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Thread: Father-son E36 M3 track car

  1. #101
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    New York
    Posts
    662
    My Cars
    02 M3, 98 Civic
    Dead pedals really do help. Love the build so far

  2. #102
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Edge of America
    Posts
    85
    My Cars
    99 M3 Cpe, CTS-V Cpe
    Subscribed. Good stuff.

  3. #103
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Manhattan, New York
    Posts
    111
    My Cars
    E36 M3 Dakar Yellow
    I love watching the interiors coming out!

    Very nice build

  4. #104
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Charleston, SC
    Posts
    481
    My Cars
    10 335i - 97 328is x2
    I love this thread. I have an eerily similar story. When I was 16 I bought my first car (a 76 Jeep CJ5 with a 304 V8). My dad and I always worked on cars together but that was a REAL father-son project. We lifted it 7", designed our own 4 wheel disc brake system, swapped in scout Dana 44 axles etc.)

    Now I am 30 and a practicing attorney so I don't have a ton of free time. My dad has had some health problems over the past few years (a stroke in 09 etc.) He's doing better now, but it's been a huge wake up as to how precious time is. I recently bought a 97 328is as a project that we are now working on together (I am doing the wrench turning but he is supervising and chiming in with advice and design ideas).

    My point is simple: These projects are some of the best times you can spend with your dad. The project itself looks great but really enjoy and cherish the time you're spending together. And keep the posts coming!

  5. #105
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    New York, NY
    Posts
    458
    My Cars
    2001 BMW M5, 2005 BMW M3
    Quote Originally Posted by SalahHH83 View Post
    I love this thread. I have an eerily similar story. When I was 16 I bought my first car (a 76 Jeep CJ5 with a 304 V8). My dad and I always worked on cars together but that was a REAL father-son project. We lifted it 7", designed our own 4 wheel disc brake system, swapped in scout Dana 44 axles etc.)

    Now I am 30 and a practicing attorney so I don't have a ton of free time. My dad has had some health problems over the past few years (a stroke in 09 etc.) He's doing better now, but it's been a huge wake up as to how precious time is. I recently bought a 97 328is as a project that we are now working on together (I am doing the wrench turning but he is supervising and chiming in with advice and design ideas).

    My point is simple: These projects are some of the best times you can spend with your dad. The project itself looks great but really enjoy and cherish the time you're spending together. And keep the posts coming!
    A great post and absolutely true. I have a 17 year old son who loves working on cars. This weekend, we spent all day Saturday together installing spherical bushings in his control and thrust arms and adjustable sway bar links. A teenager, with his Dad, all day on a Saturday?! A real rarity and something to be relished.

    --Peter

  6. #106
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Edge of America
    Posts
    85
    My Cars
    99 M3 Cpe, CTS-V Cpe
    Quote Originally Posted by SalahHH83 View Post

    Now I am 30 and a practicing attorney so I don't have a ton of free time. My dad has had some health problems over the past few years (a stroke in 09 etc.) He's doing better now, but it's been a huge wake up as to how precious time is. I recently bought a 97 328is as a project that we are now working on together (I am doing the wrench turning but he is supervising and chiming in with advice and design ideas).

    My point is simple: These projects are some of the best times you can spend with your dad. The project itself looks great but really enjoy and cherish the time you're spending together. And keep the posts coming!
    I see you're in the Lowcountry. So am I.

  7. #107
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Charleston, SC
    Posts
    481
    My Cars
    10 335i - 97 328is x2
    Yep! I’m in Mount Pleasant. I’m actually heading down to Savannah first thing tomorrow for a Porsche Club event at the Roebling Road track. My car isn’t ready yet so I am just going to go and hang out, observe, try to pick up some tips etc. Where are you located?

  8. #108
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Edge of America
    Posts
    85
    My Cars
    99 M3 Cpe, CTS-V Cpe
    Salah, your pm box is full.

    OP, I bought a set of diamond plate mats off eBay, but the uneven contours of the gutted floor have made mounting them difficult. I should have bit the bullet and bought the VAC mats but couldn't tell how they would mount differently. Any insight? Thanks.

  9. #109
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    854
    My Cars
    E82 128i, E36 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by SalahHH83 View Post
    I love this thread. I have an eerily similar story. When I was 16 I bought my first car (a 76 Jeep CJ5 with a 304 V8). My dad and I always worked on cars together but that was a REAL father-son project. We lifted it 7", designed our own 4 wheel disc brake system, swapped in scout Dana 44 axles etc.)

    Now I am 30 and a practicing attorney so I don't have a ton of free time. My dad has had some health problems over the past few years (a stroke in 09 etc.) He's doing better now, but it's been a huge wake up as to how precious time is. I recently bought a 97 328is as a project that we are now working on together (I am doing the wrench turning but he is supervising and chiming in with advice and design ideas).

    My point is simple: These projects are some of the best times you can spend with your dad. The project itself looks great but really enjoy and cherish the time you're spending together. And keep the posts coming!
    Great to hear! We don't get to work on it as much as I'd like to since we live a couple hours apart (reason why updates are so sparatic) but its always fun to work on it when we get the chance. He's been working on our trailer lately too and I'll post some pictures of it once we finish.

    Quote Originally Posted by Boplaw View Post
    Salah, your pm box is full.

    OP, I bought a set of diamond plate mats off eBay, but the uneven contours of the gutted floor have made mounting them difficult. I should have bit the bullet and bought the VAC mats but couldn't tell how they would mount differently. Any insight? Thanks.
    I struggled with that also as the VAC plates didn't come with much hardware. I had some small pieces of cylindrical metal laying around the garage (1" steel tubing, thin wall) and used them under the VAC pieces to keep it level and give support. The long sheet metal screws went through the center of the tubing. I should have taken pictures but remember to do so by the time I was done.

  10. #110
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Louisiana
    Posts
    1,362
    My Cars
    911, 95 M3
    Any pictures of the dead pedal installed?

  11. #111
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    854
    My Cars
    E82 128i, E36 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by gbreeE90 View Post
    Any pictures of the dead pedal installed?
    Not yet. It's been a busy summer, I haven't even seen/driven the car since June

  12. #112
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    854
    My Cars
    E82 128i, E36 M3
    Had some time this past weekend to mount the dead pedal. Pretty straight forward install. I removed the trim panel that sits above the pedals so I could have better access to the top mounting hole of the pedal. I used some metal screws we had laying around to secure it.

    I forgot to snap a picture but I'll get Dad to take one soon. It's rock solid and I can't wait to drive on track with it. I really think it will make a world of difference.

  13. #113
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    2,538
    My Cars
    e28, Spec3, M3, M3, ZHP
    Hey Eric, looks like the car is coming along nicely! Let me know if you need a hand with anything if you have the car down this way =)

    I've been working on an old Triumph TR6 recently, and have placed the BMWs on hold while working through that project. I need to work a bit on the rear suspension of the blue car if you are around one weekend and feel like attempting a DIY on some ball joints with some made up ball joint pullers and such!
    Andrew Elmore

  14. #114
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    854
    My Cars
    E82 128i, E36 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by VaTechE36 View Post
    Hey Eric, looks like the car is coming along nicely! Let me know if you need a hand with anything if you have the car down this way =)

    I've been working on an old Triumph TR6 recently, and have placed the BMWs on hold while working through that project. I need to work a bit on the rear suspension of the blue car if you are around one weekend and feel like attempting a DIY on some ball joints with some made up ball joint pullers and such!
    Hey Andrew, yeah I'm down for helping one weekend. Right now I'm free Oct 19 and 26 weekends, otherwise I'm all tied up. Shoot me a text when you're thinking about knocking some of it out.

  15. #115
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Green Bay, WI
    Posts
    44
    My Cars
    98 m3
    Very nice thread. Lots of ideas here and really good stuff to do it with your dad.

  16. #116
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Amstredam, Netherlands
    Posts
    37
    My Cars
    E36GTR S62 Swap
    Exciting way to fix your harness to the seat ( aluminum rail) Might i suggest to make a seatbelt bolt plate in the tunnel?
    This would be a no go in a fia sanctioned event.
    And honestly i have seen these sort of set ups fail.. Luckily never any huge personal harm.

    But nice built!!!! and especially with your old man

  17. #117
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    854
    My Cars
    E82 128i, E36 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by frank280zx View Post
    Exciting way to fix your harness to the seat ( aluminum rail) Might i suggest to make a seatbelt bolt plate in the tunnel?
    This would be a no go in a fia sanctioned event.
    And honestly i have seen these sort of set ups fail.. Luckily never any huge personal harm.

    But nice built!!!! and especially with your old man
    That's one of the things on my list that I'd like to revisit and change soon. The drivers side has eyelets bolted to plates that are welded to the floor/tunnel. When those were done, we did not communicate that we wanted both sides (passenger and driver) and it was too late upon pick up to have him do them so I went with the alternate mounting.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Dad and I finally got back out on track this past weekend for the Fall Finale with NASA-MA. It was also Dad's birthday so like Father's Day weekend, we always aim to do this one to celebrate.

    Overall the car did well. My first session of the weekend was a TT warm up early Saturday morning and on my 4th or 5th lap I spun and hit an inside tire wall. After reviewing the video, there was a puddle just off the track with standing water in it and it looked like someone had hit that puddle and splashed water up onto the track. I didn't see the darker, wet track (visible if you pause the video) and I was slowly trying to get more aggressive as the tires got warmer. My fault which resulted in this...

    http://youtu.be/l7VgVPrVIE8





    Not too bad thankfully. Luckily it was fairly low speed so I used the jack handle to clearance the front fender and we continued on with the weekend. I was pretty tentative the rest of Saturday and slowly got back into my groove Sunday. Fastest lap of the weekend was 1:30.699 putting me 4th place (of 6) in TTD for Sunday.



