E36 328i Track Car - Componentry Upgrade Advice
Discussion
Hi all.
I'm new to using forums so if I should be posting this elsewhere please tell me.
I have just bought a 1998 E36 328i and will be converting it into a road legal track car. 230k on the clock but a sound body & strong engine.
I'm handy on the track, but not under the bonnet so I am looking for some advice about what changes to make/not make and which componentary would best suit my objectives.
I have already taken inspiration and advice from similar existing threads such as Craigs 328i project etc.
Eventually the car will recieve an S54 powerplant, (one reason I was happy with a high milage base car) so all changes I am making will be to this end but should also ideally work with the 328i engine whilst this is in place.
First up - suspension & brakes; £2.5k budget for both. For suspension I am thinking fully Powerflex poly-bushed all round and a set of coilovers. I have no idea on which coilovers and how much to spend. Car will be used 50/50 for road and track.
Is there anything additional to consider with the fact that an E36 M3 evo rear axle will also be going in?
All advice for the first part of my build appreciated. Thanks
I'm new to using forums so if I should be posting this elsewhere please tell me.
I have just bought a 1998 E36 328i and will be converting it into a road legal track car. 230k on the clock but a sound body & strong engine.
I'm handy on the track, but not under the bonnet so I am looking for some advice about what changes to make/not make and which componentary would best suit my objectives.
I have already taken inspiration and advice from similar existing threads such as Craigs 328i project etc.
Eventually the car will recieve an S54 powerplant, (one reason I was happy with a high milage base car) so all changes I am making will be to this end but should also ideally work with the 328i engine whilst this is in place.
First up - suspension & brakes; £2.5k budget for both. For suspension I am thinking fully Powerflex poly-bushed all round and a set of coilovers. I have no idea on which coilovers and how much to spend. Car will be used 50/50 for road and track.
Is there anything additional to consider with the fact that an E36 M3 evo rear axle will also be going in?
All advice for the first part of my build appreciated. Thanks
Polybushing would be a good start, are you planning to install a rollcage (bolt in or weld in?) as I recall the E36 needing some re-enforcement on subframe mounts, E46 definately needs it.
Suspension wise, would be a good idea to refresh throughout, new arms / tie rods etc and front wishbones with something decent, Lemforder are OEM quality and a good place to start, factor in new wheel bearings all round too. Adjustable arms from Driftworks to sort camber out back on the arms. I'm sure more will offer their experiences too. Generally though consider all ball joints and bushes as replace from the get go.
http://www.hsdcoilovers.com/hsd-monopro-coilovers-... Coilovers
http://www.driftworks.com/driftworks-rear-camber-a... Adjustable rear arms.
As for Coilovers, HSD does a very good package for the price with new adjustable top mounts up front and spherical rear top mounts as well. By the time you've refreshed all the other components, that could well eat up £1k to 1.5k of your £2k to 2.5k budget on suspension. Could also consider H&R Cup kits or Bilstien coilovers depending how flush you feel.
As for brakes , you could do the big brake caliper conversion to E46 330i items if being super cheap, with stainless lines, decent pads (DS2500s for example) and decent fluid would be quite capable. Or you can look at the Porsche Boxer 4 pot upgrade. I'm considering it and parts are as follows:
http://www.creationsmotorsport.com/product-detail....
> 996.351.425
> 996.351.426
> Calipers have to have 12mm shaved off the mounting lugs to get them to work with Stock M3 discs or left untouched with the CSL discs.
Suspension wise, would be a good idea to refresh throughout, new arms / tie rods etc and front wishbones with something decent, Lemforder are OEM quality and a good place to start, factor in new wheel bearings all round too. Adjustable arms from Driftworks to sort camber out back on the arms. I'm sure more will offer their experiences too. Generally though consider all ball joints and bushes as replace from the get go.
http://www.hsdcoilovers.com/hsd-monopro-coilovers-... Coilovers
http://www.driftworks.com/driftworks-rear-camber-a... Adjustable rear arms.
As for Coilovers, HSD does a very good package for the price with new adjustable top mounts up front and spherical rear top mounts as well. By the time you've refreshed all the other components, that could well eat up £1k to 1.5k of your £2k to 2.5k budget on suspension. Could also consider H&R Cup kits or Bilstien coilovers depending how flush you feel.
As for brakes , you could do the big brake caliper conversion to E46 330i items if being super cheap, with stainless lines, decent pads (DS2500s for example) and decent fluid would be quite capable. Or you can look at the Porsche Boxer 4 pot upgrade. I'm considering it and parts are as follows:
http://www.creationsmotorsport.com/product-detail....
> 996.351.425
> 996.351.426
> Calipers have to have 12mm shaved off the mounting lugs to get them to work with Stock M3 discs or left untouched with the CSL discs.
Edited by Sf_Manta on Sunday 28th August 15:03
Jeez, where do you start?
You can spend £500 doing the lot or still be doing it at £5000.
100% agree with FULL poly bush kit, make sure you drop the suspension every year & re-grease them too.
