Contessa Classic

Arkin evoisrevo · 15th February 2011, 21:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyrus43

How can they be swift rims arkin. Swift has 4 mounting bolts and the conti has 5.

Oops, you've got me there Cyrus!

I guess I've got it right now:

Quote:

Originally Posted by badboyscad

Those are Xylo steel rims

BTW, Atu, are your tires bald? Or is it just the mud caked on them?

atu2good · 15th February 2011, 22:40

@Sudhindra: Yes we met! Manikjeet is a very enthusiastic man! It was very nice of him to come down to my place, with his car

Also he told me about the mechanics I should take my car to.
On a different note, I'm still waiting for you to upload the pics of your new car...

@Arkin: They are bald, no mud cakes on them buddy.. Going to buy new ones soon but I'm still deciding upon whether to use stock tires or upgrade to BMW rims.

shekaran · 16th February 2011, 12:31

if you can get hold of bmw rims (even steel rims) - pls dont hesitate, go for it ! also the matching tyres would be 195/60R15 (ford fusion OE tyres) or you can even go for 195/65R15 (skoda laura OE). max width you can go till 195 only for OE wheel rim fitments, as the upper front suspension part would rub against the wider tyres. but if you can fabricate spacers or get negative offset alloys, then 205 or 215 wide tyres can also be your choice.
my personal advice (take it or leave it) is to have 195/60-65R15 tyres in bmw alloys or 175/80R13 tyres in OE wheelrims. wider tyres look nice, even dashing, but at the expense of harder suspension feel. you will feel even small bumps in wider 60/55/50 profile tyres than the 80 profile tyres, i say this bcoz i experimented all these and settled for OE size 13" tyres.

ask contyclub about new shock absorbers and front and rear spring rubber mounts. as yours is an old car, better change these 2 items, for a raised look. keep tab of all spares needed for the restoration, and start collecting them, and start your restoration, only after all the required parts have come in hand. this also my experience bcoz for a small part, my conti would wait 2-3 weeks in shed, in idle.

Best Regards.

atu2good · 16th February 2011, 12:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by shekaran

I experimented all these and settled for OE size 13" tyres..

I too am inclined towards the 13" tires. Although the tires are a little hard to find in the market, I wish to keep the car as stock as possible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shekaran

Keep tab of all spares needed for the restoration, and start collecting them, and start your restoration, only after all the required parts have come in hand. .

Thanks!! I will surely keep this in mind.

Viraat13 · 16th February 2011, 23:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by atu2good

I wish to keep the car as stock as possible.

I love hearing that!

Congrats on getting yourself a Contessa.

manikjeet · 17th February 2011, 09:21

atu2good dont worry about not getting the spares if you want i can get you a brand new shell for the car every spare is available but it needs some time i waited 2 months for the window garish which i showed you
and bhai you are always welcome for anything
and it was great to meet a fellow conti lover

regnex · 26th February 2011, 11:10

I just Got This One

shekaran · 26th February 2011, 11:58

Welcome Aboad, REGNEX.
CCI would stand by you in restoring your contessa back to its pristine glory. Keep us updated on works and whats the condition of the car now ? petrol or diesel version ?
Best Regards.

atu2good · 27th February 2011, 21:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by regnex

I just Got This One

Congratulation regnex!!! Welcome to the Contessa club. I purchased a Contessa early this month and like me you shall too be amazed by the support team-bhp members offer

provide more details and pics of the car soon..

Happy motoring!!!

Tej Khokhar · 3rd March 2011, 17:31

Hi Atul,

Great to read the passionately written post on the ownership of the conti !! Enjoyed reading every bit of it. And i must thank you for the encouragement join T-bhp too!

@ Mr Shekran T,
I believe we have a common friend in 'Miyer'. I have learnt a great deal about my Conti and maintaining the same from him. I also understand based on the discussions with the soft-spoken gentleman, that you have researched and experimented extensively on the Conti wheels.

I have a MPFi conti which is a 2003 model (possibly the last of the lot which came out of the factory on order). And i have been pestering Miyer with queries related to the possibility of adding 15' steel rims from a BMW onto the conti. He mentioned that you had tried out the combination of your car. Could you kindly guide me on the:
1. Availability of these steel rims
2. the ET which will allow the fitments of 205/60 profile tires
3. the cost of the rims

Miyer, has also provider me with an option of importing BMW OEM rims from Dubai. However, am still awaiting good designs options.

