RHD M3

[powelly]

I read somewhere on here that Birds BMW made some right hand drive M3`s, well I think I spotted one this morning, it was a white one on an E plate
and was heading through Brooklands in weybridge.
I checked the reg out on HPI VRM lookup, this is what it reported back.

E5**KBL
VIN WBSAK050601893***
Make BMW
Model M3
EngineSize 2302
BodyPlan 2 Door Saloon
Colour WHITE
YearOfManufacture 1988
DateOfRegistration 05/04/1989

I thought it best not to show the full reg and chassis, you never know who`s watching. Could this be one of the Birds cars?????

Also I just put the chassis number in to ETK and that also brings back all parts info relating to the M3.

[maxfield]

It could be or could be a conversion done by someone else.

I know floodys car is white and his is RHD

[Pal318is]

My mate, had a RHD m3, it was a light blue tho

Pal

[powelly]

Well, I have just been chatting to my team leader, he thinks it was one he had a hand in converting back in the day, he used to be a mechanic Thomson and Taylor, they did the conversion for one of their customers, by all accounts it cost a fortune.

[Rosc0PColtrane]

I saw a rhd converted by hartge at a cost of about £10k. DOn't know how Hartge would compare to birds in the conversion stakes.. I know there is some criticism of the comprimise in quality the conversion imparts on the car.

[Kos]

I saw a rhd converted by hartge at a cost of about £10k. DOn't know how Hartge would compare to birds in the conversion stakes.. I know there is some criticism of the comprimise in quality the conversion imparts on the car.

Birds is the uk importer of Hartge, so if it was uk done by Hartge then that is Birds

pointless note now, they threw all the LHD steering racks in the skip, they would be worth a small fortune now!!

[Gortour]

Is it right that a lot of the performance on the M3 is lost by the exhaust manifolds as it's not possible to get a good one to go past the steering rack?
I heard somewhere that this was why BMW never bothered doing RHD versions themselves.

[Kos]

Is it right that a lot of the performance on the M3 is lost by the exhaust manifolds as it's not possible to get a good one to go past the steering rack?
I heard somewhere that this was why BMW never bothered doing RHD versions themselves.

it losses some power, not a significant amount. a couople of RDH M3's i know of still make good power

what spoils it is the slower RHD drive rack that was used

BMW didnt feel the need to make it RHD, how ever a few make it out the factory for select customers.

[Gortour]

Thanks Kos. Nice to hear from someone who actually knows.

[Kos]

no worries

[Simon13]

i don't think the manifolds lose any real power

[bss325i]

There was a RHD e30 M3 at gaydon last year, Here's a pic!

[Rosc0PColtrane]

There was a RHD e30 M3 at gaydon last year, Here's a pic!

Looks like the Hartge one I was thinking of, if the large Asian gentleman in the background is the owner.

[Rich_W]

Given that everyone is paranoid about values of M3's I find it odd anyone would want a RHD conversion. Especially as they tend to be 20-30% less come resale.

[billgatese30]

It could be or could be a conversion done by someone else.

I know floodys car is white and his is RHD

i think floody's is d reg, could be wrong though

[maxfield]

It could be or could be a conversion done by someone else.

I know floodys car is white and his is RHD

i think floody's is d reg, could be wrong though

Floodys has a private plate. I searched on bmw-board

[E46ACS]

It could be or could be a conversion done by someone else.

I know floodys car is white and his is RHD

i think floody's is d reg, could be wrong though

Floodys has a private plate. I searched on bmw-board

Floody does have a private plate on his, but this wouldn't have been his anyway as his is still off the road, with a rather knackered engine

[maxfield]

I guessed that after my search

[billgatese30]

come to think of it your right, but i think it is an 86 car though isn't it?

[E46ACS]

This is floody's, with my old Schnitzer at Gaydon in 2005. This was very early before everyone else got there....

[/img]

[maxfield]

We were the last ones to leave

But it's a very nice car

[Falkster]

E30 M3s werent meant to be made in RHD hence why BMW never made as RHD. The Birds conversion was (in my opinion) the best of a bad job as they used the wrong manifold and steering rack!

You might get away with power lost from the manifold but the whole essence of the E30 M3 is the handling and the steering make up a large percentage of that!

