
pillar
(C-pil-
lar)
.
The
left
latch
in
the
fully
automatic
version
hastwo
mi-
croswitches
(S7
and
S8)which
signal
open,
closed
and
latched
states
.
See
Fig
.
8
.
The
length
of
the
dead
center
point
rod
is
critica¡
lo
correct
opening
and
latching
of
the
convertible
top
.
See
Fig
.
9
.
Dead
Center
Point
Rod
"
Dimension
A
........
205
.5
f
1
mm
(8
.09
t0
.04
in)
Visor
Latch
Motor
The
fully
automatic
convertible
top
is
latched
and
unlatched
by
one
electric
motor
installed
in
the
front
roof
bow
.
To
re-
place,
remove
front
cover
trim
from
the
roof
.
Remove
electri-
cal
harness
connectors
from
motor,
andremove
mounting
screws
.
Slide
the
motor
off
the
output
shafts
to
the
left
and
right
latches
.
During
reinstallation,
theoutput
shafts
must
be
tumed
until
the
S8
microswitch
in
the
left
latch
is
tripped
.
Convertible
top
and
frame,
replacing
1
.
Open
convertible
top
partially
.
Open
convertible
top
lid
.
Fig
.
9
.
Preset
lengthof
dead
centerpoint
rod
.
Open
back
windows
.
2
.
Fully
automatic
power
convertible
top
:
Remove
front
cover
trim
from
top
.
Disconnect
electrical
harness
con-
nectors
from
frontlatch
motor
.
Disconnect
connectors
from
S7
and
S8
microswitches
at
left
latch
.
Motors
M1
Convertible
top
M2
Convertible
top
lid
M3Front
latch
(fully
automatic
top)
Microswitches
S1
&S2
In
convertible
top
motor
S3
In
convertible
top
storage
compartment
S4
In
top
linkage
(semi-automatic
only)
S5
In
luggage
compartment
latch
S6
In
right
convertible
top
lid
latch
S7&S8
In
left
conv
.
top
latch
(fully
automatic)
Fig
.
8
.
Locationof
automatic
and
semi-automatic
convertible
latch
mechanisms,
motors
and
microswitches
.
CONVERTIBLE
TOP
541-5
POWER
CONVERTIBLE
TOP
