Video(http://youtu.be/ZuhsVu1BDvs), not a brilliant sound, better in real life.....

Yep they are stock 17"

Front - current dunlop 225/45/17 94W
Rear - current dunlop 245/40/17 91W
Wheel front 17" x 7.5 ET41 Type 78
Wheel rear 17" x 8.5 ET41 Type 78

I have calibre alloys and they are

Rear 17" x 8 ET35
Front 17" x 8 ET35
Tyre 235/65/17 104W dunlop

I put a straight edge there and I would say the edge of the tyre is around 5mm inside the wheel arch edge and the wheel arch lip/edge is around 15mm, so for my wheels to fit I will have to grind them flat or create a smaller lip as I want my wheels under that also. One of the others Andy S split his arches, not sure I am skilled enough for that!

Cheers and goodluck with your plans.

More pics from today.....

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5693/...f35bea5f_c.jpgDSCN4323 by eric holm, on Flickr
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/756/2...8b7470c5_c.jpgDSCN4325 by eric holm, on Flickr
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5728/...cf30193f_c.jpgDSCN4320 by eric holm, on Flickr

Oh dear, think I need to come down a few tyre sizes....unless anyone has any suggestions?

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5769/...c7e0f5cb_c.jpgDSCN4326 by eric holm, on Flickr
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5652/...26bb3845_c.jpgDSCN4329 by eric holm, on Flickr
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5829/...bf353f22_c.jpgDSCN4328 by eric holm, on Flickr
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5644/...4acf7547_c.jpgDSCN4332 by eric holm, on Flickr

Told you so....

:thumb::hail::nod::eusa_think::cry::lalala::pout: :doh: :yield::eusa_wall:

Hi Eric - many thanks for the information!

Firstly your problem. I thin the biggest you want to go in terms of diameter is the original wheel size which was 675mm on the Fez.

Your new wheels and tyres come in at a massive 737.3mm!!

The big problem you have is you've reduced you offset to start with at 35ET. Seem to me anything above 7" wheel width won't be able to sit on the arch unless you manage to get some big offset like 60ET or something!

IF You could your same wheels in 7j with the 35ET they would sit 12.7mm further into the arch. If you combined them with 185/65 tyres then the top of the tyre then the actual tread part of the tyre would actually be a further 6mm ish un from the wheel edge (as you basically stretch fitted). *EDIT* Not usre about the legalities or safety etc. but could you get 10 mm machined off the inside of the ally wheel hub mating face to change them to ET45 assuming there's enough meat to do it?

So in total you'd gain about 18.7mm back from you current wheel face at the edge of the tyres circumference - so you may be able to get it to sit under?

The tyres diameter would be 672.3mm so almost bang on for original.

Go here and have a play with the size and offsets and you can also see the cross section of the wheel and how the tread will either stick out from face of wheel or sit in. Very useful

http://www.willtheyfit.com/index.php...et2=35#content

For me, I cannot get better than ET45 in 5x120 at 18" in the wheels I like plus the smallest width they do is 8.5j which would be impossible to get to sit under the arches. I've been burning the midnight oil trying all sorts of combinations but it's simply not possible for me with the sizes that are available. I always envisenged the car as a resto mod on big rims sat down and it's clear this not achievable without some major body work or fitment of after market arches so I think I'm basically out of the 250 build race :(

Smash, don't give up yet man. I believe that there are interchangeable parts from the Z4 (hubs n stuff) that allow another few cms of room, it's on a thread somewhere so maybe someone can pop a link up for you. A definite option me thinks. :bounce:

Plastic Porsche said....

The internet is a terrible thing, and I am now spending far too much time on it

I have a 2.2 M54 engine z3 auto (personal choice) it came with air conditioning, and heated seats and being an m54 engines car I have fitted cruise control, 2 parts required, just plugs in.

