ttrousdell's Project Thread (E30 M3 & S38 swap content)

[ttrousdell]

smile for smileys

I finally got around to putting on the smileys I bought in Europe. Unfortunately they don't share the same connectors as the US headlights. The solution...use the connectors from the washer fluid pump since they are very similar then splice it all together.

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[ttrousdell]

For the last few weeks I have been slowly bringing my style 5s back to life. I never imagined it would take so much work to restore these wheels. Over 4 hours have been spent on the bolts alone. Below you can see the progression from first taken off the wheel, to wire brushed, then finally polished.

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You are looking at close to 6 hours of polishing right here. I started at 220 grit and ended at 1500. Finally a coat of mothers polish was applied. Eye candy.

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Finding a place to fill and redrill to 4x100 has proved to be much more difficult then I thought. Can anyone recommend a place that does this. I am willing to ship.

[toointoxicated60]

like i said on facebook....



BONER BONER BONER BONER BONER BONER

[F34R]

I am so glad you got those off of me! Glad knowing a friend is doing them well!!!!!

Just get some 2k grit and give them a wet sanding.

And to be honest, I love the wire brushed bolts best!

[CW325]

they look awesome! i cant wait to see them on the car

[ttrousdell]

I am so glad you got those off of me! Glad knowing a friend is doing them well!!!!!

Just get some 2k grit and give them a wet sanding.

And to be honest, I love the wire brushed bolts best!

I told you I would do them up right. I'm getting some 2000 grit from home depot and go over them again. Looks like the wheels are going to California since I cant find a place around me that does fill and drill.

http://www.vrwheels.com/redrill-service-for-bbs-rs-5x1143-to-4x100-p-2084.html

[MrNatural]

Just read this entire thread and all I can say is what a remarkable and fantastic job you have done from start to now! Hope you get the wheels sorted out,can't wait to see them on the car!

[Roysneon]

Dude, just go 5 lug haha. Those wheels are awesome and the car is looking good.

[F34R]

Thanks for the complements and yes they will have to be redrilled. They will also need 10mm spacers to clear the brake calipers and 57.1 to 72.56mm hub rings. Fenders will have to be rolled at the very least.
From the start of the build I have always tried to keep the stock look while trying to make the powerplant anything but. Its simple, no ridiculous body kits, no stickers, no roof racks, and no trinkets hanging off the car. The car should look like it did when it came out of the factory but make it lower and bigger weaves. Sorry if you disagree but this is my opinion.

This is how I have built every car I have owned. I told you I KNEW you were the man to have these wheels =) Doing it right my friend!

[ttrousdell]

Thanks friends for the positive feedback. A buddy of mine was selling his 5 lug set up. It took him ages to research/piece it together and its made from the parts of many different BMWs. To be honest I didn't feel like dealing with learning and installing it especially since I just spent close to a grand redoing my suspension. Its going to be a few more weeks for the wheels. Haven't even shipped them to California for fill and drill yet.

[joammo]

Can't you get some four to five lug adapters? I know when I lived in Germany the Germans would use them on their cars all the time. They are called lochkreis adapter in German. Like this for example...

http://cgi.ebay.de/H-R-Lochkreis-Adapter-90-mm-Felge-5-130-PKW-4-100-/370303221242?pt=DE_Autoteile&hash=item5637cabdfa

Here is a whole page of them from German eBay. The five lug is 5 x 120 right? So you would need a set that went 5-120-PKW-4-100 (PKW is an abbreviation they use for passenger car- personnen kraft wagen in case you didn't know or were wondering. Or maybe you don't even give a shit...LOL)

http://shop.ebay.de/i.html?_nkw=lochkreisadapter&_frs=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m359

It's nice having a German wife and having lived there for 9 years and worked at a BMW parts yard! Figure you can get a set of these shipped to you for a couple hundred bucks and they will have your spacer built right in.

Or if you prefer right here in the USA....http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-V...#ht_2640wt_729

[F34R]

Can't you get some four to five lug adapters? I know when I lived in Germany the Germans would use them on their cars all the time. They are called lochkreis adapter in German. Like this for example...

NOT AT ALL, the style 5s need a 10mm spacer to clear the calipers. Even with that the fenders need to be rolled and pulled a bit to fit. Adapters will give a TON of poke.

[joammo]

Bummer! I guess the easy way never works LOL!

[jacobh101]

just read your entire build page, keep up the good work. everything looks great!

[ttrousdell]

Thanks again for the compliments and taking the time to read my thread. I have been working overtime to complete the wheels before Bimmerstock. The centers will be back from fill and drill tomorrow but in the meantime the remaining barrels and bolts had to be restored. It total 136 bolts and 136 nuts were individually wire wheeled clean, polished, then finally given a layer of clear coat.



Centercaps came in. $17 each off amazon.



Finally finished up the barrels. The process for these three barrels was slightly different from my first try. To start, a layer of paint remover was applied. Once the clear coat was off the sanding could begin. I started at 120 grit to smooth out the areas where there was some curb rash. From 600 to 2000 grit I used wet sanding. Last was polishing. The bolts and nuts also recieved their clear coat.



Now that everything was cleaned up to my liking, it was time for the assembly. The problem was how do I get my bolts back into the rim without damaging the fresh layer of clear coat. Eventually I just said screw the clear and I hammered them home. I couldn't leave them without clear or they would rust so this thing was made to apply a new layer of clear to the tops.



Finished for today. More updates soon.