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Judging by the diplomatic smiles and looks of bewilderment I receive when I mention German cars in the company of JDM-fed young guys I am reminded of the time my brother-in-law and I went on the Harley Ride Day in our full leathers complete with day-glo and race boots.....talk about discrimination, Animal and Snake and Tiny didn’t talk to us the whole day!!

Admittedly, when I first leafed through a copy of “Performance BMW” the brand names seemed weird, unfamiliar and often German. The cars were in the UK, USA, Germany, Switzerland, Malaysia and Mexico. This was like putting down Street Machine and picking up Zoom. Only after many months of research (web browsing.....hey, there’s sex on this interweb thingy too!!) am I now familiar with what motor is what, what it comes from and what it can go into.

So.................why after a couple of years of good-times with a Datsun IP car followed by some sprinting in the MR2 , would I go BMW?? There are many reasons but basically I like them, particularly E30 3-Series coupe’s. I’ve liked them since Jim Richards drove black ones at Bathurst.

What I intend to do with the one I have now is (after making it pretty of course) to build something speedy for Lapsprints that can be developed to be an IP car as time/money permit (less money=more time). Whilst I had considered Series 1/2/3 RX7’s, Datsun 1600’s, Escorts etc they are all getting old now and panels/parts are getting expensive.

BMW E30 coupes are relatively cheap (under 2k if you’re really lucky, stupid or brave.....I prefer to pay a bit more for better), RWD and those sneaky Bavarians made 2.5 million of them. They can also come down to around 950-1000kg with cage, have good independent suspension and a tight chassis. Plus with the range of later model twin-cam motors available I could be an Over 2lt IP car with motors from 2.5L – 3.5L capacity (all variable cam timing!!). Plus there are M3 motors for about the price of an RB26.

I could also be an Under 2L car with a variety of fours available but who would resist a 2L-6cyl!! And this is why BMW won World Touring Car titles against the 4cyl Audi’s etc.

All motors are pretty much a bolt-in using BMW parts. Gearboxes are interchangeable with few exceptions. E30 bodyshells have variable gearbox/engine mounts to suit the factory range of 4cyl and 6cyl motors which makes things much easier for rego etc.

I am a member of an E30 forum which has 360’000 members. There are about four main forums so info regarding swaps and other performance upgrades is freely available. The bit I am loving most about the whole BMW thing is that they have been modifying E30’s since the mid 80’s so everything has been done and recorded. Info plus! Much different to the TA22 Celica I tried to build.

I think I have now convinced my housemate that I can find more aftermarket stuff for my E30 than he can for his Corolla. This includes serious suspension and brake parts, motor parts including cranks, rods, cams etc. Pretty much everything is available and in many cases cheaper than Jap equivalents.

Less demand usually means lower prices and this is certainly the case with BMW motors from wreckers. People who prang them when new claim insurance and they don’t fk up that often (German engineering) that replacement motors are commonly sought after. Anywhere between $500 and $1500 will by a complete motor with ECU etc and $30 will buy the electrical adapter (aftermarket) for the conversion into the E30.

At this point in time I have a set of King Springs and the car is on a truck.

Early days indeed.


Cheers,

Steve

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OOPS!!

Go steve go!

Easy on the reply/post button though, this isnt playstation mate.

Nice choice dude.

Some funny things about euros are the discrepancy's in pricing of OEM spares, not genuine vs genuine, but o.e.m prices.

I.E. my Brothers 5 series 1996- front pads: OEM manufacturer: Textar$264 pair
My S class mercedes pads: OEM manufacturer Textar $49

5 series front shocks: OEM bilstein: 360 EACH!!!!!!!!
S sclass 560SEL o.e.m. Sachs Boge $98pr Bilstein $112pr


And they made over a million W126's as well.....scary huh?

Personally love anything german. Cars, beers, women, deutchemarks. They are all well engineered

Good luck.

PS how awesome are euro car forums? Benzworld.org had a few hundred thousand members as well.....yuo can get lost in them!!

