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Thread: e36 M3 - IP Build Chronicles

  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by TIATO View Post


    You might seriously consider some additional harness guides. The outer shoulder belt could slip off the side of the harness bar in your case. Just a thought.
    Also, check your shoulder harness wrap, doesn't look quite correct. But I'm not the safety police.....and you mentioned these have since been removed and replaced with something else, so perhaps it has been fixed?
    Cheers,
    Chet

  2. #27
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    Chet - observant you are. When the images were taken, I had not yet finished tidying up the belts yet. My current configuration has foam blocks on the outside edges of the belts as well.

  3. #28
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    2017 530i M-sport
    Mario-

    I hope you have also threaded the shoulder harnesses correctly. I know the pic of them is pre-completion. If you aren't sure, check the Schroth instructions.

    Jay

    From wannabe to has been in a few short years..... the older I get, the faster I was

  4. #29
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
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    Whitehouse Station, NJ
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    642
    My Cars
    E36M3,MZ3,E30,2002ti,MCS
    Can't wait to see the pics of that crazy month when "Animal" went to work on your car.


    -Scott
    ProFormance Coaching - Performance driving and racing coach
    Like ProFormance Coaching on Facebook for updates
    MyTrackSchedule.com - Your key to more track events!
    Track Videos
    1996 BMW M3 Endurance Race Car
    1991 BMW 318is 24 Hours of LeMons car
    1974 BMW 2002tii (sold)
    2001 BMW M Roadster
    2007 Mini Cooper S (sold)

  5. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by sab0276 View Post
    Can't wait to see the pics of that crazy month when "Animal" went to work on your car.


    -Scott
    LOL, he was a great help.

  6. #31
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    May 2004
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    .
    Any major winter progress, Mario? I'm slowly catching up.


  7. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by JClark View Post
    Any major winter progress, Mario? I'm slowly catching up.
    After not doing anything for a while, Im now on a roll again. Took a few days off to do the Skip Barber 3 Day Race school at Road Atlanta, was sick for a week. Was awaiting parts to do the euro coolant tank mod, evosport oil distribution block, remote inline oil filter, oil cooler and the M50 manifold mod. Figured while the manifold was off, Id go to town with under the manifold mods and do the work once.

    Also doing brake coolings ducts, followed by a GC AD suspension and new RTABs. Got to get the work done by end of the month as I have a lot of travel next month. Cage goes in middle of May.

  8. #33
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    '93 M325i, '01 Duramax
    SUBSCRIBED!!

    Hey, Jesse. Hey mmmCookies!
    Complete one man ///M engine+drivetrain, brakes, suspension swap in 21 hrs


    SLIDENY

    slide013 by MtBikingKing, on Flickr

  9. #34
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Whitehouse Station, NJ
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    642
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    E36M3,MZ3,E30,2002ti,MCS
    Updates!?!?!?



    -Scott
    ProFormance Coaching - Performance driving and racing coach
    Like ProFormance Coaching on Facebook for updates
    MyTrackSchedule.com - Your key to more track events!
    Track Videos
    1996 BMW M3 Endurance Race Car
    1991 BMW 318is 24 Hours of LeMons car
    1974 BMW 2002tii (sold)
    2001 BMW M Roadster
    2007 Mini Cooper S (sold)

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by sab0276 View Post
    Updates!?!?!?



    -Scott
    Indeed. There have been a few changes . Just got to find the time to update the thread.

  11. #36
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    Other work performed during this period of March - April was a PWR 57 radiator, stewart water pump, new front control arms, LCAB, tied rods, Z3 steering rack.

    Once the roll bar was in, the belts sorted, high density foam pads applied and full suspension installed, including a fun rear ball joint bolt replacement and other associated bushings in the car, it was time for corner balancing and alignment.





    After the alignment in order to improve the feel of the car I installed a momo type 78 wheel, LTB Motorsport Quick Release and a Momo competition shift knob. Also installed was a Edge Motorworks gauges.