I don't recommend changing to multi-piston calipers (yes, I currently run a 4/2 pot AP set up) google e46 brake caliper upgrade, as that is MORE THAN SUFFICIENT. IIRC you use e46 330 discs (325mm) with the standard calipers & gain large amounts of braking force/torque due to raise in diameter from 286mm standard e36 328. If nothing else you will use pads which cost £100/150 instead of £200/300 a shot. Pagid RS29s are magnificent, DS Uno nearly as good, don't touch EBC with a barge-pole.
I wouldn't personally bother going as far as the M54 engine as (with a few breathing mods & remap) the 328 will do 325/335bhp anyway.
I use SPAX coilovers which are excellent, if you want a budget option I have a set of perfect condition (VERY highly rated by all that use them) Bilstein Pro Street coilovers I will be selling at around 1/2 price.
A front strut brace is recommended & cheap at around £30/70 depending on your preference.
MAKE SURE YOU DROP THE REAR SUBFRAME & CHECK FOR CRACKS AROUND THE MOUNTINGS!!!!!! (big welding/dismantle/refit job if required)
LSD is an absolute MUST HAVE!
There is your starting point.
If you want any more info feel free to PM me.
You can spend £500 doing the lot or still be doing it at £5000.
100% agree with FULL poly bush kit, make sure you drop the suspension every year & re-grease them too.
I don't recommend changing to multi-piston calipers (yes, I currently run a 4/2 pot AP set up) google e46 brake caliper upgrade, as that is MORE THAN SUFFICIENT. IIRC you use e46 330 discs (325mm) with the standard calipers & gain large amounts of braking force/torque due to raise in diameter from 286mm standard e36 328. If nothing else you will use pads which cost £100/150 instead of £200/300 a shot. Pagid RS29s are magnificent, DS Uno nearly as good, don't touch EBC with a barge-pole.
I wouldn't personally bother going as far as the M54 engine as (with a few breathing mods & remap) the 328 will do 325/335bhp anyway.
I use SPAX coilovers which are excellent, if you want a budget option I have a set of perfect condition (VERY highly rated by all that use them) Bilstein Pro Street coilovers I will be selling at around 1/2 price.
A front strut brace is recommended & cheap at around £30/70 depending on your preference.
MAKE SURE YOU DROP THE REAR SUBFRAME & CHECK FOR CRACKS AROUND THE MOUNTINGS!!!!!! (big welding/dismantle/refit job if required)
LSD is an absolute MUST HAVE!
There is your starting point.
If you want any more info feel free to PM me.
Edited by E-bmw on Sunday 28th August 15:33
Gents,
Thanks for your feedback and recommended options - I'll take a look at what you have suggested and make some decisions about what gets tackled first and which products to buy.
I will cage the car out, preferably welded but budget dependent....
I would rather the project take a bit longer and be more expensive rather than taking the budget option. Over the next 18 - 24 months my budget will be £10-15K I hope! (included engine conversion if I go down this road).
Appreciate the benefit on engine may not justify the investment but part of my wanting to do this is a) just for the sheer hell of it and b) well...there is no b, is one of those ' cus I just wanna'
Some pics of the old girl below
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/2xybxsEM.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/HWQKeome" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/HWQKeome.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/Qg1ZzCwW" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/Qg1ZzCwW.jpg)
Thanks for your feedback and recommended options - I'll take a look at what you have suggested and make some decisions about what gets tackled first and which products to buy.
I will cage the car out, preferably welded but budget dependent....
I would rather the project take a bit longer and be more expensive rather than taking the budget option. Over the next 18 - 24 months my budget will be £10-15K I hope! (included engine conversion if I go down this road).
Appreciate the benefit on engine may not justify the investment but part of my wanting to do this is a) just for the sheer hell of it and b) well...there is no b, is one of those ' cus I just wanna'
Some pics of the old girl below
TBH, I thought the same when I bought mine, but, 6 years down the line, I am so glad I had a good search round & started with a pristine rust-free example, it has made matters much easier in the long run.
I have to say, I now realise how normal mine seems to me when I look at that pic, and HOW TALL the car looks in that pic.
I have to say, I now realise how normal mine seems to me when I look at that pic, and HOW TALL the car looks in that pic.
E-bmw said:
I wouldn't personally as (with a few breathing mods & remap) the 328 will do 325/335bhp anyway
A tad of a +100bhp typo there 225/235 is spot on.Other than that mods wise it's a long list, no time for a big war & peace now but briefly, personally I don't even advise going bigger brakes at all to start, stock sizes & decent pads fine with cooling.
Suspension long list, BC/HSD fine for tiny budgets, but there is a very long list of what is good & works on an e36, I've tried most.
Hello mate
as mentioned the sky is the limit
I have been doing mine bit by bit for some time now but here is a list of a few essentials to get you under way.
M50 inlet manifold will give you about 15-20bhp and a bolt on mod
I run KW v2 Coilovers and they are fantastic
E46 brake upgrade with M3 evo brake cylinder rs29 pads (not EBC THEY ARE CRAP)
cage it
get the air con out
thicker anti roll bars
bushes
and the main name of the game is weight! get this out and forget power as it is just bragging rights down the pub,
my 328i is running 230bhp and about 1200kg on a great set up and I hustle M3 evos and e46 m3s on track all day long
with the correct set up and a little bit of talent these cars are track hero's
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/04MFTC4q.png[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/OuIqynrn" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/OuIqynrn.jpg)
as mentioned the sky is the limit
I have been doing mine bit by bit for some time now but here is a list of a few essentials to get you under way.
