E30 Track Car Build

[Stonkin]

Hi, i thought i would start a new thread in the correct section to keep all the pictures and updates in one place for my track car build. As you know, last week i purchased this car...



Unfortunately having now realised the shell will not be up to the task, i set about finding a replacement shell. Some of the parts the 1st car came with will be put to good use, some sold, the rest scraped


Today, the new shell arrived which i have been very kindly donated for the project. A mighty fine manual 316





This now means my original plans have been hugely changed, as you can see i have a lot of work to do. Ther car will recieve a full strip down, paint and rebuild. My plans were to install the 325i lump from the 1st car, which may well still happen. However i have a real urge to install an M52 328i. With the lengths i will be going to, to get the car how i want, i really dont want to have to be redoing tasks later down the line so some carefull planning will be needed.

I know i will have a huge amount of questions along the way for you guys. The forum seems to be a wealth of information and i'll look forward to sharing this project with you. My profession is a car detailer by trade, so i will do my best to get involved within your detailing section and try to advise with any questions you have on keeping your E30 looking tip top.

Christian

[tomislav]

Do you have the arch extensions off the first one cos i really wanna set of those!

Good effort with the project by the way, i'm starting much the same as my garage burned down with my last one inside so i shall be following this with interest.

PM me if you wanna sell the arches

[Stonkin]

Thanks mate, sorry to hear about the garage burning down!

I do have the arches, currently i'll be keeping them though as they may be put to good use

[e30den]

Welcome aboard matey

[Stonkin]

Cheers mate

[milescook]

Best of luck fella! The first shell a bit rusty?

Keep us posted, look at my car build - for top tips on how not to do things!

[Stonkin]

Hi mate, i knew it needed some welding and jad some rust, but i just wasnt happy with its structure once on the ramps. After some enquiring, this 2 door came up which seemed a much better alternative as a base shell.

[Stonkin]

Started gutting it today. Seats, door cards, roof lining, centre console, stereo, carpet, seat belts, loads of random bits here and there and all inside the boot. Dash will be next. Would have been quite a lot of weight out of it. Will get some pics up shortly.

[Stonkin]

I have been reading lots about suspension and handling setups for track use, planning what i will need when the time comes. The GAZ Gold kits, with the uprated top rear mounts seem a nice bit of kit. I have GAZ shocks, although not quite as good as what these seem on my TVR and they have been great, although they came with the car so i cannot compare them to anything else. I will also use front are rear strut braces and an uprated arb kit. I have seen these by Eibach and H&R. Are there any differences between the 2 arb kits?

How does this setup sound for track use? Bearing in mind i am not interested in any competion style of track days, just fun days out Can you recommend any others that may suit if this sounds over kill?

Cheers

[Cook318IS]

Isn't the picture I took at the top of the homepage this car before it had the wheels fitted and some tidying up?

[Stonkin]

Blimey! So it is, i never noticed that

[Stonkin]

A few updated pics now the interior is stripped. This afternoon i removed the sound deadening with a heat gun, i'll be cleaning all these areas up tomorrow with some thinners to remove the left over residue.

Tomorrow will also see the dash removed as it is covered in cracks. I have another which i will have flocked before refitting. A cable tidy will be on tomorrow's list and will also remove a load of parts from the engine bay such as bottles, radiators etc to start cleaning this area up.























A few areas that will need to be welded, the usual places on these








And a huge pile of bits to get rid of tomorrow, i dread to think what this lot weighs, the green bag has to be dragged its that heavy

[Stonkin]

2 brand new front wings also arrived on Friday

[rix313]

Getting stuck in

[Stonkin]

Few more pics with todays progress...

Dash stripped out



Started stripping the rear end



Removed a load of parts in the engine bay and started disconnecting pipes from the old 1.6



Everything being labelled up and bagged along the way



Removed all the bits to get the rear quarter glass out, but am struggling to get them out. The guides say they should be very easy, does anyone have any tips to save me from damaging them?

[johnl320]

Would be interesting to see how much that lot weighs, good effort

[Stonkin]

I havent weighed anything along the way but i will certainly weigh the car once its finished. If i can get it around 1000kg that would be great, if thats do-able?