    At this time in the car's development, it was still being built for a dedicated DE car that was to be drive to events. As such I had installed a hitch for my Southsport tire trailer.



    Cars condition on the eve of its first event of the season in its dedictaed DE configuration.



    At the track - That CF MA Shaw LTW wings works very well.

    Last edited by TIATO; 06-30-2008 at 03:08 PM.

  12. #37
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    The car as configured in the previous post was a great re-introduction to a M3 coupe. It was as i remembered my first M3 to be.

    That configuration lasted only a month. Big changes were the addition of the LTW front spiltter and fresh tires. The BBS RX / Kumho Victoracer wheelset had been had been in storage for over 6 years but provided a nice re-introduction to r-comps. Unfortunately, driving to and from the track, a nail punctured one of the 4 tires and was forced to obtain a new set. Hell it was time anyway. Enter the Toyo RA1. Great tire but damn, it need a lot of neg. camber. By this time the BBS RX wheels were looking pretty ragged from paint chips and sheets of paint peeling off. I gave them a makeover.

    The splitter was a fun addition. I could dial in/out understeeer by varying extension. The combination of both the splitter and wing made for noticeabe increase in stability at the expense of top end speed.






  13. #38
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    I was very content with the configuration as depicted in the last post. The car was fast, stable and forgiving. 8 months prior, returning after a 2 year track hiatus, I was at the Glen with a modified M3 sedan. Lap times were in the 2:28 range. The first outing in the coupe, with essentially the same wheel/tire suspension combination yielded times in the 2:25 area. With the above post combo I got down into the 2:20's. Subsequesnt visitis to the Glen, as a result of improved driver confidence, familiarty of the car, some "speed secrets" provided by our own SE36 Meister Gilbert yielded lap times reaching into 2:17 territory. Im convinced that the car is capable of at least a 2:14 in its current (yet to be described) state on a nearly stock motor.

  14. #39
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    2007 was a big year for my safety program. Prior to that year I was only on track once in the previous two. My equipment was nearing the end of its useable service period.

    My schroth belts were 6 years old. The Bieffe Predator helmet as well. When I planned this car out, a rollbar was a definate must have. Just before my second event of the season I took delivery of a HANS device as well as a new helmet, an Arai HANS compatible GP5W. At the same time I installed new 6pt. Schroth HANS compatible belts. Combined a very worthy investment of over $2500.

    At this point the car could very easily be retured to stock if I chose to. I visited the Glen again at the end of July for some open lapping and that was the start of what became a very vertical slippery slope. I remember the moment very precisely. I was on the back straight and just about to pass the 600ft brake marker at nearly 130 when I tought "wow, Im at a speed much faster than some race classes...and all I have is a rollbar". As I applied brakes at 400ft I thought "Its time for a cage."

    On the way home from that event. Driving 2 cars back to NJ (my wife in our van and me in the M3) we came to the conclusion that it was time for a trailer and a tow vehicle. A week later we were the proud owners of a 2007 F150 Super Crew. A few days after that, a trailer.

    Then there was the incident at Mid Ohio. John Engle survived the collision but unfortunately passed away as a result of his injuries. His passing crystalized the idea to fully cage the car over the winter. All in all, the heavy investment in safety (belts, helmet, HANS, rollbar, proper seats) was over 50% of my 2007 car expenditures. Even if you add in the cost of a full prepared class cage, fire supression, window nets the 6-8k one would spend for everything (including a new suit, nomex, new gloved and shoes) is but a small fraction of what a serious emergency room visit would cost. I look at safety equipment as a cheap life insurance policy. It will either protect me or save my life, minimize injury or at worst prolong my life long enough to be able to say good bye to the ones dear to me.

    At the end of August I was back at the Glen. I had some time to kill between sessions so I started stripping easily removeable iitems from the car.

