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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
New E30 race car project!
- Thread starter budha59
- Start date
budha59
Member
Heyyyyyyyyy!!
I sold the Alipna wheels, so the car purchase price has just dropped by about 4 grand.
I found a second hand heater pipe fitting for the head (current one sprang a leak as big as a stream of cow pee), so when I get home from Jhb later the week Wynand and I just need to fit the heater fitting and set the valve clearances and go hooning around on the retreaded 14" tires.
Then to get the roadworthy done is brakes allround (going to do front hubs while I'm at it), fix the hazard flasher and replace low beam bulbs. :thumbs:
I sold the Alipna wheels, so the car purchase price has just dropped by about 4 grand.
I found a second hand heater pipe fitting for the head (current one sprang a leak as big as a stream of cow pee), so when I get home from Jhb later the week Wynand and I just need to fit the heater fitting and set the valve clearances and go hooning around on the retreaded 14" tires.
Then to get the roadworthy done is brakes allround (going to do front hubs while I'm at it), fix the hazard flasher and replace low beam bulbs. :thumbs:
///M_Diesel
Active member
Nice nice :bravo:
budha59
Member
Heeeeeeeey!!
I finally got around to working on the car on Saturday after a hectic week last week of being in jhb for a few days and catching up on local work.
I picked up a second hand head water fitting from Lester in Rocklands and I'll probably take a steering rack off him as well. Mine is pissing oil.
Wynand went to fix a burst geyser with the tools on Saturday morning so could only start working at past twelve on Saturday when he returned.
I set the tappets and the motor is DEAD quiet now. Haynes manual says to do 0.25mm gaps, but rather went with a tight 0.28 to make sure there's no blowby on the valves.
Then the sport began. To get to the fitting on the back of the head, we had to loosen the engine mounts and gearbox sliding bolts, remove the radiator and pull the motor off the mounts with a block and tackle. Then, to get the motor forward, I jack it against the firewall with a scissor jack. Talk about Ghetto rigging! :rollsmile: We fit the new water fitting and then jacked the motor back into place and lowered the motor back on the mounts, which was hella fiddly. :thumbdo:
The binding back left drum brake seems to have sorted itself out and it releases after you pump the brake about 5 times. When it got dark last night, wynand and I took the car to a small crescent in our local industrial area and chucked the car around a bit and it oversteers waaaaaaay better than my E46. I fell in love with my little red bastard last night with a big grin on my face and a dab off opposite lock. :inlove:
We had fun till two of the wheel studs front left stripped and then drove home slowly with a wobbly wheel, giggling like schoolgirls.... or naughty 30 something "spanner swaaiers" . I'm getting front disks, pads, hubs and new wheel nuts today, so will do them tonight.
I also spoke to Arnold Lambert, technical dude from the Fine cars and the racing seat in the car does not need to conform to any standard, so I can get away with a seat half the price of the FIA approved ones.
I've also decided not to drop the car with a drop kit and fit revalved shocks, but go with VMAXX coilovers. :thumbs:
More pics to follow
Motor on the block and tackle
Balancing act!
Ghetto rigging the crap out the car
FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIL!!!!
Super fail!
I probably should have replaced this when the head was off and saved myself 2 hours worth of work.
My cat's but
I finally got around to working on the car on Saturday after a hectic week last week of being in jhb for a few days and catching up on local work.
I picked up a second hand head water fitting from Lester in Rocklands and I'll probably take a steering rack off him as well. Mine is pissing oil.
Wynand went to fix a burst geyser with the tools on Saturday morning so could only start working at past twelve on Saturday when he returned.
I set the tappets and the motor is DEAD quiet now. Haynes manual says to do 0.25mm gaps, but rather went with a tight 0.28 to make sure there's no blowby on the valves.
Then the sport began. To get to the fitting on the back of the head, we had to loosen the engine mounts and gearbox sliding bolts, remove the radiator and pull the motor off the mounts with a block and tackle. Then, to get the motor forward, I jack it against the firewall with a scissor jack. Talk about Ghetto rigging! :rollsmile: We fit the new water fitting and then jacked the motor back into place and lowered the motor back on the mounts, which was hella fiddly. :thumbdo:
The binding back left drum brake seems to have sorted itself out and it releases after you pump the brake about 5 times. When it got dark last night, wynand and I took the car to a small crescent in our local industrial area and chucked the car around a bit and it oversteers waaaaaaay better than my E46. I fell in love with my little red bastard last night with a big grin on my face and a dab off opposite lock. :inlove:
We had fun till two of the wheel studs front left stripped and then drove home slowly with a wobbly wheel, giggling like schoolgirls.... or naughty 30 something "spanner swaaiers" . I'm getting front disks, pads, hubs and new wheel nuts today, so will do them tonight.
I also spoke to Arnold Lambert, technical dude from the Fine cars and the racing seat in the car does not need to conform to any standard, so I can get away with a seat half the price of the FIA approved ones.
