Noob from Warwickshire

[tim323]

I've already introduced myself on the main forum but thought I'd do it in the UK section as well. So, I'm Tim (username gives it away really doesn't it) from Wellesbourne, a village between Leamington Spa and Stratford-Upon-Avon. I'm currently rollin in a BMW E46 323Ci Convertible. Current mods are very subtle which include clear/red OEM rear lights, German style plates and surrounds, complete overhaul of ICE, lowered on Lowtec H9.3 coilovers and soon to have BBS RC041's and 042's

I know the wheels are common throughout the E36 scene but I haven't seen to many on an E46. So thought I'd try them out. I'll let the pics do the talking now........

How I picked her up




How she sits now (excuse the dirt)






The ICE






Door speakers are replaced also and, all done by my own fair hands might I add

And the BBS's








The colour is a BMW individual Mora Metallic

Thanks for viewing guys and gals........

[T.Adams]

Welcome mate. Liking the colour of the wheels, now we need fitted pics.

[tim323]

Welcome mate. Liking the colour of the wheels, now we need fitted pics.

Cheers mate. It's a really awkward colour to capture properly as the metallic changes it so much in the light, so they look a lot better in the flesh. Fitted pics will be coming soon. I've got one more barrel to do which will hopefully be done this weekend. Then seal them with poorboys wheel sealent, assemble the 3 remaining wheels, tyres and then fit them by the end of the month hopefully. Gonna drop the front a little when there on it think. May need spacing as well

[T.Adams]

Sweet, look forward to pics.

[slimadi]

Welcome to S/W looks like a clean looking bimmer you have

[P78]

Fit the wheels!

[tim323]

Welcome to S/W looks like a clean looking bimmer you have

Cheers mate. To be honest I couldn't believe the condition of it when I first got it, and no real change to it. Seats are a bit worn (like every bimmer) but will hopefully replace these.

Fit the wheels!

They will be fitted by the end of the month, weather permitting and if I pull my finger out this weekend. Pics will be straight up once there own

[stinkinrich]

As mentioned in the welcome thread, my bro is in his mid 30's so you wouldn't know him. Was a right tear away at Kineton High though haha!!

[tim323]

I think everyone at Kineton was a tear away ha

[pecs]

Looks promising, need to see with rims on.

[adonis]

are those wheels going to be wide enough? 8.5js?

[tim323]

Looks promising, need to see with rims on.

Cheers mate. End of the month hopefully, weather permitting as I don't want all the hard work goin down the pan if the polished barrels were to get trashed. Pics will be posted once there on don't you worry

are those wheels going to be wide enough? 8.5js?

Yeah they should fill the arches nicely. Current wheels are 8J's all round. Once there fitted I can work out what spacers I will need if any

[tim323]

So as the pictures I added were a bit turd I thought I'd add some not so turd ones of the drop, some have come out a little blurry, must be a consequence of the night before and an old camera





V Quite like this shot V


And then with my top off :hihi





Also got some tyres fitted on tuesday. I've gone for a mid-range Falken 452's. 205/40/R17 on the front 7.5J's and 215/40/R17's on the back 8.5J's. Although originally I only wanted minimal stretch on the back so was going to go for a 225 but they were very expensive, non in stock and apparently not many people make them. Some crappy shots but you get the idea

RC041 with 205/40/R17




RC042 with 215/40/R17




So today I tried to figure out the spacers. I borrowed 2 3mm universal spacers off a mate. So here's how the from sat and as you can see I used some dodgy method to try and figure out where the tyre sit in the arch


Vertically level:


And from the base of the tyre assuming it would be aligned with 0deg:


Didn't quite realise how much the front had become cambered from lowering it:


And the back with 6mm spacer:

Vertically level:


And from the base of the tyre, I realise the back with have a few degrees of camber anyway:



So I'm thinking 5mm spacers on the back and maybe a 10mm on the front as i don't want to touch my arches as there clean at the moment *touch wood*. I know some people on here might not approve of this but i don't want to end up damaging the paint and then having a rust problem. Or would you guys get it aligned and then space the wheel out? I have no idea about this so any help is much appreciated
Thanks for looking and any comments are welcome. Good or bad

[adonis]

is it lowered? looks like there is enough for another 5-8mm spacer on back

[tim323]

is it lowered? looks like there is enough for another 5-8mm spacer on back

Yeah it's lowered on some coilies. Although the back doesn't seem to have dropped much, hoping it'll settle a little more. I had a rethink again on the spacers I ganna get some 15mm's and try them in the front and the back, then order some more for either front or back depending where the 15mm's go