AudiDriver
Active member
I've always has a secret affair with some of the BMW models. I very much like the 135i and very nearly pulled the trigger on one of the last new ones sold in 2015. I also considered waiting a little while for the 235i to become more affordable, but alas BMW being somewhat of a curse word in my family it was not to be. So when it was time to replace my beloved S4 (I shouldn't have in hindsight...I spent so much in making that thing fast...) I traded it for another Audi.
Racing the replacement is fun but it hurts my heart - and upgrades are expensive. So I really wanted something that could be enjoyed for a little less. And I am probably not the last mechanical engineer hitting midlife feeling the need for a little piece of the action to help with that halftime crisis...
I've been trolling for a while now. It is time to come out of hiding. After deciding that I needed a less expensive car for track days, and that it needed to be rear wheel drive, and have a reputation for being reliable (or at least repairable) I started searching for an E36 328i as the donor car.
In steps Longdrop, a somewhat neglected old girl, but eager to be someone's budget trackday car.
I picked up the 1996 328i manual in Alpine White after some searching. I made a list of the things that appeared to be wrong, added my mod list, a little extra for things that I underestimated or didn't know about, and settled on a budget which was a little scarier than I initially thought it would be.
I got some excellent advice from some of the guys driving in the BMW series and also read the track build threads on this forum from 1st to last page - these contained some useful information also, albeit somewhat hidden away - especially when in a hurry. Google has been a good source of information also.
I am sure this is also going to make a fine varsity car for my eldest daughter later.
I've finished repairs, services, preventive maintenance and the first stage of upgrades. The car still looks stock but it has better brakes, wheels, suspension and a few other things.
If all goes to plan it will attend its first track day later this month.
Anyway, this is my intro and I hope I have done it right. I won't start a build thread (I think most of the do's and don'ts have been covered by others) although I am sharing my progress on the Audi forum.
Cheers to oversteer.
Racing the replacement is fun but it hurts my heart - and upgrades are expensive. So I really wanted something that could be enjoyed for a little less. And I am probably not the last mechanical engineer hitting midlife feeling the need for a little piece of the action to help with that halftime crisis...
I've been trolling for a while now. It is time to come out of hiding. After deciding that I needed a less expensive car for track days, and that it needed to be rear wheel drive, and have a reputation for being reliable (or at least repairable) I started searching for an E36 328i as the donor car.
In steps Longdrop, a somewhat neglected old girl, but eager to be someone's budget trackday car.
I picked up the 1996 328i manual in Alpine White after some searching. I made a list of the things that appeared to be wrong, added my mod list, a little extra for things that I underestimated or didn't know about, and settled on a budget which was a little scarier than I initially thought it would be.
I got some excellent advice from some of the guys driving in the BMW series and also read the track build threads on this forum from 1st to last page - these contained some useful information also, albeit somewhat hidden away - especially when in a hurry. Google has been a good source of information also.
I am sure this is also going to make a fine varsity car for my eldest daughter later.
I've finished repairs, services, preventive maintenance and the first stage of upgrades. The car still looks stock but it has better brakes, wheels, suspension and a few other things.
If all goes to plan it will attend its first track day later this month.
Anyway, this is my intro and I hope I have done it right. I won't start a build thread (I think most of the do's and don'ts have been covered by others) although I am sharing my progress on the Audi forum.
Cheers to oversteer.
.
