M5 UTE conversion - Page 8 - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Apples · 29th April 2006, 05:18

I just had a chat to my navigator Pete Burry from last years Targa.
They just finished Symmons Plains and were off for the rest of the 4th Day.
Had some issues at the Domain stage as a car went off in to the crowd, some broken bones I think...ouch

Yep it's going to be a worlds first to cross mix a ute idea in to pure blood line like the M series.

APPLES

M540i LE · 29th April 2006, 05:36

Yeah...four people in hospital - talking on the radio about backs and heads. Not good. A Mini Cooper ploughed into a crowd of about 30 people at 100km/h.

On a brighter note, I will be at Symmons Plains next Saturday for a morning of practice laps. Is a good fun circuit.

Cheers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apples

I just had a chat to my navigator Pete Burry from last years Targa.
They just finished Symmons Plains and were off for the rest of the 4th Day.
Had some issues at the Domain stage as a car went off in to the crowd, some broken bones I think...ouch

Yep it's going to be a worlds first to cross mix a ute idea in to pure blood line like the M series.

APPLES

Apples · 29th April 2006, 15:47

Really a Mini lost control
I ran around there last year in the black Gallardo and I found it pretty slippery, not a very comfortable feeling.
The last section you get up to about 200kph
I think they need keep the crowd away from any potential hot spots for cars coming off the road...( would have thought that they would have...there might be more to it?)
They need to build some 3 foot sand hills on the spots the seem to create issues and keep this stuff from happening.

I hope this doesn't hurt the events future?
APPLES

1.NEON · 30th April 2006, 13:22

Just had a bit of a look around the other discussions and found this thread, it instantly took my interest, at first I also thought it is sacrilege to chop a beautiful Beemer like that, but when you see the renderings, it looks very cool and very Aussie, most people probably won't get the ute thing, but it should look amazing.

Now I remember why you were looking for that E39 M5 for that "pet project", how long is it expected to take?

I did a major conversion a few years back, it took just under 2 years, by the sounds of yours it will be worth the wait for such a world first unique car, anyhow good luck with it, look forward to seeing and hearing about the process and results.

Apples · 30th April 2006, 15:14

It's going to start next week 1.NEON.
I got the car in Jan/Feb this year of MIB.
I would have loved to have seen the kick off of the project happen by Feb/March, but May 1st it is (happens to be my B-Day...hmm)
Shane mentioned that he thought it was a 9 month project when I met with him in Dec 05.
I told him that I would like to have it done by Nov/Dec this year, if he couldn't do it by then (I'll be back in OZ for those months) to take his time as I won't be back in OZ till late in 07.

Asit stands it looks like I'll get the car in 07, unless all goes very well and I get lucky for the Nov/Dec window.

I'll be keeping everybody in the loop as soon as the pics become available.

APPLES

Apples · 5th May 2006, 14:45

Well the "rip apart" mode has started in the work shop on Yoda.

They've taken out the sun roof, and it looks like we'll get rid of that option as the rolling of the back edge would be too close to the glass to put it back in.

Shane's happy with what the floor of the M5 is looking like.
It looks like we'll go with the extended wheel base of about 8 inches 20cm.

I'm thinking of putting some 22's in the rear (HRE 947 or 943 series) and 20's up front.
Shane was happy to hear me thinking that big as it will give is some real strenght in style.
Getting some sketches made up with those wheel styles in them to compare

APPLES

aaronmiles · 5th May 2006, 14:54

No good Apps..... wont link outside of imagestation

Taipan · 5th May 2006, 14:55

doesnt seem to work.. the pics I mean..

Apples · 5th May 2006, 15:03

That's really starting to peeve me off when the pics don't show in [img] tags.
Have a look at the www links

The UTE Album if you want slightly bigger versions...quality is so so.

Teutonaddict · 7th May 2006, 00:23

Great renderings in black, Stuart. And happy birthday, by the way.

Did you see the brief article in the June Car & Driver, "Fords that could Save Ford Now." It's about the global Ford models that aren't available in the U.S. But there's also a sidebar about OZ's utes.

"We once called them Rancheros, but to Australians they're just 'utes.' Part sedan, part pickup truck, fully Australian, utes are the country's mules of commerce, hauling everything from livestock in the outback to tools and supplies for inner-city tradesmen....

...The last Ranchero was sold in 1979. Perhaps it's time Ford did a ute reboot in America."

You're ahead of your time, man! Congrats on such a unique and ambitious project. Best of luck to you!

-Dave