painted calipers behind BMW 330 ZHP wheels (M135)

[330iZHPftw]

Request for pics of painted OEM calipers behind ZHP wheels.


What are your thoughts on painting the calipers on a silver gray ZHP sedan to match the blue in the BMW roundel (stock wheels, BMW Performance rotors)?

[az3579]

Dunno how good it would look against the gray...

[danewilson77]

I can only offer this for now...until someone posts up pics with 135's. I liked the way it looked. This was on my TiAg 325i.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/DSC02697sz1200-1.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/DSC02698sz1200.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/DSC02702sz1200.jpg

[jvr826]

Here's pic of my calipers painted black. They just disappear, which is what I was going for...

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=88381&d=1160866771

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=88380&d=1160866771

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Looks good, Jeff.

[adb1028]

I'm liking the black, guess ill add that to my Spring to-do list.

Dane, how did those rotors hold up? I've read that the drilled/slotted rotors are prone to cracking.

[adb1028]

Im thinking silver on the calipers might be nice too

[kayger12]

I'll post up some silver caliper pics tomorrow.

Mine were done by the PO.

[danewilson77]

I'm liking the black, guess ill add that to my Spring to-do list.

Dane, how did those rotors hold up? I've read that the drilled/slotted rotors are prone to cracking.

Excellant hold up. I think prone is the wrong word. I have found it typically happens to heavily tracked cars. Don't think the likelihood of it happening DD is very high...imho.

[04ZHP_PDX]

DW, I love your calipers. I'll be doing that during the next BJ (that's brake job gents...come on)!

[Marcus-SanDiego]

DW, I love your calipers. I'll be doing that during the next BJ (that's brake job gents...come on)!

:biggrin

[kayger12]

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff401/Kayger12/2011-01-25_16-52-20_258.jpg

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff401/Kayger12/2011-01-25_16-53-24_641.jpg

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff401/Kayger12/2011-01-25_16-52-43_507.jpg

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff401/Kayger12/2011-01-25_16-53-35_399.jpg

[danewilson77]

You got em painted like this?...lol


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3r-cFh9EFQ

[kayger12]

You got em painted like this?...lol


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3r-cFh9EFQ

Not gonna lie to you- the original owner was from the Bronx, NYC...

The thought crossed my mind the first time I realized a PO had them painted, lol.

[330iZHPftw]

Not gonna lie to you- the original owner was from the Bronx, NYC...

The thought crossed my mind the first time I realized a PO had them painted, lol.

ha that video scared me at first..I have a silvergrey sedan that I bought outside NYC with OEM clears..I better go take a second look at my calipers and make sure there isn't black paint flaking off!

[danewilson77]

Hilarious. Figured someone might see that and think....."what the.....?"

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[SC4ME]

gotta love it. Funny thing is most people would never know the difference.

[mimalmo]

I would do black, silver or red before doing the blue color from the roundel. I also think that the red could look really good with the RCR tail lights on a sedan.

[romanred62]

Hmmm I'm liking the idea of red calipers on my Black sedan. Could anyone point me to a good DIY for this. If not what kind of prices will I be looking at paying to have them done?

[mimalmo]

Do it yourself. Take everything apart and clean it Friday. Paint 3 coats plus clearcoat Saturday. Dry all day Sunday. Put it back together Sunday night.

[romanred62]

Do it yourself. Take everything apart and clean it Friday. Paint 3 coats plus clearcoat Saturday. Dry all day Sunday. Put it back together Sunday night.

Recommendations for the type/brand of paint to buy?

[mimalmo]

Duplicolor makes a specific caliper paint and a cleaner too.

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/caliperPaint/

[Mtnman]

I just got some from advanced auto on saturday for 6.99. Low gloss black caliper paint. 500 degree temp. I used brake cleaner to clean the calipers and a toothbrush. Just sprayed one coat on them, set them in the sun for 20 minutes. Obviously, Eli's way would be much more permanent and cool, but i was just trying to make them disappear, not stand out. Here is the pic yesterday. Look at my projects post for a few more.


http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i398/booneflyfisher/2011-02-19_13-00-53_429-1.jpg

[Mtnman]

Keith, I would have noticed before i did it myself, but whoever painted your calipers painted the back of the pads too. Unless the pads you have had silver tabs on them. Just noticing. Doesn't mean you got "bronxed" or anything, but It looks good. I painted without the pads in, but i went black so it didn't matter.

