Thursday 5th September 2013

BMW 328i (E36): PH Fleet

Dale's silver commuter 3 Series gatecrashes VLN practice

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Before I go any further with this month's update, I really need to point something out. My BMW E36 328i is not, and never will be, a real race car. It lacks the proper welded-in safety cell, plumbed-in fire extinguishers and electrical cut outs of a competition car. There's a stereo, a full dashboard and four black leather door cards. Even the rear bench seat remains so that my dog can come to work with me.

It's not a racing car but it gets to play with them

But it's still a lot more performance-orientated than any road-going car needs to be. So while it does carry licence plates and insurance and gets used two to three times a week for commuting it could never be considered comfortable either.

It's a dichotmy that I try not get lost in. But also one that I enjoy, and that's why I took the aging 328i in to VLN practice last month. Officially the Nurburgring's endurance races are a one-day meeting with practice, qualifying and a four-hour race all packed into one busy Saturday.

But every Friday night before a race there's an expensive and short two-hour track day using the exact same pitlane and course layout. And Friday mornings are normally a similar trackday just on the GP course. This means that race teams can arrive Thursday night and serious racers can indulge in some 'practice' the day before.

After my 'third time lucky' VLN race last month I've been drafted into the team indefinitely. But the next race was a six-hour jobby, with four drivers per car. I couldn't rightly take valuable tracktime off other less-experienced team-mates, so I made a bold decision. I would entertain my sponsors and taxi lap guests in my own personal car. Instead of driving one or maybe two laps in practice, I actually completed seven!

Dale takes a wrong turn on the way to the office

While my road legal semi-slicks were definitely a step below the performance of the racing slicks around me, and my stock-engined 328i could never be described as fast, the reality was that the E36 did well. The freer-flowing M50 325i intake manifold is on (thanks Rich!) but I've not done the ECU upgrade yet. On track the improved power is a bit peaky and lacking mid-range, but we weren't the slowest thing out there, and we were even quick enough to plan those inevitable get-the-hell-outta-the-way moments relatively easily.

And my passengers loved it!

On one lap the guest actually dropped the windows, just to fill the car with the bellowing noise of a BMW Z4 GT3. When cars like that, the AMG SLS GT3 or Sabine's new Porsche come past, the hairs on your neck just stand on end. It's amazing and an honour to be sharing track space with the pros in their factory-supplied race cars.

I'm not sure they feel the same way about my silver and rust coloured 328i road-car, but at least I moved over quick enough.

Fact sheet
Car: 1997 BMW 328i SE
Run by: Dale Lomas
Bought: September 2012
Purchase price: £950
This month: Chased a Ferrari 430 race car around the VLN course.

Vid here, complete with NSFW discussion of said Ferrari...

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Previous reports
Dale's RX-8 dies, BMW bought in replacement
What doesn't kill a car makes it stronger ... hopefully
Dale splashes out on suspension...
...and then gets some track tyres too!
E36 takes on E30 (and a deer)
Two old Beemers battle it out on the Nordschleife

Action photos by Jochen of www.frozenspeed.com

[sniff diesel]

You're welcome Dale!

Trying to get another ECU mapped for you to bring out in 2 weeks time. Will keep you posted.

[pw32]

The friday evening pitlane is the maddest thing ever. I did wonder what all the people were stood around with helmets were doing there. Selling laps in a test session with all that machinery...only at the nurburgring.....

[MightyCondor]

Great update Dale

I made my first visit to the Ring that very day and spend a while watching proceedings, so it’s nice to know a bit more about what was going on. Pretty sure that I saw your car out there too (pretty distinctive wheels)!
The SLS AMGs beat everything else hands down for noise.

[pw32]

They sure do!

Ive only put a lap from qualifying up on YouTube so far.

There is another video of my team mate chasing down hans stuck when he has his big off in qualifying. Crash seems to go for a long time. Glad he was alright.

Pretty sure I saw your car on track Dale.

Edit; yes that was us at 6.15.

Edited by pw32 on Thursday 5th September 15:42

[pw32]

Dale, did you finish and are you doing a full write up? Be interested to read it!!

[Dale Lomas]

Hi PW32... yes, we finished. Was it you in the pearl-white AMG GT3? If so, I might have some video of interest to you. From Brünchenn 2 as it overtakes the 125i...

[itsrodders]

Somewhat unusually for me, I watched this video all the way through: ten-tenths flat out in an old Bimmer? You have my respect, Dale!

[pw32]

Dale Lomas said:

Hi PW32... yes, we finished. Was it you in the pearl-white AMG GT3? If so, I might have some video of interest to you. From Brünchenn 2 as it overtakes the 125i...

Ah, yes Fortec SLS was us, please send me the link. I haven't seen it yet as the camera was with the car. Don't think the damage was too bad but it was enough to end the race for us Rad was gone. Slicks on a damp track didn't end well.

[SlipStream77]

Nicely driven.

The steering looks pretty slow though, is that a standard rack?

[kars]

SlipStream77 said:

Nicely driven.

The steering looks pretty slow though, is that a standard rack?

"There are 3 different ratios that E36 cars came equipped with. All non-M 3-series coupes and sedans 92-98 came with a 3.2 turn lock-to-lock rack. M3s and M Z3s 96+ had a 3.2 ratio rack as well. 95 M3 had a 3.0 turns lock-lock rack and a 2.8L Z3 96+ had a 2.7. All of the racks look virtually the same, Z3 rack looks different but all the mounting points and the hose attachments are the same as all other E36 racks. It is really easy to tell the racks apart by just looking at them. Silver (unfinished aluminum) racks are 3.2, Gray (anodized) are 3.0 and Z3 racks look like E30 racks with a steel plated tube."(c)rmeuropean.com

[TheEnd]

Yea, I did notice the steering looked a little unusual.

The M3 3.0 rack is a funny one though, it's a variable ratio so the middle is slower than standard, and the edges speed up quite a lot. I used to have one on my E36 and I quite liked it, but overall they weren't too popular and BMW swapped back to the standard fixed speed rack on the 3.2.

[sef535]

Great Video Dale , Sound mota and maxing the old girl out with no issues would love another trip out there with the e36 evo ive got parked up in the garage .Considerate driving too always gets a thumbs up from me to .

[lordgibbness]

I see you have uprated your suspension which must help, but what brakes do you currently have?

I did a track day in my M3 and the brakes were absolutely aweful. I'm now in the process of ordering an AP Racing BBK and Castrol race fluid!

[Doodles19]

Love these updates Dale, especially your regular YouTube uploads.

Keep it up!

[si_xsi]

great vid - cant believe how far these rev out to!

[Beanoir]

'I always let Sabine pass'

haha..

[Dale Lomas]

Hi guys, the car is on Nitron R1 coil overs installed, spec'd and setup by Spires: http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...

The brakes are stock 328i with Motul RBF, Hawk DTC pads and ATE powerdiscs. Perfectly adequate for a VLN car doing 4 or even 6 hour races, therefore also ok for me!

[helix402]

Good video. Hope the remap brings good results. I drive an E46 328i.