E36 cheap track day toy
Discussion
So we didn't really get much in the way of pics yesterday. It did rain for most of the day. Although dried quite nicely for the last hour, most people already having given up and gone home, we had quite an empty track with a dry line to finish the day. All good fun!
Tonight I have started what I think will be the winter project. The cage!
I am in no rush, I want to do it properly and make a nice job. It will have to break down like this. Door cards off and replaced with something flat. Dash out and modified, possibly cut down a lot. I had intended to work around the sunroof, but I am now very tempted to take it out and fit some kind of light weight panel. Then weld in the hoop fixings. The cage I bought was not complete, which is one reason why I could afford it. One of the two parts missing was the flat plate fixings for the rear support arms. Luckily I have found some nice 3mm sheet that I will fabricate up into feet.
The first baby step tonight was passenger seat removal. We had an issue at Bedford, that one of my taller friends head was touching the roof. I have also been worried that with the cage in my head would touch it, at least my helmet would.
The seat frames that came with my seats seem to be very tall.
I think I will have to cut them down, probably about 20mm roughly half, then weld the bottom back on.
I hope this, along with a possible sunroof delete will give plenty of head room.
This is defiantly the biggest challenge since cutting the wheel arches off. It is a bit daunting as I can't use the workshop at my new job as much as the old place. Good job that I like a challenge.
Tonight I have started what I think will be the winter project. The cage!
I am in no rush, I want to do it properly and make a nice job. It will have to break down like this. Door cards off and replaced with something flat. Dash out and modified, possibly cut down a lot. I had intended to work around the sunroof, but I am now very tempted to take it out and fit some kind of light weight panel. Then weld in the hoop fixings. The cage I bought was not complete, which is one reason why I could afford it. One of the two parts missing was the flat plate fixings for the rear support arms. Luckily I have found some nice 3mm sheet that I will fabricate up into feet.
The first baby step tonight was passenger seat removal. We had an issue at Bedford, that one of my taller friends head was touching the roof. I have also been worried that with the cage in my head would touch it, at least my helmet would.
The seat frames that came with my seats seem to be very tall.
I think I will have to cut them down, probably about 20mm roughly half, then weld the bottom back on.
I hope this, along with a possible sunroof delete will give plenty of head room.
This is defiantly the biggest challenge since cutting the wheel arches off. It is a bit daunting as I can't use the workshop at my new job as much as the old place. Good job that I like a challenge.
When I fitted mine (from a Megane coupe for the same reason) I had to do a few mods to the rear mounts to make it fit properly.
I am sure you will get through it fine, mine took a weekend & I also had to change to side-mount seats to help with headroom.
I even had to cut through the inner skin of the floor-pan near the transmission tunnel to help out with seat position.
I am sure you will get through it fine, mine took a weekend & I also had to change to side-mount seats to help with headroom.
I even had to cut through the inner skin of the floor-pan near the transmission tunnel to help out with seat position.
Having a dig about online I found one pic of us on track at Bedford. It's not much but at least it's something.
Work has started on the Cage. When I say on the cage, I mean on everything I need to do before trying to fit the cage. I decided to go with a sheet on the roof as it was about a quarter of the price of a sunroof delete panel. Ordered yesterday morning, amazingly turned up today. So at lunch time I removed the stripes. Bit sad after all the tracks they have seen, but I'm going to need a good clean surface if this panel isn't going to leak.
I have removed the passenger seat mounts, which to me seem to be able to be cut down by 20mm without any problems.
I intend to cut the mounts basically in half. Then weld the flat of the bottom back onto the top half.
All marked up and cutting, hope I have done my maths right.
Once I cut the bottom half off. I then trimmed the sides from this, leaving just the flat plates. I took careful measurements of where the seat bolt holes were, so these can be welded back in the right place.
All ready to start welding in the morning.
I have ordered some sheet door cards which if I'm lucky will match the new roof panel. Unfortunately these haven't turned up despite being ordered weeks ago. Hopefully all this new weight shedding will stop the cage slowing the car down to much.
Work has started on the Cage. When I say on the cage, I mean on everything I need to do before trying to fit the cage. I decided to go with a sheet on the roof as it was about a quarter of the price of a sunroof delete panel. Ordered yesterday morning, amazingly turned up today. So at lunch time I removed the stripes. Bit sad after all the tracks they have seen, but I'm going to need a good clean surface if this panel isn't going to leak.
I have removed the passenger seat mounts, which to me seem to be able to be cut down by 20mm without any problems.
I intend to cut the mounts basically in half. Then weld the flat of the bottom back onto the top half.
All marked up and cutting, hope I have done my maths right.
Once I cut the bottom half off. I then trimmed the sides from this, leaving just the flat plates. I took careful measurements of where the seat bolt holes were, so these can be welded back in the right place.
All ready to start welding in the morning.
I have ordered some sheet door cards which if I'm lucky will match the new roof panel. Unfortunately these haven't turned up despite being ordered weeks ago. Hopefully all this new weight shedding will stop the cage slowing the car down to much.
Got the sheet of ABS. I haven't been so worried about some work since I cut the wheel arches off.
Oh well, it won't fit itself.
Measured up, cut down, corners rounded, edges smoothed off and holes drilled.
Seems to fit alright.