I've also decided not to drop the car with a drop kit and fit revalved shocks, but go with VMAXX coilovers. :thumbs:
More pics to follow
Motor on the block and tackle
Balancing act!
Ghetto rigging the crap out the car
FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIL!!!!
Super fail!
I probably should have replaced this when the head was off and saved myself 2 hours worth of work.
My cat's but
budha59
Member
No Readers anymore?
Oh well...
Started stripping front suspension last night to fit new control arms, polyurethane control arm bushes and poly anti rollbar bushes.
Lots of hammering involved, lots of power steering fluid and swearing at ball joints. Removed the under motor
Going to take the LCAs I bought at Clifton's M3 spares, my LCAB housings and antirollbar bushes to polypart for new stiff bushes.
Brakes still look fine though, so not going to replace them. Buying new hubs though.
So the conversion to racecar has started!!
Two pics of work in progress
Undercar protector that's going to be binned
LCA and antirollbar
Leaky steering rack and oil filter. Booooo!!
As usual, all work subject to inspection.
Oh well...
Started stripping front suspension last night to fit new control arms, polyurethane control arm bushes and poly anti rollbar bushes.
Lots of hammering involved, lots of power steering fluid and swearing at ball joints. Removed the under motor
Going to take the LCAs I bought at Clifton's M3 spares, my LCAB housings and antirollbar bushes to polypart for new stiff bushes.
Brakes still look fine though, so not going to replace them. Buying new hubs though.
So the conversion to racecar has started!!
Two pics of work in progress
Undercar protector that's going to be binned
LCA and antirollbar
Leaky steering rack and oil filter. Booooo!!
As usual, all work subject to inspection.
P
Psymon69
Guest
oh im following! just thought it would be a bit weird if i comment everytime haha!
I wonder if that sump guard would fit my car but I doubt it... its a very useful bit of kit if you are driving on the road, mine has taken a moerse beating!! also the guys on the E30 forum looks for those things every now and then.
still wana come have a look at the old gal:rollsmile:
ps the anti rollbar link is very cheap if you want to do those while you at it. masterparts has them and its an imported from Germany part.
I wonder if that sump guard would fit my car but I doubt it... its a very useful bit of kit if you are driving on the road, mine has taken a moerse beating!! also the guys on the E30 forum looks for those things every now and then.
still wana come have a look at the old gal:rollsmile:
ps the anti rollbar link is very cheap if you want to do those while you at it. masterparts has them and its an imported from Germany part.
UpNcOmiNg!
Events Organiser
Very very nice work you got going here man.
I like that you doing things properly 1st time around.
Are you going coil-overs? If so, Which?
Big Break kit?
I like that you doing things properly 1st time around.
Are you going coil-overs? If so, Which?
Big Break kit?
budha59
Member
Psymon69 said:
Sweet! I was wondering where to get the links. Will pop by there today to pick a pair up.
UpNcOmiNg! said:
Thanks man
I've looked around at many coilover kits and the ones that are worthwile (KW, D2 RS) are out of my league. I will probably go with a custom coilover setup from Ian Glass with 600 pound springs in the front and 350 pound springs in the rear. He charges about 10k for the whole setup.
Brakes for now are going to stay as is due to my shoestring budget
UpNcOmiNg!
Events Organiser
There is a guy doing BC Coil-overs in CT. They very decent and go for around R8k if Im not mistaken.
As for brakes, there is a member, RAcing Snake that may be able to help you out, without the powerbrake price tag. Search him and PM him!
As for brakes, there is a member, RAcing Snake that may be able to help you out, without the powerbrake price tag. Search him and PM him!
BC is the way to go 
UpNcOmiNg!
Events Organiser
Go for a Z3 rack or maybe even an e46 rack. Takes some retrofitting to get the piping right, but you will have much better response with the fewer turns to lock....Happy hunting. e36 racks also work well
e36 racks also work well
P
Psymon69
Guest
upnjoging is right, theres a guy in strand that has the BC coilovers for 8K and only positive reviews so far. if my ship comes in thats the one im going for. realy nice guy aswel, has a MEAN trackday car which has seen many engines, from SR20 to M62 to M42turbo.
+1 on the steering rack. E36 seems to be the easiest swop and there are a few nice writeups.
+1 on the steering rack. E36 seems to be the easiest swop and there are a few nice writeups.
budha59
Member
Quick update....
Looking for an E30 rack still. Rather going to skip the E36 rack, seems like there are a few unknowns about the conversion.
Also decided to go with an Eibach pro sport spring kit instead of the coilovers purely for financial reasons (this also gives me money to change the motor to a 328 :thumbs
Hopefully picking up front suspension parts tomorrow!
Looking for an E30 rack still. Rather going to skip the E36 rack, seems like there are a few unknowns about the conversion.
Also decided to go with an Eibach pro sport spring kit instead of the coilovers purely for financial reasons (this also gives me money to change the motor to a 328 :thumbs
Hopefully picking up front suspension parts tomorrow!
