Bimmerman's 1995 BMW M3 UPDATE: 4/9/2012 Track Videos!

[Bimmerman]

Hi all, I've been a member here for a while but haven't posted pics of any of my cars....time to fix that.

First up: Scarlett, the 1995 M3. 152k.....many of which are track miles.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/002_m3_front-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/005_right_side-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/007_rear_no_license-1.jpg
Currently she's running on OEM contours and studded snows. I'll try and grab a picture when she's clean.

Mods/Details
-Late 1995 production
-5 speed
-156xxx Miles (motor runs great)
-Hellrot red
-Black interior w/heated vader seats
-Euro floating two piece front rotors
-Pagid Orange brake pads (analogous to Hawk HT-10s)
-17x8.5 Kosei K1 wheels w/Dunlop Z1 star spec tires (4 wheels/tires)
-17X7 OEM contours w/studded winter tires (4 wheels/tires)
-TC Kline Double adjustable shocks
-650 lb/in front, 700 lb/in rear springs
-Vorshalg camber plates
-Conforti intake
-Turner motorsport (Conforti) chip
-Rogue short shifter
-UUC TSE exhaust
-Front strut bar
-Solid rear shock mounts
-Treehouse Racing Lower Control Arm bushings
-325is front swaybar (larger than stock M3)
-Welded in Z3 front shock tower reinforcement plates

This car is insanely fun. The motor is single-handedly making me do an EG33 swap in my Subaru next summer....oh wait. I discovered the brake pads were track-only pads while driving around in -10F weather. That was fun, they actually do work when that cold. Kinda. Plans are put in Bavarian Soundwerks "Stage 1" (oh how I hate that naming convention) speaker package, roll bar, 6pts, and fixed back seats. Eventually S54 swap.

Now: Katja, the 1989 325i
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/img_1707_edited-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/img_1704_edited-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/katja_2_edited-1.jpg

Mods/Details:
-1989 325i
-261k miles, most track
-5 speed (naturally)
-Black leather on tan
-OMP Driver Seat
-Schroth Rallye4 ASM harnesses (for DE and Autocross mostly, but DOT legal and Safe)
-Custom Dinan Motorsport chip
-Dinan intake with M30 AFM
-Rebuilt head with <30k
-Z4 short shifter
-Eibach Pro-Kit springs and sways on Bilstein HDs
-Falken RT-615s on stock bottlecaps
-4.10 LSD from an E30 M3 (awesome!)
-rear seat/passenger delete
-Offset E30 M3 CAB
-SS Lines, Hawk HP+ pads, stock rotors (amazing braking power)
-straight pipes to some Borla muffler

That car is waaaaay too fun. Depending what I do to the M3 this might get the S54. Depends really on if anyone buys the car or not. Plans for it are either roll bar/seats/6pts/HANS + S5x motor swap or fun street car or sell it to fund M3 and Subaru fun projects. Car is a perfect mixed DD/ fun track/fun autocross car as-is.


Anyway, that's my non-Subaru stable. Hope you all like em!

[rudgers73]

I love those E30's. Looks clean as a whistle man.

Thanks for sharing

[Bimmerman]

Thanks!

[httrdd]

Hellrot what an awesome name for a color! Love the M!

[Bimmerman]

Thanks! Hellrot is German for "Light Red," but it really looks like an orangey-red in person. I really wanted an Avus blue one but I've fallen for the Hellrot.

[rudgers73]

Thanks! Hellrot is German for "Light Red," but it really looks like an orangey-red in person. I really wanted an Avus blue one but I've fallen for the Hellrot.

Everything sounds cool in German... haha

and you pronounce "rot" with a lot of "h" in the "r". So it sounds like "hrraat"

[Bimmerman]

Update! I just got the E30 detailed and took some pictures. I'm not super happy with the pictures, the car looks a million times better in person, I just suck as a photographer. That, and overcast weather doesn't give the best lighting, so take that for what it's worth.

