BMW E36 M3 3.0 Track Toy
Discussion
TroubledSoul said:
Cheers! Hopefully my hub tool will turn up today or tomorrow so I can crack on and get the wheel bearing done. Makes a hell of a noise at the moment.
Good luck with that.. I had to take both arms off and use a hydraulic press and heat to get the drive shafts out of both sides of mine!!
I respect your attitude Troubled Soul, and I'm sure your username will be even more apt by the time you see this through. I'd honestly have started with a hot hatch. You could have got a one with mint bodywork (which is your first concern when building it into a race car, etc) for less than the cost of a tatty M3.
In fact scrub that, the easiest way into a track car is to let someone else do the hard work. You save a shed load of grief and money. Things like cages, buckets, etc, quickly add up to a couple of grand. You can buy a totally sorted track car for the price of a decent example of the road car in most cases (maybe not quite M3s).
Don't get me wrong, I love that care free buying attitude, but the problem you've found each time, is that first you have to sort out all the usual issues you get with a 15-20 yr old road car, before you can even think about track modifications. Doing that on an M3 is never going to be cheap.
As ever though I'm watching with interest. I learnt early on though, if you want a track car on a sensible budget without the headaches, then buy one already done. Yeah there'll be things you want to change to make it your own but the fundamentals will be there.
Good luck.
marky911 said:
I respect your attitude Troubled Soul, and I'm sure your username will be even more apt by the time you see this through. I'd honestly have started with a hot hatch. You could have got a one with mint bodywork (which is your first concern when building it into a race car, etc) for less than the cost of a tatty M3.
In fact scrub that, the easiest way into a track car is to let someone else do the hard work. You save a shed load of grief and money. Things like cages, buckets, etc, quickly add up to a couple of grand. You can buy a totally sorted track car for the price of a decent example of the road car in most cases (maybe not quite M3s).
Don't get me wrong, I love that care free buying attitude, but the problem you've found each time, is that first you have to sort out all the usual issues you get with a 15-20 yr old road car, before you can even think about track modifications. Doing that on an M3 is never going to be cheap.
As ever though I'm watching with interest. I learnt early on though, if you want a track car on a sensible budget without the headaches, then buy one already done. Yeah there'll be things you want to change to make it your own but the fundamentals will be there.
Good luck.
I'm getting mine back out of the garage to do some work on it next weekend and can't wait.
Yep I agree with that too Hamster but the OPs goal was to do trackdays this year and be racing next year. From a time and budget point of view that goal will be far more achievable if he bought a car already done.
But like I say I agree about developing a car and knowing it inside out, it's a big buzz and very rewarding.
But like I say I agree about developing a car and knowing it inside out, it's a big buzz and very rewarding.
TroubledSoul said:
Evoluzione said:
Well you can lead a horse to water. 
Very true! If I can't get the buggers off then I might resort to that. We'll see!
I have one of these:
And you don't live a million miles away so you're welcome to call in and we can give it a go if you like.
Edited by Evoluzione on Thursday 5th March 19:53
Nice work, and thanks for uploading the photos too, it's good to see how this job unfolds as I'm contemplating doing it myself! I've got a front wheel bearing that needs doing, but Z3 rack is also on the hit list.
I might try and think of a way to keep the steering wheel straight by wedging it against the seat squab, mind - your method is inventive but I'd be worried about snapping the stalks!
I might try and think of a way to keep the steering wheel straight by wedging it against the seat squab, mind - your method is inventive but I'd be worried about snapping the stalks!
McSam said:
Nice work, and thanks for uploading the photos too, it's good to see how this job unfolds as I'm contemplating doing it myself! I've got a front wheel bearing that needs doing, but Z3 rack is also on the hit list.
I might try and think of a way to keep the steering wheel straight by wedging it against the seat squab, mind - your method is inventive but I'd be worried about snapping the stalks!
No probs, thanks for commenting as I was worried I was talking to myself I might try and think of a way to keep the steering wheel straight by wedging it against the seat squab, mind - your method is inventive but I'd be worried about snapping the stalks!
Apparently the shaft on the rack is splined to only go on one way and there's plenty of movement without needing the wheel to turn.
I'm actually changing the indicator stalk soon as mine has too much movement and doesn't cancel. Right PITA.
Heh, no, I've been watching this one with interest. I think there are many more readers than commenters in this section, at least, that's what I tell myself when indulging myself in my own threads!
Reassuring about the rack. I think if I did it, I'd do the lower wishbones as well to tighten everything up, and then I'd want the geometry checking anyway so no worries if it didn't turn out perfect.
With the front wheel bearing, did your inner race come away with the rest of it or get left behind on the stub axle? Apart from undoing the hub nut after 178,000 miles, that's the bit that seems least likely to brighten my day when I come to do mine.
Reassuring about the rack. I think if I did it, I'd do the lower wishbones as well to tighten everything up, and then I'd want the geometry checking anyway so no worries if it didn't turn out perfect.
With the front wheel bearing, did your inner race come away with the rest of it or get left behind on the stub axle? Apart from undoing the hub nut after 178,000 miles, that's the bit that seems least likely to brighten my day when I come to do mine.
TroubledSoul said:
No probs, thanks for commenting as I was worried I was talking to myself
Apparently the shaft on the rack is splined to only go on one way and there's plenty of movement without needing the wheel to turn.
I'm actually changing the indicator stalk soon as mine has too much movement and doesn't cancel. Right PITA.
I'm still watching op. Good progress. A very worthwhile mod apparently, that rack. Apparently the shaft on the rack is splined to only go on one way and there's plenty of movement without needing the wheel to turn.
I'm actually changing the indicator stalk soon as mine has too much movement and doesn't cancel. Right PITA.
I've got 2 E36 Sports at the moment (don't ask!) and may do it to the better one of those.
Anyway as Sam says, there are more people watching than commenting. Once you've checked in at the start of a thread it's hard to keep commenting without looking like a stalker.
Glad you're making some headway. You don't do the things the easy way do you.
marky911 said:
I'm still watching op. Good progress. A very worthwhile mod apparently, that rack.
I've got 2 E36 Sports at the moment (don't ask!) and may do it to the better one of those.
Anyway as Sam says, there are more people watching than commenting. Once you've checked in at the start of a thread it's hard to keep commenting without looking like a stalker.
Glad you're making some headway. You don't do the things the easy way do you.
Oh Jesus no! Since taking this on I've bought a WRX STI which is costing me £335 a month, so that has impacted the M3 fund and slowed things down a little. I've got 2 E36 Sports at the moment (don't ask!) and may do it to the better one of those.
Anyway as Sam says, there are more people watching than commenting. Once you've checked in at the start of a thread it's hard to keep commenting without looking like a stalker.
Glad you're making some headway. You don't do the things the easy way do you.
It's probably a reflection of my crazy that just yesterday I decided that I need to measure up my garage to see if I could get the car inside it and have enough room to rig up a DIY spray booth.... If ever there was a car to learn on, it's this one.
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