My Journey: A 3.0 Coupe build

[ticklemejoviemo]

This is a LONG post, I totally understand if you just came to see pics :)

Ah, the beginning of my addiction... I got my coupe last August @ 46,000 miles and it didn't take long before I fell down the rabbit hole. I started small: fuel filter, oil change, brake fluid flush. Drove the hell out of it, then sadly tucked her away for the winter. I guess this is when I started getting a bit out of control...

First I wanted to address cooling system. I got an S54 M Coupe radiator, Stewart water pump, ECS lightweight pump pulley, new hoses, belts etc. Then I wanted to make sure my DISA valve wouldn't explode & went with the German Auto Solutions DISA overhaul kit. I originally got the K&N CAI for it but wasn't impressed with the look and craved a Dinan (there aren't many quality options for my Z). Finally scored a Dinan intake off a forum member, great!



Next I wanted to address brakes. At first I thought keep it simple: Zimmermann rotors, Porterfield pads & stainless lines. Then I just so happened to be browsing the classifieds and came upon a Brembo GT front BBK for a fantastic price, I couldn't resist.



Onto suspension. I started looking into standard replacement options and as I hadn't planned on ever tracking this car, this was fine for me. Finalized my decision and bought Koni FSD's with Eibach Pro springs and ordered the Randy Forbes subframe reinforcement kit. this is where it gets expensive so sit down.


Driving home from work early December and a Fiat Abarth wants to play on the highway, so I oblige him and take off. 125mph later and I can longer see him and that was that (we weren't racing). Couple weeks later I'm driving home in the Coupe, now mind you its mid December in Boston, getting chilly out there, and what do you know, I see an S54 M Coupe up ahead. We get side by side. I'm all sorts of excited 'cause what are the odds? Coincidentally, we get off at the same exit. He pulls into the gas station and I wave him off, then reconsider, turn around and go introduce myself. [Shout out to forum member reh1006!] We started chatting, a tremendously knowledgeable and friendly guy (he was kind enough to gift me his Dinan strut bar that didn't fit his car). He had seen me around town and works in the next one over. Turns out it was him in his Fiat couple weeks prior in an attempt to get my attention to let me know he is also a Coupe owner & enthusiast!



To make an already long story short, he invites me to go to a track event with him and the PCA club. Second weekend in April we head up to New Hampshire motor speedway and I had the time of my life! A dream come true. However, one problem, I'm HOOKED. I need this in my life.



This is where all the mods start flashing through my head. "Maybe I should reconsider suspension..." I thought, uh oh... Next thing ya know I have a whole TC Kline DA kit on my front porch. Now I wait... for the most BRUTALLY cold winter I've experienced in the 22 years I've been in this state to be over.



FINALLY spring comes, and the suspension overhaul can commence. Pulled subframe, throughly inspected for failure signs, none. Awesome. Maybe I'll wing it and sell the RF kit to recoupe some of the money I've dumped into this. So I notch subframe, install the E30Tech eccentric camber & toe brackets



Ireland Eng. RSB's & RTAB's and at the last minute I said screw it, might as well attempt the RF kit. I really didn't want to get that involved especially since no signs of failure, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that A) I am intending on keeping the car long term and B) it's going to see some abuse at the track. So I started cutting.



Now pardon my english but sh!t! This is A LOT of work. I work graveyard shift so it's difficult to find time with such an inconsistent sleep pattern and motivation during the week to do anything productive. So this was an all weekend long, ALL May long job. After blood, sweat & tears (literally got metal in my eye and had to see eye specialist), got it done. I don't like to talk about it, I still get flashbacks in my nightmares of the whole ordeal (not really but what an accomplishment.
Now I can swap suspension parts in. Did the TCK install w/ Vorshlag camber/caster plates, Rogue RSM's and front strut tower reinforment plates.




Slapped back together, had corner balanced & aligned and now time to enjoy the fruits of my labor!



