325TI - Project Mpact
Discussion
I've started another thread named "The Alternative Italian Job ~ Classic Mini", if you want to read something a bit different to this one!. The Project Mpact thread is far from over, I've just got a bit more to write about an crusty old Mini that's more that likely going to get out of hand.
amc_adam said:
I've started another thread named "The Alternative Italian Job ~ Classic Mini", if you want to read something a bit different to this one!. The Project Mpact thread is far from over, I've just got a bit more to write about an crusty old Mini that's more that likely going to get out of hand.
Link - https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=19...Just found this build after I was searching for 325Ti content (I have an Imola Red facelift). The OP is a genius, there is no other word or term for it.
The level of skill and attention to detail shown in this thread beggars belief, and that's coming from an Engineer.
You, Sir, are Master and Commander. Just simply wow.
Breath-taking work; I need to find something for you to do on my cars.
The level of skill and attention to detail shown in this thread beggars belief, and that's coming from an Engineer.
You, Sir, are Master and Commander. Just simply wow.
Breath-taking work; I need to find something for you to do on my cars.
Just found this thread after search for 325ti compact stuff. Read from start to finish and my god, man! Y'all have some serious skills!
I'm picking up a slightly tatty Imola Red 325ti M-Sport in a couple of weeks when I travel away for a family holiday that is going to be my first project and track car. Might have to send it your way to get the underside treated and done as yours looks f'ing fantastic!
I'm picking up a slightly tatty Imola Red 325ti M-Sport in a couple of weeks when I travel away for a family holiday that is going to be my first project and track car. Might have to send it your way to get the underside treated and done as yours looks f'ing fantastic!
Thank you for all the comments, much appreciated. I hope this thread helps others with their builds!
I have been tinkering with the Compact still, changed the top mounts yet again as the spherical bearings I used seemed to be made of chocolate and the SKF replacements ordered had more play in them than the previous chocolate ones, but I'll try and get this all updated with images soon.
Also had a track evening at Snetterton last Tuesday (8th), slowly getting my confidence back driving it a bit harder, but always leave with a list of improvements I can do with time I don't have
Thanks.
I have been tinkering with the Compact still, changed the top mounts yet again as the spherical bearings I used seemed to be made of chocolate and the SKF replacements ordered had more play in them than the previous chocolate ones, but I'll try and get this all updated with images soon.
Also had a track evening at Snetterton last Tuesday (8th), slowly getting my confidence back driving it a bit harder, but always leave with a list of improvements I can do with time I don't have
Thanks.
1602Mark said:
Were you to put this up against a similarly modified M3, which do think would be quicker? What pros and cons would you see / feel? I know it's a bit subjective in a lot of ways but just intrigued to hear your thoughts.
Mark
Hello Mark,Mark
I'd say in a straight line there wouldn't be much between the two, the compacts 17" wheels have a smaller rolling radius so this may help with acceleration, and is slightly lighter, but in the corners the M3 with it's wider track, wider wheels/tyres and better front geometry (caster/camber) would probably stick better.
Like you say, it's a bit subjective. Plus, I wouldn't say I am the best driver by any means, so with me driving the compact is probably slower
Must be about time for an update!
Firstly, the front top mounts that I previously spent far too long making.... the spherical bearings, they didn't last long. Neither did the second set of bearings which were a different brand and quite a bit more expensive. Turns out the country roads aren't kind on them.
So back to the drawing board, well...realoem.com to compare part numbers. After spending hours hunting through different models of BMW, I found that Z4M front top mounts looked like they could work. They have the same internal bore as the E46 M3 one's, which is what I needed as I'm using E46 M3 KW coilovers. Also, as I'm using the stock Compact lower arms (not the wider track M3 items) I needed to keep the same geometry as the original Compact, which luckily the Z4M items do.
So I ordered some new items from Cotswold BMW, with all the extra rubber bits, dust covers etc. A week or so later they turned up, as I'd only worked off information I'd found online I was a bit apprehensive about it all working.
Above, left are the billet aluminum one's I previously made, center are the Z4M items and to the right are the original E46 M3 items.
You'll also notice that the Z4M mounts are quite a bit shallower than the E46 M3 items, which is another bonus. As this meant I could lower the car slightly more and still maintain a good bit of suspension travel.
While I was faffing around with all this, I'd been doing quite a bit of fabrication work a couple of days a week at a motorsport company. With a track day soon approaching they advised me to try and achieve a bit more caster as this would help on 'turning in'.
So I made a couple of plates (one each side, out of 5mm stainless) that bolt to the top mount which offsets the strut slightly further back once its bolted inside the turret.
Unfortunately I didn't get any more photo's of this, as I made the plates and assembled everything the night before the track day. But the Z4M top mounts bolted all together perfectly, so the hours of guesstimated research payed off!.
The track day went well, and the car performed brilliantly.
