BMW E30 M52 Track and Road Car
Discussion
It's about time I put this down in print before I forget half the spec. I've owned the car for quite a while but never put a thread together.
As a serial car owner I am no stranger to swapping cars, after all there are plenty out there to try! But every so often you get one that just niggles at you and you can't bring yourself to get rid of it. The Elise was my first and I've owned a series 1 in one form or another for the last 8 years.
The only other car that has bitten to that extent is the E30. It was bought as a ready to go track car with a 2.8 M52, stripped and repainted shell and a roll cage. The critical areas of the work were good, but on its first track outing it became evident that if I wanted it to withstand its intend use on and off the track it needed both some mechanical and cosmetic changes.
The finished article is an amalgamation of the previous owners work and my own (with the help of a couple of garages for bits I was reluctant to do). Ultimately I wanted a car that could reliably handle being taken to any circuit, in any weather and perform with minimal mechanical fuss and not require the need for a trailer. However, I also have a cleaning obsession and I don't like a car to look in a rough state, after all this isn't a race car it is a track toy and as such I see no reason for it not to look presentable.
The box shape of the E30 does not necessarily lend itself to sleak lines and an appealing shape, but after taking it on track and realising just how much fun they are (in a very different way to an Elise) I was keen to make it as appealing to me visually as it was entertaining on track.
I am so used to the dart like handing of the S1 Elise on track, with the odd correction to keep the back in check. Whereas this wags its tail like a dog! But controllably so. It was nothing like the E36 or E46 track cars I've had before, it feels light compared to its more recent models and with 240bhp it felt nothing like the original engined E30's I'd driven before.
Is it a keeper......who knows, but for now I'm happy with it and the last six months I have got it to a condition and mechanical reliability that I am more than happy with. It can be thrashed around a track all day or it can be driven down a country road, and I know that bar any unforeseen event it will get me home again. There's nothing I hate worse than a high maintenance car as in my opinion it spoils the fun.
So onto the car. Some of these earlier pictures I inherited when I bought the car, others are since I've owned it, but it tells the story by addiing them all here.
Originally a 320i shell it was stripped back and all necessarily welding etc done.
A 6-point roll cage was then fitted and the entire car was sprayed blue and the cage sprayed black.
A partially rebuilt E36 M52 2.8 was fitted (with an M50 inlet manifold and E34 sump), along with a lightweight flywheel mated to an E36 gearbox.
Along the way the engine mounts were upgraded to AKG track spec mounts from the US (I was impressed with the difference they made without to much additional vibration).
A modified M52 manifold was wrapped and fitted to a custom signal pipe system, with a dual pipe back box.
The car initially had a K&N fitted, but it was replaced with a BMC cold air intake with a feed from the front bumper.
The car retains the E36 cooling system, with an E36 (A/C) rad and electric fan with manual override switch in the cabin.
After some issues the original swirl pot was replaced and all fuel lines were run through the car. this was mated to a Bosch 044 external fuel pump with a good condition E30 pump remaining in the tank (which was also replaced).
Suspension comprised of Gaz coilovers with fully adjustable top mounts, an E46 '067' steering rack and custom UJ's. A Z4 3.0 litre gear shifter was fitted along with 328 linkages.
WMS 4 pot front callipers and discs were fitted along with DS2500 pads. The rears are E30 325 rear discs and DS2500 pads.
The wheels are original BBS 15 inch sprayed black with 10mm spacers and custom centre caps. Wrapped in Federal 595 RSR tyres
The car was fully polybushed (powerflex) with the exception of a Z3M bush for the diff. Stiffer anti roll bars were also fitted, as well as the ability to adjust the rear beam.
A 3.64.1 LSD was checked and fitted.
Once completed the engine was mapped at EndTuning.
Internally, other than the role cage a Corbeau winged drivers set and Sparco passenger seat were fitted on adjustable runners. Along with Sabelt harnesses.
The original battery was replaced with a Racelight Odessey and positioned behind the drivers seat.
A plumbed in fire extinguisher was fitted, along with an electrical cut off Switch, oil temperature and pressure gauges and a voltage gauge. The steering wheel was replaced with an OMP deep dish steering wheel (or a smaller flat OMP wheel depending on the cars use) along with a B&G adjustable steering wheel spacer.
Externally and internally the car was sprayed in a light blue, and after I gave it a full machine polish it came up very well. I know that may seem excessive for a track car, but there's nothing wrong with having pride in your car no matter what its purpose.