    Picture of the dead pedal




    Some pictures from the weekend taken by Chris of Finishline Productions









    Last edited by hoki06; 11-08-2013 at 08:48 AM.

  18. #118
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Louisiana
    Posts
    1,362
    My Cars
    911, 95 M3
    Did you hit the brakes when the car started coming around? Hope you get it fixed up soon!

  19. #119
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    St. Louis, MO.
    Posts
    1,018
    My Cars
    e36 332i
    Awesome build! Glad to see that the damage was minimal from the spin and that you could finish out the weekend.
    I noticed on a photo on page 2, post 52 the one of the strut / brakes. The brake rotor is on the wrong side, the vanes should face the rear of the car as air is pushed threw the middle of the rotor. Not a huge deal, just wanted to let you know if you missed that. I am a mechanic and have a keen eye to notice goofy stuff like that

    Great build and thanks for taking the time to document everything!

  20. #120
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    I'm over here now!
    Posts
    561
    My Cars
    S52, 4g63, LS1
    Nice meeting you last weekend Eric. Car looks as good in person as in pictures.

    Glad you were able to get your confidence back and continue on with the event.


  21. #121
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    854
    My Cars
    E82 128i, E36 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by gbreeE90 View Post
    Did you hit the brakes when the car started coming around? Hope you get it fixed up soon!
    Yeah after a little countersteer I threw both feet in. I honestly felt like I was going to stop before the tires but then I hit the small patch of grass and kept sliding.

    Quote Originally Posted by eye145 View Post
    Awesome build! Glad to see that the damage was minimal from the spin and that you could finish out the weekend.
    I noticed on a photo on page 2, post 52 the one of the strut / brakes. The brake rotor is on the wrong side, the vanes should face the rear of the car as air is pushed threw the middle of the rotor. Not a huge deal, just wanted to let you know if you missed that. I am a mechanic and have a keen eye to notice goofy stuff like that

    Great build and thanks for taking the time to document everything!
    Thanks for that! I'll double check which way we put them on when we swap to new ones over the winter.

    Quote Originally Posted by alwaysinboost View Post
    Nice meeting you last weekend Eric. Car looks as good in person as in pictures.

    Glad you were able to get your confidence back and continue on with the event.
    Nice meeting you and talking with you. Hopefully I'll see you at some NE events in 2014. We want to make a trip up to the Glen and maybe NJMP.

  22. #122
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    I'm over here now!
    Posts
    561
    My Cars
    S52, 4g63, LS1
    Cool. I will be at all the NASA NE events next year, if you come then you'll see me for sure.


  23. #123
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    854
    My Cars
    E82 128i, E36 M3
    We're starting to think about upgrading suspension to a coilover setup. Any suggestions? Single or double adjustable, budget friendly (along $2k or less if bought new).

    My first thoughts are TCK, Ground Control, Bilstein/Ohlins, ect. I don't know much besides the basics at this point but I figured I'll start asking for opinions as I start to search through hundreds of threads on here.

    Reliability and durability are key. I don't want to rebuild dampers every season. Has AST fixed their issues they were having?

    My basic understanding is that valving will dictate how high of a spring rate we can run.

    Edit: How about Fortune Auto? They're local to me in Richmond.
    Last edited by hoki06; 11-12-2013 at 12:00 PM.

  24. #124
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    RVA
    Posts
    444
    My Cars
    87 325es
    I would love to see this car in person one day. We have quite a few e36 m3's locally that hang out every once in a while.

  25. #125
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    NoCo
    Posts
    34
    My Cars
    1997 BMW M3
    Quote Originally Posted by hoki06 View Post
    We're starting to think about upgrading suspension to a coilover setup. Any suggestions? Single or double adjustable, budget friendly (along $2k or less if bought new).

    My first thoughts are TCK, Ground Control, Bilstein/Ohlins, ect. I don't know much besides the basics at this point but I figured I'll start asking for opinions as I start to search through hundreds of threads on here.

    Reliability and durability are key. I don't want to rebuild dampers every season. Has AST fixed their issues they were having?
    I recently went through this exact dilemma. I ended up choosing a set of TC Kline double adjustables. Mostly it came down to a referral from somebody local that I REALLY trust, puts down astonishing lap times, and gave me a great price on them. He had them as 'backups' to his Moton setup. I have yet to install the setup on my car, plan to do it over the holidays. I have 600# rear and 500# front springs and will match new sway bars to run with BFG Rivals. The TC Klines were run on a 1997 M3, same car I have, and were very stable, controllable and put down serious lap times. I'll let you know how they actually work on my car when they finally get installed and the snow melts off our local track!

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