318iS race car - back on track

[Demlotcrew]

The advantages are effectively increasing the ARB by 100%.

Don't worry they are worth the wait ;)

[DanThe]

Ive thought about the M3 type ARB mount myself but the H&R on the front of mine works perfect as it is, I have heard it can over stiffen the front too.
What front ARB is on yours Andrew?

[Demlotcrew]

I'm running 22mm front and 19mm rear, both on the hardest setting. I actually need more on the front to match my really stiff springs but this will do for now.

[rix313]

I'm sure it's something I can get added at a later date if I need the need to. Changing so much already going to feel a million times better any way first time out

I made a stab at a steering linkage today. Basicaly chopped the guibo out (what a tedious task that is!) and bolted the 2 halves together. It will keep me going until I can test it with an engine and exhaust.



I've got some Vorshlag poly/aluminium engine mounts coming which I got for an epic price, just waiting for them to arrive from the USA. Once they arrive I'll drop the old engine back in and check the clearances etc.


I also took a hole saw to the front bumper re-inforcer. Probably cut out ~500g so not ground breaking but every little helps I guess

[DanThe]

I wouldnt leave those nylock nuts on the linkage, the heat off the exhaust wont take long to remove the locking facility!
You can molest the carrier more by cutting the lower piece off

[Demlotcrew]

I would not use plain m8 bolts either, they are too slack in the hole. Too much of a risk of play.

[rix313]

I wouldnt leave those nylock nuts on the linkage, the heat off the exhaust wont take long to remove the locking facility!
You can molest the carrier more by cutting the lower piece off

I'm still itching like a b@stard from drilling the holes lol.

I would not use plain m8 bolts either, they are too slack in the hole. Too much of a risk of play.

Nor would I hence I drilled the holes to 10mm and fitted nice big M10's

---------

Pulled the fuel tank out today in preparation for the new one going in. Had a go at undoing the brake unions to fit my mid braided lines but even with brake pipe spanners they still shat them selves and rounded off I'm going to drop the beam and do some maintanence to that next (poly bushes, coat of paint, grease the bolts etc) and attack them again with a little more room.

[Rallyprep_UK]

What are your plans re: the fuel system ?

Will

[rix313]

I have a 30L ATL fuel cell sitting in the garage which I plan to fit in the boot along with a swirl pot system but that's quite far down the list at the moment! I have a new standard replacement tank to bosh in there fir the time being.

[Rallyprep_UK]

Ahh ok cool that should do the trick .

At the ring, I was having a nightmare with fuel surge unless I loaded her up with fuel. It ruined my best lap in fact !!

[rix313]

It ruined my best lap in fact !!

Going to add that to my book of drivers excuses

[Demlotcrew]

Never had a fuel problem, obviously going too slow!

[redcar]

Nice car!

[rix313]

As mentioned, the other day I removed the fuel tank. Dropped the tank out and stripped it down:




While I was there and the exhaust and prop weren’t in the way it seemed like a good idea to drop the sub frame and give it some TLC. Getting it off was easy as pie, big bolts undone, smack ”˜em up, drop it down I then stripped it of the wishbones and diff in order to clean the frame, paint it and fit some poly bushes. I also gave the diff and wishbones a couple of coats of paint for good measure.








While the sub frame and fuel tank were out the way I removed the mid brake line rubbers to replace them with some braided jobs which I’ve had stored away for 2 years. In true fashion the unions made from cheese didn’t want to go nicely; brake pipe spanners proved futile against their will to disintegrate, so out came the water pump pliers and some rage Faced with a butchered pair of pipes I bought some 3/16 pipe and some fittings and made up some replacements. The loop on the pipe through the bulkhead isn’t pretty but it was fitted last year with the beam in place and was a bit of a mission






I then refitted the sub frame to the car and that’s another job done Also took the discs off and gave them a clean and removed the calipers in preparation for a set of the marginally larger touring calipers. Every little helps!




The last of the bits I’ve had on order have arrived (bar the suspension). I bought some Vorshlag engine mounts from a chap on M42club.net. They’re $250 (~£155) on the Vorshlag website; I picked them up for a few quid less than that to say the least. And also a weld in seat cross member kit from a chap on Ebay which I hope to get sorted next week

Mounts:


Cross member kit:


Aaaaand I did my ARDS test on Friday the 2nd and passed so here I come!

[milescook]

Well done on the ARDS mate where did you do it?

That beam stuff looked easy enough, should opnly take you 5 mins to do mine in a few weeks!