Next up, I'd previously pictured somewhere in the thread that I'd bought some new Michelin tyres. These were to be fitted to some 19" VMR VB3 wheels (a nice quality, staggard, CSL replica wheel which have the concaved rears) which I bought for this car 10 or so years ago.
Unfortunately, the wheels needed a refurb as a friend had a slight mishap while fitting some tyres years ago, and i'd been putting this off as I wanted to match the original finish of 'hyper silver', I'd spoken to a few refurbishment companies and each had their own idea of what 'hyper silver' was, one wanting to do them a smoked chrome type finish
.
Luckily, via Instagram I found a guy fairly local (Ipswich) who could match or as close as the 'hyper silver', He is also known for refurbing genuine CSL wheels which are the same finish.
So after 6 years or so, the wheels were refurbished and he also fitted the tyres.
The first thing I noticed is that the car is much more 'twitchy' on these 19" wheels, as opposed to the stock 17" wheels. This may be due to the lower profile tyre of the fact these are hefty lumps compared to the stock wheels.
But, these Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres have transformed the way the car handles, it just sticks to the road. Either that or the Continental tyres I had on the 17" wheels had been through so many heat cycles that they were completely, erm... had it.
And that pretty much some's it up, apart from a recently failed coilpack.
When I get chance I'll update the Classic Mini thread ("The Alternative Itailian Job") on here, slow progress has been made on that, and as expected it's got slightly more involved, lets just call it an engineering exercise
.
That's all for now!
Firstly, the front top mounts that I previously spent far too long making.... the spherical bearings, they didn't last long. Neither did the second set of bearings which were a different brand and quite a bit more expensive. Turns out the country roads aren't kind on them.
So back to the drawing board, well...realoem.com to compare part numbers. After spending hours hunting through different models of BMW, I found that Z4M front top mounts looked like they could work. They have the same internal bore as the E46 M3 one's, which is what I needed as I'm using E46 M3 KW coilovers. Also, as I'm using the stock Compact lower arms (not the wider track M3 items) I needed to keep the same geometry as the original Compact, which luckily the Z4M items do.
So I ordered some new items from Cotswold BMW, with all the extra rubber bits, dust covers etc. A week or so later they turned up, as I'd only worked off information I'd found online I was a bit apprehensive about it all working.
Above, left are the billet aluminum one's I previously made, center are the Z4M items and to the right are the original E46 M3 items.
You'll also notice that the Z4M mounts are quite a bit shallower than the E46 M3 items, which is another bonus. As this meant I could lower the car slightly more and still maintain a good bit of suspension travel.
While I was faffing around with all this, I'd been doing quite a bit of fabrication work a couple of days a week at a motorsport company. With a track day soon approaching they advised me to try and achieve a bit more caster as this would help on 'turning in'.
So I made a couple of plates (one each side, out of 5mm stainless) that bolt to the top mount which offsets the strut slightly further back once its bolted inside the turret.
Unfortunately I didn't get any more photo's of this, as I made the plates and assembled everything the night before the track day. But the Z4M top mounts bolted all together perfectly, so the hours of guesstimated research payed off!.
The track day went well, and the car performed brilliantly.
Next up, I'd previously pictured somewhere in the thread that I'd bought some new Michelin tyres. These were to be fitted to some 19" VMR VB3 wheels (a nice quality, staggard, CSL replica wheel which have the concaved rears) which I bought for this car 10 or so years ago.
Unfortunately, the wheels needed a refurb as a friend had a slight mishap while fitting some tyres years ago, and i'd been putting this off as I wanted to match the original finish of 'hyper silver', I'd spoken to a few refurbishment companies and each had their own idea of what 'hyper silver' was, one wanting to do them a smoked chrome type finish
. Luckily, via Instagram I found a guy fairly local (Ipswich) who could match or as close as the 'hyper silver', He is also known for refurbing genuine CSL wheels which are the same finish.
So after 6 years or so, the wheels were refurbished and he also fitted the tyres.
The first thing I noticed is that the car is much more 'twitchy' on these 19" wheels, as opposed to the stock 17" wheels. This may be due to the lower profile tyre of the fact these are hefty lumps compared to the stock wheels.
But, these Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres have transformed the way the car handles, it just sticks to the road. Either that or the Continental tyres I had on the 17" wheels had been through so many heat cycles that they were completely, erm... had it.
And that pretty much some's it up, apart from a recently failed coilpack.
When I get chance I'll update the Classic Mini thread ("The Alternative Itailian Job") on here, slow progress has been made on that, and as expected it's got slightly more involved, lets just call it an engineering exercise
.That's all for now!
Lack of over engineered dustpan in this update, I am very disappointed 
Glad it is still going well, I was walking a friend through your thread the other day as he has a similar project in mind. Also if I am not mistaken I have recently moved not so far from you near Chatteris so I will keep my eyes pealed for the Compact when out and about.
Glad it is still going well, I was walking a friend through your thread the other day as he has a similar project in mind. Also if I am not mistaken I have recently moved not so far from you near Chatteris so I will keep my eyes pealed for the Compact when out and about.
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