BUT... it doesn't end there. There's the looming thought in my mind about tracking it again in its stock form. Read the issues on the oil pump and me being paranoid for my 50k mile engine, I wanted it addressed. Been in contact with Greg Smith since the fall re: the "super" 4 bolt oil pump. After much patience, it paid off and GS came through, pump was finally available.

I failed to mention that I bought a VAC stage 3 head and robrez's Technik cams over Christmas for this also :X but more on that later...

I also sourced all the parts for a complete S54 oil cooler retro. Got an Achilles pan baffle and an Ishihara Johnson crank scrapper.
While I typically do most of my own work, I knew that I would take WAY too long if I did this myself. So I bit the bullet and gave my blessing to a local Euro shop. And thats brings me to this moment right here...








The car will likely be done by tomorrow and now I can rest easy knowing my pump won't suffer the same fate as the stock one. Once I receive back, I will flash with the M54 RK-Tune courtesy of Jordan.
Apex PS-7 18's arriving Friday to pair with my new Continental ExtremeContact DW's, and I am good to go... until the head swap
Pardon the HUGE post but thanks for (maybe?) reading!

To be continued...........

[reh1006]

Great story and proud to be a part of it. The only thing you missed.....is how you fell in love with my modded Abarth after you drove it. Great to have met you and very proud of the job you have done. See you again at the track. Your coupe is really coming along. Can't wait to see the new rims.

[robrez]

Epic. I'm living vicariously through this build.

[amancuso]

Looks fan-freakin-tastic. Good job!

[z3papa]

Very cool read. Not many 3.0L folks have gone down the rats hole like me. Too bad we are so far apart but I'll subscribe.

[ticklemejoviemo]

Great story and proud to be a part of it. The only thing you missed.....is how you fell in love with my modded Abarth after you drove it...

You've encouraged me to achieve something that I've wanted to do since I started driving and I thank you for that! And yes, the Abarth is an addictively fun car... I see one to replace my weathered DD in the future

Very cool read. Not many 3.0L folks have gone down the rats hole like me. Too bad we are so far apart but I'll subscribe.

I would like to see what you've done! Thread?

[ZoO]

You my friend have gotten bite by the biggest nastiest MOD bug. Good job.

Edit: while you are at it. There is a nice SC forsale in classifields with your name all over it .

[ticklemejoviemo]

You my friend have gotten bite by the biggest nastiest MOD bug. Good job.

my Pistachio brother from another coast, you couldn't be more correct. It's times like this i'm glad i'm not yet married with children

[trkshoe]

Awesome... very well thought out mods addressing the cars weak points.
Great color to boot.

A little piece of advice... get these, it's a common failure point for upgraded suspensions... :-)
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-19...ates-pair.aspx

Patrick

[pennpen]

Lives around corner from where I work sometimes, stupid clean car

Bought my coupe pretty much because seeing his when he visits made me cave and get one, sooner then later. Part jealousy lol

[ticklemejoviemo]

Awesome... very well thought out mods addressing the cars weak points.
Great color to boot.

A little piece of advice... get these, it's a common failure point for upgraded suspensions... :-)
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-19...ates-pair.aspx

Patrick

Thank you for the compliments. I actually did install the front strut tower reinforcements but took the picture of the camber plates beforehand, that's why they aren't there

Lives around corner from where I work sometimes, stupid clean car

Bought my coupe pretty much because seeing his when he visits made me cave and get one, sooner then later. Part jealousy lol

Fantastic now that you have BOTH a roady and coupe. The 1st Montreal Blue in the New England Coupe bunch so far, very cool!

[BenFenner]

I'm exhausted just reading about all that work in one season. Cheers to making all the right moves.

