tires and wheels look what a nice friend donated

[jdt10768]

My buddy's brother owned a Tii back in the 80's. I recently asked about it, and he said he had some wheels left over after he sold it - mine for the taking if I wanted them / stored at his lake house. I asked for a pic since they are a few hours away. My buddy's wife said she would take a pic, but when she saw the wheels responded saying "they're all worn out - you wouldn't want these things!" So after I clarified that the wheel was the thing in the middle, the 'rim', she took a pic . . .

[Richard]

You should pay him something. For a couple of reasons. The first being if he ever finds out their worth...JMO

[Mike Self]

not beat up. With original center caps too. Try pricing those things!

BTW, if they still have their original metal valve stems, suggest removing and cleaning under 'em before re-using. Suspect you'll find a bit of corrosion from dissimilar metals touching. You want those surfaces clean so they'll seal tightly.

Great find, and the price was certainly right!

mike

[eastsidebimmer]

Cool wheels. I restored a similar set last year, this was my process:

#1, check for bends, have straightened if necessary.

#2, blast them with something that won't harm the aluminum (no sand)

#3, Etch Prime and paint, (do it yourself in or pay a shop for 090 Polaris)

#4, Hone out the center bore back to bare metal (the center caps wont fit with the new paint layers)

#5, bake the center caps for 10 minutes on low heat (while your wife is at the mall) wear hotpad holders on your paws and pry off the roundels with a pocket knife, use adhesive remover on the old glue, clean, polish (steel wool works well)

#5, buy new stick on roundel emblems for the center caps, (reinstall caps later with a fine layer of anti-seize compound.)

#6, buy new alloy style lugnuts, Coupeking has a nickel burnished set, others have the plated ones with the chrome cap, don't worry, they all rust over time--but the better quality ones will look better longer. AutohausAz sells them, Blunt can get the BMW ones, they are more expensive however.

#7, buy and install new metal valve stems, get them from blunt or the dealer. (try your luck at the old ones, new cores are available from BMW too.) My tire installer could not find a suitable rubber stem, the metal casting is too thick, so I got new ones.

#8 Get some 185/70/13 tires installed (sumitomo seems to be the popular choice)

#9 Wholla--and hope that you spend less than the cost of a new reproduction set from BMW Classic!

#10 These might not fit over a front big brake upgrade, keep this in mind.

Enjoy!

-=Ben

[jdt10768]

Thanks Ben, good stuff. As far as blasting goes, no sand right? Bead blast?

[eastsidebimmer]

Thanks Ben, good stuff. As far as blasting goes, no sand right? Bead blast?

The shop I use recommended aluminum oxide, they came out looking good. I had to file down some burrs with a fine file, once painted, they looked awesome. I did a matte topcoat in clear, BTW.

[Richard]

Here is a member of this forum that walked into a great deal with his friends brother. He brags about they considered the wheels junk. Which they are not. He brags about getting them for free. So are my morals so behind the times that I think he could have offered something??? Or just offerred advice on restoring??? By the way these have to be heated to bend as they are zinc and magnesium....

[nbristow01]

Here is a member of this forum that walked into a great deal with his friends brother. He brags about they considered the wheels junk. Which they are not. He brags about getting them for free. So are my morals so behind the times that I think he could have offered something??? Or just offerred advice on restoring??? By the way these have to be heated to bend as they are zinc and magnesium....

I can bet you that same member would have done the same....just saying. Great find. My local buddy has been scoring tons of Alpina parts. We all get stuff on the cheap or free if we can. Just the nature of horse trading car guys

[nbristow01]

Here is a member of this forum that walked into a great deal with his friends brother. He brags about they considered the wheels junk. Which they are not. He brags about getting them for free. So are my morals so behind the times that I think he could have offered something??? Or just offerred advice on restoring??? By the way these have to be heated to bend as they are zinc and magnesium....

[Richard]

I dont get your point. If you found a garage find 2002 40,000 original miles perfect everything from a widow asking $100 you would not offer more???? Just to satisfy your conscious??? Would you go online to brag????

[roadhog0]

I dont get your point. If you found a garage find 2002 40,000 original miles perfect everything from a widow asking $100 you would not offer more???? Just to satisfy your conscious??? Would you go online to brag????

Why does this almost sound like how I bought my car...

[penth2o]

I dont get your point. If you found a garage find 2002 40,000 original miles perfect everything from a widow asking $100 you would not offer more???? Just to satisfy your conscious??? Would you go online to brag????

I think the guy getting rid of them considered them junk. He owned them in the 80’s. He knows what they are.

The guy that got them will spend a couple hundred restoring them and have a nice set of wheels. Maybe the guy getting them got paid back via karma.

If not and he has never done a good deed then he should swipe his card in the pump next to him the next time he gets gas & tell them have a good day.

I do it all the time. It blows people's mind.

[jdt10768]

Here is a member of this forum that walked into a great deal with his friends brother. He brags about they considered the wheels junk. Which they are not. He brags about getting them for free. So are my morals so behind the times that I think he could have offered something??? Or just offerred advice on restoring??? By the way these have to be heated to bend as they are zinc and magnesium....

Richard, The person who took the pic did not know much about these wheels. I've known the person who gave me the wheels for 30+ years. He knows they are worth good money. He's a mech engr and has been working on cars for a long time. Obviously he did not sell the wheels when he sold his Tii - because he valued them. I was offered the wheels for free and never said I would not return the favor. Never meant to brag. Was just excited about the wheels. Thanks all for your positive comments. John

[02again]

Having bought and sold Many Many cars as well as other items, the general bargaining method I use is to ask the seller what price will make them happy (this assumes they have not already set a price in an ad in which case I would ask what is your bottom line). When the response is below my own expectation, I usually smile and make the deal. I generally don't like the "make Offer", making a person a low offer often times gets the seller in a bad mood and things deteriorate. If you give some body the price that makes Them happy and you are happy.......what other think does not really matter. Once bought a car for 1800 then sold it for 3500 in a couple days and a month later the guy I bought it from got a call from a guy half way around the world that had paid 18,000 for the car! Lots of happy people along the way. I was still smiling

[nbcbird]

I dont get your point. If you found a garage find 2002 40,000 original miles perfect everything from a widow asking $100 you would not offer more???? Just to satisfy your conscious???

As a matter of fact it would bother MY conscience, and yes, I would offer to pay something for the wheels. How would you feel if your were on the selling/giving end and later learned you were duped? And what's the difference between the $100 offer and telephone scam artist (to a widow)?--Jim