Project E36 - Track Day Car
Discussion
Still on the stock clutch Bob and it seems to be coping fine.
They have a way bigger bore internally and are much smoother too.
sniff diesel said:
If it's one of those upgraded ones they lok like they should flow better than the standard M50 ones. You'll be amazed how small inside the standard ones are once removed.
Not sure if it made any difference as we hadn't been in car for months before the last trackday, but it makes the car sound great - like a quieter E46 CSL They have a way bigger bore internally and are much smoother too.
Edited by benny.c on Tuesday 28th July 22:11
shabz said:
i like the look of the front lip...any idea what make it is or where to get it from?
It was a cheap (ish) one off ebay but I've no idea of the make or even the seller sorry. Had a quick look through my ebay history and can't find it as it was so long ago. Although it was cheap it's stood up well to hitting the kerbs and being dragged up and down the trailer norteenick said:
Hi Benny,
Have you done the engine change yet? Im looking at doin that myself as my E36 2.5 has started making some very peculiar ticking noises from the head after a few visits to the ring...was interested too see how you got on with it.
Not yet Nick, we'll probably get cracking in a few months time. I've ben doing a bit of reading and in theory it doesn't look too bad Have you done the engine change yet? Im looking at doin that myself as my E36 2.5 has started making some very peculiar ticking noises from the head after a few visits to the ring...was interested too see how you got on with it.
You can unbolt the whole front end of the car so access is good.Your ticking could be oil starvation - I've just picked an M3 sump with some additional baffles to fit to our new engine, but you can also buy kits from the States to fit in to your existing 325 sump. They're not cheap though. I've also bought an M3 filter housing which has a take off for an oil cooler.
Edited by benny.c on Thursday 20th August 11:29
Hi Lee, in answer to your questions:
Originally we wanted an E30, I suppose purely based on looks really. The budget for the base car was sub £1K, but for that we wanted something that didn't require too much bodywork. When we realised even tatty E30 325's tend to go for £1K+ we widened our search to E36's. E36 coupes turned out to be nearly as expensive as the E30's, with most of the 325/328's above £1K. Those that were sub £1K were usually rust buckets or Halfords specials whcih looked like they hadn't been looked after. We initially looked at coupes because again, we preferred the look of them
So we started looking at saloons, which tend to be cheaper for the equivalent spec, plus tend to stay out of the hands of boy racers. So ours had a reasonable history, didn't look too abused and was cheap.
So far as I can tell, there would be no difference between our car and the equivalent coupe in the way it drives.
People fit perspex windows to coupes by fitting metal rods/bar fixed to door, that hold the top of the window steady. So it is possible, but it's easier to do in the saloon obviously.
I can't think of anything we would have approached differently in a coupe but I'd imagine fitting the cage would be more difficult due to access. The saloon rear doors come in handy when working in the back of the car.
Overall there isn't much I'd do differently either. Obviously with a bigger budget we'd have gone for an M3, but I still insist that a fully stripped 325 with race suspension and brakes is quicker than an M3 with a fast road/trackday set up. We lucked in to it, but I think having a non-vanos engine is a plus as it keeps things simple. It would have been nice to fully strip the shell and have the interior sprayed but the cost didn't make it a priority. A non-sunroof shell would have been nice but it's no big deal to remove it.
Now the car is done I wouldn't have anything other than an E36 saloon. It looks way better than we ever imagined it would, and makes a better looking race car than the coupe in my opinion.
Originally we wanted an E30, I suppose purely based on looks really. The budget for the base car was sub £1K, but for that we wanted something that didn't require too much bodywork. When we realised even tatty E30 325's tend to go for £1K+ we widened our search to E36's. E36 coupes turned out to be nearly as expensive as the E30's, with most of the 325/328's above £1K. Those that were sub £1K were usually rust buckets or Halfords specials whcih looked like they hadn't been looked after. We initially looked at coupes because again, we preferred the look of them
So we started looking at saloons, which tend to be cheaper for the equivalent spec, plus tend to stay out of the hands of boy racers. So ours had a reasonable history, didn't look too abused and was cheap.
So far as I can tell, there would be no difference between our car and the equivalent coupe in the way it drives.
People fit perspex windows to coupes by fitting metal rods/bar fixed to door, that hold the top of the window steady. So it is possible, but it's easier to do in the saloon obviously.
I can't think of anything we would have approached differently in a coupe but I'd imagine fitting the cage would be more difficult due to access. The saloon rear doors come in handy when working in the back of the car.
Overall there isn't much I'd do differently either. Obviously with a bigger budget we'd have gone for an M3, but I still insist that a fully stripped 325 with race suspension and brakes is quicker than an M3 with a fast road/trackday set up. We lucked in to it, but I think having a non-vanos engine is a plus as it keeps things simple. It would have been nice to fully strip the shell and have the interior sprayed but the cost didn't make it a priority. A non-sunroof shell would have been nice but it's no big deal to remove it.
Now the car is done I wouldn't have anything other than an E36 saloon. It looks way better than we ever imagined it would, and makes a better looking race car than the coupe in my opinion.
Edited by benny.c on Monday 23 November 10:47
croyde said:
Anyway great thread that has kept me occupied for nearly 2 hours. Well done and the car looks great.
What do you have to do to a car just to take it on a track day before you go nuts and do what you guys did?
Cheers mate What do you have to do to a car just to take it on a track day before you go nuts and do what you guys did?
For trackdays you don't need to do anything special really. Just make sure your car is generally in good condition, and on the day allow plenty of time between sessions to allow the car (and yourself) to recover. Apart from that, prepare to get addicted
Rochester TVR said:
The issue I am having is the car will have to be able to be used as station car... What would you say in regards to the security of having Perspex windows... would it be possible to make the vents and openings less of an easy way into the car?
