wheels are back

This winter, the plan was to take my beemer apart as it needed some new bearings for the gearbox and who knew what more.
However we didn't get round to it due to other projects.
So when the first nice sunny days of this year came, and I took it for a ride, I was reminded that the BMW wanted some attention by the whine of gearboxbearings.

The beemer is now fully taken appart, sadly I haven't spent much time on it, as two of my honda engines and my Golf decided they also wanted some attention, and I did want to keep some running transportation.
Luckaly my dad continued on with the beemer, so it is making progress.

Today I recieved a package containing the newly laced wheels.

The glassbeadblasted hubs as they were sent out:


and how the wheels came back:

excel 18" 2,50 rear

excel 19" 2,15 front

A bit wider then standard and shouldered for the classic look.

How to make your own lightweight valve spring retainers

As the title says, lightweight retainers.
Seen on this blog before because I made them for my oldschool SS50 engine and my earlier C110 engine.
Now I'm rebuilding the original C110 engine that belongs under my C110, also with 60cc so I can keep up with modern traffic, and some more racing tricks, like lightweight retainers.

step 1:

Mount the retainers to a piece of perforated sheetmetal and spraypaint the other side.

step 2:

You now have the pattern of what to grind away, start grinding. I've used a 1mm cutting disc on an anglegrinder mounted in the vice, holding the retainers in vicegrips.

weight before:

weight after:

disclaimer: my scales ar not that accurate, when measured seperately one piece weighs 4 gramms and lightened 3 gramms.
So let's say you can achieve a 25-30% reduction in weight.
No titanium, but it only costs you some time and a little effort, no money.

And this is what it looks like, mounted in a C110 head

Maybe I should get some seethrough valvecovers...