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Thread: 1988 BMW 535is E28 Track Day Budget Build

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    Stuttgart, DE
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    27
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    1987 325iS

    DEAD - 1988 BMW 535is E28 Track Day Budget Build - DEAD

    I'll start of by talking about the fact that I got introduced to tracking cars from my parents neighbor and wife whom both track Porsche 997s (one is a GT3). They invited me out to a NASA event and then hooked me up with a ride in a SN-95 fully prepared Mustang. The dude went so hard that he blew the engine, oil everywhere!

    Anyways, I've been on the search for a e30 for about six months on and off with the goal of purchasing something for around $1500. I could not find a single decent e30 with low miles and manual that wasn't absolutely beat to hell. So after some craigslist cruising, I found this e28. I sat down with my pops and we discussed the pros and cons of owning an e28, and well here we have it:

    I figured it'd be unique enough that not alot of people are tracking e28s, however, I've found an ok amount of information on the web to support it. And it was 4 doors, so I could easily fit a full set of tires, tools and goodies for a track run.

    I found this e28 four hours away from me and the lady had recently purchased it from an older gentlemen who had kept meticulous records from 2006-2015. The car looked great, and the interior is damn nice! It has some normal rust in the trunk and along the rocker panels, but nothing I won't attempt to repair.








    you can see the rust on the left side, the right side isn't as bad. I didn't realize, but removing my bumpers took me from F Street? to F Prepared? So i need to get some e34 bumpers.





    I drove up and test drove the car - lady said it burnt oil and had an exhaust leak, so I got it for $1700 instead of the listed $2500! Cool. Well the M30b34 is doing well! I brought it home and just cleaned it up.

    This past weekend I took it to the last autocross event of the season to get a feel for what it needs! Check out a quick edit I threw up on instagram (not sure if you can view because I keep my account locked down - someone let me know!)

    https://instagram.com/p/BNDTX-fhspyk...Oy6riaJEHmPc0/

    So far I know I need to do all new suspension & steering components (control arms, bushings, TREs), some shifter linkage parts (loose shifter), exhaust manifold gasket or donut?! (leaking at the manifold), and the reverse light switch?! Oh and the brakes SUCK! I mean I could feel the brakes getting squishy after 4 runs, so I mean realistically its the brake fluid, but I do wanna go to some 540i brakes, and some better tires, springs and huge sways, but the wife has me on a budget. #firstworldproblems

    Goal - Drive to and track the shit out of it for under $6000 total! As of today I'm in it for $2000. I want to sell the interior, but the wife likes the car too much. Whomp Whomp.

    So, give me ideas, part numbers, advice on what works and what doesn't. Sell me cheap parts! Oh, and also looking for track day / racecar paint themes. You know, because racecar!
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by paynemw; 02-03-2019 at 06:12 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Noblesville, IN
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    My Cars
    '89 735i/5, '97 M3
    Hooray! Another E28 Track Car! There aren't too many of us out there. When set up well, they really do handle better than an E30 due to the Pitman Arms that change the Rear Toe as the Trailing Arms move throughout their range.

    Look into Moosehead Engineering's Front Upper Control Arm Bushings. Great product, especially for a track car. If you decide you want to install coil-overs, 400lb springs all the way around should be a good starting point.

    A good resource for E28 specific information is mye28.com

    Here is video of mine at Putnam Park this past year: https://youtu.be/m2OOXZYmgo0. And a picture as well:



    Last edited by nik77356; 12-01-2016 at 01:18 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    Stuttgart, DE
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    My Cars
    1987 325iS
    @nik77356 do you have a build thread? Also that picture isn't showing up. I like how you stripped the dash and rotated your gauges! Cool. So what brand UCA's did you snag? Now that I read why to go to those Moosehead Engineering bushings, I'm def going to cough up the $135 to get a set. I wish they sold a set ready to bolt on. Did you get e31 lower control arms? Pricey!

    More pictures for everyone else. I wasn't lying about the interior! Super clean, but has a few stains. And the dash is cracked! I want to flock it, but that's alot of work to make it look cool when everything else is working just fine.

    Of course dash is cracked! I wanna flock it - but then that requires me to do tons of work I don't necessarily need to do unless I care about the looks.




    The trunk gasket is warped and old, so water comes in off the rear window trim then into the channel. From there it drips onto the trunk floor then along the seam and puddles. I temporarily fixed the gasket, but I need to do it right. The car stays outside, my garage is a 1930s single... no room for tools and a 5 series.


    previous owner hit something and bent the hood and front of the driver's side fender. I massaged it to close, but I'll need to eventually replace that fender or message it while off.


    Yeup, those are real BBS... came with the car. Either the old man who owned it from 2006-2015 is rad, or the guys I bought it from got rid of the bottlecaps. I have a bottlecap spare. The tires are trash though.

    I definitely need to go to much bigger rims, during autocross I definitely felt the sidewall slosh.
    Last edited by paynemw; 11-28-2016 at 05:07 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    My Cars
    bmw e36 328i 4dr saloon
    Awesome! Can't wait to see this thing get built
    1996 328i (m52B28US) OBD1 euro ZF 5spd. 3.23LSD conversion / Chem. PnP Head/ DINAN stg.2 CHIP/ VAC race valves/ S52 cams/ A/C delete/ fan delete/ Washer Fluid resv delete/ ARP head studs/ Cometic 140MLS / VAC Solid Engine/trans Mounts/ CAI / 2.5"Borla race exahaust/ NGK R spark plugs, M50 Mani, S50 Oil Res, Riot Racing HFTB, SAMCO Hoses, JBR FW, X-Brace, Mtech Front Bumper, RE RSMs, stoptech SS lines, Bilstein sports, H&R Race Springs, S52 Reinforcement plates, Kosei K1 w/ bridgestone RE960as, Brembo/stoptech slotted rotors, M3 Trailing arms, M3 Calipers, M3 Axles, ACS strut brace, weight reduction.

    http://mbuild.blogspot.com/

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
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    Nevada City, CA
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    My Cars
    E60 550i 6MT
    Hell yeah! Subscribed. Cool chassis to build.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    Stuttgart, DE
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    1987 325iS
    Quote Originally Posted by nik77356 View Post
    Hooray! Another E28 Track Car! There aren't too many of us out there. When set up well, they really do handle better than an E30 due to the Pitman Arms that change the Rear Toe as the Trailing Arms move throughout their range.

    Look into Moosehead Engineering's Front Upper Control Arm Bushings. Great product, especially for a track car. If you decide you want to install coil-overs, 400lb springs all the way around should be a good starting point.
    Thanks!
    so you think I should sell this interior and go for a stripped interior?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    Stuttgart, DE
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    1987 325iS
    Purchased some parts today! Moosehead Engineering Spherical Upper Control Arm Bushings on some Leomforder UCAs. Also picked up some braided brake and clutch lines and shifter bushings. Looking to pick up an e34 535i for the m30b35, bumpers and Style 5's. Looking to buy some e31 LCAs with spherical bushings too.

    Any recommendations - sway bars (I want to do front and rear) first then lowering springs & shocks later? And what bushings are recommended upgrades for the rear?
    Paynemw
    I Live in Stuttgart, DE now!
    1986 Toyota 4Runner SR5 - Sold!
    1987 BMW 325is 2.7L Track Build & Grocery Getter - Back in RVA driven by my pops
    1988 BMW 535is - RIP but my dream BMW

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
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    Ontario, Canada
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    1984 525i
    Here's a set of E31 Lower control arms, not affiliated - http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=141884

    If your current shocks are still decent then you could look at sway bars first but if they are questionable at all I would do shocks/springs or coilovers before sway bars. Ireland engineering has a set of adjustable bars and I have read rumors that H&R are coming out with a set - http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=141358 If you are upgrading your sways you will need to do some reinforcing on the strut housings and the rear mounts on the body. The front body mounts should be replaced with something larger, M5 mounts were the standard but are NLA from BMW, there are other options if you search.

    Stock trailing arm bushings are solid but very hard to replace, if you want to upgrade them you can get spherical bushings for an E34 M55 or E32 750iL. Make sure your pitman arms (dogbones) are good and while you are at it you can add camber/toe adjustment to your subframe (or get Garagistic to do it for you). There are a few options for poly subframe bushings from Ireland Engineering or AGK motorsports and the 528e differential mount is apparently the one to get.

