1997 M3 4 Door with LS/T56

[motorV8ed]

Made it back to Iowa with some nice weather...time to pull it out for some exercise and annual maintenance - the Holley EFI'd L33 fired right up after 10 months of stagnation:

Nice!

All clean for another year of storage...bummer.

Alas and alack.

I haven't gotten mine out in weeks. (Still working on the convertible top.) Hope to do a little fall leaf-watching with the top down.

[Laminar]

I spotted your twin again!





It's cool knowing there are two really clean blue sedans around here!

[Tim Mc]

That one looks to be immaculate! I prefer the lack of a rear spoiler, but the younger assistant digs the 'wing'.

I think ours would sound better...V-8 all the way!

Almost never see an E36 (other than a Compact/Ti) even here in Germany...

[Tim Mc]

Finally saw a nice example...1990 non-M...priced at 16,000 Euro (~18,000 USD)! Only one spied in entire Retro Classics show last weekend - conference center was filled with non-new automobile stuff.

Guess the $3500 paid for our 1997 M3 was a steal (forget the extra 200,000 just run in miles...)



9 of the halls were filled!:

[Tim Mc]

Back to Iowa for a quick stop...and blast thru the gears:



Love the engine bay - the Holley HP EFI fired right up and idled like a modern car:



Oil changed and back to sleep for another spell...



What a great combination...maybe a bit more cam and another .5 inch on the exhaust diameter and some wider front wheels and...the wheels always turn during a visit!

[Laminar]

Do you have a long term plan for return to the states? It'd be a shame for that thing to keep sleeping!

[Tim Mc]

Our tour overseas likely has a couple more years left on it. Some throttle always rekindles the excitement! The assistant is certainly eager to get behind the wheel - now old enough to drive (but not in Germany!)

Fortunately, we have been working on another similar project to keep the younger generation off the phone:



Just gained roadworthy status after 16 months of work - 1000 miles of smiles so far. Quite a change from the M3 and he'll get good at shifting with his left!

[Laminar]

You built a German car in America, a Japanese car in Germany...are you going to Japan next so you can rebuild an Italian car??

Looks incredible, and definitely a great choice to experience something you couldn't get here while you have the opportunity.

[Tim Mc]

Laminar - this is too funny! Come June, I promised the young'n that he will get some seat time in the M3. He has cut his teeth on the $1500 Honda Jazz 1.2 (Fit) and can now heel/toe with the best.

Should be a great summer in the states...the few days we will be there before he heads to college.

Thanks!

[Tim Mc]

Another 2 years and another visit...fired right up with a battery swap! Too smooth idle and not a single leak (why was jacked - assumed we'd have a gas dripper!):



And: