E30 Zone

A good friend of mine rang me earlier on talking about picking up a 325 for sprinting mainly but also a bit of hillclimb and autotesting.

After chatting for a while it seems the intention is not to do an all out assault on the hill climb championship but more to do some cheap motorsport.

He is thinking of the e30 more from familiarity than any real logic as we are both thinking that the 325 would have to run in either class A3 or C3 so would be hopelessly uncompetitive.

Anyone on here running an e30 for similar with any luck?

I think it would be more about the taking part than the winning

What would be running in the A3 and C3 classes? What class would a 318is be in, any more competitive? I have been in kevo's rally 318is and its a bit of a weapon, I think he's had it a good while and theres alot gone into it though, I think the latest is m52 shaped.

It would be much cheaper to get a car already converted and speced up as I'm sure you know. But I do realise building these things is half the fun for some, myself included.

PMed

Class a is production saloons, 1 is below 1400cc, 2 is 1400 to 2000cc and 3 is 2000cc or over.
Class c is the same but modified.

For sure an is would be a lot more competitive, as would a 320.
From what i can see the field is pretty much dominated by road going rally cars (evos, scoobys, gt-4 etc), the lotus elise or modified classic minis.

As soon as you move out of the production categories then your fighting it out with kit cars, touring cars or single seaters.

It's the taking part that counts....

Last hillclimb I went to, a guy parked his Elise through a hedge on his first run. Competed the rest of the day in his 530d tow car.

If E30 is the choice, I'd go for a 318iS, if that's not quick enough to be fun, sell the lump on and fit an M52B28. I've seen a couple of those used for hillclimbs, no idea how competitive they are, but they looked to be fun

I'm building mine for mod prod.

Not going to be competitive but then again I'm not good enough of a driver for that so it's all good

If I were building a car for competition, I'd at least want it to be capable of not finishing last all the time..

Do it for a laugh and you might pick up a few 'scalps' along the way.
To be competitive you have to be in a hot hatch in up to 2 litre, or an Evo or similar in over 2 litre.
We're also building a 325, primarily for circuit racing but may be run in Mod Prod on hillclimbs / sprints, but not expecting to be even vaguely competitive with 'full house' Scooby's, Evo's etc.
Just need to get that engine built and away we go.

Kim

Forgot to ask - anybody got a spare 5k for the aforementioned engine build?

No?

Thought not!

jmc330i wrote:It's the taking part that counts....


If E30 is the choice, I'd go for a 318iS, if that's not quick enough to be fun, sell the lump on and fit an M52B28. I've seen a couple of those used for hillclimbs, no idea how competitive they are, but they looked to be DANGEROUS

Fixed that for you.

Kim

No need to thank me

How a bout an M52B20 with bolt on mods for more Torque than a m42

e21Jason wrote:How a bout an M52B20 with bolt on mods for more Torque than a m42

Engine swap will put you straight into 'Libre' I'm afraid, up against full blown spaceframed racers.
There has been a lot of discussion about creating an 'engine swapped, standard bodyshell' type class, but the wheels move slowly at the MSA.

Kim

Ah balls, you are right. Think I would be in sports libre class with the m50 then

ross_jsy wrote:Ah balls, you are right. Think I would be in sports libre class with the m50 then

As it stands, yes.
I think that the Midland Speed Champs are offering a class within Libre for engine swapped, steel bodied cars, but you still are lumped in with the pukka sports / racers.
Kim

Doesn't really bother me. I'm sure I won't be the slowest in the class either way.

I really need to swat up on what I can and can't do in the classes. Will be boosting it soon enough.

kimbo wrote:

jmc330i wrote:It's the taking part that counts....


If E30 is the choice, I'd go for a 318iS, if that's not quick enough to be fun, sell the lump on and fit an M52B28. I've seen a couple of those used for hillclimbs, no idea how competitive they are, but they looked to be DANGEROUS

Fixed that for you.

Kim

No need to thank me

I'd say dangerous was the V8 powered Moggy Minor, looked and sounded ace, but not so sure on the handling

Try this one for size
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFNnXOAAhWI
Nic Mann, who designed, built and drives this used to hillclimb a road legal V8 Turbo Minor - mental!!
Listen out for the turbine spooling up at around 30secs.

Kim

Is that the one with gas turbine to keep the turbo spooling?
V8 turbo Moggy sounds fun

jmc330i wrote:Is that the one with gas turbine to keep the turbo spooling?
V8 turbo Moggy sounds fun

Yes that's the one. It really creates a draught when it's spooling up on the startline.
Never saw the Morris personally, but apparently it was something else! Driven to and from meetings, too, with all the race wheels stuffed in the back!!

Kim

HairyScreech wrote:A good friend of mine rang me earlier on talking about picking up a 325 for sprinting mainly but also a bit of hillclimb and autotesting.

After chatting for a while it seems the intention is not to do an all out assault on the hill climb championship but more to do some cheap motorsport.

He is thinking of the e30 more from familiarity than any real logic as we are both thinking that the 325 would have to run in either class A3 or C3 so would be hopelessly uncompetitive.

Anyone on here running an e30 for similar with any luck?

I use my e30 for sprint events & a few track days thrown in. I hope to do some hills this year too. I've just stripped some weight out and fitted a lower ratio diff. I'm only doing it for fun and a bit of an adrenalin kick but it seems to hold it's own, even though it's dragging my lardy'arse around and am an average driver at best. No motorsport is cheap but it's been lots of smiles per pound so far.

I'm in class 14 here and see no reason why I shouldn't be competitive'ish.

http://www.motorsportatthepalace.co.uk/competitors.html

Should come over for the Jersey climb, have an e30 owners club meet (I'm sure we won't be as arrogant as when the Ferrari owners club come over annually)

[youtube][/youtube]

A mate of mine ^^

Everyone I have spoken to from the UK has said it's one of their favourite hills they have raced