When you experience the benefits of low unsprung weight, a few mm of protruding bolt doesn't matter much.

 

Very nice, did you get the centres x-rayed to check for cracks whilst they were apart?

 

Voodoo don't offer a crack testing service. If I'm being honest their offering is largely cosmetic - which they're very good at. They make no pretence to being a race shop, thus I guess the demand for x-ray checks on rare mag wheels is limited. I'm sure it's something they could arrange if needed.
In the UK I was unable to find anyone who could provide the full service I really wanted ie. remove tyres, split the wheels, crack test the centres, powder coat or paint the centres, anodize the lips, rebuild, and fit new tyres. I would have ended up going to a different place to do each part, which would just have taken forever and cost too much money. So, in the end I just went with someone who was comfortable working with 3 piece wheels and produced a nice finish.
I also re-used my bolts to attach the centres - no doubt someone will tell me that it's very dangerous and they should be replaced, or I'll die in a fireball, but Voodoo said it's fine to re-use them. I'm sure I read somewhere that if you do re-use them, then there is a different torque setting for the second use ???? (I have to say the protruding bolts would have annoyed the heck out of me, so on reflection I'm glad I re-used)
Anyway I used the wheels on track at Brands Hatch on Monday and all was well, and they were much admired !

 

Alright I'll drop in my pence worth.

Speaking from experience, BBS in Germany will happily take back your wheels. They will split them check centres for weakness and respray them. They however will not restore your lips and barrels. Replace but not restore.

This is because the service is a motor sport service. Aesthetics are not of their concern, they are purely interested in integrity - as are most of their motor sport clients. So much so that when they redid my (now sold) E28 centres they didn't bother removing the black plastic bolt 'nuts' you see pictured in Ivan's wheels. So they ended up gold also.

So if you really want to be absolutely sure, I would suggest sending centres to BBS Germany for inspection and paint since painting Mags is a dark art and then have Voodoo restore you lips, barrels and build them up. Which is exactly what I did with my E28s - a fellow L9Oer now has a serious well restored set.

Quite frankly I think this is overkill. A visual inspection by Voodoo is fine by my book.

He currently has my set of BBS Mag GT2s that he'll be doing the whole build for shortly in preparation for next seasons track work. For the sake of saying how much I trust Elie, these wheels are incredibly rare. Furthermore, he's now worked on 6 sets of wheels for the L9O gang.

 

Have ya got a pic of these on your car?

 

Only had them on the 968 CS so far - I'll post a pic of that. No idea when I'll get a chance to put them on the RS..........

Jamie

 

I've found mag and aluminium weights work out pretty similar when designing in both materials

I'd be interested to know what these weigh?

For me these look perfect on a 964

 

Can't remember off the top of me head - been too long now. But very little. Which means they're great on track but you gotta be careful on British potholed roads.

The newer motorsport BBS wheels have Aluminium centres. For example BBS E88s are the aluminium version of the E28 magnesiums. They weigh less and are stronger than the original mag versions in fact.

However! People tend to love mag E28 BBSs (and the likes) as they're rarer, period correct and the spoke design is not 'scalloped' like the E88s.

Something interesting? All E28s were originally centre lock wheels which were then drilled for 5x130 application. This is why there are three screw holes at the centre, the BBS logo is partly shaved etc.

 

Here you go, not the best pic, but you get the idea........

 

I knew i'd seen your wheels before! Saw your 968 at a track evening at Brands mid August... Really nice car mate and best colour imo!

 

Lots of YUM.

 

Thanks, yes that was me at Brands Hatch.
There are some more pretty cool pics of the car from Brands on Monday here
http://www.msvtphotography.com/v/pho...vdw/C170034602
You can see how much the brake dust changes the colour of the wheel centres by the end of the day !

 

BBS in Georgia will make you a set of E28s anytime. Just give them a ring. Ask for Zach.

 

The E28 are out for good from BBS. I got this confirmed earlier this year from the BBS suplier Bob Woodman tires in the US. A guy there were actually taliking to the BBS factory on the other line as we speaked. The casting molds are gone because the E28 are to expensive to manufature and it's an old design. So the replacement E88 is the only way to go. I managed to buy two centres via Woodman tires last year but that was the last batch they could find.

These old mag centres crack of age, especially as most of the sets out there are old race wheels. Two of mine has already cracked so now I only have one centre left on the shelf. After that it's time to buy E88's. :-(

It's a real pity because the E28 centre looks so much better. Even though the E88 is a better centre; stronger, lasts longer, lighter, they doesn't look half as cool.

Thomas

 

Thomas,
Just so I can monitor my own wheels, where do they tend to crack ? I have seen no evidence on my wheels, but I guess they are nearly 10 years old........

thanks,

Jamie