Beemerlad's M52 Chromie

[Jon_Bmw]

Ahh yes, it is ten of the best I think.

What an amateur.

[m_jermyn]

Looks good mate, where did you get the front spoiler from? I have not seen that type before..

Mike

[Dezzy]

It's a BMW item. All CR24v members have them. Know as a jimmy hill spoiler over on these shores.

[E30BeemerLad]

First proper voyage out tonight, 100 mile round trip to Dezzy's & back. Was bloody nervous watching dials all the time, listening for noises, on the lookout for smells etc. Was following a Fiesta on the York ring road which started smoking a bit and thought it was me to start with, poor lad lasted a few miles before he pulled over & opened the bonnet to a gush of steam

But it's good news all round, no dramas or issues to report. Need to get my arse in gear and get the car put back together properly, loads of bits of trim to fit inside still. Could do with a decent diamond schwartz driver wing as mine is fubar at the bottom and the rear arches are ripe.

The drive home was more enjoyable and I found myself having a bit more fun with it. Dropping it to 3rd at 60 to overtake on single carriageway roads was awesome, poeple quickly despatched. Last few miles before home was some country lanes and my god the E36 rack really livens up the handling on these. The car also feels really planted and has loads of grip & feel.

I'm starting to like the car a lot more now, was funny at first as you are just waiting for something to fail , so you don't enjoy driving it. but with 100 miles under the belt tonight it's starting to feel less like a project and more like a car I can enjoy.

Weather permitting, some 1/4 mile action this weekend

[Dezzy]

I really love this car. I remember pushing it out that garage and driving it to my place that Sunday mate. Stale fuel and fooked tyres. Come a long way hasn't it.
The M52 is strong in this one. Mid rages grunt is very impressive.
The car feels great at all speeds, over bumps and when nailed.

Looked the nuts on my front tonight. Might have to get my finger out and finish mine now brother.

[E30BeemerLad]

Thanks mate, couldn't have done it without you.

Just give me a bit of notice when you are ready to rock and I'll be there.

Just went to pick Michelle up from her friend's and some kid in a type r had a go, he got well & truly demolished. First scalp

[Dezzy]

That one of the best things about all the chrome. People think they are grandad chariots. Proper sleepers are the future.

[GeoffBob]

... Was bloody nervous watching dials all the time, listening for noises, on the lookout for smells etc.

Been there and done that so many times that I could make a documentary on the subject . First the feeling of apprehension while you wait for something to go wrong, then the feeling of elation when you discover all is OK. Hasn't always been a happy ending for me I'm afraid, but I'm learning as I go along to tighten the wheel-nuts before I go for a drive.

[E30BeemerLad]

I know what you mean Geoff, I have rather large spacers fitted front & rear and they were another concern at the back of my mind, waiting for an onset of savage wheel wobble/ vibration before seeing a wheel overtake me

I did tickle it just past 120 leptons on the way back though

[Dezzy]

Another private road in the uk.

[E30BeemerLad]

Well she had a shakedown at the drag strip today.

There was hardly anyone there doing RWYB, so chance to get a few runs in. The tacho doesn't work on my car yet as I'm waiting for Dan to tell me in idiot fashion which pin out on the ECU I need for this, so gear changes was guess work as to how close to the limiter I was.

First run and I hit the limiter between 2nd & 3rd, but still pulled a 14.5, which was the best time I did in the touring.

3 or 4 more runs and it was just stuck with 14.4's, which I was kind of disappointed with and thought it could do better than that.

Then I managed a 14.1 @ 97 and was pleased. Back to a few more 14.4's and then did a couple of 14.2's back to back.

There's a 13 in this car I'm sure though. So all in all, not a bad shakedown run ready for the pod.

[leeparkes]

Then I managed a 14.1 @ 97

Excellent

[Dezzy]

Then I managed a 14.1 @ 97

Excellent

That is a VERY good time my friend. Got to be happy with that. Standard M52, no mods and 14.1 that's impressive.

[DanThe]

Well done

I will send you a pic of some wires when I can get this bluetooth thing to work

[beardymat]

looking forward to seeing this at the pod Lee, along with your good self of course.