Looking on all the Google sear areas and the BMWmini spares site, it appears that fitting a z4 rear drive flange/hub will bring the rear in by 20mm

The early lower powered e36/e46 3 series cars had solid rear discs which are 60.1 mm high and 280mm diameter as opposed to the z3 with 83mm high and 272mm diameter, handbrake shoes on the 3 series are same diameter but narrower, disc same machined area though

The calliper bracket mounting bolts are a standard M10 10.9 strength shouldered bolt, 26.5mm long,

If I bought some 30mm 10.9 bolts and put a 3mm shim between the caliper bracket and the hub to centralise the bracket on the disc, and turned a 3 series disc down to 272mm diameter this set up would appear to be good to go

This could potentially give a 40mm decrease in the rear track on the 6 cylinder wide bodied cars for not a lot of money - 2nd hand or new flanges, new wheel bearings, discs and some bolts:

Thoughts / views

With wheel issues for some and other creating bubble arches is there a need for 2 variants of the kit, standard and wide arch?

I am going to try and keep the 235/65/17 if I can. I have a suggestion on another forum about adding stopbumps inside the dampers so to restrict movement and hopefully it wont let the tyre touch the arch. It might be a quick, easy and cheap option to do. Parts ordered and due middle of next week.

Hi Eric,

How does it drive with those wheels on, Id imagine that its very long legged if you know what I mean. Great for cruising.

Loving the thread by the way.

Andy

Andy - yeah - already seen that - nice gain in offset but at the rear only although currently theoretical.

At the front we're talking about 8.5 wheels and shifting them even further into whatever backspace is available. You'd end up having to put stops on the rack to prevent rubbing assuming there's actually enough space to get the bulk of an 18" (minimum) 8.5 inches of wheel all the way back into the arch probably talking needing something like ET70!

Bottom line - you cannot get front and back tyres to sit up inside the arch without either custom made wheels or body mods. I just can't afford to throw the extra cash at it as I'd be relying on someone else to do it.

The offset was always the hurdle for me from the git go - I just can't get over it that's all. I'm sure someone will find a way further down the line.

Not sure how it drives as only put one tyre on one wheel so far, also cannot fit to fronts due to large overhang on front spring, have to change to coilovers to take that out of equation, but this will lower the car 20mm grrrrrrr. So really want coilovers that raise the car not lower it :noidea:

Its fun isn't it! :help:

most coilovers have adjustable spring seats just wind them down and it should raise the height

You can raise the ride height by putting thicker pads under the rear springs, BMW sell them or you can buy discs on eBay - 9mm pad will increase height by about 15mm due to suspension set up

You could gain some space by trimming the arch lip back, the top of the wheel will move inboard when the suspension compresses, z3's run excessive camber at the rear when lowered so the wheel might not rub on a trimmed arch

Alternatively using z4 hubs and e46 solid rear discs bring the rear in by 23mm each side, Chris took a photo its in the wheel thread on the forum

The fronts should fit in the arches with the coilovers but your turning circle might be limited

Personally I liked the picture of the 205 70 tyres on the wires you took in italy

Yep, I like the idea of thicker pads, just not the idea of fitting them as they were a right pain in the butt to replace those springs, :fear: it might be a good reason to invest in some spring compression tools....:thumb:

Z4 hubs and discs, are beyond my skill set, I leave that to the pro's :yo:

I have a pair of spring compressors if you are passing Southampton or they are fairly cheap in machinemart

Many thanks for the offer, I see the machinemart ones will do the trick, and also I'm heading to Newark auto jumble tomorrow, you'll never know what I can pick up there.

Front end strip today and addition of front section first fit:

Loads more photos on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/134265488@N05

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5763/...9903cf37_c.jpgDSCN7646 by eric holm, on Flickr
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5617/...99c4c651_c.jpgDSCN4417 by eric holm, on Flickr
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5777/...a5226fee_c.jpgDSCN4413 by eric holm, on Flickr
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5770/...9600ece2_c.jpgDSCN4366 by eric holm, on Flickr
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5808/...ebcf2cd3_c.jpgDSCN7652 by eric holm, on Flickr

Coming together nicely...well done