OEM Plus - Products that Preserve the Connection Between Car and Driver

The term “OEM Plus” has become a common term among automotive enthusiasts. It can mean different things to different people, but generally it alludes to a particular car maintaining some of its originality as it ages and evolves within the general spirit of the OEM manufacturer. 

As classic BMW’s age, more and more enthusiasts and collectors tend to strive for originality in their builds and restoration projects, straying away from excessive modifications and upgrades.

This approach is optimal for the car’s long term value and desirability. 

“OEM Plus” offers a unique categorization of products for a company like Condor Speed Shop to cater to and with that concept in mind, we have a lot to offer.

Firstly, we specialize in bushings and as highlighted in a previous article, our control arm bushings fit the bill as the perfect OEM Plus upgrade. The use of the self lubricating plastic UHMW proves far superior to factory rubber both in the short and long term.

Additionally, these bushings are all sold with a lifetime warranty and can also be purchased pre pressed into the OEM style carriers.

This makes for peace of mind and ease of installation.

With options available for E30, E36 and E46, they truly are an upgrade to be considered by any enthusiast while staying true to the original geometry and steering feel intended by the manufacturer. 

Another batch of bushings which sometimes go overlooked are the pedal bushings. Whether it’s a brake pedal, accelerator pedal or clutch pedal bushing, these small parts are responsible for a huge part of the feedback a driver will receive from his pedal inputs while driving.

These are made from a wearable hard plastic from the factory which over time will crack and wither away. Condor offers solutions made from durable Delrin for these little guys, which are a welcome improvement. 

Another area where you will find an assortment of small, rubber OEM bushings are within the shifter assemblies for manual cars. Whether it's a 2002, an E90, E39 or anything in between, shifter slop will be a common issue which needs to be addressed to improve the driving experience. Here, we offer Delrin carrier bushings as well as OEM style shift rebuild components that will help clear up those issues and give the driver the crisp shifting feel originally intended by BMW.  

The next batch of products which can also only be viewed as a true improvement over original factory parts are the steering couplers and steering shaft conversion kits available for E30, E36 and E46. The “school bus” steering feel is a very common problem on aging BMW’s and part of that problem lies within the OEM rubber couplers linking the steering shaft to the rack. In many cases, these oem components are worn and withering away as well (as you can see, a common theme within this article).

Condor offers an aluminum replacement that can only be described as superior to any rubber solution. Additionally, we offer steering shaft conversion kits which include replacement shafts and guibos. 

Combine these with a fresh set of control arm bushings and the vehicle’s steering will literally be transformed.

One matter of note regarding all steering components is that they are sold as race products only and should always be installed by a professional. 

Moving onto the car’s braking system, many of these cars are fitted with rubber brake caliper guide bushings. Over time, these can twist and cause an inconsistent pedal feel similar to that of the pedal bushings which we mentioned earlier. Condor uses high-quality brass for their caliper guide bushings, and they are available in both race and street trims depending on how pristine the application.

Though these items are a must have for BMW race cars, they are a welcome addition to more docile street machines as well, yet again improving the driving experience and not to mention having a positive influence on safety.

Moving onto the car’s drivetrain, there is one basic component that is wise to inspect and replace whenever servicing a clutch or transmission. The OEM BMW clutch pivot pins are made out of plastic and are known to flatten and/or snap over time. A simple solution to this problem is found in our brass and stainless steel pivot pins.

This simple upgrade is a must-do when servicing a car’s clutch, and simply provides optimal reliability for the owner.

Lastly, we move on to yet another key batch of components within the car's hydraulic system which are also made originally from rubber. The condition of a car’s brake and clutch lines are crucial to both performance and safety. On aging cars, the stock rubber lines will become worn, bloated, and sometimes in extreme cases may even develop cracks. Instead of replacing them with more of what got you there in the first place, it is truly ideal to consider upgrading to Condor’s stainless steel brake and clutch lines.

These lines include a full lifetime guarantee and will absolutely transform the car’s hydraulic performance. Additionally, they are made in the USA under the highest of standards. 

A common theme for these OEM Plus products is that many of them are unseen on the car. This alludes to the fact just how performance based they are and that performance is only matched by the superior build quality and standards which Condor instills within our products.

This also proves the old adage that all of the unseen parts are what matter most, especially in these cars.

Furthermore, Condor’s connection to our customer’s needs resonates very well within the community as our efforts are truly focused on improving the driver’s connection with their car through every imaginable input and detail . 

As values for classic BMW’s continue to climb and more and more are being preserved and brought back to their originality, it is a good idea to consider some of these modern solutions for the wearable components.

The quality and workmanship behind these OEM plus parts  will resonate for the remainder of the car’s life and will ensure peace of mind, durability and safety for the enthusiast.