M50 inlet manifold will give you about 15-20bhp and a bolt on mod
I run KW v2 Coilovers and they are fantastic
E46 brake upgrade with M3 evo brake cylinder rs29 pads (not EBC THEY ARE CRAP)
cage it
get the air con out
thicker anti roll bars
bushes
and the main name of the game is weight! get this out and forget power as it is just bragging rights down the pub,
my 328i is running 230bhp and about 1200kg on a great set up and I hustle M3 evos and e46 m3s on track all day long
with the correct set up and a little bit of talent these cars are track hero's
CSLmarson said:
M50 inlet manifold will give you about 15-20bhp and a bolt on mod
I run KW v2 Coilovers and they are fantastic
E46 brake upgrade with M3 evo brake cylinder rs29 pads (not EBC THEY ARE CRAP)
cage it
get the air con out
thicker anti roll bars
bushes
and the main name of the game is weight! get this out and forget power as it is just bragging rights down the pub,
my 328i is running 230bhp and about 1200kg on a great set up and I hustle M3 evos and e46 m3s on track all day long
with the correct set up and a little bit of talent these cars are track hero's
Pretty much the same end result with a few different twists for me & mine is similar power & will also stick with many M3s on track.I run KW v2 Coilovers and they are fantastic
E46 brake upgrade with M3 evo brake cylinder rs29 pads (not EBC THEY ARE CRAP)
cage it
get the air con out
thicker anti roll bars
bushes
and the main name of the game is weight! get this out and forget power as it is just bragging rights down the pub,
my 328i is running 230bhp and about 1200kg on a great set up and I hustle M3 evos and e46 m3s on track all day long
with the correct set up and a little bit of talent these cars are track hero's
Caged with 1200kg empty, but kept the air con to save sweating like a fat bird!
4 pot APs & 2 pot APs with standard M/Cyl & servo though, agree RS29 are king EBC are made of plasticine.
Been there, done that.
My advice: spend all of your £2.5k budget on coilovers. Ideally add a bit more, too. Add poly bushes if you like - I prefer an E36 without them, accepting that there's more maintenance.
Put some proper pads on the standard brakes (something like RS29s) with braided hoses and new fluid.
Then drive it.
My advice: spend all of your £2.5k budget on coilovers. Ideally add a bit more, too. Add poly bushes if you like - I prefer an E36 without them, accepting that there's more maintenance.
Put some proper pads on the standard brakes (something like RS29s) with braided hoses and new fluid.
Then drive it.
I like a blue 328 sport 
Is it Avus blue?
As others have said:
M50 Manifold, brake cooling with decent pads and fluid, coilovers, strip everything, and drive it lots maybe some sticky budget rubber (Nankang NS2rs)
mine started off like yours a few years back,
I got carried away:
Is it Avus blue?
As others have said:
M50 Manifold, brake cooling with decent pads and fluid, coilovers, strip everything, and drive it lots maybe some sticky budget rubber (Nankang NS2rs)
mine started off like yours a few years back,
I got carried away:
Edited by Tommo Two on Wednesday 7th September 13:19
Me too, I started with a £1600 car & plans to just remove a bit of weight & fit better suspension......... Oh, and change the inlet........ Oh, and fit an M3 exhaust......... Oh, and fit bucket seats........ Oh, and fit harnesses....... Oh, and a cage....... Oh, and a rear spoiler....... Oh, and a splitter....... Oh, and a set of good coilovers..... Etc. Etc.
It definitely isn't our fault, it is the car begging for it all!
It definitely isn't our fault, it is the car begging for it all!
Thanks to all for their advice - so with ambition tempered a little (as was my budget with new driveway going in) I have decided to take a simple approach to start:
Front strut brace
kW v2 coilovers
Interior strip & bucket seats
RS29 pads
Some sticky rubber (tyres need replacing anyway)
I have my seats and strut brace, with coilovers on order, but I can't find anywhere selling these pads for my car....
Can anyone point me in the right direction? It's a 1998 e36 328i manual
Thanks!
Front strut brace
kW v2 coilovers
Interior strip & bucket seats
RS29 pads
Some sticky rubber (tyres need replacing anyway)
I have my seats and strut brace, with coilovers on order, but I can't find anywhere selling these pads for my car....
Can anyone point me in the right direction? It's a 1998 e36 328i manual
Thanks!
LanceRS said:
I can't remember all the details,but there is a brake upgrade using the e46 330 parts. Just a thought before you spend out.
Cheers Lance, I have looked at a few upgrade options and for the time being decided to stick with standard and just upgrade the pads. My long term goal is an s54 engine conversion and will look at a big brake upgrade if/when that happensI've always bought my RS29s through www.performancebraking.co.uk - their website is utter tosh (and has been "under construction" for years) but give them a buzz and the service has always been bob-on.
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