The finished picturess. A combination of the previous owners work and my own.
And a few arty ones.
The car is not a garage queen and gets used as intended on track, but is looked after and enjoyed. No point having a shiney track car that never turns a wheel.
As a serial car owner I am no stranger to swapping cars, after all there are plenty out there to try! But every so often you get one that just niggles at you and you can't bring yourself to get rid of it. The Elise was my first and I've owned a series 1 in one form or another for the last 8 years.
The only other car that has bitten to that extent is the E30. It was bought as a ready to go track car with a 2.8 M52, stripped and repainted shell and a roll cage. The critical areas of the work were good, but on its first track outing it became evident that if I wanted it to withstand its intend use on and off the track it needed both some mechanical and cosmetic changes.
The finished article is an amalgamation of the previous owners work and my own (with the help of a couple of garages for bits I was reluctant to do). Ultimately I wanted a car that could reliably handle being taken to any circuit, in any weather and perform with minimal mechanical fuss and not require the need for a trailer. However, I also have a cleaning obsession and I don't like a car to look in a rough state, after all this isn't a race car it is a track toy and as such I see no reason for it not to look presentable.
The box shape of the E30 does not necessarily lend itself to sleak lines and an appealing shape, but after taking it on track and realising just how much fun they are (in a very different way to an Elise) I was keen to make it as appealing to me visually as it was entertaining on track.
I am so used to the dart like handing of the S1 Elise on track, with the odd correction to keep the back in check. Whereas this wags its tail like a dog! But controllably so. It was nothing like the E36 or E46 track cars I've had before, it feels light compared to its more recent models and with 240bhp it felt nothing like the original engined E30's I'd driven before.
Is it a keeper......who knows, but for now I'm happy with it and the last six months I have got it to a condition and mechanical reliability that I am more than happy with. It can be thrashed around a track all day or it can be driven down a country road, and I know that bar any unforeseen event it will get me home again. There's nothing I hate worse than a high maintenance car as in my opinion it spoils the fun.
So onto the car. Some of these earlier pictures I inherited when I bought the car, others are since I've owned it, but it tells the story by addiing them all here.
Originally a 320i shell it was stripped back and all necessarily welding etc done.
A 6-point roll cage was then fitted and the entire car was sprayed blue and the cage sprayed black.
A partially rebuilt E36 M52 2.8 was fitted (with an M50 inlet manifold and E34 sump), along with a lightweight flywheel mated to an E36 gearbox.
Along the way the engine mounts were upgraded to AKG track spec mounts from the US (I was impressed with the difference they made without to much additional vibration).
A modified M52 manifold was wrapped and fitted to a custom signal pipe system, with a dual pipe back box.
The car initially had a K&N fitted, but it was replaced with a BMC cold air intake with a feed from the front bumper.
The car retains the E36 cooling system, with an E36 (A/C) rad and electric fan with manual override switch in the cabin.
After some issues the original swirl pot was replaced and all fuel lines were run through the car. this was mated to a Bosch 044 external fuel pump with a good condition E30 pump remaining in the tank (which was also replaced).
Suspension comprised of Gaz coilovers with fully adjustable top mounts, an E46 '067' steering rack and custom UJ's. A Z4 3.0 litre gear shifter was fitted along with 328 linkages.
WMS 4 pot front callipers and discs were fitted along with DS2500 pads. The rears are E30 325 rear discs and DS2500 pads.
The wheels are original BBS 15 inch sprayed black with 10mm spacers and custom centre caps. Wrapped in Federal 595 RSR tyres
The car was fully polybushed (powerflex) with the exception of a Z3M bush for the diff. Stiffer anti roll bars were also fitted, as well as the ability to adjust the rear beam.
A 3.64.1 LSD was checked and fitted.
Once completed the engine was mapped at EndTuning.
Internally, other than the role cage a Corbeau winged drivers set and Sparco passenger seat were fitted on adjustable runners. Along with Sabelt harnesses.
The original battery was replaced with a Racelight Odessey and positioned behind the drivers seat.
A plumbed in fire extinguisher was fitted, along with an electrical cut off Switch, oil temperature and pressure gauges and a voltage gauge. The steering wheel was replaced with an OMP deep dish steering wheel (or a smaller flat OMP wheel depending on the cars use) along with a B&G adjustable steering wheel spacer.
Externally and internally the car was sprayed in a light blue, and after I gave it a full machine polish it came up very well. I know that may seem excessive for a track car, but there's nothing wrong with having pride in your car no matter what its purpose.
