You can also use a Stanley knife blade draw it towards you whilst held perpendicular to the flash line, very controllable with a little practice. Ed.

I can recommend Poundlnd for parts too the vents on my 250c are meshed with their gutter mesh ideal for small vants and cheaper than the sheets sold by CBS etc. Could not find a use for the clips though but have kept them anyway just in case never throw anything away!

Pound land sometimes have some really good quality foam sanding blocks the wet and dry type, in a shrink wrap of about 12. And sometimes they are shockingly poor.I also got a wallpaper scraper with a Stanley knife type blade about 3" long its a tremendously useful tool. Ed.

These Revolution 5 spokes belong to a mate (and he won't sell them) I just offered one up to get an idea what they look like.
If I ever see another set I may have to buy them as being split rims, the offsets can be altered.
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=277
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=276

Also,being split rims they have that old race car look

I like them

Without stating which on the packaging- some packs contain 100 grade and some contain 240 grade sandpaper. The latter clogs too readily for my liking when smoothing filler or undercoat.

A little update

Although pressure of work has meant the car looks just the same at the moment, things are happening.

Major embarrassment last week when I pulled out of the drive to go to a little local hot rod show. The car died straddling the road, but with mates rods around we made a very interesting road block. A temporary fix to the broken battery cable with some tinfoil to jam it on the battery, and we were away.
A new cable and battery have now sorted the problem. Not exciting stuff but you've got to get the basics right.

New suspension adjustable coil over kit is here and will be fitted soon.
Wheels are sorted. I'm settled on the 17" steels. We've worked a way to bolt the (shortened) towers on and I'll get some better spinners.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=280

Chris will sort the new door skins/locks/grille at Stoneleigh. I'll can to use the car a lot more once I can lock it.

I taxed the car on line this morning and although my paperwork for the kit conversion hasn't come back from DVLA yet, I see it's now registered as a BMW Italia 250. I'll almost certainly forget the BMW bit when anyone asks what the car is.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=281

The little bits to stop the seat shunting forward on braking have arrived. I'll fit them when the interior gets sorted at some future date.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=282


As I buy and sell auto jumble for my living, I'm always on the look out for nice little bits for my project cars. A couple of pairs of these interior handles where in this weeks buys and I'll keep a pair in my "things to possibly use when I do the interior" pile along with some nice perspex sun visors and old style interior light. All these are from a Rover P3, I think.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=283

Cheers, Bob.

It's official.
I now own a BMW Italia 250
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=289

I sent off-
The completed form with a mention of what I'd like to be renamed ( Inspired by an Italian Ferrari 250 )
Pictures of before, stripped and after.
Current Log Book and MOT
Ebay receipt showing the sale of all the old parts (£275 for the lot)
A mention in the notes that additional parts had been bought secondhand at auto jumbles (hence no receipts)
Just over 2 weeks and it was done. Excellent.
Invoice from Chris

Cheers, Bob.

Hmmm. I am still waiting for them to change the description of mine from a BMW Z300S Replica to a BMW Z300S Barchetta. At least the last bloke I spoke to understood that there wasn't a previous Z300S for me to replicate which was a start

While I've been away on holiday this week the adjustable coil overs and steering wheel have been fitted by Power and Performance.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=425
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=424

I'll pick the car up tomorrow and hopefully the suspension isn't now too hard.

Woodrim will be fine for now but will probably be replaced when I'm sure I can get comfortable with a larger one.

Cheers, Bob.

My local tyre dealer has put a scrap tyre, of the same size as my original front ones, onto one of my 17" steels so later this week I'll try it on the front and back to see how it looks (my rear alloys were 9", the steels are 7 1/2")

I'll post photos of the results so all can like / discount the idea from their projects.

I'm pleased with the lower look but will now have to take large speed humps over one edge. Hitting them full on, even at low speed, did cause a nasty scrapping noise. Oh well, no pain no gain.

Cheers, Bob.
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=429
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=428
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=427
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=426

Bob

Your car looks great lowered,

Please can you state what is written on the front and rear wheels regarding the ET, the rear 17 x 9" style 18 wheels were fitted to 5 series e39 cars and have an ET of 26, the z3 was fitted with 17 x 8.5" rears with an ET of 41

Many thanks

Bill

The car definately looks more purposeful lowered

Hi Bill,
Quite right,
The rears are 8 1/2 x 17 1092508
Fronts 7 1/2 x 17 1182732

The new steels are 7 1/2 x 17 EH2 6783330 176001 34/10

Hope that helps a bit.

Cheers, Bob.

Thanks Bob

Having pictures of your car to bounce ideas off is great,

I'm planning to fit some fondmetal 7 x 15" Jaguar alloys with an ET of 20, they will be 15mm wider at the front than yours and 23mm narrower if I swap to the Z4 hubs to bring the rear track in

Nice looking wheels, if you can get them to sit in the arches nicely, they'll look great, especially with the spinners.
Bob.
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=430

Trial fitted the steel wheel today.

I'm happy with the appearance and the way it sits in the arches so these are what I'm going with. A mix of modern tyre sizes and traditional looks.
Next job is to start adapting the centre towers to fit with the spinners.

Cheers, Bob.
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=431
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=432


http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=434
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=433
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=435

now I could be wrong but they do look like VW T5 steels I had them on my bus when I first got it they are 5x120 fitting

The steel wheels look period correct and absolutely nice!!!

