[jimsky]

I found some rims advertised as follows:

5 1/2" X 13" ORIGINAL BMW 320iS WHEELS.
ET18 OFFSET 4 X 100 PCD.

From what I've read searching through the forums, I think these should fit an a GT. Can I get a resounding YES or NO?
Thanks.

 

[Mach1Tom (R.I.P.)]

Yes, they will fit. I got a set of these for a fellow Opeler at the local Pic-a Part yard.

Tom C.

 

[BQS4]

http://www.opelgt.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=1117&password=&sort=1&cat=500&page=2 Here's my 69 GT with the BBS RA's on it, they're 13 X 6

 

[Mach1Tom (R.I.P.)]

Are these the wheels you are talking about? These came in 13" & 14" sizes.The pic is from an 83 BMW 320i with the13x5 1/2 wheels

Tom C.

 

[jimsky]

It's a kind of basketweave pattern, aluminum alloy rim. See the photo below. I don't know who the manufacturer was, I was told they were made in Germany. I wanted to stick to 13" rims and something that was kind of "correct for the time period the car came from". Call me old fashioned, but I just don't care for the new styled narrow spoked rims where you see more brake rotor or drum than wheel. The slotted Shelby muscle car type rims would have been my first choice, but those were very hard to find. These will do, now to find some nice 205/60-13's to go with them.

 

[baz]

hi they are called "alley cats" dont know who made them but i'll have a sniff around

 

[RallyBob]

I don't know who the manufacturer was, I was told they were made in Germany.

They're either made by BBS, or they're made by Mahle under contract and labeled as BBS wheels. Yes, the same Mahle that made the OEM Opel pistons.

I have some 320i BMW wheels with both markings.

Bob

 

[BQS4]

Tom;
The picture you have is the BMW optionals that were on their "Alpina" package option. It's like a "sport" option. These are the type of wheels Charles likes. As Bob has stated, the "basket-weave" were either BBS or Mahle, and like him, I've had a set of of each, and it's really hard to tell one from the other without getting into sticky little details. There was also another manufacturer that had a design just like the BBS, but, I can't recall their name. Surfice to say, it's hard to beat when it has "BBS" stamped on it.

 

[garrymc]

I see the BMW rims use a lug bolt. Do you need different lug nuts ? I think alloy wheels are tapered different. I looked at BMW alloys but wanted to go plus 1, never found any 14 inch rims at the salvage yard...yet.

Garry

 

[jimsky]

Good question, I didn't think about that. I've attached a close up photo of the mounting holes. Bolts? Lug nuts? Does anyone know?

 

[opelbits]

My wheels (look in the two photos in the members photo area) are MSW's. 14x6. Black basket weave with polished lip.

I think Ronal and Gotti also made the mesh type wheel.

 

[BQS4]

My BBS I'm running on my GT came with lug bolts, but, I'm running lug nuts, have been for 10 years, no problem whatsoever.

 

[RallyBob]

Just to show how prevalent this wheel style was years ago, here are three different types of 'mesh' wheels I picked up over the years. At the top are MSW's, to the left are Carroll Shelby wheels, the ones on the right are the BMW wheels. They're all 13 x 6, but the backspace varies amongst them.

 

[RallyBob]

BMW wheel identification.....showing width and offset.

 

[RallyBob]

Proof of the Mahle-BBS conspiracy.

 

[jimsky]

Thanks for all the information. I'm real happy I'm going with these wheels, seems to be a lot of "period history" about them.

This might sound like a silly question, but here goes:
Now that I'll be using a slightly wider rim (from 5" to 5.5") and different tires (Sumitomo HTR4 160/60R13) what air pressure do I inflate the tires to?

The stock inflation for the 165/18R13's was front = 19psi and rear = 23psi. I aways thought proper inflation was critical to get the proper profile where the tire meets the road. Under inflated = ride on tire edges, center puckers up, Over inflated = ride on center, edges curl up.

Weight loading on the tires must come into play, I guess that's why inflations are recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.

Does anyone what to comment? Or am I just think about this too much? Thanks again.

 

[jimsky]

That tire size is 205/60R13

 

[BQS4]

Jim;
I have 205/60R-13 BF Goodrich T/As on my GT with the BBS 13X6 I run about 24-26 lbs in all four and they wear flat across.
Gene

 

[jimsky]

Thanks. I was considering those tires, but once had Sumitomo's on my Acura Integra and just loved them. Never heard of them, I took the recommendation of my local tire guy, and cheap to boot. What a great set of tires! After I wore them out I went back for another set, but he couldn't get them anymore. The HTR4's are my first choice, but I can only get them on the internet. The T/A's are much easier to obtain, three places within 3 miles of me. How do you like them? I "heard" bit flexy in the sidewall and not so great wet traction, true? They have the bold white sidewall lettering, correct?

 

[BQS4]

Jim;
Yes, they still have the bold lettering on the sidewall, as for flexy, I don't know. I'm not running sway bars, but, I can take the same roads in my GT, that I do in my Sportwagon with front and rear bars. Holds just as good, if not better. But, that could be due to lower center-of-gravity. As for wet traction, I find that unless you run around with the GT's tank full, the rear tires will break loose, not easily mind you, as there is no weight in the back of a GT. They are nose heavy. But, wet traction I have found to be very good, and they channel water well, for straight driving. As the T/A's I have found are generally cheaper than anything else in the Atlanta area, I got my last set at Sam's Club, even got their $5 per tire mounting. Just about every other brand I have found to be higher.
Gene