M3 track car alive

[bostonaudi]

The beast is alive. Drove it to work today for first time. Had some challenges to get it running well enough to drive again, but its together again, no leaks, coolant temp holding rock steady. Rough idle when cold, and it occasionally misfires, so likely needs a plug/coil pack refresh.

Any M3 is fun to drive, but the E36 to me is pretty darn good. Not crazy power, but enough to have plenty of fun, stock they were 240 hp, this one has a 3.2 conversion along with the M50 intake, and a 3.5" MAF, so it might have a few more ponies. The handling is awesome, the front just carves, and no fighting fwd understeer. Its sitting on a square tire setup, 255/40-17's all around. The current tires are old have hardened into cement, so they need to get replaced pronto. Stock brakes seem plenty strong for a track day.

The interior is pretty much a shithole, headliner falling off, driver's door card falling apart, it's tempting to restore the interior (does have a perfectly working sunroof) but I need to fight that urge, strip it and get a rear cage and new race buckets in it.

 

[TXBDan]

Nice! You'll love it.

I miss my E36 M3 a lot. I'm sure you have plans for suspension, but one nice tip is that you can swap the front stock strut mounts left to right which puts you at about -2.3deg of camber up front. Free and no NVH compromises.

 

[miamirice]

Nice! You'll love it.

I miss my E36 M3 a lot. I'm sure you have plans for suspension, but one nice tip is that you can swap the front stock strut mounts left to right which puts you at about -2.3deg of camber up front. Free and no NVH compromises.

That's a cool trick I did not know when I had mine. It certainly needs camber for track tire longevity and an LSD.

Forget that interior Boston. I reglued my headliner 3 times. The last time was to get it sold.

 

[bostonaudi]

Nice! You'll love it.

I miss my E36 M3 a lot. I'm sure you have plans for suspension, but one nice tip is that you can swap the front stock strut mounts left to right which puts you at about -2.3deg of camber up front. Free and no NVH compromises.

The beauty of this find was the PO already did all the right stuff with the suspension. Has sway bars, uprated RTAB's and a GC E36 setup, shocks are Koni with 550/650 springs. Handles on a dime and ride quality not bad at all.

 

[eurocars]

I vote gut it. By the time you source all of your parts, get it fixed, re-upholstered, etc its going to cost quite a bit. Will this be a dedicated track car or an ocassional commuter?

 

[bostonaudi]

I vote gut it. By the time you source all of your parts, get it fixed, re-upholstered, etc its going to cost quite a bit. Will this be a dedicated track car or an ocassional commuter?

Yeah, I just saw a pair of door cards in nice shape on eBay for $1000!

I'd like to still drive it around now and then, so may at least leave the door cards to keep the speakers. I'm likely going to ditch the sunroof and the entire mechanism to pick up a little extra headroom for the helmet. The interior is the luxury edition with grey, almost impossible to find good stuff in grey.

 

[eurocars]

Yeah, I just saw a pair of door cards in nice shape on eBay for $1000!

I'd like to still drive it around now and then, so may at least leave the door cards to keep the speakers. I'm likely going to ditch the sunroof and the entire mechanism to pick up a little extra headroom for the helmet. The interior is the luxury edition with grey, almost impossible to find good stuff in grey.

sell the good interior bits to make $$ for more parts, take some carbon fiber cut it in the shape of the door card, resin, vac bag it, viola. Lightweight door card that you can still mount speakers into and you even made money off of doing it.

 

[miamirice]

sell the good interior bits to make $$ for more parts, take some carbon fiber cut it in the shape of the door card, resin, vac bag it, viola. Lightweight door card that you can still mount speakers into and you even made money off of doing it.

Get in it with your helmet on and check it out. I know its an aftermarket seat but you will probably need to modify. I am 6 2" and you will find the steering wheel is in a very funky position. You will certainly need a 320mm or smaller to heel-toe if you are over 6'

 

[supertanch]

Awesome! Hope you'll enjoy it for both the build and the drive.

 

[TXBDan]

You should think about building toward a racing class ruleset before you gut it. Even if you don't race it, it'll help a lot with resale value if/when you sell it. Going crazy gutting it is an easy way to violate a lot of popular class rules

 

[miamirice]

You should think about building toward a racing class ruleset before you gut it. Even if you don't race it, it'll help a lot with resale value if/when you sell it. Going crazy gutting it is an easy way to violate a lot of popular class rules

NASA TT only as I believe he mention a rear roll hoop and not a cage. Even that I believe will require removal of the intake manifold possibly. Don't know where the car falls with points and class.

 

[cruizin01]

Nice pick up John!

 

[belcher]

Delete

 

[Elliott]

I like. Love the potentiol this car has. Like said above. Strip it down to its bare bones and go out and have lots of fun.

 

[BlaineWasHere]

Gut everything from where behind where you sit and back. Keep some comfort stuff but if other stuff is missing oh well!