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff401/Kayger12/2011-01-25_16-53-35_399.jpg

[kayger12]

Good eye-- yeah, they got everything in there-- calipers, pads, rotor hat. I'll have to take a pic with the wheel off next time for humor value.

[Mtnman]

Id like to see it. I think it looks good though. and man i cant tell you how many times ive looked at my new drilled rotors and thought, hell yeah...............since yesterday when i put them on!

[danewilson77]

You got em painted like this?...lol


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3r-cFh9EFQ

This....

[Rovert]

I did black. Only because when I had my M135 wheels I wasn't going to be taking off the wheels to clean a light coloured brake caliper. You can see the brakes just disappear which cleans up the look since stock calipers aren't that nice to look at...LOL.

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/1073/dsc00220ck4.jpg

After I think 2 years of having it painted black and a couple rounds of a low speed track with tons of braking, this is what the calipers look like now:
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/1154/img0697k.jpg

If my calipers were silver, they'd show just like the rotors here but if the calipers weren't kept clean and in good condition you'd see that. With black if you haven't "prettied" up your calipers for 3 years straight....they'd still look fine from 5 feet away. :D
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3562282858_fa7c342894_z.jpg?zz=1

[Mtnman]

Weird. You rotors and my rotors have opposite drilling, or im looking at an inverted pic. My drilling swirls toward the rear...and yours toward the front. Are those BMW performance rotors, or another brand?

[Rovert]

^Zimmermans up front. I think if I remember both front rotors were identical. So I guess one side is the "right" way? LOL. Nonetheless they still stop me which is quite important for my health and others. :P

[Mtnman]

Interesting. As long as the interior fins were different for cooling.... but honestly, I dont track my car so i can imagine making the rotors too hot!

[mikeyb74]

I would go with either red or black. Lately I've been seeing BMWs with either yellow or burnt orange color painted calipers. Here are shots of DME46 from bfc ZHP with blue painted calipers.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/dantem214/Calipers/DSC_0106.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/dantem214/Calipers/DSC_0107.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/dantem214/Calipers/DSC_0110.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/dantem214/Calipers/DSC_0112.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/dantem214/Calipers/DSC_0114.jpg

[kayger12]

Definitely not my style.

[danewilson77]

That color blue is way off. I liked the way the red looked on my zhp. If I were to buy new calipers, as part of a resoration.....I might consider getting the powder coated ones, that are rebuilt and refurbed.

[MasterC17]

What brand paint's are you guys using? I think I'm going to paint mine silver. I saw Dupli-Color's but wondering if there's a better brand.

[danewilson77]

Duplicolor is what you want to use.

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[Mtnman]

the can of duplicolor i bought was 5.99 (or 6.99, whatever) at advanced auto. in black.

[az3579]

Wow, what color is that??? I don't think I've ever seen that on an E46...

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Wow, what color is that??? I don't think I've ever seen that on an E46...

It looks like topaz blue. My friend has that on his E39 530.

[kpro]

I have cracked EVERY single drilled rotor I've put on my cars...I even cracked a set on a civic :( All different brands too, Powerslot, Brembo and Rotora. I drive the shit out of my cars.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

You remind me of Kim Wright, a BMW track rat here in San Diego. I love her. She turns her own wrenches, too.

[danewilson77]

I have cracked EVERY single drilled rotor I've put on my cars...I even cracked a set on a civic :( All different brands too, Powerslot, Brembo and Rotora. I drive the shit out of my cars.

Look out!

[Go Horns!]

I would like to eventually end up with carbon fiber wheels with red calipers, but that is way down on the to-do list. Hopefully when I get around to it the wheels will be less than $12K for a set. http://www.motorworldhype.com/2008-08-29/weds-sport-carbon-fiber-wheel-andy/

[az3579]

You remind me of Kim Wright, a BMW track rat here in San Diego. I love her. She turns her own wrenches, too.

Does she happen to be the one who swapped an S50/52 into her non-M E36, or was that someone else?

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[az3579]

I have cracked EVERY single drilled rotor I've put on my cars...I even cracked a set on a civic :( All different brands too, Powerslot, Brembo and Rotora. I drive the shit out of my cars.

This is why slotted rotors are the only choice for me.

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