[Stonkin]

Today i picked up a racing dynamics front strut brace, a rear eibach anti roll bar and a 3.64 diff.

There is a plaque on the diff that says 3.64, but it did not have an 'S' before it, i thought all the lsd's had the 'S'

It was sold as an lsd and i opened it up at work, and everyone agreed it was.

Does this sound correct? and will this be a suitable diff for the track?

[DanThe]

Bit of a long ratio for an M20 engine, most favour the 4.10 ratio

But, its a good ratio for an M52 with the matching E36 box

[sweep]

Another one in excutive blue like mine......

[Stonkin]

Cheers Dan

So you think it will be an lsd, even though it doesnt have the s on the plaque?

[DanThe]

Got a pic of the inside?

[Stonkin]

I can get one at work tomorrow mate. Just want to be sure as i havent paid for the bits i got today yet, if its not right i will leave the diff.

[rix313]

Pics stolen from google here:

Open diff:




LSD:




The cases are slightly different here as one is from an E21 however the internals are the important bit.

[Stonkin]

Cheers guys, have my camera and am about to go to work, i'll post up a pic shortly, if you guys can confirm its ok

Also ordered a purple 067 e46 steering rack last night along with DanThe's custom kit to fit it

[Stonkin]

Diff pics

[rix313]

Cheers guys, have my camera and am about to go to work, i'll post up a pic shortly, if you guys can confirm its ok

Also ordered a purple 067 e46 steering rack last night along with DanThe's custom kit to fit it

That's a slipper

I moved my car (pushed) yesterday and I was amazed even shunting it about how much better the E46 rack is

[Stonkin]

cheers mate, glad thats ok then. Will the 3.64 be ok for track for now? Even if i look to change it later down the line

Looking forward to fitting e 46 bits, not that i've ever driven this car lol but have owned a 325 sport before many years ago

[Stonkin]

Not many updates lately, but the e46 rack arrived this week as did DanThe's kit. Looks very well made and promptly shipped, cheers

Fairly soon i will transfer both cars to my work to get the mechanical work started, which is a fair bit

One question i have, the loom in the 316 shell (which is the one i will be using) compared to the loom in the 325 car (which is the engine i will be fitting) - are they different at all, should i fit the 325 loom?

Thanks,

Christian

[rix313]

I believe there's some info on the wiki about converting the 4pot chassis loom to work with the 6pot engine loom, Brianmoooooooooore will be able to point you in the right direction if there isn't. That said if you're starting from scratch then fitting the 325 chassis loom to the new car kind of eliminates the chance of anything being done wrong when adapting the looms if that makes sense. It will also give you a good chance to lighten the chassis loom and get rid of the bits that aren't needed.

[DanThe]

You dont need to swap the looms, for what you need they are the same, you might need to change/adapt the rear plug in section for the fuel pumps/diff sensor depending on what you already have.
Just make sure you remove the earth wire from pin 20 of the C101 before connecting an engine loom

[Stonkin]

Cheers for the info on the looms guys.

I have another question regarding the gearbox. My 2.5 engine currently has a 1.8 gearbox fitted. With the 3.64 lsd i have purchased, will this setup work or should i really purchase a 325 gearbox. How will acceleration and top speeds be affected either way. I will be sticking with 15" wheels if this makes a difference.

Thanks

[Stonkin]

Anyone have any comments on the gearbox query?

Cheers

[Stonkin]

Hi guys, couple of queries as i am planning to get the bulk of the engine swap completed over the xmas period. So i have to remove a 1.6 lump from the to be track car, remove the 2.5 from the donor car and refit to the track car.

Still wondering if the 1.8 gearbox which is currently fitted to the 2.5 will be good for me to use i should i purchase a 2.5 gearbox? Will be using a 3.64 lsd if that makes a difference.

Will i need to swap the subframes over front and rear, is there a difference? I know the shocks will be the smaller diameter type but as i will be fitting coilovers, will this matter?

Hope this makes sense, just want to know where i am before the day comes

Thanks

[rix313]

Tbh I'd be getting a 2.5 box it saves have problems with mixing and matching parts when it's not necessary.

Subframes are the same so chose the best and use them.

M20 will use 51mm front struts so use those.