One last thing... I keep hearing about this 'VANOS' what is it? I assume its some kind of variable valve system similar to Hondas VTEC? Although I could be completely wrong... What would you say are the pro's and con's of an engine with 'VANOS'?
I can't see the Perspex being too much of an issue TBH. If someone wants to break in to your car then there isn't much difference between a brick through glass or Perspex. The vents could be bolted shut I'm sure, and unbolted for trackdays. I guess you'd have to let your insurance company know though.One last thing... I keep hearing about this 'VANOS' what is it? I assume its some kind of variable valve system similar to Hondas VTEC? Although I could be completely wrong... What would you say are the pro's and con's of an engine with 'VANOS'?
You're right, Vanos is a variable timing system that (I believe) gives more mid range grunt. I'm no expert here so you'd be best posting in the BMW section, but I do know that E36's can suffer with Vanos issues and it can be expensive to sort out. Many of the M3 race cars run with the Vanos removed and my thinking is "simple is best" on a track car.
S3 Graham - PM sent. I'll pop a few quid in a charity box in exchange if it's OK with you
Edited by benny.c on Monday 23 November 14:58
Fireblade69 said:
Excellent thread, just the inspiration that me and a couple of mates needed to do just what you have. One thing is bugging me, why are all the lights still in there if it's track only? Is that some sort of requirement?
Do you mean headlights? I can get dark at the end of the day One thing is bugging me, why are all the lights still in there if it's track only? Is that some sort of requirement?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr1TdLvX59E
You obviously need the rest; indicators, brakes etc
Fireblade69 said:
Oh yeah :-)
How did you get around the inner seatbelt/harness mounting point being attached to the original seats? Do you happen to have a snap that shows what you did?
I keep refering back to this thread!
I haven't got a pic, but none of the harness mounting points are to original fixings. They are all new, bolted through the body and spreader plates. The inner one I think mounted through the trans tunnel.How did you get around the inner seatbelt/harness mounting point being attached to the original seats? Do you happen to have a snap that shows what you did?
I keep refering back to this thread!
Thinking about it, maybe the outer one is fixed to the old seatbelt mounting point, the inner was definitely bolted through the body though.
Edited by benny.c on Friday 7th May 23:10
A sequential box would be nice, but there are plenty of other things we'd do with £6K, before blowing it on a gearbox. We looked at roof scoops, but in the end decided it really wasn't worth the effort. Don't know how much it would effect the aerodynamics too.
If you're keeping the car road legal, then I'd leave the heater in for the sake of a few kilos. Take a dump before you go out on track instead
If you're keeping the car road legal, then I'd leave the heater in for the sake of a few kilos. Take a dump before you go out on track instead
I think that's going to be the long term aim. To start with is was all about getting a "budget" car on track, but it's evolving nicely and we'll throw some more cash at it as time goes on. If the Alpina lump is a winner, then we'll probably take it to the next level.
We knew we should have done the sound deadening at the time, but it's such a ball ache and we desperate to get the car done. It will get done at some point, but it's going to be even more of a pain with the cage in place
At some point it would be nice to have the whole inside removed and painted.
We knew we should have done the sound deadening at the time, but it's such a ball ache and we desperate to get the car done. It will get done at some point, but it's going to be even more of a pain with the cage in place
At some point it would be nice to have the whole inside removed and painted.
Well, we had both the E36 and the 964T up at Oulton a few weeks back, and it looks like we'll be keeping the Porsche for a while. It's great on the track but it's going to take a while to learn how to drive it properly 
That means, sadly it's time to get rid of Project E36
Hopefully when I get around to putting an ad up, it will go to a fellow PH'er so that I can read about it's continuing exploits
That means, sadly it's time to get rid of Project E36
Hopefully when I get around to putting an ad up, it will go to a fellow PH'er so that I can read about it's continuing exploits Edited by benny.c on Wednesday 23 June 10:39
Definitely not going to break it for parts, it'd be too much hassle. I'd sell the Alpina engine separately though, if a prospective purchaser of the car didn't want it. We wont get back what we've put in to it; You rarely do with modded/track cars.
Price wise, I need to see what else is out there. There are plenty of E36 track cars, but I don't think many have the suspension, brakes, cage and lightweight panels that ours has. Maybe £6K with the Alpina engine, but I'd be interested to hear what everyone thinks whilst I get an ad together.
The parts we haven't fitted include the Alpina lump, M3 sump, M3 oil filter housing (with take off for oil cooler), and a full set of Powerflex poly-bushes. There's two sets of racing dynamics rims, one set with slicks and the other with wets.
Price wise, I need to see what else is out there. There are plenty of E36 track cars, but I don't think many have the suspension, brakes, cage and lightweight panels that ours has. Maybe £6K with the Alpina engine, but I'd be interested to hear what everyone thinks whilst I get an ad together.
The parts we haven't fitted include the Alpina lump, M3 sump, M3 oil filter housing (with take off for oil cooler), and a full set of Powerflex poly-bushes. There's two sets of racing dynamics rims, one set with slicks and the other with wets.
Edited by benny.c on Wednesday 23 June 22:59
As rich says, so far as I know it would need a wiper putting on (mechanism is all still there), a set of tyres and maybe the sun strip removing. Maybe a heated front screen or small fan as a demister too?
The V5 is all present and correct, and the car is currently SORN. I've thought about getting an MOT many times, just to make things easier when moving the car about and testing.
The V5 is all present and correct, and the car is currently SORN. I've thought about getting an MOT many times, just to make things easier when moving the car about and testing.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff