PPC £999 Challenge E36

[Robert060379]

I'm new to this brand and would really appreciate some grounded advice as to what to do with the newest addition to my driveway.

I have purchased a 1994 BMW 320i E36 for £300 to compete in the Practical Performance Car magazine £999 Challenge. I drove a 318 Compact as a company car a few years ago (ten) and liked the platform but never really considered owning one myself. This one is a left hand drive four door saloon (why it was so cheap) and now I have bought a bucket seat for £40 I have £659 to spend on the rest of the car. Being left hand drive means the steering rack doesn't get in the way of the exhaust so I am considering a turbo conversion. Once all the un-necesary interior and bits are removed I'll be looking at upgrades that are as cost effective as possible. Selling the parrts I take off and replacing them with either BMW parts bin items or some D.I.Y fabrication.

Is a turbo conversion the best route to take? Maybe supercharging with BMW Mini Eaton M45 would be a more cost effective option. Has anyone done this before? Brake and suspension upgrades, after market 320 items or stock 328? Engine transplant options? Obviously keeping the 320 would be easier but how much hastle would fitting a 540 V8 be considering whole cars can be bought for very little and all the conversion parts are there. Can the 540 be maried up to a manual box?



I'll update this thread with the build progression as well as the PPC Forum thread in the "£999 Build diary" section.

Thank you in advance for your advice. Rob

Edited by Liquid Knight on Thursday 3rd June 00:57

Edited by Liquid Knight on Thursday 3rd June 01:03

[TheEnd]

v8 conversion - everyone has thought of it, some have even got as far as planning it, and about 10 people actually got round to doing it.
it's a pain in the ass as the sump has a lump where you don't want a bump.
for brakes, try to find M3 front hubs and calipers, and swap the complete lot over, and get the stiffest springs and roll bars about.

an engine swap to a 325 would be the easiest and cheapest, 328 would require a bit more fiddling

[R6dug]

V8 conversion is a shed load of hassle just going through this with a mate and should be done in the next couple of months.

As said above a 325 engine conversion would be your best bet.

[Robert060379]

How about the six pot from a 535? I've seen that done to an E30. That's a long term solution the £999 Challenge is in six months. I have a low mileage nearly full sevice history engine that in the best traditional sence isn't broken so doesn't need fixing. Eaton M45 looks like it will be less hastle than a turbo or two. With a decent exhaust, brakes and suspension set up the car should be competetive. Rather than the Mini one maybe one off a Merc' obvious difference in the 320 engine and the Chrysler Neon engine in the Mini would make the SLK Kompressor more in keeping with the engines characteristics. 323 or 325 injectors to stop the engine leaning off and detonating maybe? More air needs more fuel.

Thanks for the advice on the V8, I had prety much dismissed it due to time scale and the fact the car needs to handle as well.

[TheEnd]

a s/h eaton and pipes, intercooler would cost more than a 2.5, and you wouldn't get much difference in the power.
setting it all up would be a pain in the ass too.
the big block 3.5 produces something like 214bhp but is pretty low tech.
it might just be worth a punt, knowing the e34 had both the m30 and m50 fitted at various stages in it's life, but you still get awkward bits like getting exhaust manifolds and sump clearances.

[sniff diesel]

320i uses the same front brakes as the 328i, although the rears are vented also on the 328. As said M3 hubs and calipers are the way to go for a cheap upgrade, with some yellowstuff pads on good standard discs.

Rip out as much weight as you can - I've managed to get 250kgs out of my M3 track car despite adding 50kgs of roll cage and keeping the car road legal.

Then it'll need lowering as it'll be up in the air on the stock suspension. I reckon some of those £200 Jamex coilovers will be your best bet for your budget.

Keep your eye out on Ebay for some cheap wheels and sticky tyres. I've managed to get a set of 5 328i sport BBS 2 peice wheels for £70, and some half worn Toyo R888's for £30 a tyre (delivered!).

Power wise, I'd go for an M52B28 lump out of a 328i (don't go for one out of 5 series as the sump bump is in the wrong place and you'll have to change it) I beleive it'll go on your standard 320i gearbox (I know a M50B25 lump will) and keep your standard 320i axle for the nice low 3.45 diff ratio and great acceleration up to about 130mph top end.