The rivets haven't turned up yet. So I'm aiming to remove the sunroof Friday night. Then seal and rivet the new panel on Saturday morning. I should be able to leave the car in the workshop until Monday morning. If it's not waterproof by then I don't know what I will do.
I had five mins left at the end of the day. So popped this on.
Only one space left before the bumper is full. Think it might be a while before I fill that space though.
More work tonight. Painting the rear seat frame that has been welded back together and cutting up the front one.
We have had a new hawk eye geometry machine installed at work his week. I can feel a geometry set up coming on.
I originally set the car up with figures I found from an old E36 DTM car. I wish I knew what I had done with them. She has a lot of neg camber on, I know that much. It would only be a fine tune anyway. To be honest when the tyres and brakes are hot, it goes round corners like its on rails anyway.
We have had a new hawk eye geometry machine installed at work his week. I can feel a geometry set up coming on.
I originally set the car up with figures I found from an old E36 DTM car. I wish I knew what I had done with them. She has a lot of neg camber on, I know that much. It would only be a fine tune anyway. To be honest when the tyres and brakes are hot, it goes round corners like its on rails anyway.
One seat mount already painted. The other one welded and ready for paint tonight. Can't wait to get them back in and see what the new position is like.
Carried on with the sunroof panel tonight as well. It's pretty much ready to go in. The old sunroof will get stripped Friday night. Then the new panel riveted on Saturday.
I don't know if anyone is still reading this but it keeps me busy.
You might find you still struggle with the seat runners.
In the end I needed to cut out the mountings on the original seats and cut through the inner floor skin just to get enough headroom, and that was with side-mounts!
Just make sure you mock it up & try it before comitting to welding anything in palce.
In the end I needed to cut out the mountings on the original seats and cut through the inner floor skin just to get enough headroom, and that was with side-mounts!
Just make sure you mock it up & try it before comitting to welding anything in palce.
Thanks Andy. But I'm not sure you followed what I was doing. These mounts have been in the car for two years and working fine. I'm just reducing the hight of them to get some more head room. The pieces I'm welding on are the original feet in the same place.
Do please keep the comments up though, always nice to know someone is reading this.
Do please keep the comments up though, always nice to know someone is reading this.
Yes, you are right, I misunderstood that these were additional items, good point & well put, good luck anyway, I know I had lots of issues that caused delays, you seem to have the others covered.
My original bit about regular mock-ups stands though.
It helped me immensely, although I do not have your facilities, mine was done in back yard/garage.
My original bit about regular mock-ups stands though.
It helped me immensely, although I do not have your facilities, mine was done in back yard/garage.
So yesturday was time to drill holes in my roof. Can't say I was looking forward to it, but needs must.
Marked the exact position last night. First a seam of windscreen sealer.
Then lifted gently into place. Held down and drilled.
Was really rather scary. Defiantly the biggest project since the wheel arches. But all seemed to go to plan.
All in and seems to fit ok. Guess we will see if it's ok when it rains.
Finally popped the drivers seat back in on the newly modified mounts. Fitted perfectly thank goodness.
The driving position actually seems a bit better and we how have loads of head room.
I am attending the Pistonheads Sunday service this morning. The sealant on the BMW is stopping me from taking her though. So borrowed this from work.
Marked the exact position last night. First a seam of windscreen sealer.
Then lifted gently into place. Held down and drilled.
Was really rather scary. Defiantly the biggest project since the wheel arches. But all seemed to go to plan.
All in and seems to fit ok. Guess we will see if it's ok when it rains.
Finally popped the drivers seat back in on the newly modified mounts. Fitted perfectly thank goodness.
The driving position actually seems a bit better and we how have loads of head room.
I am attending the Pistonheads Sunday service this morning. The sealant on the BMW is stopping me from taking her though. So borrowed this from work.
Bolted the modified seat frames in.
It has lowered the seat nicely. 20mm cut out of the frames, also removed a 6 mm spacer below the runners and just put in a 1mm thick washer. So that's 25mm more head room. This along with the sun roof being gone, there is now plenty of head room.
I had a few hours to kill Saturday afternoon once the roof panel was on. Made a very slight start on the actual cage.
Not a huge amount I know, but I cant really progress with the cage much until I get my flat door panels fitted and the dash out.
Anyway turned up at work Monday morning with the rain pooring down. Good first test for the roof.
Drove about 5 miles and stopped to get her washed on the way. Sat staring at the roof as the jet wash passed over it, but we seemed to remain bone dry inside. This probably had something to do with me sealing inside the rivets to.
It has lowered the seat nicely. 20mm cut out of the frames, also removed a 6 mm spacer below the runners and just put in a 1mm thick washer. So that's 25mm more head room. This along with the sun roof being gone, there is now plenty of head room.
I had a few hours to kill Saturday afternoon once the roof panel was on. Made a very slight start on the actual cage.
Not a huge amount I know, but I cant really progress with the cage much until I get my flat door panels fitted and the dash out.
Anyway turned up at work Monday morning with the rain pooring down. Good first test for the roof.
Drove about 5 miles and stopped to get her washed on the way. Sat staring at the roof as the jet wash passed over it, but we seemed to remain bone dry inside. This probably had something to do with me sealing inside the rivets to.
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