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Thread: E36 M3 Track/Street Car Build #86

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    10
    My Cars
    E36 M3

    E36 M3 Track/Street Car Build #86

    Short background info, I raced go karts from the age of 8-18 (22 now). Before I bought the M3 I had a Jetta that I had modded in the way to make it handle as well as possible. Got bored with it and started looking at E36s. I've always wanted an E36 M since I was in middle school. Unfortunately I got into an accident with my Jetta which totaled it. Here was my opportunity to get the car I've always wanted. Looked for a couple weeks and found a car worth buying.
    8/8/2015

    Car was pretty immaculate, super clean Vader interior. (Didn't have the belts when I bought it)

    UUC Wilwood BBK

    Car also had a Dinan CAI and tune.
    I daily drove the car from august until Nov when I finally had the money to buy a daily.

    Here starts the real build. I was finally able to take it off the road and start tearing it apart.
    11/25/15

    I knew I wanted to refresh the entire the suspension and make it better than it ever was from factory. I also knew I wanted to make it to Wookies In the Woods in April to drive on Tail of The Dragon.
    Start the tear down.
    Subframe removal:









    With the subframe removed I started breaking it down.


    Here is the fun part. I did a lot of research and chose my parts carefully.
    Chassis reinforcements from AKG:
    RTAB, Rear sway bar tab, front subframe, and rear shock mounts.

    Condor Bushings:
    Engine Mounts
    Trans mounts
    Control arm bushings
    Differential bushings
    RTAB
    Rear subframe

    Ground Control Coilovers 440# Front 550# Rear




    Here starts the install of bushings and other suspension components.
    Subframe bushings in:

    Outer balljoints replaced:


    RTAB Installed:

    Differential bushings installed:

    Front subframe reinforced and motor mounts installed:

    I don't have any pictures of the rear end being installed. So here we are.
    Went with EBC yellowstuff pads.

    Picked up a Z3 streering rack.

    Some other things not pictured would be the trans mounts installed, front ball joints replaced, steering rack installed with new tie rods.
    Front end put together.

    This puts us to me finally getting the car back on the road.
    4/6/15

    My Scroth Quick Fit harnesses arrived.

    And so did my tires.
    Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R 225/45 and 245/45

    Started sanding down my Contours

    Unfortunately I didn't have time to get the wheels painted.
    New Spark Plugs

    ECS Tuning Strut Brace Installed
    I had to have the plates that attach to the strut towered milled out so the top of the strut can pass through for the dampening adjustment.

    So 4/13/16 I leave for NC from CT for Wookies in the Woods.


    The trip was an overall success. Car drove amazing. Only problems I had was a few cv bolts came loose and I had a coolant line get cut by the mechanical fan.
    Here are some pics from down there.





    The RE-71Rs were great.



    And coolant line failure. The white M3 blew a lower rad hose. E36 Problems

    Fast forward to June 2016
    AKG camber arms arrived


    This addition was in preparation for tracking the car at Eurokracy in Montreal. Here are some pictures from that, also finally got the Contours painted.




    Car was great on track. But left some to be desired. I wasn't fully able to dial the understeer out of it, the Vader seats didn't hold me in place enough and I cooked the yellowstuff pads.
    Now up to October 2016.
    AKG short shifter installed with DSSR along with new guiblo and CSB

    I relocated the OBC to the factory radio location.

    Favorite photo of the car from the end of 2016 season.

    Here is when I start stripping the interior.
    Nov 2016







    After doing some research I decided to go with a Sparco fighter seat and VAC mount.


    Also ordered Ground control front and rear sway bars, and switched to Hawk DTC-70 Pads.


    As well as the Condor steering shaft bushing.

    Now I started addressing the front end lighting.
    Ordered Depo headlights, smoked corners and fogs.



    Deleted the sunroof and painted the roof black.



    Car assembled for the 2017 show opener at UCONN stadium.



    May 2017
    Ordered passenger seat

    Fire extinguisher installed

    I painted my DS2s black and got my good tires mounted on them.

    June 2017
    Took the car to Eurokcracy again to track it. Unfortunately it didn't go very well this year, my clutch master broke within 5 minutes of being on track. Ended up driving the car 6 hours home without a clutch pedal. Here are some pictures.


    That week I got the car fixed and ready to Autox it at Lime Rock Park for EEurofest.
    Car did great and was the fastest car on the Autox track.

    That pretty much brings the car up to date.
    I plan to do a trans fluid flush this week, as well as switch back to an OEM steering shaft bushing. I believe the condor bushing is causing my odd steering feel. Will wait until I do the install to make that verdict.
    Last edited by Feola86; 07-12-2017 at 10:14 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Slidell, LA
    Posts
    450
    My Cars
    Many
    Be careful with that brake kit. I had the same one on my car and was cracking rotor after 2-3 sessions on track. You can see from your photos that the pads are only sweeping about 60% of the rotor. This results in thermal shock on the rotor and ends in cracking. Just keep an eye on those rotors.

    I'd post pictures but Photobucket sucks.


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    cleveland ohio
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    1999 M3 / 2001 M5 / B8S4
    what size wheels and tires you have ?

    - - - Updated - - -

    not the contour othe other ones i have the same color on my e36 m3 too

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    10
    My Cars
    E36 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by darbyfam View Post
    Be careful with that brake kit. I had the same one on my car and was cracking rotor after 2-3 sessions on track. You can see from your photos that the pads are only sweeping about 60% of the rotor. This results in thermal shock on the rotor and ends in cracking. Just keep an eye on those rotors.

    I'd post pictures but Photobucket sucks.
    I'll be sure to keep an eye on it. I have thought about switching too the stock M3 brakes which also came with the car. Time will tell.
    Quote Originally Posted by Z morrar View Post
    what size wheels and tires you have ?

    - - - Updated - - -

    not the contour othe other ones i have the same color on my e36 m3 too
    If you're referring to the silver wheels those are off a jaguar. Not actually my wheels, and they were 17x8


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    10
    My Cars
    E36 M3
    Started gutting the cars. Only got this far because I had to goto work. Should be finishing it Sunday as well as the trans flush and steering coupler.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    10
    My Cars
    E36 M3
    Said screw trying to gut the cats and just welded pipe in. Also completed the trans fluid flush. Going to drive the car tomorrow and see how it goes. Tomorrow is also my last day of school.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Bay Area, California
    Posts
    39
    My Cars
    1992 325is E36
    I noticed that when I went from the rubber steering coupler to the Condor one was that every bump was met with an equal amount of steering wheel shimmy. The rubber coupler did a great deal of dampening that I only noticed after removing it.

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