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  #1  
Old 11-12-2012, 05:48 AM
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San Francisco to SoCal, 875 mile day trip for a set of BBS Wheels

So I drove the W108 to SoCal today to check out a set of BBS wheels. I didn't want to purchase before fitting it on the car.

I left The City at 8am and arrived at 330pm. Checked out the wheels, did a test fit and departed at 445. Arrived back in SF at 0130. Made pretty good time. And I got decent mpg's too!

Anyway, I will do a write up shortly. Here is a teaser pic.

Miguel

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  #2  
Old 11-12-2012, 09:10 AM
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That's quite a trip but I'm sure nice cruzin cali in a car like that.
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  #3  
Old 11-12-2012, 09:43 PM
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Well, as a few of you know from following my threads I am slightly modifying my 280S.

I bought the car in AZ recently. Purchased from the second owner who was given the car in an inheritance. Anyway, its a really nice 280S. I took it home and worked on it and then started customizing. The Benz and I have received numerous compliments. And I must say, the car does look damn good.

Anyway, I found a set of wheels on eBay that I liked. Actually, several sets of wheels caught my attention. But they were all in SoCal. I dont get it! Nothing up north. As avid of an eBay user that I am (over 10 years now I still didnt want to send off the cash-ola unless I saw the wheels and test ft them on my car.

So I drove south with my hydraulic jack, wheels blocks, torque wrench...etc. The drive was pleasant. Starting early in the morning gave me empty roads and the ability to run at triple digit speeds. With the new Bilsteins installed the car felt great on the highway. I found that the car really liked cruising at 73-75. That seemed to be the sweet spot with the 185 series tires. I can only imagine that with the new larger wheels and tires that 75-80 will be the new comfort zone.

Anyway, I met up the the fellow and we chatted a bit as I jacked the car and installed one rear wheel. The fit is close. Very close. But I still have the fender to roll for that additional half inch or more.

The BBS wheels are a 16x8 ET11. They bolt on perfectly but require longer studs. And they look W I D E . Really nice!

I am in the middle of a bathroom build so i'm not sure when I can get some time to roll the fenders and install tires. Maybe tomorrow... maybe?

Miguel
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  #4  
Old 11-12-2012, 10:58 PM
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If you convert to studs insure the lug nuts have the correct seat for the wheel. It is difficult to find lug nuts with the "Mercedes Ball" seat.
You can find longer lug bolts also. I happen to have a set laying around that came with the wheels I bought for my coupe. They are chrome extended head bolts. Here is a picture I found on Ebay:
Insure you have AT LEAST 6 threads engaged and locktite the studs if you use them.
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San Francisco to SoCal, 875 mile day trip for a set of BBS Wheels-%24-kgrhqr-jqe-nghzwsbqiv-6seq%7E%7E60_12.jpg  
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W111 280SE 3.5 Coupe
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Old 11-12-2012, 11:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony H View Post
If you convert to studs insure the lug nuts have the correct seat for the wheel. It is difficult to find lug nuts with the "Mercedes Ball" seat.
You can find longer lug bolts also. I happen to have a set laying around that came with the wheels I bought for my coupe. They are chrome extended head bolts. Here is a picture I found on Ebay:
Insure you have AT LEAST 6 threads engaged and locktite the studs if you use them.
My mistake.... I meant bolts. No, I am not converting to studs. I need to buy a set of the long bolts. WHat is the bolt pitch?

Thanks for the eBay tip.

Last edited by Calspeed; 11-12-2012 at 11:45 PM.
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  #6  
Old 11-13-2012, 03:03 PM
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I will PM you
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Tony H
W111 280SE 3.5 Coupe
Manual transmission

Past cars:
Porsche 914 2.0
'64 Jaguar XKE Roadster
'57 Oval Window VW
'71 Toyota Hilux Pickup Truck-Dad bought new
'73 Toyota Celica GT
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  #7  
Old 11-13-2012, 04:51 PM
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Thanks Tony... I will respond to your PM shortly.
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  #8  
Old 11-13-2012, 05:09 PM
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Rolling Fenders

This morning I planned on rolling the fenders to give my new wheels and tires a bit more tire clearance.

I am not entirely sure of how wide I can go with the car but I would like to use 245's on the rear if possible. But I am worried that I might rub. 225's would work but a 245 on an 8 inch rim would be crazy!

So... I got all my tools ready and went to work.

-Floor jack, jackstand and wheel chocks.
-Torque wrench
-Air Compressor and tools
-Heat gun
-Rubber mallet
-Rag
-Sharpie pen
-Camera!!!


For those of you that are planning to do this modification, give yourself alot of time. Do not rush!!! There is a high possibility of cracking your paint. (it is avoidable) Do not use a regular hammer!!! DO NOT USE A METAL PIPE!!! I would not even recommend using the wooden bat technique. (What is that? If you dont know you dont need to know. I have done it on my lowered Karmann Ghia and it cracks paint.)

Good luck!

Miguel
Attached Thumbnails
San Francisco to SoCal, 875 mile day trip for a set of BBS Wheels-287_0783.jpg   San Francisco to SoCal, 875 mile day trip for a set of BBS Wheels-287_0795.jpg  
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  #9  
Old 11-13-2012, 05:38 PM
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I used a heat gun to warm up the paint. This makes it more pliable and less likely to crack. Be careful not to get the paint too hot. It might lift from the heat. I heard you can use a hair dryer.

Starting to hammer the fenders is not pleasant. Starting the initial folding of the fender is not easy. It takes some aggressive hammering. And it can be quite frustrating.

I used a set of fingerless wooled gloves. This allowed me dexterity at the same time having the ability to push against the outside of the hot fender as I hammer on the inside. Ya know what I mean...?

I also marked the inside of the fender with a Sharpie pen. I marked off 2 inch segments along the section of metal that need bending. All I did was put a "dot" every two inches. Then I heated up that two inch section and hammered on it for one minute only!

The reason I only hammered for a minute was because the paint will cool down after a minute and if you hammer on the cool paint it will crack!!!

Reheat the paint and work in two inch sections. It takes time but the quality result will be worth it. For each fender it took me about 30-45 minutes.

Remember... heat.... hammer....heat....hammer....heat....hammer....

Something to consider is how much you fold the fender. It will hold dirt and grime. If your car is prone to rusting you may want to have a gap so that you can clean it periodically. My plan is to wash the area and repaint with a quality undercoating.

Remember... Take your time.

Miguel
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San Francisco to SoCal, 875 mile day trip for a set of BBS Wheels-287_0797.jpg  
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  #10  
Old 11-13-2012, 05:42 PM
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Then the other side.....

So, it was a success!

I gained about half an inch with a modest fender roll. I could pinch it further but I want to be able to have access to keep it clean. And, I don't think that I will need another .25 inch of clearance.

Next step, installing the wheels and tires.

Miguel
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San Francisco to SoCal, 875 mile day trip for a set of BBS Wheels-287_0805.jpg  
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  #11  
Old 11-13-2012, 11:11 PM
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Base ball bat

When you said "baseball bat" it brought back an unpleasant memory from when my neighbor asked my wife if we had a baseball bat he could borrow. She gave him my miniature bat from "bat day" that I got when I was a kid and they would give you a small baseball bat when you went to the Giants game. I came back totally trashed with deep groves from him rolling his fenders with it. So if your neighbor asks for a bat...
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W111 280SE 3.5 Coupe
Manual transmission

Past cars:
Porsche 914 2.0
'64 Jaguar XKE Roadster
'57 Oval Window VW
'71 Toyota Hilux Pickup Truck-Dad bought new
'73 Toyota Celica GT

Last edited by Tony H; 11-13-2012 at 11:23 PM.
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  #12  
Old 11-13-2012, 11:14 PM
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Do you need feeler gauges to measure the tire-fender clearance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Calspeed View Post
Then the other side.....

So, it was a success!

I gained about half an inch with a modest fender roll. I could pinch it further but I want to be able to have access to keep it clean. And, I don't think that I will need another .25 inch of clearance.

Next step, installing the wheels and tires.

Miguel
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Tony H
W111 280SE 3.5 Coupe
Manual transmission

Past cars:
Porsche 914 2.0
'64 Jaguar XKE Roadster
'57 Oval Window VW
'71 Toyota Hilux Pickup Truck-Dad bought new
'73 Toyota Celica GT
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  #13  
Old 11-14-2012, 02:08 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony H View Post
Do you need feeler gauges to measure the tire-fender clearance?
I hope not.

so this afternoon I ordered my tires. I got a set of 245/50 for the rears and 225/55 for the front. If the 245's end up to wide I will go 225 on all four rims. Its gonna be close!

Will try to have them installed tomorrow afternoon. (after I run some drain pipes to the sewer line for the bathroom in my "man cave" Motorsports garage. Yeah baby!!!

Miguel
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  #14  
Old 11-14-2012, 09:55 AM
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Looking forward to seeing the wheels mounted. and nice Duke!
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  #15  
Old 11-14-2012, 10:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Phillytwotank View Post
That's quite a trip but I'm sure nice cruzin cali in a car like that.
Yes, it was an enjoyable drive to Los Angeles. The car was fast enough meaning that I had "zero" problems staying up with the traffic. It was stable enough that at 80mph I could easily drive confidently with one hand on the wheel. And the brakes are great not that I ever had to use them in an abrupt fashion. But the car stops straight and sure.

I have no problems driving the 280S on a long trip. On this particular trip, it was about 850 miles in 18 hours. Oil level remained steady. Fuel consumption was about 18mpg.

Miguel
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San Francisco to SoCal, 875 mile day trip for a set of BBS Wheels-20121111_090418.jpg   San Francisco to SoCal, 875 mile day trip for a set of BBS Wheels-20121111_164657.jpg   San Francisco to SoCal, 875 mile day trip for a set of BBS Wheels-20121111_205149.jpg  

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