You can get a 328i lump for a couple of hundred quid, a nice advantage is it'll be a lighter alloy block than the M50 you've got in there. Then if you get chance get an inlet manifold off a 325i/525i M50 engine and swap it over. You'll loose a bit of low end torque, but will gain power at anything from 4.5k upwards and the engine will be a lot keener to rev. With the lowered gearing from the 320i diff and the reduced weight from stripping the car the loss of torque won't be a problem. Finally a nice heat shielded induction kit will find you a couple more BHP.

Is it a Lithuanian registered E36 in dark blue? I think I remember seeing it for sale. Some people reckon the LHD E36's have better left to right weight distribution with just the driver onboard.

[cpl_payne]

If you're considering using an Eaton supercharger you might want to have a read on Appletree's setup in www.e30zone.net engine swap section. He's done a great job on an e30 318is four pot with some very nice DIY fabrication, there's also an article on his car in one of older PPC issues. A couple of hours reading that thread should help you to make up your mind whether to use s/c or not.

[Robert060379]

Found out the brakes were the same after I asked.
Have a pair of Fiat Coupe Brembo's in my shed. They'll do.

[sniff diesel]

Robert060379 said:

Have a pair of Fiat Coupe Brembo's in my shed. They'll do.

In that case use E46 M3 discs as they're the same bolt pattern but a bit bigger diameter at 325mm.

[Robert060379]

Here's the inspiration behind the project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCij9mYIokA

One of my vivid childhood memories and now E30 prices are skyrocketing the E36 makes a lot of sence as a track day project.

Hopefully collecting the car tomorrow so pictures should be up soon.

Edited by Robert060379 on Thursday 15th April 18:48

[WhiteBaron]

Robert060379 said:

Here's the inspiration behind the project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCij9mYIokA

One of my vivid childhood memories and now E30 prices are skyrocketing the E36 makes a lot of sence as a track day project.

Hopefully collecting the car tomorrow so pictures should be up soon.

Edited by Robert060379 on Thursday 15th April 18:48

The clips ends before John Clelands rant at Soper I still have the season review on video!

[Robert060379]

Parental advisory? I was twenty Feet away with dad holding his hands over my ears.

[WhiteBaron]

I'm sure it was, by the time it got to the TV interview it had been toned down along the lines of " he may be able to get away that in Germany where he's Mr bloody superstar" - its not on youtube though - part of orignial bbc series review

[Robert060379]

Four hour drive today to collect the bum holder. Haven't picked the car up yet.

[Robert060379]

Can't pick the car up today my brother's at work.

E46 brake disks cost more than the car. Maybe once the competition's over in September and the car's a full time track day toy I'll get a pair.

[sniff diesel]

Robert060379 said:

E46 brake disks cost more than the car. Maybe once the competition's over in September and the car's a full time track day toy I'll get a pair.

Didn't say they had to be brand new try asking in the M power forum. Lots of people like to change discs and pads together even when the discs have plenty of life left in them.

[Super Veloce]

Silly question but can you sell the 2.0low mileage lump? and put the funds back into the £999?

Same with all the parts you remove?

[Robert060379]

Yes all the parts sold are taken from the total spend. If I sell the standard calipers I can recoup some of the Brembo's price etc. So long as the total build is £999 or less, the car has four wheels (with road legal tyres) and an M.O.T you can enter. Last years car was a Fiat Bravo 1.6 powered Panda I was planning to supercharge but it was writen off by a Polish driver who forgot to look right at a junction.

I like the competition because it reminds me of proper motorsport before corprate sponsorship and health and safety took over. A bunch of guys in sheds with a limited budget going as fast as they can.

Collecting the car on Wednesday so I'll be able to post more pictures then, but for now here's the bum holder I picked up yesterday and had fun on the Snake Pass in a Cinquecento (Bloody Hell WRX's are slow).

[RichardNorris]

Personally, i'd just buy a 328i with a nikasil engine that has given it's owner the willies and they've decided to get rid.

That should set you back about £600 and you've got yourself 200bhp.

Try and get some good tyres cheap and maybe a brake fluid change and new pads and you should have a competent car for well under £999.

Strip it a bit and you've got a pretty quick car.

[Robert060379]

RichardNorris said:

Personally, i'd just buy a 328i with a nikasil engine that has given it's owner the willies and they've decided to get rid.

That should set you back about £600 and you've got yourself 200bhp.

Try and get some good tyres cheap and maybe a brake fluid change and new pads and you should have a competent car for well under £999.

Strip it a bit and you've got a pretty quick car.

Funny I was offered a 328 for £700 today, 800cc would be an extra £1,680 to insure.