Clutch Master BMW $450 from dealer, $167 in German packaging including airbag,

its funny cos its true ya

The old 2.3L (or 2.5L Evo) four cylinder, or the modern S50/S52/S54 3.0/3.2L straight six? If you're going to go over 2L, you may as well go OVER 2L.


NOW he tells me. Not to worry - I've got plans.


Nice buy though Steve - definitely looks the goods. Do you still have the M30 motor or did that get sold with the previous cars? As for talk of a 2.0L straight six, if you go down that route would you be using the bolt in M20, or upgrade to the DOHC M50?

E30 M3 Evo II
Diggety
Nuff Said.

Itt's be great to have a REAL one through the valley - you'd be able to hear the induction noise in Noonamah.

At those prices it would almost be tempting to buy 2 of them......one to be pretty and stay on the street and one to strip out for the track.

Or........bite the bullet, find some money and bring this over from NZ....

http://www.my105.com/classified.asp?id=8461

$35,000!?!? OUCH. But I'm sure the money's been spent on it.

On the topic of money, are you planning a budget for this car, or it will be a case of upgrading components as you get sick of stock parts. I've spoken to someone planning on building a race car, and they're budgeting $25,000. I know I'm hoping to get away with an IP car that can do 1:25's for about $10,000. $15,000 at most.

Thinking along the same lines and managing my income so I can still eat and buy clothes occasionally.The goal is to be able to participate without causing financial stress.

Patience and time are the answers.

Is that $15k including the trailer......that will blow out the budget pretty quickly

The father-in-law loans me his trailer for all race weekends, as he rarely uses it. The reason it can be done so cheaply is because I've been very lucky to acquire parts at the right time. For instance, my shell (Steve's old TA22) only cost me $1,000, with logbook (as a Production Rally Car) and steel cage (not in logbook). I'm using the engine from my KE55 Corolla (4A-GZE), the whole car only cost $1,500, plus various other bits I've bought over time. The expensive parts left to buy are the bits that won't make me go faster - race seat, gloves, boots, paintwork, etc.

I like this one so much i've had it saved in my favorites section for a while now.

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Swedish...bo-at_73086.htm

Whoo traction ftw, haha, awsome car.

With all this talk of non-jap racing cars, gives me an idea for an old alpha romeo my uncle likes to sit in his garage.....

1990 E30 Series 2 - For da street (complete with practical, efficient and stunningly boring sohc 1.8). I love it because it doesn't tempt me to do bad things This decreases stress i think.

1985 E30 Series 1 - Aim is to apply the age-old Big Motor/Small car principle to achieve reasonable times with limited engine mods thereby attaining reliabilty. Suspension & brakes+++. Also to try and develop as a driver by taking it seriously. M50 or S50 definitely. M30 just too big, too old and very heavy in addition to being the hardest to install.

Cheers.

S50 would be awesome, but an M50 will do the trick.

Or you could go completely wild with an N52B30. Mmm, magnesium alloy block and 200kW & 315Nm standard from a 3.0L. VERY hard to find parts for at this stage though, I would imagine.

Hating this thread now.......and I don't use the word "hate" very often.

I'd thought I had come up with a reasonably cheap, sensible option to get into a dedicated race car, but will have to research options like this more thoroughly now.

Thanks for the info.

Bob

I'll sell you the TA22 caged shell with log book, three engines (including 1x Microtech MT8 ECU), three gearboxes, front coilovers, 4x 15" semi slicks, 4x 15" street tyres, 4x 15" alloy wheels, various other 13" alloys, aftermarket swaybars, spare (welded) diff, and other odds & sods for just $10,000. There's enough there to build a running & race ready car, you'd just need to get a CAMS approved seat and harness and off you go.

Or for you Bob, I could do it for $9,500 + those gold STi alloys with tyres.

Fark, Adam you never cease to amaze me lol

I'm happy to share any info, anytime

Actually I was thinking of bringing up an already prepped saloon car from down south........

