The title says it all. I want the most competitive BMW for SCCA Autocross. What is it?
Probably E46s in DSP
What he said.
What about stock class?
The leader of the gulf coast region has a DSP e46 330ci and a FS e92 m3. Both do very well
1998 M3/4/5
1988 325is *Sold*
Agreed on E46 in DSP as the most competitive. As for stock class both the E46 M3 and E92 M3 do pretty well, but that's about it. The E36 chassis does ok in ST classes but isn't going to win anything.
97 M3 - SCCA TT Prepped
17 F150 - Tow Pig
05 S2000 - Sold
88 325is - S52 powered - Sold
95 M3 LTW Rep - Death by Altima
The one with the skilled driver behind the wheel. E36 M3 won Street Modified this year despite being "non-competitive".
Why would the E36 M3 be uncompetitive in SM?
"Fear disturbs your concentration" -Sabine Schmit
1995 BMW M3/2/5-- S54 + Mk60 DSC, California Smog Legal (Build Thread)
1998 BMW M3/4/5 Alpine/Modena, Z3 Rack, otherwise stock-- DD without burbles
2017 Chevy SS, Orange Blast Metallic, 6MT -- DD with burbles
Stock class:
BS - M2? very new but certainly a possible contender
FS - E46 or E92 M3 can/have won
HS - Mini
ST:
Ehhhh
SP:
DSP E46 non-M
ESP E92 M3 - arguably MORE competitive than a DSP E46, in my opinion, but nobody has done it yet.... yet....
SM:
Whatever you want. Anything can win SM. None of the BMWs will get to min weight unless you put a large motor in. The car with the biggest fenderwells is your best bet.
Last edited by fsmtnbiker; 01-19-2017 at 01:24 PM.
Chris
97 M3
94 325is
12 Jeep SRT8
For STU it was Tristan in 2012, and that was an outlier. A combination of perfect car, setup, and driver. Since then the 350z and C5 Corvette were added to the class which subsequently buried the E36 M3; when giving up 40+hp and 30mm of tire width to every other RWD car in class no one even bothered trying. Now in STR the E36 M3 is against absurdly well developed S2000's and the ND Miata on the up and up. Yes, the the E36 M3 has more torque and is narrower than an S2000, but even at full prep has a 400lb weight penalty vs the S2000, and probably more vs the ND. I own an E36 M3 and would like nothing more than it to be competitive in ST, but I honestly don't think it can compete.
That said, I do agree that a skilled driver makes the biggest difference, but at the pointy end of the field where driver skills are closer together car potential makes a significant difference. Case in point is Heitkotter in STX a couple years ago, IIRC he finished 3rd overall in an under prepped 300ZX. To podium a car deemed uncompetitive and one that is under prepped at that says something, but the best driver didn't win. It's a competition of both car and driver, and at the top when driver' s skills are closer together car prep gets more important. If you look at the time deltas and names in STR I really don't see how the E36 M3 can hang. The car's potential is lower, and given the driving talent it would take a miracle to overcome the rest of the field.
97 M3 - SCCA TT Prepped
17 F150 - Tow Pig
05 S2000 - Sold
88 325is - S52 powered - Sold
95 M3 LTW Rep - Death by Altima
With the new rules a slick top 95 M3 would be very competitive in D Street, it was previously in C Street that was dominated by RX8, the TRD version of the BRZ FR-S and the new Miata
Last edited by jakermac; 02-01-2017 at 01:39 PM.
Chris
97 M3
94 325is
12 Jeep SRT8
Agreed. I was stupefied when they moved the E36 M3 from STU to STR... out of the frying pan, into the fire...
We ran an E36 M3 in STU from the beginning until we lost hope, from 2004 until 2008. We did well a couple of times, where I got a 6th in 2005 and 2nd in 2006 at Solo Nats... but we never pushed that car hard beyond the 2007 season. Tristin's win in 2012 was a shock but we haven't seen an E36 M3 threaten this class since.
To supposedly be one of the slower Street Prepared classes, DSP is not a poor man's class, and building a serious car there will take a serious effort and budget. You better start bring a max prepped motor, top level suspension, class legal aero, and 315mm or 335mm A7s, otherwise stay home. I got my ass KICKED in 2009 after bringing a knife to a gun fight - and they have only gotten faster since.
Street Mod is still doable but you need an even bigger budget and its hit-or-miss with respect to weather. Tunnel, Sias, Simanyi (above), and Mayfield have all scored National Championship wins in SM using an E36M3, if I'm not mistaken.
FStreet is the new place where BMWs (E46 and E92 M3s) do well, whipping up on what used to be stick axle pony car class.
Good luck,
Last edited by Fair; 02-03-2017 at 11:26 AM.
Terry Fair @ Vorshlag Motorsports
If I didn't have the urge to make my car a little faster I'd be going fully for D-Street and really trying but I like power.... also building a cam car for two years down the road so..
Everyone told me I had the car, but locally get spanked by the ecoboost mustang, tight course and I am a new driver against a Nats winning driver
While I agree that it's out of the frying pan and into the fire, at least in STR there are certain aspects where the M3 has an advantage. Less width, more torque, and a higher top speed in 2nd gear (almost 10mph higher than an ND) can help close the gap on some courses. I still don't think that's enough to overcome its disadvantages, but at least there's something to give it hope. It had absolutely nothing in STU.
97 M3 - SCCA TT Prepped
17 F150 - Tow Pig
05 S2000 - Sold
88 325is - S52 powered - Sold
95 M3 LTW Rep - Death by Altima
Most wins by a bmw this year is probably my 1M in B street with 4 plus a 2nd place by like 0.0xx.
In Pro-Solo the car is second in the points, winner take all at the finale in Lincoln in sept.
Next year I would think there will be plenty of M2's in the class. Should be one or two this year. Lots of cars in the class can win it.
F street is still the place to be for easy entire and cost of the build. Ken O runs one here in Dallas that stock and wins at the national events in Texas some with it.
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Last edited by alphaomegait; 07-23-2017 at 11:41 PM.
Thanks to: Hixson BMW, Race-Keeper, Koni, BimmerHaus, & Hoosier
2012 SCCA SUMMER NATIONALS PRO-SOLO BONUS CHALLENGE WINNER
2012 BLYTHEVILLE PRO-SOLO A STOCK WINNER
2012 SCCA DIXIE A STOCK CHAMPION
2008 SCCA TRI-STATE STU CHAMPION
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