Roundel orientation on wheels

[Blue 02]

Just got done refinishing my FPS alloys and my CMR Boranni steel wheels and am ready to put in the center caps.  So, I thought I would ask - is there a specific orientation for the BMW roundel with respect to the air stem I should be doing?  Don't want to get to some Cars & Coffee and have someone say - looks good except!

 

Thanks

[Mike Self]

The caps for the OEM factory alloys (per your picture) snap in from the back side, so from the factory were oriented at whichever way Hans or Franz popped em in place. 

 

In fact, if you look at factory catalogs (both sales and accessory), those alloy center caps are shown with no roundels at all--they're blank.  Actually only 3 or 4 of the alloys I have had center caps with emblems when I bought 'em.  

 

Some years ago I checked with the folks at Mobile Tradition (now BMW Classic) and they told me that with or without roundels are both correct.  

 

mike

[visionaut]

The M points towards the valve stem.

[Blue 02]

Thanks for the replies!  I’ll do the M towards the valve stem.

 

Rich

[John76]

I'm in the opposite camp.

OCD is an incurable disease.

 

[Conserv]

6 hours ago, Mike Self said:

… so from the factory were oriented at whichever way Hans or Franz popped em in place….

 

 +1

 

Tom and John are certainly knowledgeable and lovable, but this time they’ve gone too far! 😁

 

I don’t know how to translate it into German, but I believe that in the 1970’s BMW factory, the supervisory guidance was “I don’t give a rat’s ass which way the center caps point; keep the car moving!” 🙄

 

I intend to go out to the garage immediately to make certain my center caps are 100% random. Just try to stop me! 😋

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[visionaut]

BMW Classic displays (including all photos of their fresh built 2002) and The Welt does it the way I said. And all official BMW photos of new models have it oriented that way. 
 

Tom

[Blue 02]

2 hours ago, Mike Self said:

The caps for the OEM factory alloys (per your picture) snap in from the back side, so from the factory were oriented at whichever way Hans or Franz popped em in place. 

 

In fact, if you look at factory catalogs (both sales and accessory), those alloy center caps are shown with no roundels at all--they're blank.  Actually only 3 or 4 of the alloys I have had center caps with emblems when I bought 'em.  

 

Some years ago I checked with the folks at Mobile Tradition (now BMW Classic) and they told me that with or without roundels are both correct.  

 

mike

I'm sure like you've said - it was however Hans and Franz did it that day!!!

[Mikesmalaga72]

On my NOS sets of regular full wheel hub caps I did notice that the "M" lines up approximately with the valve stem holes on all the caps. Stem hole directly over the top of the "M". Here are some old ones from an old Hemmings ad.

 

Edited May 21, 2023 by Mikesmalaga72
add

[visionaut]

It’s an official photos thing… so I’ve always followed their lead.

Actually a few of Hoffman’s ad photos show it in John’s orientation, I suspect the American photo crews didn’t get the OCD memo.

 

The rarest orientation is both roundels matched horizontally for a shot. But then someone rolls the car around and you get random. They’ve now solved that with the spinner caps available on newer BMWs - they’re always horizontal.

 

[Conserv]

On 5/21/2023 at 4:33 PM, visionaut said:

It’s an official photos thing… so I’ve always followed their lead.

Actually a few of Hoffman’s ad photos show it in John’s orientation, I suspect the American photo crews didn’t get the OCD memo.

 

The rarest orientation is both roundels matched horizontally for a shot. But then someone rolls the car around and you get random. They’ve now solved that with the spinner caps available on newer BMWs - they’re always horizontal.

 

I’m guessing that the BMW Classic and brochure photography teams were allotted a tad more time to align center caps than a ca. 1972 assembly line team…

 

I did, however, find Mike’s wheel cover post interesting!

 

By April 1977, I had totally screwed up the alignment on my ‘76’s center caps — below! 😉

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[visionaut]

38 minutes ago, Conserv said:

I’m guessing that the BMW Classic and brochure photography teams are allotted a tad more time to align center caps than a ca. 1972 assembly line team…

Agreed.
 

Don't WE all have enough time to do it proper too?  😉  Details, details..

 

[jimk]

3 hours ago, Mikesmalaga72 said:

On my NOS sets of regular full wheel hub caps I did notice that the "M" lines up approximately with the valve stem holes on all the caps. Stem hole directly over the top of the "M". Here are some old ones from an old Hemmings ad.

 

+1  Mine are aligned like this.

[Pdxguy]

4 hours ago, John76 said:

OCD is an incurable disease.

Technically, it should be CDO, alphabetical. 

[John76]

20 minutes ago, Pdxguy said:

Technically, it should be CDO, alphabetical. 

KO.