[rix313]

I did it at Combe, nice easy one only down the road

Aye, hopefuly it'll be back on it's wheels by then, got all my axle stands supporting my car at the moment

[redcar]

Coming along nicely mate!

What gearbOx mounts are you going to use along with the vorshlag mounts?

[rix313]

Got some poly ones I was running before but no idea what make they are.

[rix313]

Everything has stalled at the moment with one thing and another. So I haven't been home much to do any work to my own car. I am personally 'ready to race' with the arrival of my license. And I've got my race kit. So need to get things moving!

[Rallyprep_UK]

I am personaly 'ready to race' with the arrival of my license:




And I've got my race kit:

[rix313]

Little bit of progress. I got my weld in seat frames sorted. I've still got to make some fillets to box in the plates welded to the sill but once there in I'll get it all painted. The material on the tunnel is a tad thin and the chap who welded the spreader plates in did have a few problems but it's in and I'm happy with it.




Next up is getting some harness eye spreader plates for the lap and crotch straps welded in, then look at mounting for the shoulder straps.

[rix313]

A day I never thought would come, has infact happened. The FedEx man knocked at my door with a box which contained my new coil overs! I've been waiting a total of 20 weeks for these to arrive. Sadly the adjuster plates for the front camber adjustable top mounts have a few big scuffs and knocks on them; quite frankly they look used and not what should be expected from a kit which retails at over £2k! So they are going back for replacements. The fronts also came with provisions to link the ARB directly to the damper housing, something I will look to connect up in future.

I've fitted the rears up and also did a test fit of one of the front dampers before removing to get the adjustment plates sent off.

Here they are:












I need to get the fronts built up with the bearings, calipers and discs ready to fit properly.

I also have a 6point Safety Devices roll cage in the pipe line as well

[Demlotcrew]

Looking good!

What spring rates did you go with?

Andrew

[rix313]

I'm quite aware of what the numbers mean I'm not at home during the week so I can't check and I can't for the life of me remember I went for the ones he recommended which have been used to good effect in PBMW.

[Demlotcrew]

I made the mistake of going for the "recommended" ones and I wont not be spending another £436 on springs if the recommendations were any good for track!

[rix313]

£436 is a bit steep for 4 springs? You're running a lot more power than I am and a different engine though, would have thought that'd make a difference. What're you running on yours?

[Demlotcrew]

Fronts I was running 110nm and 60/40 rear.

Your fronts seem to have a tender too!

[rix313]

How did you find it running those rates then?

[Demlotcrew]

Way too soft, rolled like a barge!

[redcar]

Way too soft, rolled like a barge!

Really?
Don't think it was that bad...

[redcar]

It rolled way too much, the dampers were on max to compensate.

Oh right.

Have you increased both front and rear spring rates?

[Demlotcrew]

Yes, and also much larger ARB's.

Lets hope thats enough.

[rix313]

I built up the front legs today with the wheel bearings, brake calipers and discs and got the car back in the ground again to take the old cage out and test fit a new one I've got. I have run into a problem with the TD wheels mounting onto the hubs. The 'bell' of the G60 discs I'm running are 2mm thinner therefore the larger part of the hub which the discs sit on is sitting in the open. With the old BBS wheels this wasn't a problem as they have quite a chamfer on them and as a result missed the 'lip'which has been created. The TD 1.2 wheels do not have such a large chamfer so the wheel isn't sitting far enough back and isn't touching the disc. Net result, the disc moves with the wheel bolted up so:
Option 1: get the wheels machined
Option 2: get some spacers machined to sit behind the disc (I seem to remember a write up Geoff_bob did that indicated that this was the correct way, as the offset of the disc is also slightly different to that of the E30 and should correct both problems).

I think I'll be going for option 2 as being the simplest


As previously mentioned I removed the roll cage that was fitted and it was collected today by Bristol_Jer (pleasure doing business as ever!). It is being replaced with a Safety Devices B9 which I test fitted today. Next task is to get some boxes measured and made up for the B-pillar hoop and have the captive nut plates welded into the front. Here's some pics of the dry fit any way:






Also got some harnese eye bolt spreader plates to have welded to the floor too. Looking forward to it all being fitted and testing the seat with the 6 point harness.

[Hoobs]

Nice cage. I want the same one to replace my OMP one eventually, although I may go with a custom one?

Any idea when you're looking to finish?

[Demlotcrew]

Depending on the offset of the TD wheels, you could always grind down the lip on the hub, you wont need spacers then.

Any idea on the spring rates yet?