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Thread: NASA Spec3 Promo Video

  1. #1
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    NASA Spec3 Promo Video

    NASA Spec3 had a healthy field of 10 cars at VIR a couple weekends ago plus 3 fully-prepped cars in HPDE4 and 1 fully-prepped car in HPDE3. We're hoping for fields of 15+ in 2018. Close racing, comparatively low cost to build and for consumables, and great camaraderie. Watch the video, get pumped, and join the fun!





    Basic Class Rules
    Eligible cars: 1993 - 1995 325i sedans and 325is coupes (Any coupe/sedan E36 chassis eligible w/ drivetrain swap)
    Suspension: Koni shocks, Swift springs, Vorshlag camber plates, Eibach swaybars
    Brakes: Stock calipers and rotors with Hawk DTC-60 pads
    Tires: 225/50/15 Toyo RR
    Differential: 3:15 LSD, easily sourced from E36 M3's
    Transmission: Stock Getrag 5-speed
    Motor: Stock OBD-I M50 single vanos with a Spec3 chip
    Minimum weight: 2,850 lbs. wet with driver
    Cost: Under $15,000 for the car, cage, and components

    Take a look at the official Spec3 website here.
    Read all of the class rules here.
    Connect with the current racers on the Spec3 Facebook group.

    Interested? Have any questions? Great!
    Feel free to send me a PM or post below.
    Last edited by OCRentAPopo; 07-17-2018 at 02:25 PM. Reason: Updated for rules change.

  2. #2
    mslevin's Avatar
    mslevin is offline Have you checked RealOEM? BMW CCA Member
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    Any sign of this on the west coast? I could probably kind of make my car work for this...

    EDIT: nvm, as usual my bodywork/overfenders will DQ me
    Last edited by mslevin; 10-19-2017 at 04:59 PM.

  3. #3
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    Great video! Really wish there were there was a group of cars in the NE.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BlackHawkRacing View Post
    Great video! Really wish there were there was a group of cars in the NE.
    There are a bunch of us in DC and one in Baltimore — certainly close enough to run at NJMP, Pocono, Watkins Glen etc. We are hoping for plenty of exposure to NASA-NE at next years triple crossover event in July at PittRace. That event will be shared with NASA Northeast, Midatlantic, and Great Lakes. Hope to see you there!

  5. #5
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    Awesome vid.

    It'd be nice if NASA NE actually went to the NE. We have NHMS, Thompson, Palmer, and Club Motorsport tracks that they don't even touch. Occasionally they do a TT at Palmer, but didn't this year.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mslevin View Post
    Any sign of this on the west coast? I could probably kind of make my car work for this...

    EDIT: nvm, as usual my bodywork/overfenders will DQ me

    There were two Spec3's out in one of the California regions ... I don't recall if it was SoCal or NorCal. One of them is for sale and the other guy is now running around in GTS trim. Best way to find them is on the Facebook group. And yes -- the rules don't allow much in terms of body modification. Basically, roll the rear fenders and keep the rest stock.

  7. #7
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    I'm a little surprised this hasn't taken off with more participants like SE30 did.
    Seems like a logical progression with the difficulty in finding affordable E30 donors anymore. E36 non M cars are priced 'readily disposable' at present. Seems quite a few drivers have jumped right over these to E46.
    NASA HPDE instructor

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    I think the Spec3/SpecE36 split and their incompatibilities doomed them.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ddavidv View Post
    I'm a little surprised this hasn't taken off with more participants like SE30 did.
    Seems like a logical progression with the difficulty in finding affordable E30 donors anymore. E36 non M cars are priced 'readily disposable' at present. Seems quite a few drivers have jumped right over these to E46.
    The rise in E30 prices is a relatively new occurrence that I think makes Spec3 more attractive. When I crashed my first Spec3 build I was able to source a new donor car for $600. The crash ate a ton of my time but really not much of my bank account.

    No doubt that SE46 is a popular class but those cars start at $30k. As a class, SE46 just wasn’t designed to be cheap and is not really the next progression of BMW spec racing. Great class, just a different ethos.

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    Quote Originally Posted by TXBDan View Post
    I think the Spec3/SpecE36 split and their incompatibilities doomed them.
    I think the word “doomed” is a bit overstated but your overall point is hard to dispute. That said, there is frequent communication between the two groups and we’re hoping to arrange a joint race or two.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by ddavidv View Post
    I'm a little surprised this hasn't taken off with more participants like SE30 did.
    Seems like a logical progression with the difficulty in finding affordable E30 donors anymore. E36 non M cars are priced 'readily disposable' at present. Seems quite a few drivers have jumped right over these to E46.
    This x100... the cost to build a good SE46 is crazy. I'd love to build/run one but the idea that the spec suspension is a set of MCS' totally goes against the idea of a spec class IMHO.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BlackHawkRacing View Post
    This x100... the cost to build a good SE46 is crazy. I'd love to build/run one but the idea that the spec suspension is a set of MCS' totally goes against the idea of a spec class IMHO.
    That's a debate for the ages. Just to play devil's advocate, NASA NP01 is also a spec class -- on the super-baller end of the spectrum. To each their own.

    With SpecE46 on the upper end of the cost spectrum, we're hoping some of the budget-minded folks will take a second look at Spec3. And with so many E36's running around in HPDE, it's a very natural progression for some guys.

  13. #13
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    Pretty neat idea.

    Unfortunate how you have to run a specific exhaust. And they had to pick one that sounds so horrible, too! Smh

    What's the cost of a cage?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Andy View Post
    Pretty neat idea.

    Unfortunate how you have to run a specific exhaust. And they had to pick one that sounds so horrible, too! Smh

    What's the cost of a cage?
    I don't mind the sound of the Spec3 exhaust but, to be honest, I also don't care much. It's cheap, simple, light, and is actually relatively quiet for a dedicated racecar (a good thing at tracks with max decibels).

    Cage cost is hugely variable depending on what you want and who does the work. My cage cost under $2,500 including a bunch of incidental stuff like new windshield, jacking plates, window net, and belt mounting. Check out my build thread v2.0 for more info and cage pictures.

    Oh, and the rules have been amended to allow any E36 chassis so long as the drivetrain is sourced from a 325 from '93 - '95.

  15. #15
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    Thanks for the help. I am intrigued by this series.

    I'm slowly getting back into tracking. Did a lot more in the early 2000's. Actual competition seems pretty fun. I mainly do NASA DEs as well.

    I already have a 325is that wouldn't take much to get it compliant.

  16. #16
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    As a guy that just moved up from HPDE to real racing this year, I can promise you that racing is 1,000x more fun. And with the contingencies, it's actually cheaper than running HPDE.

    We have 7 Spec3 cars running at PittRace this weekend if you want to stop by. Just shoot me a message or stop by at any NASA event. Poke your head in the cars, meet the racers, ask questions. You're not far from me so if you want to stop by some random weekend to look at my car, just let me know.

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