Car hadn't been washed in a year beforehand, I'm owner number 7 or 8, the car has over 50k of track miles/hard use before I got it, and has the original outside-weathered paint. Which is why the transformation is all the more impressive.

Anyway, on to the pics! Pay close attention to the quality of the reflections on the paint....the car is like a deep mirror.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/img_4485_small_for_r3v-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/img_4501_small_for_r3v-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/img_4492_small_for_r3v-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/img_4512_small_for_r3v-1.jpg This one looks weird because I was playing with the polarizer. I kinda like how it came out though!

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/img_4515_small_for_r3v-1.jpg

And finally, the money shot: the hood.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/01/img_4483_small_for_r3v-1.jpg

[Bimmerman]

Big Update!

The E30 has been sold, to fund the ongoing E36 project.

Since my last post, the E36 had a bunch of issues, notably the infamous 5th gear lean problem, which required trans drop and the detent pins to be replaced. However, in the process, a clutch slave cylinder gave up its life to science! (I absolutely did not push the clutch in with the transmission out while positioning the driver Sparco. Definitely not. :shifty:). Two more clutch slave cylinders, and the transmission dropping/cleaning/replacements to match, and the problem was fixed.

So here's the E36 as she sits now. Sparco Evo2 Plus, Schroth Profi Hybrid-II, TCK 4pt Roll Bar, VAC Motorsports harness and seat mounting hardware.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs668.snc4/60840_910102036163_10237623_50338818_6999838_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs341.ash2/62181_910102091053_10237623_50338822_1132604_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs713.snc4/63312_910101991253_10237623_50338816_1479935_n.jpg

Car needs another seat, an alignment, and brakes and then it'll be ready for next track season. I miss the E30, but I really needed the money to fund this venture.

[Bimmerman]

Update! Finally got some things sorted, and took the car to High Plains Raceway (HPR) for a track day. Car still needs a second Evo2 Plus and a shock rebuild, but it performed flawlessly on track. I have to say, while I love the Dunlop Star Specs, the Hankook RS3 is way better as a track tire. Friend in an E30 had a set.....they will likely be appearing on my Legacy when I can (massive suspension mods happening right now o_0).

While there, I rode in a few friends' cars and drove a good friend's S54-powered Z3 M Coupe (exceeeeeeeedingly rare car) in anger around the track. There's a motor swap in my near future....

Anyway, pics! Car is dirty, we drove through sleet and a bit of snow to get to the track.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/05/D7K_05921-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/05/D7K_07071-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/05/D7K_06911-1.jpg

and the S54 Z3 M Coupe:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/05/1216893778_cou4eL-1.jpg

[DarkPhoenix]

I LOVE the S54, even if it looks like a Honda EG hatch went Pinnochio. Something about how tight those cars are always gets me going.

And the E36 is another Bimmer with a special place in my heart. I had the opportunity to drive an M3 Lightweight and I was forever changed.

Awesome cars.

[Bimmerman]

Thanks! I'd rock the hell out of an S54 M coupe for a DD/fun car, that thing is stupid silly fast and fun.

Man, I wish I could find a stock LTW to drive. Mine's about the same weight, but mine doesn't have an interior and isn't the most streetable car around. The E36 is just an awesome car....mine + S54 motor swap is going to be ridiculous.

[DarkPhoenix]

Thanks! I'd rock the hell out of an S54 M coupe for a DD/fun car, that thing is stupid silly fast and fun.

Man, I wish I could find a stock LTW to drive. Mine's about the same weight, but mine doesn't have an interior and isn't the most streetable car around. The E36 is just an awesome car....mine + S54 motor swap is going to be ridiculous.


That's right the M Coupe and the M Roadster were the first USDM Bimmers to get the true M engine. That was the E46 M motor right?

[Bimmerman]

That's right the M Coupe and the M Roadster were the first USDM Bimmers to get the true M engine. That was the E46 M motor right?