[z3papa]

I never did a build thread and was probably too lazy to upload all the photos it would take to cover it. From my signature on another board, the car has Rogue pulleys, Strong Strut braces front and rear, custom valved AST 4200 DA's coilovers with 500#F/685#R, Vorshlag camber plates, Bimmerworld Delrin front FCAB's, Ireland Engineering subframe bushings, Ground Control Rear Shock Mounts, brass brake caliper guides, Ireland Engineering rear camber/toe plates, H&R Front sway, Conforti CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Recaro Profi SPG XL/Pole Position seats, Schroth ASM 4 pt. harness, Hard Dog rollbar, and Apex ARC-8 with RS3's/Federal 595 RSR's and Style 32's with Toyo R1R for autocross. I'm probably leaving something out here but this covers most of it.

[ticklemejoviemo]

I never did a build thread and was probably too lazy to upload all the photos it would take to cover it. From my signature on another board, the car has Rogue pulleys, Strong Strut braces front and rear, custom valved AST 4200 DA's coilovers with 500#F/685#R, Vorshlag camber plates, Bimmerworld Delrin front FCAB's, Ireland Engineering subframe bushings, Ground Control Rear Shock Mounts, brass brake caliper guides, Ireland Engineering rear camber/toe plates, H&R Front sway, Conforti CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Recaro Profi SPG XL/Pole Position seats, Schroth ASM 4 pt. harness, Hard Dog rollbar, and Apex ARC-8 with RS3's/Federal 595 RSR's and Style 32's with Toyo R1R for autocross. I'm probably leaving something out here but this covers most of it.

wow, impressive indeed :O Sounds like a very solid build. It's great cause initially I felt there wasn't much out there for the car, but goes to show that even though somewhat limited for mods in comparison to say and E36 M3, they can still be uniquely different builds. Do you have the Magnaflow 16465 exhaust system?

[BimmerBreaker]

I love Pistachio!

Nice car, great build so far

[Cloudbase]

Awesome build! Looking forward to more updates from the track.

[ticklemejoviemo]

just a teaser, until the photoshoot happens uploadfromtaptalk1405744652442.jpg

[ticklemejoviemo]

My new S54 oil filter housing w/ remounted power steering reservoir using a custom bracket.

[MN MCoupe]

Very nice progress. i just got my 3.0 earlier this year and will follow this thread! I want that DINAN intake!

[ticklemejoviemo]

Very nice progress. i just got my 3.0 earlier this year and will follow this thread! I want that DINAN intake!

cant tell on phone but is yours white?? the Dinan intake is key cant wait to use it with my new Riot Racing BBTB & head

[MN MCoupe]

cant tell on phone but is yours white?? the Dinan intake is key cant wait to use it with my new Riot Racing BBTB & head

Thats a picture of my old M coupe. My 3.0 is oxford green.

[ticklemejoviemo]

Thats a picture of my old M coupe. My 3.0 is oxford green.

ohhh man, quite a transition. did you come from an S52 or S54? if S52, i'd love to know your impressions on comparing them (i know thats been beat to death in other threads). I believe i subscribed to your thread, looking forward to following your progress!

[MN MCoupe]

ohhh man, quite a transition. did you come from an S52 or S54? if S52, i'd love to know your impressions on comparing them (i know thats been beat to death in other threads). I believe i subscribed to your thread, looking forward to following your progress!

I had an S52 M. So far I honestly can't notice a difference. But I had 2 cars inbetween the M and the 3.0. I'm sure I could notice a difference on a track. The 3.0 is more comfortable in my opinion, and better DD. maybe the brakes were better on the M... But I have done so many new mounts and bushings on the 3.0, M still had stock...

[ticklemejoviemo]

I had an S52 M. So far I honestly can't notice a difference. But I had 2 cars inbetween the M and the 3.0. I'm sure I could notice a difference on a track. The 3.0 is more comfortable in my opinion, and better DD. maybe the brakes were better on the M... But I have done so many new mounts and bushings on the 3.0, M still had stock...

Thanks for that, i know they aren't too far off power wise but always interesting to hear from someone who can comment on everyday driveability of the two.

On another note, a new toy arrived today. What a treat to wake up to

[robrez]

^^^ nice!!