BMW power windows in a 74 Westy

Westy Racer · Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 8:33 pm Post subject: BMW power windows in a 74 Westy

OK step one. Find an 86 Bimmer (just happens to be the year of a parts car I have) to get the window motors from. They offered power as an option. This is why it retrofits so easy! Cool

There are right and left motors. This is the left rear door. It's easier to get at the rear door motors.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Remove the bolts marked with yellow arrows. Bend the regulator anyway you have to to get it out. It's easier to bend than take it all apart. You don't need it anyway.

Remove the four screws that clamp the motor to the regulator...

Raise the metal cover and remove the motor from the regulator.

Remove the VW Bus regulator. This is the right hand door. I used the right hand motor for this one.

Drill out the rivets holding the hand crank gear in place. The motor bolts up here nicely with the exact same drive gear!

Once the rivets are drilled out, pry off the cover.

Here's the stock hand crank and the BMW motor. Same drive gear!!

After installation on the regulator cable, two notches need to be made in the metal tubing. A pair of side cutters work well. This is a very important step as it captures the motor onto the regulator cable. This needs to be a solid clamping point! No slip!

Here's the regulator with the BMW motor attached.

It installs nicely in the stock location. One of the studs on the back of the motor lines up with the old crank mount hole.

You can see the mounted motor here with the switch wired up. I used the switches located in the console.

Here's the Wiring color code on the switch wires for the front window switches:

Purple = motor feed
Black = motor feed
Green = 12V+
Two Browns = ground

Simple. It works great. Next I'm mounting the armrest to some custom door panles. I'll flush mount the switch in the door panel.

I'm working on adapting the power mirrors as well. Wink

_________________
If it don't werk, mess with it!
If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway...
74 Westy Custom werk in progress!!

Bus #10 - VW #27 I'm a freak... so are U!

ratwell · Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 8:44 pm Post subject:

Superb and very original.
_________________
'78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab Sweden
Read the Baywindow FAQ

Westy Racer · Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 9:16 pm Post subject:

Thank you... Wink

_________________
If it don't werk, mess with it!
If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway...
74 Westy Custom werk in progress!!

Bus #10 - VW #27 I'm a freak... so are U!

DurocShark · Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 9:23 pm Post subject:

Awesome! Great idea and excellent research and documentation!
_________________
No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow.

chris331 · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 4:25 am Post subject:

Nice job... How much time / money / effort did you use?

Be sure to post pics after you mount the switch in... that will look slick!
_________________
'72 Deluxe Transporter

Westy Racer · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 8:39 am Post subject:

I got the car for free from a BMW tech at the local dealer. He had an auto-crosser in mind when he got it. It was a theft recovery with no lights or grille. He had to get it off his property and offered it to me right after I bought my custom 86 325e 2-door, which is for sale by the way. $1800...

....goin back to the VW Bus as the only vehicle I own. This is Bus #10 and VW #20 for me. Cool

Anyway, the motors cost about $40 - $60 each, from what I can gather online. Switches I'd guess $10 a piece on. Installation took about an hour on the first door, 30 minutes on the second. That's not including any permanent wiring. I just hooked up some leads to test it. Finish wiring should take about another hour. I'll tap the 12V+ that's at the rear window defogger switch. I believe that is a 20 amp fused lead.

ALWAYS put a fuse on custom electrical stuffs boys and girls. Thank You! Confused

Remember, the only parts you need are the motor and the switch!
That's what's so cool about this conversion.

I'll be working on those power mirrors today... Wink

_________________
If it don't werk, mess with it!
If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway...
74 Westy Custom werk in progress!!

Bus #10 - VW #27 I'm a freak... so are U!

DurocShark · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 9:02 am Post subject:

I have a question:

I don't know about your windows, but mine seem to have quite a bit of resistance. How quickly does the motor move the window up/down?

I really think this is something I want. At least on the passenger side where my wife sits. She has Lupus and even cranking a window sometimes is difficult for her.
_________________
No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow.

ratwell · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 11:59 am Post subject:

USMCbug · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 12:16 pm Post subject:

Damn thats cool. I might add that to my to do list.