The finished picturess. A combination of the previous owners work and my own.
And a few arty ones.
The car is not a garage queen and gets used as intended on track, but is looked after and enjoyed. No point having a shiney track car that never turns a wheel.
Edited by smiles1 on Sunday 11th May 21:10
I would give my right leg to own a car with that spec. The small details like how tidy the cabin is really makes the car a different level of track day car. I hope you get many happy miles motoring out of it. More pictures would definitely be welcomed 
I don't normally comment for the sake of it, but I felt compelled to do so this time - that is fantastic! I'm constantly amazed at not just the time, effort and money some PHers put into their cars, but the in depth knowledge behind it all as well. I consider myself an enthusiast but wouldn't have a clue how to rebuild or upgrade something so well (assuming I had the time and money of course!)
Very neat and tidy mate, it looks like a proper, thorough job. Very impressed and somewhat envious! It's not a dissimilar spec to my own, although I've tried to build mine from as many serviceable used parts as possible due to budget constraints and it shows when I see a project as well executed as yours!
I'd be interested to see your BMC filter arrangement - I have one too, but I can't seem to find the room to get a feed from the front bumper?
I'd be interested to see your BMC filter arrangement - I have one too, but I can't seem to find the room to get a feed from the front bumper?
Thanks for the comments, I usually get two remarks when people see it. Either 'why have you gone to that much effort for a track car?' or 'I like that, shame you removed the interior as it would be great as a road car'. But for me it serves its purposes well, it's great on track, it's fully road legal (and the dampers can be backed off for road use) and it looks good (in my opinion).
It would be different if I was planning to race it, but I'm not (and the engine makes it a difficult car to put in a specific class) so as a track and general fun car it's great.
Motorhole - I'll get some pictures of the BMC and the routing of the pipe work. Ultimately the cold air feed comes out of the front bumper (you can see the circular inlet on the drivers side of the bumper). The BMC is held with a couple of brackets that were made and the air feed routes through a hole in the bottom of the engine bay.
It would be different if I was planning to race it, but I'm not (and the engine makes it a difficult car to put in a specific class) so as a track and general fun car it's great.
Motorhole - I'll get some pictures of the BMC and the routing of the pipe work. Ultimately the cold air feed comes out of the front bumper (you can see the circular inlet on the drivers side of the bumper). The BMC is held with a couple of brackets that were made and the air feed routes through a hole in the bottom of the engine bay.
Few more pictures, and info on the BMC mounting/cold air feed.
Just to prove it does get used and not just cleaned.
Couple of engine bay shots.
Close up of the BMC and how it is supported and the cold air feed routed.
Battery relocated behind the passenger seat.
And a few of the cage and interior.
Just to prove it does get used and not just cleaned.
Couple of engine bay shots.
Close up of the BMC and how it is supported and the cold air feed routed.
Battery relocated behind the passenger seat.
And a few of the cage and interior.
Thanks Smiles, I see what you‘ve done there, that‘s a big help. I still have the factory airbox bracket on the nearside arch and have mounted the BMC to this with a little bracket - I didn‘t want to grind it off and mess up a nice paint job! I see you‘ve removed it which gives you a little more room - nice bit of forward planning 
Also your joiner between MAF and airbox is shorter - I guess I could do with shortening mine, nothing stopping me from doing that.
Just noticed you‘ve got a 3.64 diff too - that must launch off the line like a rocket!
Here‘s a pic of mine:
Also your joiner between MAF and airbox is shorter - I guess I could do with shortening mine, nothing stopping me from doing that. Just noticed you‘ve got a 3.64 diff too - that must launch off the line like a rocket!
Here‘s a pic of mine:
Good to see another M52 build, looks like a decent shell. I've just found your thread so will have a read
The diff ratio and the lightweight flywheel seem to be a great combination, and with the standard (Sachs) clutch retained it's not violent or heavy.
Any plans for a trackday or similar?
The diff ratio and the lightweight flywheel seem to be a great combination, and with the standard (Sachs) clutch retained it's not violent or heavy.
Any plans for a trackday or similar?
LukeDM said:
If only it was real carbon fiber that has been painted 
The first bonnet that was used was a lightweight GRP, but it moved around to much at speed and required additional bonnet pins to hold it down. The current bonnet is the orignal which retains the two rollers at the back and bonnet pins at the front so that it can be removed completely. It has then been vinyl wrapped.Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff