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OK, I have had OCD issues with picking a rim style to update my OEM metrics to. I have decided on 16" Alpina rims. However, I need to know if you guys think the open lug/black centered rims would look anachronistic by which I mean is this the wrong style for an 87?

Or do you think I should go with center cap version?

I need your feedback men! Thanks in advance.

C'mon boys, I need your input!

M6smitten wrote:C'mon boys, I need your input!

My 80 Euro originally came with the black centered Alpina Wheels and looked great. Unfortunately the wheels were damaged on the ship from Germany and I had to replace them with black centered Weds wheels. If I knew then what I know now, I would have stored the Alpina's and had them refurbished later.

Open lug Alpinas are always a good choice for any e24, IMHO...

I sometimes thought that the 16x7 Alpina front and 16x8 Alpina rear rims were not enough size for an M6. Well, maybe the fronts at 16x7 and I always thought the Hartge 16x7.5 was a better size for a font rim.

I sold a set of vintage 16" staggered Alpinas 3 years ago to Ray Sterben who comes out to PSF pretty regularlly as well as Monterey and Socal vintage events. He loves them!

He loves the look of the vintage Alpinas on his cinnabar 1987 M6 and gets a lot of compliments. So I say ....go for it!

Thanks a lot men!

Hard not to like the black center Alpina look.....By the way, my Alpina B10 3.5 is a 1987 model and originally had the later style covered center Alpinas. But like many others, I like the look of the vintage black centers. So to that end, I have since converted my 17x8.5 and 17x9.5 Alpinas to black centers and have modified the centers to accept the original Alpina black center caps.

I prefer the black centers and original Alpina black plastic center caps to the later Alpina covered centers and locks.

Anyway, you get the idea.....

Hello,

I would prefer the 17" with center cap.
They are more corresponding to the manufacturing date of your 6.
The black painted center is more linked to the first generation and maybe the early second generation.

Renaud

JR, your rims look amazing! I have to say, the black looks much more sportlich (athletic in German). The conversion is seamless.

I had planned on selling my staggered open lugs but after reading this post I'm having 2nd thoughts.Are they somewhat period correct for an '80?

Keep 'em! I was so taken by the look of JR's, I bought a set from CoupeKing's to run untill I find an original set.

I heard the Alpina rims from cars exported to Japan are really straight because they don't have potholes there. CAn anyone sustantiate?

M6smitten wrote:Keep 'em! I was so taken by the look of JR's, I bought a set from CoupeKing's to run untill I find an original set.

I heard the Alpina rims from cars exported to Japan are really straight because they don't have potholes there. CAn anyone sustantiate?

Not sure how true that is, but I know that nice collector cars are not driven much. Japanese traffic (Tokyo) is killer.

I have driven in the city and on the highways of Japan for three years and they are always in very good condition. However, when you get into any of the towns off the main highways, there are roads that are just as bad or worst (gravel & dirt). Did I mention that the two way roads are like 12 feet wide!

I bought a set of 16" Alpinas staggered from Japan and they were no better or straighter than any other used sets of Alpina I bought. I still had to have them professionally straightened.

However, my B10 which came from Japan, had straight Alpinas wheels on it when I bought it. So maybe it is just doesn't make any difference.

So you bought a set of replicas from the CoupeKing? Tell us what you think of them.

vadon wrote:I had planned on selling my staggered open lugs but after reading this post I'm having 2nd thoughts.Are they somewhat period correct for an '80?

Forgot who made those. Mahle? But they would be correct for the period. The basket-weave centres were sometimes rendered in gold, which is a nice historical note.

M6smitten wrote:Keep 'em! I was so taken by the look of JR's, I bought a set from CoupeKing's to run untill I find an original set.

I heard the Alpina rims from cars exported to Japan are really straight because they don't have potholes there. CAn anyone sustantiate?

Put them on the scale before you have tires mounted. I'll weigh my spare set & we can compare.

Will do

the 8x16 was roughly 16.5 lbs.

Interesting. Both the 7 & 8 widths weighed out at 19.5 on the bathroom scale.

Just double checked , 8x16 was 17lbs.

As John Calvin said, I purchased a set of vintage wheels from him and have been very satisfied. They are open lug (black centers) and I get complimants everywhere I show the car. They are vintage correct and I think they look more "racey" than the closed version, with the hub cars.