Track Car

just picked up a 96 m3 to setup as a weekend toy/track car, its bone stock right now any recommendations or tips for a good track setup?

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Replacing everything that's made out of rubber and cracking/worn out with stuff that's not worn out. So this means LCAs (bushing/balljoints), rear trailing arm bushings, motor/transmission mounts, shocks, and tierod assemblies. Along with a few minor gaskets (likely valve cover and oil filter housing).

And while you're there it'd probably be a good idea to drop the oil pan and do a pan baffle, safety wired oil pump nut, reinforced oil pickup, and front subframe reinforcement plates.

90% of the work you'll be doing on it will be just replacing worn out things. Thankfully despite being a 20 year old car its still very capable and advanced for its age (such as having factory spherical bushings in the rear trailing arms in the early 1990s).

Assuming your car is in 100% mint shape like it's currently 1997 the most I'd do is slap a squared tire-setup (245 or 255/40/17s) of a decent summer tire (Michelin PSS/Hankook RS3s/Direzzas), rear shock tower reinforcement plates ($20), and a decent alignment, have fun.

I like www.fcpeuro.com and www.rmeuropean.com for parts. The BMW Mini Parts Store is pretty good for OEM parts.

awesome thanks for the advice, i know the shocks are pretty worn out, im going to bring the car to work this weekend and give it a good once over

replace the thermostat housing with a metal housing. it's plastic stock. it will rape you in the pocket.

Shitty US spec or EU?

Just go through the car, drive it, and make a nice checklist of what's wrong.

>worn out shocks

I'd start by taking out all the trunk plastics/carpets covering up the rear shock towers and checking for torn shock towers (rust/ripped metal around shock mounts). If they're 100% good add reinforcement plates ($20-30 off eBay or anywhere, takes 5 minutes to install without jacking the car up).

I'd just go with a new OEM one and replace it at the same time as the water pump/radiator/t-stat (every 60-100k miles). The metal ones can "weep" sometimes.

I'd go with a metal water pump pulley though.

yea shitty us spec, thinking of just doing the whole cooling system and getting a mishi rad and expansion tank, probably also going to get some type of coilovers since the shocks are shot all around

1. sell m3
2. buy RCR GT with ls1
3. destroy everyone

A build to consider

youtube.com/watch?v=KE9D149F8U8

Why are people suddenly referring to US spec as shitty? Is it autistic rehashing of some YouTube video?

It is still a car better than most cars and only a fraction behind the performance of the Euro spec. And considering the MSRP price difference, it was by far a better car for the money. Europeans said they wished they had gotten the US spec and saved $20k. S52B32 isn't hard to upgrade and can take a lot of power for less than the cost discrepancy.

>Is it autistic rehashing of some YouTube video

Yes, what do you think in a world where gawker pages and shitty automotive meme pages are seen as legitimate automotive journalism

Even used E36 M3 prices are a reflection of them new. A used Euro M3 goes for $10-15k USD in decent shape (in Europe). A used US M3 is a $5-10k car. And the only real difference is the engine. Same gearbox/rear diff (as 3.0 Euro), suspension, brakes, interior, and chassis.

Are you sure about those prices? I got a great condition one for $12k from a boss used import dealer. European Auto Outlet in Pasadena if anyone needs a trustworthy source. Seemed that a mint private seller was about $15k. All the fine ones at dealers were about $20k but they were auto convertibles.

Not that I don't see a lot in $5-10k range privately but they usually are not stock and have at least some notable damage. At $10k they start to look clean.

6 years ago I got one for $10k that had an accident repair on the fender and (upon losing it) I found out it had been sold with frame damage that was never disclosed. So prices may be lower than 2010 but they've since hit their trough.

I should've clarified and meant daily driver/runner. Not show-car status but presentable with under 150-180k miles.

I also live in a area with a ton of them (that happened to come up for sale after I bought my fucking car)

longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5771378382.html

newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/5777230187.html

I forgot to add, we did miss out on the floating rotors, but big deal. The US spec calipers/pads are the exact same as the Euro cars, and the rotors are the same dimensions. Ours just cost $120 for a pair of Brembo blanks while the Euro floating rotors (Zimmerman) are $420 for the pair.

Yep, its a meme.

Our motors are better for F/I as well. The bottom end is the same as the Euro and can take the same power.

Almost the same performance? 240hp vs 321hp is quite a bit difference if you ask me lol. Maybe de 286hp M3 may be similar.

not even strongest island is immune from "no lowballers I know what i got."

You're making my point for me. People see the numbers and they benchrace. In reality, there is not much difference. US spec is far better performing for its horsepower than the EU spec.

They sound and look good but not really any interior pics and the lack if textual organisation hopefully isn't translated in to management of the cars themselves.

Take the door panels and rear seat out
Get a terrible alignment with too much negative camber
Put some stickers on it
Never do a track day
Talk about your "track toy" on social media

Have you driven any of the EU versions?

no thanks not my style, i got the car cheap for the purpose of a weekend/track car, its got some dings and scrapes but has 130k and runs strong, 2 owner car

so far i ordered new rear shock mounts and reinforcements, what other chasis reinforcements you guys recommend i do?

Rear Trailing Arm Pocket Reinforcements (AKG Motorsports)

Front Subframe Reinforcements (AKG Motorsports) and Motor Mounts + Oil Pan Gasket (Corteco is OEM, get it from RM European. Same P/N is used for every M3 from the 200hp E30 to the 420hp E92, no need for aftermarket) if you're gonna do a oil pan baffle (Achilles Motorsport), oil pump nut (important if going to be a track car), and reinforced oil pickup (OEM from Z3 2.8)

What did you pay for it?

$3000

$3k for a 130k 96 m3? Daaaang. Either you got a great deal or I got taken.

Porsche 944. I'm gonna put a v8 or a v10 in it. Probably a 302. I want to put a turbo or twin turbos on it. 911 rims and Firestone racing tires. Better brake pads. Reduce the weight. Better air filter. Lowered coul over suspension. Put a blower on it. I'm not gonna do any stupid body work to it. The only thing I would think about is a widebody kit and the oem spoiler.