**Tips on building 95 M3 track car: Help**

I am doing a project track m3 (1995). I know what I am doing in general, but I am not building it for a class really. I am going to use it in club events, learn with it, and use it as an engineering project so i can design and build my own parts for some elements of the car. The engine will not be that fantastic, just euro hfm, cams, custom intake I am designing, 24lb injectors, custom chip, and a borla TMS race exhuast. I am going to entirely strip the interior to bare metal, have a 6 or 8 point cage put in with "X" by the doors so I can gut the doors and make some stuff in the doors (custom handles, and some carbon fiber inserts there). Also plan to have some stitch welding done to help stregnthen the chassis. For suspension I am working out what i will do, but I might have some help from KW on one of thier new race setups they are bringing over from europe to thier new US motorsports program.

I am looking got specific tips for people who have prepped E36 3 series(325/328/m3) and some stuff that specific to the car other the general tips for prepping a car. I might do some lexan on some windows, but I am not sure. I think I can get the car down to 2700lbs.

Anyone else have any comments/suggestions for me? I am still looking for a base car, but once I get it, it'll be a rather long term project as I use most of my time for Formula SAE team.

Thanks for your time, and I appreciate anyone who can help me out.

I am in NJ/NY by the way, and I need to know a good cage place around here. Other then that I am pretty sure I can do all the work myself. Suspension, exhuast, and the minor engine work I plan on doing is not too intensive, maybe just the cam work I'll have a bmw tech friend help me out, but I can do the rest i am pretty sure. I just needa good Custom cage place to help me out later next year when I need the cage/stitch welding done. Thanks again for your time http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif

Some of the mods you have planned are beyond what is legal in IT. You may want to check out www.bimmerforums.com . There are lots of very helpful people over there that may be able to help you too.

Also check dtmpower.com (if you haven't already)

Well as I stated I am not building this for a class, but I know a lot of the knowledgable people are on this board. I have been a member at DTM from the begining, before it was dtmpower http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif I've been there for a long time, and I run local meets for DTM.

Anyways I was not planning on racing this at first, but merely using it as a learning car, and a project to excercise my engineering skills being learn at school. Its a long term project, and with my limited time ti'll probably take 18 months to complete. With Formula SAE taking any and all of my free time, I wont have much time to work on this car, but hopefully I'll have it done by the time I graduate so I have something to track once i ma out of school.

I was also thinking about just getting a turnkey IT car, GTI, or maybe get into Spec Miata, but If I can build this 95 m3, I'm going to do it.

Just my opinion but I would build it to scca IT specs so that you can run it and enjoy it more when its done. I joined the scca for that reason, I was tired of building cars that I could only run on the street or at limited events, street racing is so not cool, so take it to the track. in the long run I think you will enjoy the car and get a whole lot more out of it.

The best way to learn is to start racing. You will have more options if it is built to spec of where and how often you can race, as well it will have a better resale value.

I am not worried about resale value. Cars are no investments, especially race cars.

The cars I track right now, are above my skill level, so i am looking for a car to learn on before I have the skill to pilot these hardcore racecars. I have done shifter karting, and tracked a bunch of other cars. I have not had time yet to do any racing series yet, but a bunch of club events and the such.

I am going to look now at the IT specs, And see if I can build another car that I'd be happy with that will be in a nice class if I have time to race it. See I dont plan on having time to race this for like two years. Formula SAE is taking any of my free time up, and this will just be a racecar project on the side.

I could always pickup an IT gti for $7500, but I want to build this car (95 m3). Nothing too extreme, but this is the car I want to build. If I want to race, i'll just go buy a turnkey IT GTI or rabbit, thats not a big deal. I can get that together in two weeks. And its something I can buy for $7500 and sell for $6500. I was looking at picking up a turnkey Spec Miata to drive for the summer, but its a waste.

I am using this 50% as a project to excercise my engineering skills, and what I am learning in school. Formula SAE uses extreme cases and very expensive machinery that will not be used on normal club race cars. I want to make my own designs and parts for the car.

We'll see, but I am pretty set on what I want, and if so, I can always bring it to the mod class. I am not too focused on racing this in a super competitive class, I'll be happy just tracking it and getting my skills up to par to drive the other faster race cars we already have.

Thanks for your input, it seems to be the general concensus, and I know its better to build a car for a clas, but I dont plan on racing this in any sanctioned class, more just bring it to track events when I have time and use it as a tool.

