BBS RS wheels

[jranmann]

Hi everyone...

My name is Randy and I'm new to the board here.

I have driven BMW for more than 30 years and as most of you, have owned a few... My 2002 was as bulletproof as they said it would be (back in college) and I currently drive an '83 633 US car that I have nutured for over 20 years. I am no longer a 'new' BMW kind of guy as the models certainly don't live up to their over-blown reputations.

With my interest in the preservation of myself and all old BMW coupes running neck and neck financially, I am beginning my search for that special e9 Coupe (2800 or 3.0) This is why I joined you all here on the board. Anyone here with an nice example (max $20,000 with a possible trade for the e24) One with minimal rust please, that's been kept up well, has a sunroof...and is NOT blue (in any of the many BMW varieties) Would be especially interested in say, a restorable Alpina converted 2800. Feel free to PM.

On another note: Not that they are in any way period correct but I have a staggered set of BBS RS 16" Style 005-6 wheels for my e24 Coupe...Offset is RT-11 and RT-24 respectively...I have seen a few of these older Coupes with them installed, not sure I like the look.will but could get used to it as they are fabulous wheels ... so will they work as well on the e9?

...or maybe use 'em for snow tires? (Just kidding!)

Nice to be aboard and I look forward to meeting all of you at some point...

Randy

 

[pereztroika]

so will they work as well on the e9?

Hi Randy

I've got those wheels on my 3.0 CSi. Only difference is the rear size, where I have the BBS RS 022 which measures 9x16 ET24 with 245/45 R16.

Take a look:

I like the polished look. It fits the chrome of the car. But somehow I'm playing with the idea of going back to the original look.


Cheers Jose

 

[jranmann]

" like the polished look. It fits the chrome of the car. But somehow I'm playing with the idea of going back to the original look."

I sorta agree Jose. With a dark color it makes the car look far too much like a 250SL mercedes with an attitude that just is not fitting for such a subtle coupe as the e9 being a bit understated and of course the ever present but unsaid fact that pure bred poodles are definitely NOT allowed! IMHO, this is not so much of an issue on a white or the lighter color examples.

You are also so correct as the offset on the sixer means the might not fit the e9 so nicely given the offset for both front and rear remains at RT-11mm so the extra wheel space is hidden on the Sixer but is required for the proper fit on the outer lip for the rear on the e9 coupe.

Thanks for your comment!

 

[Bill Riblett]

On another note: Not that they are in any way period correct but I have a staggered set of BBS RS 16" Style 005-6 wheels for my e24 Coupe...Offset is RT-11 and RT-24 respectively...I have seen a few of these older Coupes with them installed, not sure I like the look.will but could get used to it as they are fabulous wheels ... so will they work as well on the e9?

11mm front and 24mm rear are the correct offsets for E9s. However, you may have to flatten the front fender wheel openings to avoid rubbing there. (can't thinnk fo the correct term for altering the fender) No problems in the rear, there is a lot more room back there.

 

[ElRey]

Bill,
It's "Roll the fender"
My 2 cents is I really like the RS look and have a set (in the basement) and with all the modifications I'm doing, being period correct is not really an option : >

 

[gazzol]

Hi Randy, Welcome to the board and hope you enjoy your stay. In my opinion the RS is a great wheel and they look great on a coupe. The offset is correct (as stated) for the E9 but (also stated) you MAY have to get the fender lip rolled. Maybe its because the E9 was hand built and therefore there are variations from body to body but some people have clearance issues with the front fenders and others (myself included) don't. Only other bummer is if you like the CSL chrome arch extensions but your fender lip needs rolling you can't have the extensions as they are screwed to the fender lip.
Gary

 

[jranmann]

Hi guys...!

Thanks for your kind responses...The wheels in question ARE very nice, light and strong and well worth the $1800 it cost to purchase a restored RT 11/24 set. Being 'period correct' as I have been in the past is not so important to me anymore as my white e24 Sixer (above) has been perfect for years and it's still worth far less than what I have into it...I need a new challenge, with less plastic!

