Mechanical recommends for 04/05 -- building spare engine; driver to race car?

[dieslcruisrhead]

Haven't bought this yet but I'm looking at a few of these mostly after reading about legal open road high speed racing in Texas and Nevada and Chihuahua Mexico.

I test drove on Saturday and fell in love! Just a nice wonderful car that I feel with gobs of potential that I feel is undervalued??


The car would mostly be used for fast western road trips and flying through Nevada. I might enter one of the high speed open road competitions in Nevada where it would be up against similar weight Camaros and such. I got this one seen here to 130 almost without even blinking, bone stock. Basically what the car is designed for, Autobahn type stuff. I would probably pull the mufflers and other small mods but not too much??


I like these because 1) v8 naturally aspirate, 2) versus the 650s has the 6 speed manual trans, 3) there is quite a bit of room for tuning and lightening? 4) they seem to be only 200 lbs heavier than a 335i --- not dramatically heavier?? Sure feel planted yet perform well. Only 250 lbs heavier than a 328i? 5) the 04-05 has the smaller engine but seems better and simplier -- doesn't have regenerative braking and such. 6) there are some updates to the old school iDrive 2.0 to get up to 6.0, or install android systems I hear.

I understand the seals on the engines and more go out on these. I was thinking I'd try to score a spare cheap n62 from something like a X5 (is the spec the same -- 4.4 liter?) and just build a spare refreshed engine with all new gaskets and timing chain and more throw that in when it would be time. So that's how I'd address the weak link there. I also here not too hard to build a limited slip for these. For some reason they didn't come with them.

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Once / if the car goes to shit I might make it into a dedicated open road stripped down racecar and simpler is better. Not for track duty - for open road racing, but similarly, likely stripped down to a tin can and I'm pretty sure the electronics shouldn't be fully overwhelming to build out??? Is there another car or something else I should consider?


I found this one locally all refreshed with a boatload of miles (runs and drives new - couldn't believe how solid it was was nearly 200K miles), or low miles ones in other states, but mostly with sun damage on the dash. Cold AC and it'd make it back fine I think, and pretty cheap. Again, all ears on thoughts.

Car would mostly be used for fast road trips and flying through Nevada. I might enter one of the high speed open road competitions in Nevada where it would be up against similar weight Camaros and such. I got this one seen here to 130 almost without even blinking, bone stock. Basically what the car is designed for, Autobahn type stuff but some turns. But big sweeping western roads. Not tight and not track.