Sorry, I don't have (and never have had) any STi Alloys, you must be referring to the cheap as 5 spokes I run on the track. The TA22 would be a bit too cramped for someone my size, but I reckon an E30 Beemer has a bit more space inside it. I don't want to have to be a yoga expert to get in and out of it.

LOL - good point. I actually have a bit of trouble with the TA22 - it'd be damned near impossible for someone of your height. With the seat I've thrown in for a test fit, with adjustable rails (which won't go in when I've bought a proper seat), my head is about 10mm off hitting the roof - without a helmet on. When I get a proper racing seat it will be pretty much bolted directly to the floor.

As for a pre-prepared race car, I've seen a few AE82 Corollas come up on My105 that I seem to recall were fairly cheap. They had a 4A-GE (1.6L DOHC) motor and due to their low weight would be fairly competitive. FWD though, but they're a good basis for a race car, as proved by the 2.0L red & white one that was at last year's V8's.

what motor and box was he running? i could have sworn it was a 4age by the note it had...

3S-GE BEAMS from an MR2/Celica. The coolest thing about the car was the way he locked up the rears on pretty much every corner and then cocked the inside rear wheel. Awesome.

Yeah the ae82 was sweet.

Carbon fibre mmmmmm

There wouldn't have been any carbon fibre on the car - there's nowhere it could be used and be race legal.

Was it this one?

http://www.my105.com/classified.asp?id=9102

There are plenty of places where the use of carbon fibre is legal. I use it for certain components and I assure you the AE82 mentioned uses it in certain places also.

Different car Bob, the red one that was up was 3sge and INSANE.

Alot of those southern cars have carbno Fibre airboxes amd shiznit

The ae82 with the 3sge had a carbon fibre airbox and I remember a few other things

Sorry, I thought you meant carbon fibre exterior or interior panels. I couldn't think of anywhere else that might have used it. Carbon fibre airboxes and similar would be okay. I was planning on using cardboard for my airbox, as it's within my price range.

Seeing an old Top Gear episode has me thinking of Beemers again......though I doubt I would get a cheap diesel on here........

Not to worry Adamski, there was an SR20 Datsun 1600 U2L car down in Victoria that absolutely mauled the unders and most of the overs. We were asking him about induction etc. and in particular, his airbox. We were expecting Carbon Fibre, but NAY!! He uses two old oil containers cut in half and taped together. Technological stuff

Who says more expensive is betterererererer

Carbon fibre is over-rated anyway. And it won't hold boost anyway.

sounds like he needs a Blend43Racing exhaust too.

See ........ my euro thread turned into a discussion on jap 4's and carbon fibre????

It's alright ............. I did a bit of work with fibreglass and have been studying up on CF technique/materials etc. It's possible that I may have a crack at it just for fun and to see how expensively I can fk up.

However, an update on the BMW.

The car is here and .......................... oh my god I love it and I've hardly driven it!!!!!!!!! It's unreal to get up each morning and see the EXACT car that you've had a mental image of for a long time. Having been influenced by the mid 80's M3's at Bathurst I now look into my driveway and there is a black E30 coupe. Perfect!

The downside. This car was registered in Vic and inspected prior to purchase. On arrival here it was barely driveable due to severe ball-joint damage so I have subsequently had to order new balljoints (control arms also) and bushes and bearings..............ouch. I have worked in the transport industry and have also discussed this with people in the motor trade and my conclusion is that this is damage caused by the high frequency vibration of the train.

I once freighted a consignment of beer cans to Katherine which arrived polished, shiny and totally devoid of paint. Apparently the army do not put their Landrovers on the train because their wheels fall off.

All good though, these things happen. The car looks pretty good with the King Springs in and a set of black 16's that will soon be silver again. Black rims actually look pretty cool on a nazi car but it's a bit "Death Race 2025" for me.

