https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1979-bmw-3-9l-520i-euro/

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1656874646.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1658724548.jpg

Threw on some BBS RC090 8x17. The tires are 235/45-17 but will be replaced. Size undecided.

Would you say the wheel centers would look best
- Current silver
- Dark gray
- Gold
- Body color
- Other?

The side mirrors will be chrome E12 units (when I find them) and the car will get coilovers and can be lowered a tad (not thinking more than 1/2” or so.

Does the car have sway bars? If you like your car to stay flat when cornering, they do the job on mine. As for wheel center color, they look great as is but if you want change, maybe get a second set of wheels?

On the last set of RC090s I refinished, I powder coated the centers in gun metal.

https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content...it=1600%2C1067

Gunmetal grey looks good. Subtle, tasteful.

Are there any issues with leaking after breaking the factory seal?

Hey JYI, My vote would be to keep the rims the current silver colour, they will be darker shades of grey depending how much brake dust is on them.

"I powder coated the centers in gun metal." What did you do with the caps - paint to match the powder coat? My caps are plastic.

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I think it looks perfect as is.

I hate to admit it, but the car is riding on a soft, sloppy, sloshy, 364,000-miles undercarriage. At some point, all that is going to have to be pulled off, stripped down, rebushed and resprung, likely rewelded in spots, repainted or replated, and generally restored. Right now it is a comfortable town cruiser - think your dad’s Buick - but hardly what the exterior appearance deserves. I have a Ground Control coilover set (with NLA Konis that may need rebuilding) and have done all the bias calculations to convince myself that 986 calipers and big BMW rotors should replace the (very pedestrian, and rusty too) stock brake system. I’m contemplating installing camber-adjustment F and R as well.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1658803818.jpg

Courtesy of a Pelican with Photoshop skilz, here’s what it could look like if I went a certain direction.

Thanks.
None whatsoever.

It is time intensive splitting the wheels as each bolt is a spline drive along the shank and you have to be careful removing and reinstalling them. No issues with sealing the faces to the barrel and air leaks.

Degradation of the suspension is gradual, you just don't notice it over time.

On my '04 244,000 mile 325i, I recently replaced struts, strut mounts, front control arm bushings, front sway bar bushings, rear shocks, rear sway bar bushings and rear trailing arm bushings (with M3 bushings). I'd say it's 80-90% back to the way I remember when new. Such a nice noticeable improvement.

When I tracked my 930, i used three-piece magnesium BBS wheels. Every once in a while, I would have to replace a rim halfand when I did, there was a flat aluminum ring that had a very thin rubber band on the outside edge. Probably took 20 minutes to replace a rim half. This is what sealed the air.