[Demlotcrew]

^ Have you ever driven one?

Andrew

[old_skool]

Given that everyone is paranoid about values of M3's I find it odd anyone would want a RHD conversion. Especially as they tend to be 20-30% less come resale.

In this case I'll look out for one myself! I'd much prefer a RHD M3, sorry M3 guys! But driving a LHD car in this country is not my idea of fun. RHD conversion would be ideal for me.

I wouldn't have thought that a proper RHD conversion would effect the value at all. Maybe when they get to uber expensive values over and above where they are now - when absolute original examples are even more sought after.

[GermanGorilla]

Hi,

Its Interesting to see how things develop into myths.

When Birds did the conversions, all they did was spread open the
primaries on the original exhaust manifold.
So on the standard car the power loss is nil.

Birds also used the 325i Power Rack, which if replaced with the Z3
1.9 - 2.8 Power Rack, is as many know quicker than the original M3.

If you alter the master cylinder size and play around with the modulation
of the ABS, you can have an almost identical brake pedal feel and
performance as LHD car.

So, the only real difference with these suttle alterations is the fact that the
engines inclined position works against a RHD car in regard of weight
distribution.

As soon as you have a front seat passanger its equal.

Not many drivers on here would or could tell the difference either.

A well converted RHD M3 is every bit as nice to drive as LHD M3.

And please nobody suggest that LHD is better, for UK Driving /
Get out on a tight twisty 'B' road in a LHD M3 up behind a Car/Caravan
combination, and RHD starts to make a lot of sense.

Regards,

The Gorilla.

[ian332isport]

Agree with all of that

play around with the modulation
of the ABS

How is this done ?

Cheers,

Ian.

[Ant]

yeah, spill on the modulation tweak,

ABS remap sounds sweet, and much required imho

[REEDY]

E30 M3s werent meant to be made in RHD hence why BMW never made as RHD. The Birds conversion was (in my opinion) the best of a bad job as they used the wrong manifold and steering rack!

You might get away with power lost from the manifold but the whole essence of the E30 M3 is the handling and the steering make up a large percentage of that!

i agree, i also heard that when converting to RHD it messes with the basic set up, Manifold, steering rack and pedals!!!

personally they should be left to how they came out of the factory!

Ta

[Simon13]

The only reason BMW didn't produce a RHD version was not because their finished product was inferior to the lhd version but that it would of added £5000 to the basic asking price on a car that was already quite expensive. So they never bothered

And the rest is history!

[Rosc0PColtrane]

The only reason BMW didn't produce a RHD version was not because their finished product was inferior to the lhd version but that it would of added £5000 to the basic asking price on a car that was already quite expensive. So they never bothered

And the rest is history!

TBH sounds like most car pricing in the UK!

[bss325i]

If you alter the master cylinder size and play around with the modulation
of the ABS, you can have an almost identical brake pedal feel and
performance as LHD.

I would like to know more about this as i think the pedal feel on RHD e30's isnt that great and from road test reports from when these cars were new, the testers seemed to think the same especialy on ABS equiped cars.
What master cylinder is the one to use for this and how do you alter the ABS modulation?

[Kos]

E30 M3s werent meant to be made in RHD hence why BMW never made as RHD. The Birds conversion was (in my opinion) the best of a bad job as they used the wrong manifold and steering rack!

You might get away with power lost from the manifold but the whole essence of the E30 M3 is the handling and the steering make up a large percentage of that!

as the gorilla said with a e36 rack or Z3 rack, which is as quick at the e30 m3 LHD one you will have no issues of steering feel.

as for playing with the abs and brakes ...........the gorilla knows best and knows far too much, i do not doubt this man in any way

[Falkster]

But the original conversions didnt have the advantage of the Z3 rack did they?

Taking all the learning and new techology into account you could convert an M3 and gain the majority of the characteristics but we were talking the Birds conversions werent we?

[Rich_W]

By all means have a RHD car. But I would suggest 2 things first.

1) Drive a LHD one for a while if you can see if you dont get on with it.
2) Get used to saying "No it IS a real one just converted as my right hand is for w_anking not changing gear"

I actually prefer LHD now. Closer to the girls on the pavement, and just a little bit more unusual/cool