Would appreciate if you could advise on the same. Thanks.

shekaran · 4th March 2011, 22:45

Dear Tejkhokhar,
1st sorry for replying late.

Reg the wheel rims, pls see the following pic, which shows the specs of bmw wheels. it would be nice if you could get hold of a (1997-2002) E39 5 series or an E39 M5 series (2001-on) wheel rims, as the contessa centre bore dia is 74 mm. other bmw wheel rims will also fit in the hub with a strong push incase of old wornout hubs, or a slight shaving of 1mm either in the hub centre or on the lip of the wheel rim centre hole.
i presume, that i am explaining as simply as i could.

The offset is described by the term ET, which is from the German word 'Einpresstiefe' translated as 'insertion depth'. Most wheels have a positive offset which means the mounting surface is further outboard than the wheels centre. If you reduce the amount of positive ET on the wheel the the vehicles track is widened and vice versa if the ET number is reduced. Straying too far from the original offset can be detremental as fouling to the suspension and bodywork can occur as well as eccess strain on wheel bolts or studs.

the max ET you can go safely without damaging/straining the bearings, hubs etc.,. (strictly in my experience, pls note, not scientifically tested) can be +40. anything more can make your wider tyres (more than 205) rub on the wheel arches, when you turn the wheels or when going over bumps.

bmw steel wheel rims cost anywhere between 4k to 8k depending upon the condition, and paint, but only available with prior notice to your 2nd hand wheel rim dealer. these are usually not freely available, and hard to source.

if you want 15" wheel rims, then BMW OE alloys would look classic and also well weighted to the contessa. i remember one mr.rathna nadar in orkut having bmw alloys for sale - pls try search and find any such resales. but before buying pls test the wheel for trueness and any defects in a wheel balancing machine. bmw alloys 2nd hand should cost you anywhere between 10k to 20k, depending upon the rim condition and the seller's status.

Best Regards. pls post pics of the 2003 conti, we are very eager to see the youngest sibling in the conti club.

Tej Khokhar · 7th March 2011, 13:19

Thanks for the detailed reply, Mr Shekaran. Yes, i understand the offset terminology as i remember studying this in my engineering. I am looking to increase the tire offset such that the outer edge of the tire sits about 2 cm outwards than the present (which in terms of ET would mean reducing the +45 to +40 - right?).

Finally, thanks to you the myth that ALL BMW rims are a direct fit is busted. I assume that machining the rim/alloy would be a better step than shaving the HUB, considering the Conti parts availability in case you want to revert to the original rim.

Also i noticed that the 15" tires that you highlighted (E39 5 series) are all 15" x 7 INCHES which is considerably wider than the conti's 5J (or 5 inches width). Kindly let me know if my assumption that , it would be necessary to have a lesser ET wheel to ensure no fouling on the inside with 7' wide wheels, is correct.

I somehow have more affinity for the steel rims and would love to go the Miyer way ( black painted rims with chrome rings and fat tires). Also, the points you mentioned regarding alloys :

1. trueness
2. structural integrity, cracks etc.

make second hand alloys a little 'iffy'. I did speak to the person from Chennai, however i didn't quite like the wheel's design. Am willing to wait till i find what the heart says is right for the car. I may sound like a romantic, however, I am sure as a fellow conti owner you will agree that patience is a key towards owning a Conti.

It would be great in case you could share some details of rim dealers that you may know of in Bangalore or Chennai.

I am attaching a few pictures that i have of my car for you. Will try uploading the detailed pics of the mechanicals, under-body, interiors, engine once i click those.

Cheers !

shekaran · 7th March 2011, 15:21

i envy seeing the latest conti from the factory, best of luck.
i will let you know soon on more details, but miyer being near to you, would be the best man for suggestions. cheers, have a nice contessa drives !!!

atu2good · 7th March 2011, 22:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tej Khokhar

Hi Atul,

Great to read the passionately written post on the ownership of the conti !! Enjoyed reading every bit of it. And i must thank you for the encouragement join T-bhp too!

Two things:
1. Welcome!!! Great to see you and your car finally showing presence on the Team BHP forum Tej.
2. You misspelled my name, it's Atulya.

The people here are very nice and helpful and I'm very sure that all of us will enjoy interacting with each other a lot!!!!
Upload some pics soon

Tej Khokhar · 10th March 2011, 16:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by shekaran

i envy seeing the latest conti from the factory, best of luck.
i will let you know soon on more details, but miyer being near to you, would be the best man for suggestions. cheers, have a nice contessa drives !!!

