BMW e46 330 Endurance Car Advice

[IgnitionMS]

Hi all

I am looking to build a car for endurance racing I am looking to convert an e46 330ci for endurance racing.

Can anyone recommend parts, mods etc I would like to leave the engine as standard as possible.

Thanks

[HustleRussell]

Buy a ready made one, it will be cheaper- even if the donor car costs you nothing.

[geeks]

IgnitionMS said:

Hi all

I am looking to build a car for endurance racing I am looking to convert an e46 330ci for endurance racing.

Can anyone recommend parts, mods etc I would like to leave the engine as standard as possible.

Thanks

Which series/championship? From memory you'll want a 5 speed not a 6 speed box, the oil pump is a known weak point and an upgraded replacement can be sought. The rest is fairly universal though. Would be worth a chat with Robin at RAW Motorsport he has built dozens of them and can source the parts you'll need.

HustleRussell said:

Buy a ready made one, it will be cheaper- even if the donor car costs you nothing.

Not always.

[IgnitionMS]

Hi thanks. We’d like to build our own so we know exactly what has gone into it. Have considered buying a ready made one.

Why the 5 speed over the 6speed?

[IgnitionMS]

Sorry it would be for the 750 roadsports and then club enduro once we have experience

[geeks]

IgnitionMS said:

Hi thanks. We’d like to build our own so we know exactly what has gone into it. Have considered buying a ready made one.

Why the 5 speed over the 6speed?

5 speed is the stronger of the two boxes. I would still talk to Robin if I were you, he has built literally a dozen of the things and as I said can source the bits you will need!

[andye30m3]

It might be worth building to http://www.750mc.co.uk/formulae/bmw-330-challenge.... regs so that if/when you come to change it there's a championship it can run in, built 330 challenge cars seam to be advertised for quite strong money

[IgnitionMS]

Thanks for the advice I’ll drop him a line. Did consider building to the 330 rules but they are quite restricted regs

[geeks]

IgnitionMS said:

Thanks for the advice I’ll drop him a line. Did consider building to the 330 rules but they are quite restricted regs

They're actually pretty open all things considered however in terms of endurance yes I can see why you would consider them so.

[IgnitionMS]

Can anyone recommend tyres that would be good for endurance racing

[geeks]

Quick question just for my own curiosity, have you done anything like this before?

In any case I would recommend you get yourself over to their next event and have a stroll around the paddock and see what everyone else is up to and have a chat with James Winstanley from the club (usually found swilling coffee and bacon rolls in race admin) and any of the guys competing, most will be friendly enough. I know the M3s and the 330s race on Nankang AR1s but not sure what the roadsports guys use, I have done endurance on both the AR1 and the NS2R and never had an issue but then I don't have quite the power they do.

[IgnitionMS]

Hi I currently race but have not built a car before a big step I know but am considering my options. I will definitely get down to a future event

[andy rob]

HustleRussell said:

Buy a ready made one, it will be cheaper- even if the donor car costs you nothing.

I agree, 100%, the amount of times I hear:
Im not paying £15000 for that well preparded race car, I can convert a road car for £5000
Then the reality been is costs £20000 to convert the road car and then another £20000 to make it competitve and a year out of your life.
Last 3 race cars ive bought have been proper things with all the right bits on but needing a bit tlc

[IgnitionMS]

100% agree my current car was pre built and I saved thousands not building myself.

I suppose I could broaden my original question. Whether a road car conversion or an existing race car what modifications would be needed to help the car do endurance racing

[Dan BSCS]

If you want to do well in Roadsports/Club Enduro then just buy an M3 Cup car and throw away all the stty Yellowspeed stuff.

http://www.750mc.co.uk/classifieds,frontrunning-m3...

It’s the cheapest and simplest way.

And AR-1s are most definitely the tyre of choice.

HTH

Dan

[geeks]

How is spending 24k on an M3 and then another 3-6 on bits cheaper than spending 10-12 on a 330 build?

[Dan BSCS]

I didn’t say it was cheaper than a £12k 330 build. I said, “ If you want to do well”.

There’s no way a £12k 330 build will be competitive in Roadsports/Club Enduro. An M3 cup car will be. Even with the stty Yellowspeed bits.

Dan

[geeks]

Dan BSCS said:

I didn’t say it was cheaper than a £12k 330 build. I said, “ If you want to do well”.

There’s no way a £12k 330 build will be competitive in Roadsports/Club Enduro. An M3 cup car will be. Even with the stty Yellowspeed bits.

Dan

Depends on the class no? Not looked at them recently but not sure the 330 would end up in the same class as the M3? Although it's worth pointing out that there are some 330s out there capable of taking on and beating the Tegiwa M3s but they aren't 12k 330s, the parts costs are around inc the car 15K, obviously if you cant weld then its going get alot more expensive very quickly!

[Dan BSCS]

330 challenge car would be Class B.

Looking at previous results the fastest 330 challenge cars are 4-6 seconds a lap off the pace of the quickest Class B cars in Club Enduro.

M3 cup cars are bang on the pace of Class A cars.

[IgnitionMS]

Sorry forgot to mention would be building a class b or c car. Surely a 330 could get on the pace for B. 330 challenge regs look quite strict in terms of what you can do especially Regards weight etc