E46 coupe / m chassis

[virgil]

This may be common knowledge, so sorry if it is, but what apart from engine, brakes dampers etc are the differences between say a 320 coupe and an M3 - is the shell the same with mounting points etc etc or are they physically different? I know the wings and bonnet are slightly different, but I'm guessing interchangeble.

So if one was to take an E46 as a track car and replace engine, suspension, brakes, strip out the interior...is there any point in buggering up a perfectly good M3 or better to use a base model coupe? I;m guessing any good bits of M3 you'd keep, could always be sourced and put back on??

[thehos]

afaik, the m3 is a little wider than the 3 and made in a different factory, m factory, i dont think a lot of parts are the same

[bennyboysvuk]

I'm not sure about the specifics, but the rear suspension arms are different as are the rear arches. I think the rear wheels have a different offset compared to a non-M E46 too.

[virgil]

So it's definitely a different shell then?

Damn...I knew the coupe was not just a two door 4 door shell, but thought the M3 shell was just a coupe shell with bits on it...

[thehos]

virgil said:

So it's definitely a different shell then?

Damn...I knew the coupe was not just a two door 4 door shell, but thought the M3 shell was just a coupe shell with bits on it...

no, defo a different shell, look at the width, front arches, rear arches and the fuel filler door

[BenGismo]

theres a good few BMW training documents that go through pretty much all of the differences between the normal E46 range and the M3 at:

http://www.kinmak.com/downloads/doc/m3training/M3C...

http://kinmak.com/downloads/doc/M3_Techguide.pdf

Edited by BenGismo on Tuesday 24th August 19:33

[virgil]

Wow, great reply. Thank you!