Im planning on getting the M3 down there (engine is now in) early on saturday to get a good few beers and burgers in. Convoy??

BTW the engine is in but thats it, got a massive list of things to do including modifying the subframe and antiroll bar to clear those manifolds i got off you, they must have transmitted some mega noise into the cabin when fitted to the touring

[Dezzy]

Well done Matt. I am looking forward to seeing your chariot at Pod.
Get some pics up on your thread matey.

[beardymat]

just doing it now, well trying whilst keeping the little un occupied till his bedtime bottle.

[E30BeemerLad]

I'm planning on travelling down Saturday Matt, leave York about midday, could rendezvous on the M1 somewhere, Sheffield is about an hour from me. May have Scott riding shotgun. It's usually good crack Saturday night with the beers and a bit of a camp fire.

You'll be a busy boy getting the M3 ready I guess, almost as busy as Dezzy

The manifold did make quite a bark at full chat and was very audible in the cabin with no sound proofing on the bulkhead and #6 primary millimetres away from the bulkhead

I lowered the ARB about 5mm by welding a longer tab on the u clamps and then using some 5mm thick alloy plate to make up some spacers that sit on top of the rubber bush, and longer bolts. Different ARB setup on the M3 though isn't it?

[beardymat]

busy is not the word but i have a garage full of stuff to help out, no hero type crawling around on my back like you and dezzy.

good idea with the antiroll bar, the only difference to the M3 is that it bolts to the upright instead of the bottom arm. There is a company in sheffield which can alter or manufacture springs which is the next option.

camped at the pod the year before last and said i would again last year but the little lad was due on that weekend so missed it, and he was late too so i could have gone after all, lol.

will sort a meeting point closer to the day when im sure ill be taking the beemer.

[E30BeemerLad]

Just grabbed the times for my best run from Sunday from the site, hoping some of the snappers will put some pics up soon.

Reaction 60 Foot 1/8 ET 1/8 MPH 1/4 ET 1/4 MPH
0.9640 2.0850 9.1078 77.3400 14.1710 97.1900

My best reaction time of the day was 0.6711

Got a few racing driver type excuses for not getting that 13 too

1- About 35kg of tools and spare coolant etc in the boot
2- Forgot to remove the plastic cover from behind the passenger headlights. Because my car was a carb POS, the cover on that side doesn't have the hole in it for the air box, so my car has no cold air feed at all on that side. So the chavvy cone filter only had hot air to gulp in.
3- I'll think of some more...

[Dezzy]

14.1 is very good for a standard M52 by brother.

With cold air that has a 13 in it. Well done matey. Got to be happy with that!

[leeparkes]

Id put money on it you will get into the 13's with this.

You forgot traction off the line

[billgatese30]

Here you go Lee

[E30BeemerLad]

Nice one Chris, they are the tits, especially like the last one

[Dezzy]

[DanThe]

Great pics

[E30BeemerLad]

Chris took some awesome pics.

Have a look in here

http://york-raceway.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2583

[Dezzy]

Looks cracking. VW Andy looks happy to be snapped there. Ha ha.

Was he running Lee?

[DanThe]

Crackin pics there

What sort of times were those mental beetles doing?

[E30BeemerLad]

Some of them are running in the 10's, plenty in the 12's etc.

More pics on here if you click the top 2 thumbnail photos

http://richardsmith.fotopic.net/

I really do want a Yank

[DanThe]

Not a bad sport if you live near a strip i suppose

[bss325i]

Just caught up with this thread.

Well done Lee, its come along way and has the makings of a great E30.

Wilwoods on?

[e30topless]

Beetles Pulling wheelies

the aircooled guys are fast ! I was amazed last time I was at york strip !

[E30BeemerLad]

Need to buy a few bits before I can fit the wilwoods (dics, spacer, earls lines & could do with a seal kit) but I should have clearance now with the 15mm spacers.

The car looks good and I'm pleased with the performance, just wish it was a bit better cosmetically, looks good in the pics, but she's a bit frilly in places.

The stock brakes feel pretty strong, so I'll probably get a few other issues looked at before sorting the wilwoods

[Dezzy]

Lee we will have a look round the moredoor see if there is anything bodywork wise we can recycle