Thanks Sekaran ! Will await your revert. I do need to meet Miyer soon - its been a while now as both of us are tied up in the office !

@ Atulya : Sorry, didn't quite get it right ! Well, i am also awaiting your update on the BMW rims and if possible some feedback on how 'manikjit' got xylo rims on the car. I posted on his thread 'got my contessa' too and am awaiting his reply.

So how is the daily driving coming along? Get the brakes fixed first as a priority - the rest can wait. Would love to meet you guys and check out the car in case I visit home.

@miyer: 'where art thou?'. We need to do another conti meet soon!!

15th February 2011, 22:40	#167
atu2good BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 47 Thanked: 30 Times	Re: Contessa Classic @Sudhindra: Yes we met! Manikjeet is a very enthusiastic man! It was very nice of him to come down to my place, with his car Also he told me about the mechanics I should take my car to. On a different note, I'm still waiting for you to upload the pics of your new car... @Arkin: They are bald, no mud cakes on them buddy.. Going to buy new ones soon but I'm still deciding upon whether to use stock tires or upgrade to BMW rims.
	() Thanks

16th February 2011, 12:31	#168
shekaran BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Puducherry Posts: 245 Thanked: 77 Times View My Garage	Re: Contessa Classic if you can get hold of bmw rims (even steel rims) - pls dont hesitate, go for it ! also the matching tyres would be 195/60R15 (ford fusion OE tyres) or you can even go for 195/65R15 (skoda laura OE). max width you can go till 195 only for OE wheel rim fitments, as the upper front suspension part would rub against the wider tyres. but if you can fabricate spacers or get negative offset alloys, then 205 or 215 wide tyres can also be your choice. my personal advice (take it or leave it) is to have 195/60-65R15 tyres in bmw alloys or 175/80R13 tyres in OE wheelrims. wider tyres look nice, even dashing, but at the expense of harder suspension feel. you will feel even small bumps in wider 60/55/50 profile tyres than the 80 profile tyres, i say this bcoz i experimented all these and settled for OE size 13" tyres. ask contyclub about new shock absorbers and front and rear spring rubber mounts. as yours is an old car, better change these 2 items, for a raised look. keep tab of all spares needed for the restoration, and start collecting them, and start your restoration, only after all the required parts have come in hand. this also my experience bcoz for a small part, my conti would wait 2-3 weeks in shed, in idle. Best Regards.
	() Thanks

17th February 2011, 09:21	#171
manikjeet Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: chandigarh Posts: 1,618 Thanked: 295 Times View My Garage	Re: Contessa Classic atu2good dont worry about not getting the spares if you want i can get you a brand new shell for the car every spare is available but it needs some time i waited 2 months for the window garish which i showed you and bhai you are always welcome for anything and it was great to meet a fellow conti lover
	(1) Thanks

26th February 2011, 11:10	#172
regnex BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Goa, Margao Posts: 145 Thanked: 10 Times View My Garage	Re: Contessa Classic I just Got This One Attached Thumbnails Last edited by regnex : 26th February 2011 at 11:11.
	() Thanks

26th February 2011, 11:58	#173
shekaran BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Puducherry Posts: 245 Thanked: 77 Times View My Garage	Re: Contessa Classic Welcome Aboad, REGNEX. CCI would stand by you in restoring your contessa back to its pristine glory. Keep us updated on works and whats the condition of the car now ? petrol or diesel version ? Best Regards. Last edited by shekaran : 26th February 2011 at 11:58. Reason: spell check
	() Thanks

3rd March 2011, 17:31	#175
Tej Khokhar BHPian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Bangalore, India Posts: 26 Thanked: 3 Times	Re: Contessa Classic Hi Atul, Great to read the passionately written post on the ownership of the conti !! Enjoyed reading every bit of it. And i must thank you for the encouragement join T-bhp too! @ Mr Shekran T, I believe we have a common friend in 'Miyer'. I have learnt a great deal about my Conti and maintaining the same from him. I also understand based on the discussions with the soft-spoken gentleman, that you have researched and experimented extensively on the Conti wheels. I have a MPFi conti which is a 2003 model (possibly the last of the lot which came out of the factory on order). And i have been pestering Miyer with queries related to the possibility of adding 15' steel rims from a BMW onto the conti. He mentioned that you had tried out the combination of your car. Could you kindly guide me on the: 1. Availability of these steel rims 2. the ET which will allow the fitments of 205/60 profile tires 3. the cost of the rims Miyer, has also provider me with an option of importing BMW OEM rims from Dubai. However, am still awaiting good designs options. Would appreciate if you could advise on the same. Thanks.
	() Thanks