  15. #40
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    After August event I gave some serious thought to the cage project and where that would lead me. In the back of my mind I always knew that the DE would lead to either instructing or racing or both.

    So the first question was, what kind of cage. I researched BMW Club Race classes and and cars built to suit. I took note of club race trends in preparation. Size of class fields.

    One thing was certain, I was going to keep the M3. Research told me that it would be less expensive to buy a prebuilt race car. However developing the car at my speed would alllow me to spread out the payments of the project. Callt the difference in cost of prebuilt and building the interest charge.

    I stock was out. Considering the field sizes, the potential re-sale market was limited. The trend was GTS, IP or Mod. So I decided to build to a class where the potential market would be larger and more interesting. I chose I-P.

    Once that decision was made I went about gutting the M3 to the core. I had 30 days before my next event and then another 30 days after that to get a cage build for an event in November.








    From the get go, this car was going to be a budget build. I got creatice by going to my local DOT depot and asked for some scrap aluminum for the heater core plate and floor boards.






    Real lightweight material.


    Thin gauge home depot aluminum, cut, bent, modified and painted to suit.


    For the door panels, I obtained a sheet of .060: architectual grade aluminum for $100.

  16. #41
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    The Glen in the fall is awesome as it is, but the Sept. GVC event was amazing. The car now weighed about 2650 lbs. In that sense it weighed as much as my former e30 318is but with 100+ more hp.

    The by product of pulling nearly 500 lbs out of the car was a significant improvement in the car's responsiveness to any sort of input. Light, nimble, quick. I loved it. Also very noticeable was in increase in acceleration and top end speed.The drag of the splitter and LTW wing costs me at least 6/8mph at the end of the back straight at WGI. To get to 128mph took a while.
    Now at the 400ft brake marker I was hitting 132mph. Of course deceleration was much brisker as well.

    The lightning of the car along with a spring change darmatically altered the way the car would rotate in turns such as T1, T7, T8. Trailbraking became much easier.

    Needless to say, the car was transformed.

    Time to plan for the cage in the off season and the next event at VIR in November.

    Then halloween, 1 week before Chin/VIR everything was put on hold and life was re-prioritized in a matter of hours. I had to tend to my kids and car stuff was out for the next 4 months. I did not touch the car until March. I continued the search for a cage builder.

    At the beginning of May, inbetween a hectic business travel schedule, I dropped the car of at K-Fab in West Chester,PA. The goal was to have it done by the 3rd week of May so that I could make an early June event. Well, I got the car back just a little over two weeks ago and worked steadily to get the car ready for annual tech, alignment and balance on Monday in preparation for and event at Summit Point next Monday and tuesday

    Friday I determine that the car wont start. I double check all kill switch wiring. Trace my steps back. tried different switch connection configurations. Nothing. But all remaining lights work. I had a schedule to maintain so I kept on working on completing other details. The car is nearly done and it still wont start. A post on BFC is i order - Diagnosis: EWS misalignment.

    Great. The car is dead. EWS is misalignened. Shop doesnt want a dead car (nor did I want to pay to have them fix it). Solution: Called BW, discussed options and overnighted them my ECU for EWS, air pump and O2 sensor
    delete. ECU was reflashed and overnighted back. I recieved it today, installed it, car started - - loaded up and trailered it to my shop.

    So the work performed since the spring to get the car ready for an O-fest race debut was:

    March/April:
    M50 manifold install
    Air Pump Delete
    AKG Shifter Install
    Remote, inline oil filter
    Oil Cooler
    Euro coolant tank conversion

    In the last 2 weeks:
    Alcon Brakes
    UUC Race Motor Mounts
    Swapped GC track/school suspension for advance design
    Rebuilt GC camber plates
    GC weight jackers
    Powerfelx TAB
    Paint cage and partial interior
    SPA 4L fire supression
    Kill switch
    BW brake cooling kit
    Set ride height
    Modified my DIY aliminum floor boards
    Modified the dash to fit around a pillar cage tubes
    Reinstall dash
    Fitted center and drivers side net
    Remount seats - passenger side needed new modified side mounts













    Last edited by TIATO; 02-25-2011 at 11:16 AM.