Yup, S54 is the E46 M3 engine. 3.2L naturally aspirated with 343hp stock, dynos around 270whp. Exhaust, headers, and a tune are upping that to 350whp......out of a 3.2. Astonishing effing motor.

[DarkPhoenix]

^^Straight sixes, to me at least, have always been the sexiest motors in any car. And BMW is unrivaled when it comes to that.

[Bimmerman]

Ugh, got rear ended in the M3. Getting body shop estimates and insurance phone tag is awesome.

[Okin DaVanh]

Ugh, got rear ended in the M3. Getting body shop estimates and insurance phone tag is awesome.


Whatever happened? Any updates???

[Bimmerman]

Whatever happened? Any updates???

Yea, am dropping the car off at the body shop on monday after going to watch the Pikes Peak hillclimb. The infamous crappy thermostat issue is cropping up intermittently now, so I'm going to replace that pretty soon as well.

[Bimmerman]

Update!

The infamous E36 cooling system shit the bed last summer. Thermostat was fine, but the aluminum housing cracked due to improper water flow from the failed metal water pump, which caused the stock fan to begin wobbling since the pump's bearings were shot. All of this caused the head gasket to die. I discovered all this over a period of about 3 track weekends, fixing the broken bits inbetween.

Solution: Replace ALL the things!
-Stewart billet water pump
-2360cfm Spal electric Fan
-Euro Coolant reservoir
-New Tstat
-New tstat housing
-all new coolant hoses
-new HG
-all new seals and gaskets for manifolds, injectors, valve cover, etc
-all new vacuum hoses and fittings

Additional mods
-Bimmerworld 3" silicone intake boot
-Projector headlights
-AKG 80A engine/transmission mounts

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/tstat_resized-1.jpg
Tstat housing failed.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/m3_winter_work-1.jpg
Yay more jackstands.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/m3_head_resized-1.jpg
Head removed

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/clean_head_resized-1.jpg
Clean head! Euro coolant tank is visible in upper left corner.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/m3_head_front_shot_resized-1.jpg
Another shot of the disaster area.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/val_hoonage-1.jpg
During HG repair, it snowed a LOT. In this pic, all that snow accumulated in about 7 hours. Naturally, this meant it was time to go hooning, and so my buddy showed up in his awesome UrQuattro. Yes, it's a real original Audi Quattro, and we hooned the hell out of it. Long live the T5!

Once I fixed the headgasket over winter, I torture tested the repair over two track days and an autocross last week during spring break (I'm in school in CA, car is in CO). Videos of track are at the bottom of the post. I also bought an AiM SOLO data logger to better improve driving. Predictive lap timing is soooo effing coool! /engineer geek mode.

On the first track day, an older gentleman showed up in his Aston Martin V12 Vantage. I passed it on track (see vid). Such an amazing car, but waaaaay too quiet.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/v12_vantage_resized-1.jpg

On the second track day, I had a puncture in my star specs, so I borrowed a friend's BBS RCs with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. These....are great street tires. Not so much track tires, they had 1-2 laps before they greased up. Car looked sweet though.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/bbs_rcs_resized-1.jpg

And now, videos!

This video is of my best lap from the first day. There is a TON of room for improvement, but it's a cool video nontheless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9S1KfHKRco

I wanted to ride along with a buddy in the fast session (which I was running in), so I needed to switch to the slow group for the next session. This...is the result. Remember, my car has essentially stock (~250hp) power and is on Dunlop Star Spec street tires, and this is the first track day I've done in 7 months. Notable cars on track: Aston V12 Vantage, 1950s Ferrari F1 car, Ferrari 308GTS, and many many more. Fun session! Again, lots of room for improvement in my lines, I was just out there having fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dPzwhFVAQQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MbIOIq7Wiw

(sorry for bad audio)

[Okin DaVanh]

Update!

The infamous E36 cooling system shit the bed last summer.


oh, the similarities! :lol: Oh the F.U.N. :roll:

[Dead91silvia]

I'm not much for BMW's, but those are both nice cars! Always a fan of those 80's ones when I was a kid...