4th March 2011, 22:45	#176
shekaran BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Puducherry Posts: 245 Thanked: 77 Times View My Garage	Re: Contessa Classic Dear Tejkhokhar, 1st sorry for replying late. Reg the wheel rims, pls see the following pic, which shows the specs of bmw wheels. it would be nice if you could get hold of a (1997-2002) E39 5 series or an E39 M5 series (2001-on) wheel rims, as the contessa centre bore dia is 74 mm. other bmw wheel rims will also fit in the hub with a strong push incase of old wornout hubs, or a slight shaving of 1mm either in the hub centre or on the lip of the wheel rim centre hole. i presume, that i am explaining as simply as i could. The offset is described by the term ET, which is from the German word 'Einpresstiefe' translated as 'insertion depth'. Most wheels have a positive offset which means the mounting surface is further outboard than the wheels centre. If you reduce the amount of positive ET on the wheel the the vehicles track is widened and vice versa if the ET number is reduced. Straying too far from the original offset can be detremental as fouling to the suspension and bodywork can occur as well as eccess strain on wheel bolts or studs. the max ET you can go safely without damaging/straining the bearings, hubs etc.,. (strictly in my experience, pls note, not scientifically tested) can be +40. anything more can make your wider tyres (more than 205) rub on the wheel arches, when you turn the wheels or when going over bumps. bmw steel wheel rims cost anywhere between 4k to 8k depending upon the condition, and paint, but only available with prior notice to your 2nd hand wheel rim dealer. these are usually not freely available, and hard to source. if you want 15" wheel rims, then BMW OE alloys would look classic and also well weighted to the contessa. i remember one mr.rathna nadar in orkut having bmw alloys for sale - pls try search and find any such resales. but before buying pls test the wheel for trueness and any defects in a wheel balancing machine. bmw alloys 2nd hand should cost you anywhere between 10k to 20k, depending upon the rim condition and the seller's status. Best Regards. pls post pics of the 2003 conti, we are very eager to see the youngest sibling in the conti club. Attached Images Last edited by shekaran : 4th March 2011 at 22:50. Reason: spell check, included pic
	() Thanks

7th March 2011, 13:19	#177
Tej Khokhar BHPian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Bangalore, India Posts: 26 Thanked: 3 Times	Re: Contessa Classic Thanks for the detailed reply, Mr Shekaran. Yes, i understand the offset terminology as i remember studying this in my engineering. I am looking to increase the tire offset such that the outer edge of the tire sits about 2 cm outwards than the present (which in terms of ET would mean reducing the +45 to +40 - right?). Finally, thanks to you the myth that ALL BMW rims are a direct fit is busted. I assume that machining the rim/alloy would be a better step than shaving the HUB, considering the Conti parts availability in case you want to revert to the original rim. Also i noticed that the 15" tires that you highlighted (E39 5 series) are all 15" x 7 INCHES which is considerably wider than the conti's 5J (or 5 inches width). Kindly let me know if my assumption that , it would be necessary to have a lesser ET wheel to ensure no fouling on the inside with 7' wide wheels, is correct. I somehow have more affinity for the steel rims and would love to go the Miyer way ( black painted rims with chrome rings and fat tires). Also, the points you mentioned regarding alloys : 1. trueness 2. structural integrity, cracks etc. make second hand alloys a little 'iffy'. I did speak to the person from Chennai, however i didn't quite like the wheel's design. Am willing to wait till i find what the heart says is right for the car. I may sound like a romantic, however, I am sure as a fellow conti owner you will agree that patience is a key towards owning a Conti. It would be great in case you could share some details of rim dealers that you may know of in Bangalore or Chennai. I am attaching a few pictures that i have of my car for you. Will try uploading the detailed pics of the mechanicals, under-body, interiors, engine once i click those. Cheers ! Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

7th March 2011, 15:21	#178
shekaran BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Puducherry Posts: 245 Thanked: 77 Times View My Garage	Re: Contessa Classic i envy seeing the latest conti from the factory, best of luck. i will let you know soon on more details, but miyer being near to you, would be the best man for suggestions. cheers, have a nice contessa drives !!!
	() Thanks