M5 UTE conversion - Page 10 - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Apples · 24th June 2006, 21:28

Yep I thought you must have done that, as I didn't think I was that good.

No limo, just a beast without a baclk.
APPLES

palantirion · 25th June 2006, 11:44

Apples, my hat's off to you! As an amateur designer I love the ute idea and I've got a lot of respect for your *cajones* to hack apart an M5 like this.

No going back now!

Can't wait to see the finished project. Best of luck!

palantirion · 25th June 2006, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apples

You guys know who makes a 20mm wheel spacer for the M5?
I'm going to widen the rear about 25mm per side and if I get the Neez wheel in a 20 they only come only is certain off set sizes.
The best match would be the largest off set of 25mm, so the same as what I've got now.
It's a 20/10.5/25mm rim V's my BBS LM 19/10/25mm so getting a spacer of about 18 - 20mm will give me that 25mm wider stance then what I've got now.

APPLES

Hope I'm not arriving too late to add feedback here...

Anything over 10mm will change the scrub radius and effect the steering in a noticeable, negative way. I had 15mm spacers on mine until recently and the turn in and bump steer were both worse than OEM. I've heard that 10mm work really well. Now I have 3mm with 18x9.5 wheels on the front and the car handles so much better its almost unbelieveable! The gain in track with a wider spacer just isn't worth the tradeoff in steering feel/precision/agility, imo.

Callero · 25th June 2006, 17:00

Milord, it's happening, you sir are a true car nutter in the best sence of the word!

Nabio · 25th June 2006, 20:24

Apples, have you considered video taping some of the key work being done, throughout the whole procedure? I know it's a tad late to start now but even so it would make for an extremeley interesting video after some editing. I would love to watch it!

Apples · 12th July 2006, 05:31

Now it's starting to show some shape.
It's been extended 4inches and put back together.....(Wish that could be done for me!)
Shane has placed the rear wagon fenders and the rear gate on the ute to see how the wider shape will flow to the front of the car.
He's going to skin the front doors and add new sheet metal to them to get the growing width of the ute to flow from the front edge of the door all the way back to the rear wheel arch .

You can see that it's a bit wider then the nomal M5's stance.....looks pretty low and strong in it's stance.
Plenty of room for some nice rubber out back.

KEES you can add the little thumb nails if you wish to this.

Pics 63 to 85 are all new today.
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115148213

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aaronmiles · 12th July 2006, 05:51

It is taking shape nicely... very nice indeed. How do you go about insuring something like that.

you NEED to take the car to BMW HQ out here in Mulgrave... would be a hoot to see the looks on their faces

Keep me in mind when you go to offload the wheels if possible...

1.NEON · 12th July 2006, 06:24

Very nice, the mock ups are looking great and I like the idea of the extra width and the flow in width all the way from the front door edge, interesting point by palantirion. Southern Rod & Custom really seem to know their stuff, I love how in every photo, the workshop looks spotless, tidy and organised, that always says something to me about the people working in and running the shop.

I agree it looks low & strong like the renderings.

Is the project on schedule, will it make it before your trip back to Aus.

LFC09 · 12th July 2006, 06:38

Apples,
Awesome job. Having only just stumbled across this thread, I will be keeping close tabs on it now.
A few questions: Will it be Bundy powered? What about 4WD or AWD? Have you sourced a bull bar and spotties for it? I am sure you have probably already thought of the "No fat chicks" sticker. What about the blue heeler?
Absolutely fascinating seeing the beast gutted.

MIB · 12th July 2006, 07:17

MIB takes a few deep breaths, and summons up the courage to look at the pics.....

Bang.... Crash....THUD!!!!!!

Hey guys, its Konnor here... aka "The Boy" Dad's on the ground and his leg is twitching.......Should I call the Ambulance?

Oh its O.K......He's up and has gone Screaming out into the Garage. (I can't make out what he is saying, he's speaking in German!) The German lady accross the road has just turned bright Red and fainted.

Oh he's back. (Cool ute apples - The Boy!)

MIB : I keep expecting one of those guys from Candid camera to jump out and Say "Gotcha". J/K

The Ute is looking Great.

Can't wait to see Yoda with some New Clothes on.

Reminds me the Parrot in the cage that keeps shouting he can lick anyone, and so the owner puts a pole cat in with it, and 5 minutes latter there are feathers everywhere...and the bird says once again, I'm tough I am, I can lick anyman, but I had to take my coat off for that one.

MIB and The Boy.