My windows go up and down as smooth as silk. My bugs windows are harder to roll than my bays.
_________________
72 Super Beetle
73 Standard Beetle
79 Baywindow Bus
65 Split Window Bus
79 Baywindow Bus
71 Super Beetle (current)

"When war does come, my advice is to draw the sword and throw away the
scabbard."
- General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson

Westy Racer · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 4:12 pm Post subject:

like ratwell says... clean the regulator cable. Relube it with a good spray lube.

It takes about 4 - 5 seconds of motor run time to operate the windows, just like a BMW! Wink

_________________
If it don't werk, mess with it!
If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway...
74 Westy Custom werk in progress!!

Bus #10 - VW #27 I'm a freak... so are U!

tristessa · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 7:04 pm Post subject:

Interesting. Very, very interesting. I betcha that same motor would work on some Bugs as well -- I've got a couple of '65 T1 regulators here and they're that "type" .. unlike my TIII Fasty which uses an arm. (though I wonder if the motor could be adapted to to that as well .. gonna have to get one and play around)

HmmmMMmmm Twisted Evil

Westy Racer · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 8:21 pm Post subject:

5 series BMW's have arms on the power windows.. One could adapt that as well, but some fabrication and welding would be needed. I should think that the BMW 3 series motor would work on any German cable driven regulator.

I messed with the power mirros today a bit. They go where the wing window resides on a Bus. Crying or Very sad

I may still have a way to mod them and utilise the stock mounting hole.
_________________
If it don't werk, mess with it!
If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway...
74 Westy Custom werk in progress!!

Bus #10 - VW #27 I'm a freak... so are U!

themadcap · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 10:44 pm Post subject: bmw power windows

does it have to be an 86 BMW 3 series?? or any other model will do (dunno much about bmw's)

Westy Racer · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 11:08 pm Post subject:

I'm guessing anything from 84 - 89 e 30 chassis... 325 318 etc.
_________________
If it don't werk, mess with it!
If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway...
74 Westy Custom werk in progress!!

Bus #10 - VW #27 I'm a freak... so are U!

cdprops · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 5:12 am Post subject: electric windows

I could not see the images in the first few directions. Anyway you can p-mail them? cdprops_at_phonom_dot_net
Thanks
_________________
78 Westy
"Phil Smiley"

Westy Racer · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 9:07 am Post subject:

I'm using a free hosting site... looks like they suck!

Looks like I need some server space...
_________________
If it don't werk, mess with it!
If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway...
74 Westy Custom werk in progress!!

Bus #10 - VW #27 I'm a freak... so are U!

mightyart · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 9:13 am Post subject:

Post your photos to the gallery, them get the web address. and link them here.
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My Art:
http://www.instagram.com/flynn8552/

Westy Racer · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 9:15 am Post subject:

Cool. I was wondering if that was OK. I thought maybe it was reserved for VeeDubs. Thanks for the tip. Wink

.....done!
_________________
If it don't werk, mess with it!
If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway...
74 Westy Custom werk in progress!!

Bus #10 - VW #27 I'm a freak... so are U!

tristessa · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 2:51 pm Post subject:

GfunkBus76 · Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:05 pm Post subject:

Nice work

Almost exactly what I did, except I salvaged my motors from a 1986 Maserati BiTurbo. It seems like the gears are a standard size. I was exactic when I realized the motor would fit to the gear with no other customizing.

Quite and easy and rewarding job eh? Good documentation on it too westy racer. Its the info others really need to do what we've done.

I unfortunately never took any pics! You know how it is, just get too damn excited doing it !!

I've only wired it up for testing at this point also, seems to go up and down with ease, i plan to wire a control for passenger's window on the drivers side also, or maybe mount the switches somewhere more central. Best o luck!
_________________
Gavin
1976 Westy - Customzation in slow-progress.
-8V TD swap
It Runs! -- http://youtu.be/kT5hOtwiOgk
And drives! - https://youtu.be/rVkoAgeOop0


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