Having changed the springs I know the shockies are fkd so once I get the front end sorted it will be onto suspension. This will most likely come from the USA and be strut inserts, bushes and sway bar(s) only. I may get L&S to put adjustable spring platforms on the front struts for cornerweighting and can get adj strut tops to suit factory spring diameter thus need not go to the expense of coil overs.

Cheerio then,

Steve

Cool Steve, very cool. Did it turn out to be a disc brake rear end or not?

Noooooo!! And that will be first up after suspension. Damn that disc rear in my red one is looking tempting but it's a fairly simple and cheap fix anyway.

I'll post some photo's when all four wheels are back on.

PS.... Race Car Magazine had an excellent article on airbox principle, design and manufacture in CF one or two issues ago. Very technical but a godsend if you're considering making a multi throttle airbox.

Do you have a copy of said magazine?

I'll check the dunny however i think I saw copies recently still on the shelf at Cas newsagent. Actually ........... I think it's a quarterly so it may still be current?

They also offer back issues, so you can always just get the latest issue and buy the one you need from the order page contained within. VERY technical magazine, but with some great info.

I was going to go with a multi-throttle setup, but it would cost me too much for the budget I have planned. I'll save the throttles for a later project.

Drove car for the second time on Friday and got defected for wheel falling off!!!!!!!!

It still needs to go over the pits for NT rego anyway so the defect was a bit pointless (and I made an immediate repair with original BMW wheels and studs while he wrote the notice) but I was glad of the opportunity to help the nice policeman fill his quota.

Note: Always check second-hand rims to ensure that wheel bolts/nuts aren't in danger of sliding through stud hole in rim due to excessive wear.

Unfknbelievable.

On a more positive note I've bought another 1985 320i for $500 which sadly is only going to be good for parts. If I didn't already own two cars I might think about repairing it but it wouldn't be an easy or cheap resto. I'd be happy to give the shell away after I've finished raping it for parts if anyone wants it? I may even sell running motor to suit for a minimal price.

All good...... time for some suspension. I'm about to order a set of the larger diameter 325i front struts which I already have good shockies for and then it's a sway bars and bushes. Add these to the new bearings, balljoints and control arms I already have and we are stage-1 track-ready so far as suspension goes!!

Cheerio.

A quick update............several months later!!

After being defected due to a set of aftermarket rims I purchased from another forum member (nuts pulled through the rims!!!!) i decided to competely rebuild the front end using all new parts. There had been some damage due to the rail transport and i had originally swapped the front end for one from a wreck i bought but decided i may as well do it properly.

So, the little beemer now has new springs, pads, slotted rotors, wheel bearings, lower control arms with ball joints and radius arm bushes. All very nice.

I could have completed this sooner but spent ages trying to purchase a set of the larger 325i struts which I eventually succeeded in doing.

However, the struts arrived minus gland nuts to secure the inserts into the strut tube and these are near impossible to buy without buying a new set of inserts which i didn't really want to do as i already have a set of Jamex inserts ready to go. Bugger!!

The nuts are $285.00 each from BMW which pretty much dismissed that option so I have put the car back together using the original strut tubes. I'll look into the bigger strut option at a later date, right now I just need a car for transport.

In addition to the suspension etc I've done a little painting here and there and a lot of cleaning including the underside with a scrubbing brush for a couple of hours. Each time I do this on a car I swear it's the last time, but done properly it just looks so damn impressive to have a really clean underside including engine, gearbox and diff.

Today was oil and filter day to be followed by wheel alignement day on Wednesday...........

Rego inspection (and defect removal) and hopefully full rego on Wednesdayafternoon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

About bloody time I say.

Cheers,

Steve

god work young son. Good to see another car all together and ready for some action.


Is it going to see the track before anymore mods?

No yet sadly.....still needs a disc rear and a little more suspension. Harness's at a minimum also.

NOW REGISTERED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Passed easily with a few compliments from the inspectors. I have finally driven this car for more than a few hundred metres. Oh joy!!

good to hear mate.

Woot! Good form Steve

Some Pics......... Could seriously use some rims but not too bad i reckon.

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