Also I was just looking up the class specs, I would be able to go into T-2 and GT-2 classes in scca. And I would be able to do Hprep in BMWCCA. Thats enough for me http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif

I have read through this a few times now and am still at a loss as to how to help you. What exactly is you question? I did what you are doing and know how to do it well. I had a bone stock 95 M3. I started by doing BMW and PCA driver schools to get some skills and some seat time. Then I started racing it in BMW Club Racing as well as some T2 stuff. I kept modifying it and moved to the HP class in BMW and then finally to midified (BM) I have done it all to and with that car. I had the car down below 2400lbs and it was a champion winning race car in every class it entered. I sold it in January of this year and built my current E36 ITS car that also has been massively dominant winning nearly everything it entered. That too is now for sale.

The point is I think I have done everything you want to try to do with your car so fire away... I'd bet I could help.

Oh BTW... nice to see some good thought behind learning to drive. Driver schools are fun and you get a chance to learn lots of different tracks with guidance. You also become a superior driver when you do decide to actually start racing. Everybody I know that came up through the BMW CCA driver schools system that eventually started racing in SCCA were immediately successful in SCCA. When you show up with such a strong base of skills you can't help but do well. I really personally think that SCCA requirement of 2 regional race school weekends and then you join the race world is insane. Learn to drive then learn to race.

Robbie
#10 ITS E36 for sale

Robbie can you please contact me personally, I would greatly appreciate it.


Thank you very much, and thanks for the positive attitude.

G'night


Robbie I emailed you at a couple emails, hopefully you'll get them soon. Thanks again.

[This message has been edited by 95M3Racer (edited December 12, 2002).]

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<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">... I really personally think that SCCA requirement of 2 regional race school weekends and then you join the race world is insane. ...</font>

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Too true - particularly since those schools may well care only about procedural issues. From my "instructors", I got "Yeah, looked fine out there". A perspective gained as they blew past me on the straight, and shared as they changed shock settings to work on their set-ups...

Kirk

Please try to stay on topic guys. Start another thread if you have other issues. Thanks.

Dude, you should have more respect and hang around and learn some more about this board, racing and the good folks here. You start a thread with shizophrenic topics and then answer people with a I'll do it my way anyway but thanks response and then you try to correct the grandaddys of the board with a please stay on topic. Nice, I wish you and your attitude all the best.

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Originally posted by 95M3Racer:
Please try to stay on topic guys. ...

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Okay - will do. I was trying to be welcoming and supportive of your endeavor and frankly didn't have much to work with from your post.

Good luck with the project...

Kirk

Sorry the vagueness guys (and gals) I did not mean to come off lie that, you just misunderstood the questions/dilemas I was running into. And I totally respect these "grandaddy's", why else would I have asked the qustions here...?

Anyways I said stay on topic because Its not relevant, and does not need to be discussed in this thread, no matter who is posting.

And the question was not if I should do this, it was that I needed some help/tips on if there was anything specific, and I got my answers, and found the people I needed to talk with. So thanks anyway. later

Also "goodluck" that was your first and only post, so that was pretty rude to just come on here and say that.

[This message has been edited by 95M3Racer (edited December 12, 2002).]

Uhh, okay. I was rude.

Kirk

No man you weren;t rude, or were you being sarcastic? haha. Anyways the plans for the project are in motion. I am getting the cage plans sorted out, I got some designs in my head that will go into cad over winter break. Includes an intake, door panels, door lock mechanisms, some dash stuff, and some other goodies. Now I just have to find a good car to work on for this http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/wink.gif Thanks again guys, hopefully robbie wil reply to my email 2nite. Later

I have been carefully going over what the actual cost would be and found it'll be better to buy a turnkey 328 mod car. Already found a bunch http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif

Thanks again guys you really helped me. And so did all the other pro's who suggested this as well.

I really personally think that SCCA requirement of 2 regional race school weekends and then you join the race world is insane.
Couldn't agree more! Been doing BMW driving schools for the past 2 years. Race with NASA,ASRA and PASA and they still want me to take the darn school:-(

Yea that is kind of weird. But I guess its to reduce first timers accidents, and stuff of that nature. However most people who are going to be interested to race would have already had some racing experience, right... So its strange, but hey its the rules, so you have to follow what they say until further changes.


So what do you guys think about my decision, for the best right?

We're going to pickup a Woprld Challenge 325/328 in the spring. I can race it in DM in bmwcca, and possibly ITS but most likely ITE for scca. So we'll see, it should be pretty awesome.