M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS
FAQ / REFERENCE => Member Profiles => Topic started by: harvey2 on March 19, 2010, 07:48:56 PM
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Hi
My name is Ron and I've been on M42Club for a little while, but had neglected to properly introduce myself. I've been driving my '91 318is for two years now.
The car was originally sold in Quebec, Canada, but within a couple of years found its way out to British Columbia. Who can blame it really, as the weather out here on the wet coast is much nicer. The car passed through several owners hands, apparently unsympathetic and callous non-BMW people who let it go somewhat. It eventually found its way into the hands of a young pizza delivery specialist and eventually died a horrible, oil-starved engine-seized death just about four years ago after giving long service over 245,000 Kilometers.
The remains of the car caught the attention of the owner of a local independent BMW shop as a good rust-free roller and he was inspired to fix the car up as a shop project. After many months of intermittent attention, the project was about 2/3rds done when I wandered in the front door to ask if they had seen any good 318s for sale. The next thing I knew, the car was mine.
What I got was a car with everything fixed that needed fixing, a young M42 engine with a known history, a suspension upgrade, a nice clean and partly re-sprayed body, and a tired interior. It is supposed to be a track toy mainly, but I also drive it around town occasionally because I like it so much.
In the first year I did some track days, but last year devoted my driving hobby completely to autocross. It being my first year in the sport, I did nothing to change the car and focussed on learning to drive it. This year, as my second season begins, I have undertaken a minor modification program to tweak things somewhat. Here is my mod list to date:
- M42 engine replaced with low-miles stock unit
- Racing Dynamics lowering springs, Bilstein Touring rear, Sachs Gas front
- Ireland 25mm front sway bar
- deep dish steering wheel to clear my legs (I'm tall)
- Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 on Team Dynamics ProRace 1.2 15x7
- 4.27 Torsen LSD
- M20 Euro323 flywheel conversion with new Sachs 325 clutch
- free flow cat + Magnaflow muffler on 2.5 inch pipe
- DaSylva EAT chip 93octane
Upcoming: COP kit, weight reduction program, wide R-comp tires
The focus will be on weight reduction next, with an eye to what is legal in DSP autocross.
This is my third BMW. The first, an E39 540i was sold to help fund this one. The second is still with me, but is only driven on the finest days.
(Would post a photo, but upload keeps failing. Not sure why)
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Good storey Harvey2. Good to have more Vancouverites on the board.
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So, after reviewing Desktop Dave's many posts in his introduction thread, I thought an update would be in order on mine. Alas, my 318is is parked for now as my gas tank leak grew to such horrendous proportions that the car is now undriveable, and I just don't have the time and don't want to spend the money for professional fix. My autocross career, which was just beginning to bud back in May came to an abrupt halt as a result of this, and because I had to shift priorities and put all my time into starting a new business.
Stopping autocross was painful as my previous modifications were working really well along with some used RComp tires and I was having a lot of fun. The plan now is to get the car back on the street before the end of February, and a new gas tank will be needed I think. The icing on the cake (assuming I don't do something silly like sell the car !)will be a steering rack upgrade to Z3/E36 or the like, as the car really needs that.
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Harvey ... hello from down here in Seattle! Looks like you stumbled across a winner! Post up some pictures!
Gerta