Brembo E30 big brake conversion...

[shimsheemer]

Hi Guys,

With a broken foot keeping my totally standard Sport off the road for the last 3 months I thought it would be fitting to give her a few little upgrades before returning to the road!

Just about sorted with two ways ahead for the wheels (either Konig Privat Remember or Compomotive TH1680) but would like some advice for the rest. These are the things on my mind at the moment and am currently chatting with Rich (Jnr) at Fritz with regard to the engine bits and pieces. If the M20 survives a compression test with a good return then I am likely to add a couple of horses using cams, manifold and exhaust and a paired up chip.

I do want to fettle with the rest though and so would love to hear some opinions and experiences in order to build a better picture in my mind. I'm more interested in form following function - this is a pursuit of road handling and speed that could be driven daily but with the dial-ability for a track day or two...

Suspension: Bilstein B12 vs H&R Coilovers - would prefer not to go below a 30 to 40mm drop but like the adjustability of the coilovers...

Brakes (16" wheels inbound): WMS or Wilwood 310mm vs Brembo Gran Tourismo (330mm) - am I going to get sufficient heat in the big kit?
(going to upgrade the hoses etc)

Strut braces: I like the Sparco double tube but want a front lower too...

Short shift gear selector: open to suggestions BMW pattern vs B&M etc

I am completely open to other suggestions, coilovers vs suspension kits etc. I have plans for a larger donk further in the future but would rather get the platform sorted before squeezing in more power...


Thanks guys.

[ian332isport]

With standard power, you're really going overboard on the brakes. I don't know what the WMS/Wilwood kit is like, but the Brembo kit is only going to fit under 17" rims, and only a very few rim designs will fit. If they have ANY sort of dish, you can forget the Brembo kit. This is the main reason I'm using BBS RC's. It's the only rim I could get to fit. It just happens it's a rim I've always liked.

As for getting enough heat into them is concerned, this is more down to pad choice than size. Any sort of uprated pads (what's generally supplied with uprated brake kits) are going to give you a bit of a dead pedal. If you can get a compound similar to a standard road pad, you should be fine.

My Movit/Porsche/Brembo kit uses standard Porsche road pads and can take anything you can chuck at them. I've done track days, ring trips etc, and NEVER had any problems with braking ability. As well as stopping the car, I reckon they could stop time

Ian.

[shimsheemer]

Thanks Ian,

This is all good stuff as I haven't made a firm decision. My thoughts on the brakes match yours with regard to overkill but there are plans to modify the engine at some point in the future. Things like 'Minimum wheel size 16"' on the website can only be discounted by experience such as yours and so will save me from having to flog them after realising they don't!

I have read a lot into the Wilwood brakes but only know the WMS through talking to He30. I have emailed Movit but as yet have not had an email back. My brother has a Boxster S (986) and the stoppers on that are hoofing. I'm currently running standard vented discs (no drill or groove) and Red Stuffs.

I'd really like some more info on Movit as they have figured ever since I started the decision process but I have little to go on WRT acquiring them or fitting them.

On another note - in consultation with Rich Snr at Fritz I think I'll go for Bilstein B6 with Eibach springs.

[ian332isport]

I'd really like some more info on Movit as they have figured ever since I started the decision process but I have little to go on WRT acquiring them or fitting them.

It's a lovely kit, but very expensive. I doubt you'd get much change from 2K these days.

It is pretty much a bolt on kit, but getting wheels that fit is the biggest problem. The calipers stick out so far that getting them to clear the back of the wheel spokes is almost impossible. Even with my RC's, I had to fine tune things to gain valuable millimetres.

The kit basically uses the brakes from the front of a Porsche 993 twin turbo. The calipers are made by Brembo, but to Porsche specifications. Disks area huge 322mm diameter and 32mm thick. Brake pads are like house bricks.

You also really need to upgrade to a 25mm master cylinder. They work with the standard one, but the pedal is very long and hard to modulate.

Cheers,

Ian.

[E30BeemerLad]

The wilwood kit using 280mm corrado discs will fit under 15" BBS, so will the WMS with 280mm discs.

If you want bigger discs then you'll need different wheels.

I've got some wilwoods to fit on my car, I'm using some 16" mims, the clearance issue on mine is due to the offset of the rims which are 36, I've had to run spacers as they won't even clear the e30 calipers. I'm using 15mm spacers on each side on the front to give me clearance. Just need to get the discs and a few other bits together before I can fit them.

[shimsheemer]

Yeah, looking to run 16's with an et25. Waiting for TH1680's to come along but will perhaps fit some interim, er, rims!

The car looks set to be putting out around 200-220bhp soon (with a lot of luck) and so I'm looking to fettle various chassis parts. There is a power-plant change on the distant horizon.

My current thinking is suspension, roll bars, strut braces and brakes (whole system).

The swaying to and fro in my mind seems to center on B6 with Eibach and WMS 300mm...

Strut braces and roll bars as and when, probably Sparco and Eibach respectively...

Thoughts?

[E30BeemerLad]

Similar to the type of setup I'm running

16" wheels
Wilwoods to follow
B6 front dampers
AVO 55m drop springs
Racing Dynamics ARB's
Sparco strut brace
M3 eccentric lolipop bushes
new arms
braided lines

overkill for a road car, but what the hell

[shimsheemer]

Yeah, that's the ballpark where I'm headed!

I would consider myself someone who will use the car to commute the 15 miles to work but would also like to visit the Green Hell once or twice and perhaps Thruxton and Castle Combe every now and then.

Plus, if the commute gets boring then there is always the B-road route!

I've tried the road car and track car route but I haven't the room for two, plus there are often 6 months of the year when I leave the country...(without car)...

[shimsheemer]

Have gone for the WMS 298-ish mm set up for the fronts with Red Stuff.

Looking forward to some heroic braking...