    Adam

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by adampoll View Post
    If your current shocks are still decent then you could look at sway bars first but if they are questionable at all I would do shocks/springs or coilovers before sway bars. Ireland engineering has a set of adjustable bars and I have read rumors that H&R are coming out with a set - http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=141358 If you are upgrading your sways you will need to do some reinforcing on the strut housings and the rear mounts on the body. The front body mounts should be replaced with something larger, M5 mounts were the standard but are NLA from BMW, there are other options if you search.
    Looks like I'll be focusing on brakes, wheels and then suspension/sways. That link said it'd probably be best to run M5 sways (too larger would require significant re-enforcement & I'm not ready for that level of work). Thanks for the advice.
    Last edited by paynemw; 11-30-2016 at 07:08 PM.
    Paynemw
    I Live in Stuttgart, DE now!
    1986 Toyota 4Runner SR5 - Sold!
    1987 BMW 325is 2.7L Track Build & Grocery Getter - Back in RVA driven by my pops
    1988 BMW 535is - RIP but my dream BMW

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    Stuttgart, DE
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    1987 325iS
    Parts are in!

    Garagistic was quick to send out some shifter bushings and brake/clutch braided lines.

    Waiting on Moosehead Engineering UCABs in the Lemforder UCAs and purchased some e31 Lemforder LCAs. I'll have to source some 540i brakes soon and sell off these wheels.

    What style wheels should I go for? I've found some staggered Style 37s on sale.
    Paynemw
    I Live in Stuttgart, DE now!
    1986 Toyota 4Runner SR5 - Sold!
    1987 BMW 325is 2.7L Track Build & Grocery Getter - Back in RVA driven by my pops
    1988 BMW 535is - RIP but my dream BMW

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Noblesville, IN
    Posts
    128
    My Cars
    '89 735i/5, '97 M3
    16x8 Style 5s are my go to. They are cheap and plentiful. You should be able to get a set of 4 for around $250.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
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    Ontario, Canada
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    1984 525i
    I'll second the 16x8 style 5's (from an E38), they're around 18 lbs each and can be found really cheap. You're a little more limited in tire selection over 17's but they really are the ideal size for an E28. You will probably need some 5mm spacers in the front.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    1987 325iS
    so what I'm gathering is keep an eye for 16x8 style 5's from an e38 - cheap and work, however the most ideal size for e28 would be a 17 (requiring a 5mm spacer up front). Only problem is finding a light cheap 17 wheel. So I'll have to get rid of my 15x7 style 5's and look for a set of 16x8 style 5's. 18 pounds is much better - isn't the average weight for 17x and other sexy wheels like 21-25lbs?

    Thanks guys! and I just found out that I should have both my e31 LCAs and Mooshead Engineering UCAs here by mid week, plus picking up that e34 - exciting weekend full of pictures should be in our future! Thanks for the advice.

    Now, anyone in the Norfolk Area wanna come wrench and pull some parts from this e34 with me? We can discuss what you want and negotiate price or barter for labor.
    Paynemw
    I Live in Stuttgart, DE now!
    1986 Toyota 4Runner SR5 - Sold!
    1987 BMW 325is 2.7L Track Build & Grocery Getter - Back in RVA driven by my pops
    1988 BMW 535is - RIP but my dream BMW

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Stuttgart, DE
    Posts
    27
    My Cars
    1987 325iS
    Guys, ended up finding more rust than it was worth saving. So I've started the part out the car. I haven't been able to find another e28 worth buying so the search begins... e46s?
    Paynemw
    I Live in Stuttgart, DE now!
    1986 Toyota 4Runner SR5 - Sold!
    1987 BMW 325is 2.7L Track Build & Grocery Getter - Back in RVA driven by my pops
    1988 BMW 535is - RIP but my dream BMW

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
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    VA
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    E36
    that blows but at least you didn't subject yourself to the money pit. e36

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    1985 535i, 1980 635CSi
    Any recent updates??

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    Stuttgart, DE
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    My Cars
    1987 325iS
    I had to part this car out, found rust around the rear subframe. I did profit $4K after parting.
    Paynemw
    I Live in Stuttgart, DE now!
    1986 Toyota 4Runner SR5 - Sold!
    1987 BMW 325is 2.7L Track Build & Grocery Getter - Back in RVA driven by my pops
    1988 BMW 535is - RIP but my dream BMW

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