Bimmer Bomber – LOW IS A LIFESTYLE

Rat Rod BMW from Stanceworks

Go ahead, click to Zoom, right click, Set as Desktop Background like I did today. Go ahead, I’ll wait…

Mike Burroughs is the man behind the website/forum/blog STANCEWORKS, a site dedicated to cars with seriously low stance. Their motto or slogan is “Low is a Lifestyle”. Mike is definitely livin’ low. His 1980’s 5 series BMW you see here is his personal ride, and canvas. If this isn’t My Ride is Me, then I might as well just click Start-Shut Down and go to bed. I’m giving this… this car, the name Bimmer Bomber. Its one of those cars that is meant to stir up people’s opinions. Love it or Hate it, there aren’t many cars around that can piss off so many car guys, while at the same time, making others stand up and applaud. Hmm… sound like the rat rod movement to anyone?

Being a World War II fan, I see those tiger shark teeth and think warbird. Since this car is German built, I personally thought about the German fighter planes like this Messerschmitt ME-109 pictured above. This is what made me think of the name Bimmer Bomber. Now do me a favor and look at the canopy of this warbird. It’s squared-off and angular, see that? Now, check out this picture below…

… check out the 5″ chop top on Rusty Slammington (that’s what Mike calls the car). Very angular and edgy looking just like that ME-109 above. I wonder what it would look like with a yellow nose and iron cross instead of the P-40 Tiger Shark face? Either way I dig the purposeful military-mean look.

Mike has recently updated the Bomber once again. Our cars are never done. Along with the chop top, it has been slammed even lower by raising the shock mounts 4 inches. Now at maximum-lowness Mike’s capable of Top Gun style fly-by’s:

“Negative Ghost Rider, the Pattern is full!” It literally scrapes frame. Just in case you needed more evidence of its lowness, then take a gander at the photo below.

LOL, that is so WRONG it’s RIGHT! That road doesn’t even look bumpy, it appears new and flat, yet sparks are ‘aflyin’. I hope he has some scrape plates under there. Seriously dude!

This photo is classic. Look at that smile. Mike is simply enjoying his 4 wheeled transportation unit in rush hour traffic. Can you imagine the stares of disapproval? LOL. I LOVE IT! Notice the rough welds on the chop top too. Mike, you are the MAN!!!

Stance is the perfect word to describe the overall look. Ground hugging! The wheel fitment is spot on as well, tucked perfectly under those modified wheel flares. The wheels are custom Ronal, measuring 17×9 and 17×11. That blackened, charred, rusty finish was obtained using diesel fuel and oil or something crazy like that.

The car was wrecked badly years ago, but Mike decided to save it and turn it into his personal automotive art piece. He’s been working on it the last couple of years now, constantly changing things, pushing the boundaries and blowing minds.

The interior was updated as you can see. No longer a cracked plastic dash but a rusted metal plate setup with a toggle switch panel. I sure hope Mike and friends are up to date with their Tetanus shots. Ha Ha

Looking closely, you might have seen the intercooler. Yes, it is turbocharged, no, that is not a BMW inline 6 cylinder. In usual rat rod form, it has received a motor swap. I bet you can’t even guess what’s under there. A Toyota Supra 1JZ inline 6 cylinder. You heard me right. The wackiness just continues by throwing in a Japanese turbo engine.

I asked Mike about what might have inspired him. He said, “I’d say a lot of my inspiration is from the rat-rod scene. I think sometimes I belong in a chopped ’30 Chevy sedan… but I’m just having a blast with a car few people expect to see done up this way.”

I agree with Mike, there is definitely some rat rod influence here and for me it totally works.

To finish this story off, I’ll leave you with one more photo of Rusty, the Bimmer Bomber.



Thanks to Mike B for building such a ride and driving it too. One more great example of someone living the life of a car nut and doing it his own way.

Photos by Mike Burroughs and Charlie Scott of Stanceworks.com.

We want to know what you all think of this BMW, so leave a comment and tell us what your take is on Rusty.

To see more photos of Rusty check out the photos below and the Stanceworks Build Thread of Rusty Slammington the Bimmer Bomber.

Hechtspeed