our new demo convertible is ready for a trip to Italy tomorrow...

[smash]

Cheers - I'm trying to work out whether it is possible to lower enough to clip 19" wheels having finally found some really nice 19's with big enough offset and skinny enough to get under the arches! I don't think the usual 30mm drop will get close as the arches are huge on the 250.

Was looking at 225/40 19's but think the lowering required will be too much - nearly 10cm I guestimate...might have to go with 225/50 R19

Can I ask what size tyres they are? thanks for all your help

[mobilerobbie]

I have had 255-70-15 on the rears on a small bodied Z-3, looks perfect
I must say I would not go for huge wheelsizes and low profile tyres, cause of the looks of the car, but thats personal.
I do have a tribute Kobra with 235-40-19 and that looks good, but is offcourse a totally different car....

[smash]

Well I've now confirmed it's not actually possible to do the big rim rubber band thing without still having around 30mm arch gap which would look crap so I guess it's wires or nothing!

Thanks for reply

[Tribute Automotive]

Originally Posted by smash

Well I've now confirmed it's not actually possible to do the big rim rubber band thing without still having around 30mm arch gap which would look crap so I guess it's wires or nothing!

Thanks for reply

This was sat on 19's (8.5j and 9.5j) with zero weight left in it (no interior, spare wheel etc etc) and the adjustable spring seats on rear still in place. Remove those and it would have been another 10mm lower:








I have been thinking about proper all-in-one coil over units at the rear to replace the separate coil spring and shock set up to give a little more drop (obviously with a narrower rim at the rear than above). Something like this, as an example:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Golf-Mk...item5423ee5c94

Or cut n shut the arches downwards by the required amount, as we did on the original buck:









Or a combo of the above.

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”
Winston Churchill

[smash]

A timely reminder to put the cat amongst the pigeons! And after I managed to track down the wires that Robbie's used on the convertible as well!!

Well that certainly does not look crap - it's actually nearly there and looks bloody good.

Looking at I think that it's still confirming my suspicions - I guessed about 30mm left and that looks about right above the rear.

Another 30mm down and that won't go over any of the sleeping policemen round my neck of the woods but seeing it in reality I don't think it needs that - probably just the extra 1cm you mention.

Although......(mental note to self - stop over thinking things).....if I went with the 7.5J 19's, because they'd be sat inside I guess it's look lower? Sort of fooling the eye?

7.5J would bring the front in an extra 15mm and the rear 21mm

And then of course 1.9 trailing arm/driveshaft conversion would solve the rear offset completely and possibly allow 8j still tucked in

Are those Schnitzers?

God I am so confused right now - I think I want the coupe now

[mobilerobbie]

you'll have the same issues with the coupe....

[WorldClassAccident]

Add on some flares - how good would it look?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSfmRsliy5o

:-)

[Roadster]

Originally Posted by smash

Are those Schnitzers?

Yes they are - I fell for them as well - I saw the coupe before it was collected by its new owner.
I Haven't got 19's as I don't want to sacrifice the ride too much

My 18's are painted black to suit the more modern styling of my Tribute

[smash]

Ooo - so you've gone metallic red on the coupe then?

That sounds cool - intrigued to see

[smash]

Originally Posted by mobilerobbie

you'll have the same issues with the coupe....

You mean getting the height down or the offsets?

Oxigin style 18 come in 19" 7.5J with ET45 so offset isn't a problem - that's half an inch less width than rear stock 17" BMW alloys and an extra 4mm less poke - these are Oxigin style 18:



Above is an extreme version (looks like it's on air ride) of what I wanted to achieve - up inside the arch

EDIT - bloody hell the price of 2.8 Z3's are a bit strong at the mo!

[mobilerobbie]

that last pic is for sure on airrides... can never be driven like this

[smash]

Originally Posted by Tribute Automotive

This was sat on 19's (8.5j and 9.5j) with zero weight left in it (no interior, spare wheel etc etc) and the adjustable spring seats on rear still in place. Remove those and it would have been another 10mm lower:

Chris - quick question, is that running regular 30mm drop spings at the rear or something more extreme?

Many thanks

[Tribute Automotive]

Originally Posted by smash

Chris - quick question, is that running regular 30mm drop spings at the rear or something more extreme?

Many thanks

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coilover-A...item541b02eaab

It says 30-70mm drop in ebay listing, but I don't have the car to check that.

[ericholm]

I have that exact set on my car, fronts wound up as high as they can go with 5mm spacers, and rear wound down pretty much as low as they can go. I Will tinker with levels once car body is permanently in place and painted.

[Roadster]

any more pictures from the trip

I need some escapism

[Mister Towed]

Just discovered you can hire this little runabout in Sorrento -

http://www.spiderlifestyle.com/en/ca...0-spider_1960/

Twenty thousand Euro deposit and daily rental on application. Shouldn't be more than about fifty Euros a day...

Now that's my kind of hire car.

[IanA]

Originally Posted by Mister Towed

Just discovered you can hire this little runabout in Sorrento...

Isn't that a bit like hiring out your wife and children???

Also with "Aluminum was used in the hood, doors, and trunk lid," I don't hold out much hope for getting all of your deposit back.

Perversely, even though it has a roof, I think I might prefer the 1951 Lancia Ardea. Now where's my black fedora with the white band?