E36 M3, from dual purpose to track only

[BlackHawkRacing]

Very nice! What did you use to cut the hood? I have to do this myself soon.

[aeronaut]

From the top side, Dremel style tool with metal cut disks worked pretty well.
For cutting the bracing on the bottom side of the hood, I used a 5" angle grinder with a metal cut blade.

[golgo13]

Car weighed on scales at track.
Car empty (measured weight minus my weight and minus 6lb/gal of gas) = 2,380.

I was surprised.

This is very light! My car is 3,000 w/ driver and full tank but I have a lot of HPDE amenities still.

[aeronaut]

This is very light! My car is 3,000 w/ driver and full tank but I have a lot of HPDE amenities still.

Gotta commit to get light!!!
I've done all the cheap/easy stuff (remove, cut, trash), but little of the harder (eg expensive) stuff. EG, all my windows are still glass, but I pull out the 2 door windows.

I keep eyeballing those rear quarter windows.....I know HardMotor has a solution. But I'll re-engineer something, spend a few weekends on it, buy 3x the material, cut myself and need stitches, and say "thats ugly". And then buy the HM windows.

[golgo13]

Yeah, my brother-in-law has a GTS3 or GTS2 NASA E36 car and when he saw I still had A/C and the HVAC blower/heater core he goes, "So, you're not really all that serious about weight reduction."

I will say that he has a trailer and a tow vehicle whereas I don't have the money or space for one.

I've been considering plastic windows as well, just not sure what works with the OEM window regulators and is the best for scratch resistance. I want to do the quarter windows as well, since those seem "easy" as a starting point.

[aeronaut]

Many of us were at your point for a long time. I'd just say if you're still driving to/from events, weight reduction will be limited.
I wouldn't move to plastic windows in a car that needs to be driven to/from events.

[golgo13]

Many of us were at your point for a long time. I'd just say if you're still driving to/from events, weight reduction will be limited.
I wouldn't move to plastic windows in a car that needs to be driven to/from events.

Highway wind an issue?

[aeronaut]

Just for example, none of the plastic windows are designed to be rolled up/down. And there's no window frame so opening/closing door requires extra steps if window is in place.
Rear qtrs and rear window would probably be fine. Making them waterPROOF might be a challenge, and something that would need addressed every year or so.

[golgo13]

Yeah, sounds like a problem. Any idea of the weight of each window vs plastic?

The rear window and rear quarters could be done I guess. Though, the nose is where all the weight is on this platform haha

[BlackHawkRacing]

There is a sizable weight savings going to plastic from glass but pulling the motors and associated hardware is where the real savings come in. That said, as aeronaut said, the plastic windows are a bit of a hassle for a street car. Only plastic/lexan items I have seen that look like good solutions are all permanent installs that don't roll down. Not a problem in Europe but since we have to keep out windows down, it's not feasible.

[golgo13]

I'm open to also doing the rear and quarter windows to save a few lbs?

[aeronaut]

I'd guess that would save about 10lbs total.
Big weight reduction is in the stuff that keeps the car comfy and quiet. Seats (front are 60lbs each), rear seat, back, and belts are around 100lb IIRC. And ohhh, all that carpet and sound deadening, and the sun roof. Those items, plus HVAC, are the big ones. Every thing else is nibbling around the edges.

[aeronaut]

Stuffing some 255/70's onto my 8.5" rims and gonna see how I like them.
So, gotta make room.

My math says I needed 8mm more clearance on the outer rear fender. Every where else should fit.
Cut, hammered, rolled, pulled (sounds like pork BBQ!):

Attachment 677614

Attachment 677615

Attachment 677616

[golgo13]

Pics aren't showing up?

[aeronaut]

Hmmm, not sure what's up with that. They were loaded by bimmerforums, not linked. Trying again....

Fender2.jpg


Fender1.jpg

[Matt330LS]

Decided to install aerocatches.
This is just orange tape, but will probably paint them fluorescent.
The idea being, if down all good. If up I can see them from drivers seat.
Unfortunately, the aerocatches have a "almost down but not secured" position.
I just must never put them in that position.

Pretty good idea, might have to do that with mine.

[aeronaut]

Decided to go with yellow paint.

IMG_20200905_134247.jpg

[aeronaut]

I ordered the wrong fuel safety vent from Radium (they sent the one I ordered, but their web page was messy and I ordered the wrong one).
Rather than return, figured I fab something up. So for about $70, I should be good to go.

IMG_20200908_161527.jpg

[fbirch]

Strange that some cars seem to have issues puking fuel. With the setup I posted above (loop of hose and $5 fuel filter), I can fill my tank completely and not spill a drop

[aeronaut]

Agreed! Mine is showing no signs of leakage up to a little over 1/2. But at 3/4, there is some.
Installing valve this week for the upcoming weekend at PittRace!

Changed my setup last week, now on 255/40-17s (toyoRR), 650F/800R springs, etc.
It's all an experiment.

I see 1.6 lateral G in the carousel on Summit Shenandoah. Got a little rub in right rear. A few spots of very light rubbing fender liners in fronts. All fixable with a hammer and a torch.

IMG_20200914_161007.MEDIUM.resized.jpeg

[bimmerboy318]

Are you running the stock DME on OBD1?

[aeronaut]

Are you running the stock DME on OBD1?

Yep.

[aeronaut]

Had several issues with the MRT roll center correction kit.
Lot's of details here:
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-Experience(s)

Now installing the SLRspeed kit. Overall, better. But, I did have a few issues. But, the guys at SLRspeed were VERY responsive to my issues and questions.

On first install, SLRspeed kit had this problem:

IMG_20200928_144848.jpg

An email and a few phone calls, SLRspeed sent new outer pins (just in case something was wrong) and different spacers (which they felt was the real problem).
Shorter spacer compared to original spacer provided:
IMG_20201002_105915.jpg



Now, were at:
IMG_20201005_134146.jpg

Even the SLR guys are a little confused as to why there aren't more threads showing, but I'm pretty sure this will be fine, this is 14.5mm thick locking nut, and normal nuts are 13mm thick, so I know enough threads are captured for strength.

Installed:
IMG_20201005_134615.jpg

[aeronaut]

Playing with camber, camber shims, and GC camber plates today. Decided to repair the bolts on the locking thing on the GC plates. 3, M8 bolts tack welded into the frame. Cut, removed, replaced, and TIG'd back in. Front camber now set at -4deg. But, 95 spindles and GC 'street' camber plates force me to use about 5mm thick shims to get to -4 deg.

CamberKit2.jpg

CamberKit1.jpg

[aeronaut]

Fuel filling started acting very weird last event, sometimes backing up into the fill tube and cutting off the fill.
I check the fuel discriminator valve from Radium Auto, and the plastic float ball was swollen and sticking. Jeeeezzzus.
Looked for a replacement, and ended up with some Al hollow spheres from McMaster.

Oversized swollen plastic (about 0.8") vs Al hollow sphere (0.75", which is the same diameter as the heavy solid up-side-down cut off ball):

IMG_20201023_111125.jpg