Verdict: the 18x8 fronts fit GREAT on the rear of my Touring (sport-wagon for the non-BMW nerds of the world). I have a normal set of 2 fronts / 2 rears now but am working on either selling the rears or trade+cash for 4 fronts plus I bought 2 more fronts from a guy in VA tonight - so I’ll either end up w/ 4 or 8 (spares are always good) LOL - I wanted a “square” setup for the track to keep handling neutral and to allow me to rotate tires if needs be since unlike the Z I have ZERO experience / knowledge for setting this car up re: balance, tire wear, pressures, etc
Looking forward to running 225- or 235-40-18 Sport Cups, Hoosiers, or similar on these wheels at the Glen this summer since I probably won’t get around to re-ringing the engine in my 350Z until fall. So the big comfy wagon gets to do a little track duty … I run Black w/ PCA and in Group 1 with BMW so this should be hilarious being out there w/ Spec Miatas, GT3s etc :roflpicard: Car is getting KW Variant 1s (good coilovers) in the spring as well as new bushings / ball joints / probably sways or at least upgraded end links and reinforcements but will otherwise be 100% stock (plus tires/brakes/fluid but that goes w/o saying for track use). At least w/ a Touring I have tons of trunk space for track crap HAHA
Anyway, pics (sorry, iPhone quality and the car’s dirty w/ road-salt, grr):
rear view (using 2x4s to simulate sidewall height of a tire + allow me to compress suspension)
rear 3/4 view
top view (they don’t stick out, you don’t wanna know how bad M3 “rears” would be LOL)
I’m actually coming down in mid-Feb Ryan - flying though (unfortunately), cuz I’m catching a train to FL w/ Sasha to spend a week relaxing in Key West w/ his family, then flying out to MT to go skiing up in Canada haha (holy temp. shock - at least its usually sunny and warmer than ROC/BUF there, go figure). I’m missing a nice chunk of the WORST time of year in Upstate NY WOO HOO
ILC it is a < 6 hour drive, actually closer to like 5.5 at mostly-legal (5-10 over tops) speeds. I’ve done it in 4.25 :snky: :snky: - from downtown ROC to Georgetown DC.
Besides, the guy in VA quoted the price as “shipped” and the rears that I have a (potential) buyer for are going for the same money so its a no-brainer money wise in my book… I’m not one to bicker over $10-20 here and there.
Looks good. Although being on M3 forums persuades me to want an expensive set of wheels or even the OEM 19s, the 18s on the E46 are a great looking design…but then again I am biased
Hope to see you guys out on the track this summer, I’m going to try my hardest to be a regular out there.
Dammit Dan, nice ninja edit. Throw me a PM about your original post BISH.
I like the 19s on M3s - if I had one, I’d get these:
or the OEM split-10-spokes:
… or you could ball out of control and get LMs:
but that’s more than I could stomach … MPD’s pointed out a few companies to me that make great replicas (not just nice looking but well made stuff), Linea Corsa or something like that?
On non-Ms they just seem kinda “big” (maybe the difference in fenders?).
I love the CSL reps, the OEM 19s are fantastic looking too however the finish is a little bright for my tastes. LMs make me wet, perfect wheel. Those Linea Corsas or whatever, I’ve seen those, but I’m not sure I like the idea of replicas. I can’t justify 4 grand on wheels either though, when the car comes with 18s. haha. Work VS-XX = sex, as well. 17s look tiny on my car, mainly due to the rear fenders.
So wait - touring…E36…what mods are putting you in that class? The suspension you plan on getting? That’s pretty rough :o
No no, its an e46 “Touring” aka “Sport Wagon” for us Americans Not like “Improved Touring” ITA class re: SCCA racing. This is going to be a street car that sees a few fun track-days, thats it Don’t confuse it w/ the car in my sig, thats MPD’s M5 at Dunnville w/ my terrible driving LOL (hate his fucking flywheel).
This fall I’ll hopefully have the time, budget and patience to fix the Z (again, heh) to race w/ NASA next year … Oh well
Funny you say that. Not that I think what he said COULD be true - but running lean is how I killed the Z engine. It has different cams and they were custom indexed while Nissan Motorsports was playing with it on the engine dyno (nothing too crazy, I mean, they’re stock “Rev-UP” model cams after all) and between that, all of the breathing/exhaust mods and a higher rev limit I’m pretty sure based on looking at the plugs that it ran lean/hot and also there was a detonation event (one plug is completely flattened). Hoping piston rings are ALL I need to do - based on compression/leakdown I should be ok fingers crossed just re-ringing it as long as the bores look good when we tear it down (probably do rod-bearings while its apart, might as well)… I just didn’t have the heart to pull the engine and start down that path before winter. ANYWAY.
Dan - thanks man (got your PM, and YGM, btw), I will probably take you up on that in 2010 when the Z is finished and of course you’d BETTER make it up to Dunnville so I can chase down that SLOW ASS M3 of yours in my family station wagon
The said poster had a “vortex generator” and “plasma coil tuning” as his mods, so I’m not sure why I felt the need to son him on logic. He claimed an air filter and a non “ribbed” intake elbow leans his car out. No evidence other then the fact he “feels it” when he drives.
I’m stalking you and mike all summer… Dunnville, nelsons… where ever … I’m following you… I’ve talked my way out of too many tickets in the past 2 weeks that I care to explain… The itch isn’t going away…
And this Slow ass M3 accepts your challenge, on better tires I’m shooting to break 1:15 first day out
ILC you can run for rears with a 265 setup easily, and you can dump the car as well with this set up. I think you need to run like 3deg of negative camber if you are dumped
Not like “Improved Touring” ITA class re: SCCA racing. This is going to be a street car that sees a few fun track-days, thats it 