*BTW the reason some coupes seem to require lip rolling and some do not may have a lot to do with the thick spacers that were installed (Max Hoffman) at the top of the shock towers beneath the bearings there to raise the front of the chassis (just enough) so these imported cars could pass the DOT headlight height requirements set back in the early seventies. Either someone along the way has removed yours OR you never had them on the older 2800's and you might like having the body sit more evenly OR the spacers are still there...Make sense? "Why roll when you can enjoy having lip?" IMHO those chrome lip guards actually make the 2800 look civilized...oh that reminds me does anyone know who owns this Coupe?

This is Duane Sword's Alpina Coupe restored by Vintage Sports and Racing in New Hampshire http://www.vsr1.com/
Question is: Anyone have good things to say about Mario's work there?

To continue: I don't wish to raise the hackles of any of the purists here (being a member of the long-term purist club myself) but my current best thinking on the e9 project is to go bold and to purchase a 2800 automatic that's cosmetically (interior complete) good and not too rusty and because that particular car is also not high on the " someone will most likely want to shy away from dropping $40k on this car to make it a perfectly stock car again" my plan shouldn't really impact the amount of Coupes left out there ... I plan to use a car that, like the $1500 rust bucket that John Cook has up for sale in our Classifieds...it's is almost unusable for a stock restoration IMHO anyway.

What I plan to do is strengthen/repair and seal both the chassis and complete body shell to make it as water resistant as possible and then re-engineer the hydraulics, brakes and the engine bay electrics to accept a newly rebuilt 4.6 liter V8 from a 10 year old e39 Alpina donor car and have Alpina do the overhaul as the motor may just come from Germany anyway.

The green Alpina above with the stock retro kit put out 250hp with it's triple carb M30 engine set up...not surprisingly the V8 weights 15 pounds less total. The block is aluminum and the bores on that particular engine are cast from a special material to not break down under use of non-leaded gas AND they shed heat much more evenly and quickly.

The BMW M62 is a V8 piston engine, built in Munich, Germany. It has an aluminum block with 98 mm bore centers and two aluminum DOHC cylinder heads. The M62 block is unique in that it does not use cast iron liners, which are less able to dissipate heat than aluminum. The aluminum alloy used to manufacture the M62 block contains high levels of silicon (called Alusil). The block is etched to expose the silica, creating a bearing surface in the cylinder. The earlier M60 V8 used Nikasil cylinder wall coating, which was abandoned for Alusil after the adverse effects of burning gasoline containing sulfur in nickel plated combustion chambers were discovered. All M62 engines use Alusil blocks, which is not subject to the corrosion problem associated with Nikasil.

Here's the specs on the power...I am not a fan of over-powered cars by any means but having this much horsepower (347) and especially the torque of over 350 lb. ft means that I can add the extra weight to the chassis and still get away from having a turbo coupe which often are a source of never ending issues.


The M62B46 was a 4.6 L (4,619 cc (281.9 cu in)) version producing 255 kW (347 PS; 342 hp) and 480 N·m (354 lb·ft) of torque.
1997-2002 E39 Alpina B10

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_BMW_engines

I'll mate the engine to a M steptronic automatic (I'm sick of shifting anyway all the time and my doctor says that because of my childhood polio I will be in a wheelchair soon if I don't start driving an automatic) and driveline..I do like the steptronic with manual shift quite a bit and have owned a newer 3 series touring which worked quite well for me...I think that actually GM makes that transmission for BMW IIRC?

So imagine that guys...it's a CS coupe with a Motorsport designed engine done up by Alpina and for once in my life i'll have a vehicle that is almost perfect for me in the sense of smooth power, drivability comfort, and reliable as a new one.

What more could an old BMW guy like me actually wish for? Any comments regarding the many technical challenges that await me are certainly welcome and encouraged.

Cheers!

Ran