bmwe21.net forums

I'm building a Euro spec E12 535i after assembling parts for 20 years and I'm looking for Euro instruments... Would anyone know if the E12 instruments- speedo-tacho-fuel-temp are interchangeable with the E21?

I"ve been looking for a tach with the green & red stripe and have found one for an E21 and wonder if it will fit AND work properly in my 6 cyl E12. I am thinking most-if not all E21's were 4 cyl and would have "4 zyl" tachs? Did BMW build anything like a E21 323 w/ a small six?

Any help appreciated!

Hi, welcome here! Where are you based?

There are two types of 6 cillinders in the e21, an m20 2.0 carb and a m20 2.3 injection, the 320/6 and the 323i.

But the size of the instumentcluster is different, I don't think it is a straight swap.

Why not get the right e12 cluster?

Oh, and we need lots of pics of your e12, there is a separate e12 section in offtopic, and there are a few m535i topics there. Also my e12 528i.

Howdy Uwbuurman!

Thanks for the info... Right now i'm in Australia but will soon be back in North Carolina where "my Bro'" has been running an Indie BMW shop near Virginia Int'l Raceway...so we're some Furreners in NASCAR country. He also builds (primarily) E36 M3 Track Cars and having "American Iron" racing resources close by is a huge plus. the quality of the welded roll cages and motor building is terrific.

Brudder wanted the 'Green' safe zone tacho for the build but they are long gone from BMW and to find a 6 zyl. and mod it to fit is not 'factory' to us... so I'm currently chasing a 'new old stock' E12 Euro Large KPH/small MPH Speedo and a new 70 Liter gas gauge.
I found a great near new cluster in Poland for $75 in Oct. with the correct speedo, spare tacho, Petrol in liters, etc. and USPS managed to send it from New Jersey to Texas where it sat lost in a warehouse for four weeks until they sent it back to Poland. This was Early Nov. and it still has not arrived back in Poland if it ever will...so on to plan B. All the new, original E12 parts are disappearing or gone so i've become an international parts scavenger.

My 1990 RHD Mercedes 500SL got the last 'passenger side' Royal Blue Sun Visor with Auto-Illuminated Vanity Mirror and the last Royal Blue "Pyrotechnic" auto-tensioning $1000 passenger side seatbelt in MB's worldwide inventory, when the belt's ratchet/spring retractor gave up and could not be repaired. Of course, shipping them is classified as an Explosive Device, and here in Oz, it's illegal to EVER install used safety equipment. If caught, the installing shop gets a mega-fine and loses their Repair Shop License.

I've been a BMW guy from ages 20 to fifty owning everything from an Arctic Blue 2002 to a Anthracite metallic with red leather '84 533i 5sp that still rates as my favorite car i've ever owned; although my Merc 300E has been the least expensive-most reliable car I've ever owned... 220k km on the clock and it runs like a 1-2 yr old, well maintained car.

Here in Oz, BMW's are sick expensive so i own three MB's... a '82 280CE Coupé, a 1990 300E, and a 1990 500SL British self-import w/33k original miles on it. And i went thru "Manual Trans withdrawal" as my left thigh muscle atrophied after six months of non-use.

I'm still looking for that low mileage E36 M3 Coupe in Techno-Violet!

I'll be sure to post pics of the E12 build. The motor is machined out to 3.5 l, custom pistons, Shrick cam, etc. and 'Brudder' has been hoarding parts for this build since he got the car in 1980 and was his DD till he retired it.

Best Regards-mog