  17. #42
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    Jun 2002
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    Nearly 2 weeks of work resulted in this.....



    Dreamy picture baby. Cold lens, hot humid morning. Fog.








    Still have to paint the disconnect handle red. Handle is tied to stainless wire, routed via main hoop and attached to the window bar. I just reach up and pull to disconnect.


    Travel window made from OEM window. Determined height, cut and bent some stock flat .060" aluminum, bolted brackets to window using OEM hardware and slide in.





  18. #43
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    1969 1602, 1998 M3 Sedan
    where did you get your shift knob? is it white delrin?

    69' BMW 1602 Vintage Racecar BS-L Racing w/ VARA in Cali (@1602racer on IG)
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    89' M3 *Sold / 88' M3 *Sold / 98' M3 Sedan Sold / 06' M3 Comp.Pkg.SMG *Sold
    My 1602 race car build thread.




  19. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by txse46m3 View Post
    Maybe I'm alone, but I have no regrets about putting my own car together. I enjoy it quite a bit. :shrug
    its fullfilling that way

  20. #45
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    AE86,GC8
    love how its turning out

  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by bmw1602.com View Post
    where did you get your shift knob? is it white delrin?
    Comes with the AKG DTM shifter.

    Carlos.

  22. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by bmw1602.com View Post
    where did you get your shift knob? is it white delrin?
    Quote Originally Posted by clopez95m3 View Post
    Comes with the AKG DTM shifter.

    Carlos.
    White delrin indeed. I believe AKG sells them individualy as well plus they have different models. When I bought the AKG shifter a few months ago, I wanted to get the teardrop shaped knob, but they were fresh out, so I went with the Ball. No set screws or press fit. Ball is a scew on. Very nice unit.


    Quote Originally Posted by Drift Social View Post
    love how its turning out
    Thank you.

  23. #48
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    '93 M325i, '01 Duramax
    Quote Originally Posted by TIATO View Post
    White delrin indeed. I believe AKG sells them individualy as well plus they have different models. When I bought the AKG shifter a few months ago, I wanted to get the teardrop shaped knob, but they were fresh out, so I went with the Ball. No set screws or press fit. Ball is a scew on. Very nice unit.




    Thank you.
    What made you go with AKG, instead of the other manufacturers out there like UUC... etc ??
    ..I'm looking to get one and am building a car pretty much just like yours just a lot of steps/dollars behind, haha.
    Complete one man ///M engine+drivetrain, brakes, suspension swap in 21 hrs


    SLIDENY

    slide013 by MtBikingKing, on Flickr

  24. #49
    Join Date
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    #199 IP BMWCCA
    Car looks sweet in person. I especially liked the attention to detail you had for those thin aluminum plates.
    Eric WONGer
    2012 NASA Nationals GTS3 First Loser
    EX-#121 IP/GTS3 M3 SOLD
    Now-#121 GTS3 E46 M3

  25. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by MtbikingKing27 View Post
    What made you go with AKG, instead of the other manufacturers out there like UUC... etc ??
    ..I'm looking to get one and am building a car pretty much just like yours just a lot of steps/dollars behind, haha.
    Ive tried a few different shifters - UUC on 2 cars, 1.9L z3 on a e30, stock and I just wanted to try something different. I like the height extension the jaffster knob provides. I like the simplicity and height of the UUC race shifter (but the fit is optimized for an e30). Essentially I wanted a tall, short shift. The AKG unit was the answer to what I was looking for. Does away with the shifter carrier, few parts and very serviceable.

    Quote Originally Posted by magnetic1 View Post
    Car looks sweet in person. I especially liked the attention to detail you had for those thin aluminum plates.
    Thanks Eric. I appreciate the positive comments. It was a sincere pleasure meeting you.

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