Live BMW 335I Track Build at the Bilsport Performance & Custom Motor Show

APEX Race Parts was proud to be on display at the Bilsport Performance & Custom Motor Show in Elmia, Sweden this year. Schmiedmann, an authorized dealer of APEX, teamed up with Bilsport Magazine to perform a live track build featuring our new 18″ SM-10 wheels during the 4 day event. The team was excited to transform this stock BMW 335i into a dual duty track car in front of a live audience. After the event, Bilsport Magazine will do an exclusive feature on the car and take it for a spin on it’s maiden track day. Here are some details of the live build.

DAY 1

The build team chose to start the build with the most time consuming tasks which was to change the clutch and take down the gearbox. They had received a new sintered disc race clutch from SACHS Performance to mount on the car. The first day was a huge success as they finished with the clutch change and got the gearbox mounted back on the car.

DAY 2

On the second day the team started with the bushings and sway bars. They picked up the sport bushings from Powerflex and sport sway bars from Eibach Germany. Changing all the bushings took up most of day 2. Pretty much everything went smooth since the car had such low mileage on it. With a tool sponsor at the motor show, it was a breeze to get the equipment needed.

DAY 3

On the third day the team mounted the last of the bushings and started to tackle the suspension. Bilstein provided a complete B16 coilover kit for this project. Day 3 was a busy day as the team also mounted the new sport exhaust in stainless steel with downpipes from Supersprint. To get the tailpipes just right, the team mounted the new rear bumper with a diffuser for double tailpipes on both sides. The front bumper and side skirts were mounted shortly after.

After the body parts were back on, the team mounted the new APEX 18″ SM-10 lightweight racing wheels that were wrapped with a set of Toyo R888 tires. For a track fitment, we chose to run a staggered setup featuring a pair of 18×9″ ET30 SM-10 wheels up front (235/40-18 tires) and wide 18×10″ ET33 SM-10 wheels in the rear (265/35-18 tires). The SM-10 wheel is an excellent option for this dual duty build because of it’s lightweight “I” beam spoke design and extreme durability for the track, yet offers a stylish 10-spoke design for the street.

DAY 4

Majority of the car was complete by the 4th day so time was spent doing some adjustments to the exhaust and bumpers to get everything perfect. To complete the build, the team installed a set of sport air filters and a JB4 tuner.

Overall, the live track build was a huge success. You can watch some videos from the motor show here on Youtube. Stay tuned, more coverage coming soon.

Tom M.

Tom is a BMW Fitment Expert at APEX Wheels. Prior to joining the company in 2019, he worked for BMW of North America as Fleet Manager: Portland (OR) for the ReachNow car-sharing program, and as Warranty Administrator/Loaner Fleet Manager at BMW Portland. In addition, Tom has extensive training in BMW TSBs (Technical Service Bulletins) as well as in-depth knowledge of all BMW chassis and their wheel fitment options, with and without aftermarket brake and suspension upgrades. His high-performance driving experience includes autocross events in southern Oregon and track days at PIR in his 2004 E46 330i with 17x9 ET42 APEX ARC-8 wheels. Vehicles he owned prior to indulging his passion for BMWs include a 1989 Jaguar XJ6 and a 2006 S197 Ford Mustang. Fun Fact: Tom is a huge Formula 1 fan. Have questions about wheels for your BMW? Use our contact form and ask for Tom.