I've always believed that the wheels "make the car", and this is certainly very obvious here, they look fabulous.

Agreed, they really look the part and will keep people guessing about the origin of the car. Will look even better with the spinners fitted. :)

Thanks for your comments guys.
They do look very similar to VW T5 steels but are genuine BMW wheels, usually sold as winter wheels.

Cheers, Bob.

Bit of a spoiler for the real thing but had to be done.
Spot on!
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...a/9kqstpvs.jpg

With Spinners
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3.../9kqstpvs2.jpg

Thanks Andy, I've started on the towers for the spinners this morning.

Cheers, Bob.

A propper classic car...

I was just looking at your truck, so i can see why this is coming out so well...

Thanks garyh,

Like all my projects, I need a lot of help from good mechanics/painter etc. I have the ideas but not always the ability. It's nice to be able to use this one whilst it's progressing.

Cheers, Bob.

Hi all,

Just a little note to say that I'm pleased with the lower suspension but after a very short distance one of the rear s/abs top mounts, which looked fine at the time, has failed. I've had both sides replaced to be on the safe side and would suggest you consider this yourself if lowering.

cheers, Bob.

Do you think the mounts have broken because your new suspension is firmer than standard, or is it so low that it's bottoming out and transferring the load to the shell?

It's not been bottoming out so i assume it's a combination of firmer suspension and being pulled about when things were changed.
It's had genuine BMW replacement mounts fitted so hopefully it won't happen again.

I saw this and thought it might be of interest for you SWB guys

http://www.classicandperformancecar....illa-erba-sale

That looks amazing in yellow.

Having just looked at the yellow one, and also appreciating its authenticity, Bob's car looks meaner, lower and more purposeful from where I am standing!! This looks like an improvement on the original lines!
Any one else agree?

I think that Dan and Chris have done a wonderful job, and as very good as it is, I can't see how it could look better than the original due to the constraints enforced by the Z3 such as position of windscreen, it's size, and angle, and those damn strut towers.
The 250GT Berlinetta has been voted by many for over 50 years as the prettiest car ever, and looking at 1953GT one can see why. That the Tribute SWB is as good as it is, is praise indeed to Chris and Dan's excellent work.
Tribute must have the best catalogue of pretty Italian cars of anyone apart from Pininfarina, and the fact that they continue to make new models that even Enzo didn't do, is fantastic.

I agree

A bit late to help you after the event, but a quick Google shows this is a common failure after fitting updated dampers, and that E46 M3 mounts are used as a reasonable cost upgrade.
Powerflex sell an upgraded polybush replacement, though they're £85 a pair
http://www.powerflex.co.uk/road-seri...%29-603/1.html

Bimmerworld does a far more reasonable alternative pair with a lifetime guarantee for under 26 quid
http://store.bimmerworld.com/lifetim...-set-p397.aspx

Eurocarparts has M3 mounts advertised at £35/pair
http://www.eurocarparts.com/suspension-mounting

I'm progressing with the wheels.

I've cut down the spinner towers and sleeved them inside and out to regain the strength. On the outside with a piece of alloy tube from a scrap light fitting and on the inside with guttering downpipe, and fixed with body panel glue.
The 5 large holes were opened out and will surround the wheel nuts but not interfere with them
The 5 smaller holes were drilled to line up with the small holes in the wheel. Short studs will be welded into the holes in the wheels and the towers will be held on with acorn nuts.
A bit of adjusting and some better paint and hopefully they'll look ok.
Cheers, Bob.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=436
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=437

If anyone else wants towers to play about with. I should be able to get them for a reasonable price.

wheel fitment
 

Good looking wheels.
How are the spinner holders fixed and will you cover the wheel bolts ?
A wheel fits to the hub quite precisely, but how important is this interference fit ?
Nice steering wheel, please let us know the model and who makes it and the hub.

Hi Egdik,

The towers will be fixed by 5 small studs welded in the small holes originally in the wheels which line up with the 5 small holes I have drilled in the towers, these will have acorn nuts fitted.

The larger holes in the towers are there already but I have opened them out so they do not touch the fitting surface of the wheel nuts. I may put caps over the wheel nuts depending how it looks when finished.

Not quite sure what you are asking in the 3rd line but hopefully this answers it.-
The wheels are standard BMW 17" steels so locate properly on the lip of the suspension hub.
With the large holes in the tower opened up, they drop over the wheel nut mounting cones in the wheel and sit flat on the wheel face.
The exact fit of the mounting face of the tower against the surface of the wheel was then either through hours of careful planning or by good luck!

The details of the steering wheel are shown here.
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...ead.php?t=5429

The wood rim will do for now but I'll eventually get one that's a bit bigger as it obscures the indicator lights in the dash and because it's a bit too shiny for my taste.
It will do for now though as it meant I could get the air bag and sensor removed as shown by WCA here
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...ead.php?t=4917

Cheers, Bob.

While the reflectors are fine as they are for now, I don't like them so spent a little while today making some new ones that will be fitted in with the rear light space, extended slightly, not decided how yet, I'll offer them up when the glue has dried.
They are odd bits of old car reflector cut down to fit in Jaguar window winder surrounds. As I sell auto jumble for a living I get to keep all sorts of bits that look like they could be useful one day.

Cheers, Bob.
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=438
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...&pictureid=439