M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS
FAQ / REFERENCE => Member Profiles => Topic started by: Euro Nation on June 29, 2006, 12:05:33 AM
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Hi, my name is Aaron... I'm a newb to the world of bimmers. I just picked up a '91 318i. Give me a little time though, I'll prove myself.
Some interesting facts about me:
I own Euro Nation Motorsport. We build fast VWs and now that I'm getting hooked on my E30 we'll probably start building fast BMWs too.
This is my first post on here but I have the internet forum thing down. I'm a banner advertiser/global moderator/4000+ post club member on VWforum.com.
Interesting facts about my car:
It was basically free.
A crack head stole it from the p/o and lived in it for two years with his cat prior to returning it to the owners house when he tired of the timing chain rattle. Despite the hobo lifestyle the interior smells fine and is in pretty good shape.
Future plans call for a turbocharger. A big one. Something I haven't really seen done on a M42 before. Something to put the 6cyl turbo guys to shame.
Here's some pics of my work.
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/Jet1.jpg)
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/images/monty_1208.jpg)
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/images/ramhorn_003.jpg)
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/images/percolator_rear_L.jpg)
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/weld1.jpg)
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/weld2.jpg)
I'd post a pic of my car if I had one. I've owned it for about a week and I've already spent about $1000 on mods and wear parts.
Now.. I'm off to ask some rediculas tech questions.
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Welcome to the club Aaron.
*Borat voice*
It is nice, I like! How about pictures of BMW?
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Hey Aaron...
I too came from the VW/Audi side of things, but always had a soft spot for the roundel. Tuning VW's is fun, but you eventually reach a point where you can only put so much power through the front wheels before the fun is gone. Torque steer is always an issue.
You will love the 318is. The power to weight ratio concept is the same and when you get it dialed in right, the handling is sublime! :cool:
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Thanks guys. I'm pretty excited about the prospect of being one of the first to make some real numbers with this motor. After a bunch of research I've got my engine pretty well planned out. I'm considering offering a few turbo components for these cars. If I can make one I can make more and there seems to be a lot of interest.
For referance: The first picture is a VW 1.8L 16v. Stock longblock with two MLS headgaskets and 180K miles on it. We made 218hp and 228ft/lbs with a fairly mild street turbo setup. The car frequents auto-x events and makes a 500mile round trip to Portland every other week.
The second picture is a 2L 16v. Stock shortblock, stock head. We made almost exactly 300whp on pump gas and just under 400whp on race gas.
As for the pics, I'll try to get one today of how it sits at the moment. I'm waiting on some parts orders but by the end of the weekend it will have all four balljoints replaced, M3 CABS, Magnecor 8.5mm wires, an electric fan and a new timing tensioner. New trans mounts and a new tranny crossmember are sitting here waiting for it as well, and new tails and euro smileys and euro grilles and kidneys. My Weitec 60/40 kit should be here from Germany in a month or two.
I have new rear subframe bushings as well which I'm going to fill with polyurethane but I'm not going to install those until I'm ready to do everything to the rear end at once, which includes welding braces into the trailing arms, home made delrin arm bushings, eccentric bolts, LSD diff, E34 guibo and swaybar braces. I only want to pull all this stuff out at once .
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Tossed a tensioner piston in today. Looks like I get to do a timing chain... still rattly. Goody for spending another $260 on my car.
On a good note though... I've only been into BMWs for a little over a week and we're already capable of chipping ECUs. If anyone needs any custom mapping, rev limiters, etc I'll probably be offering them at EXCELLENT prices just as soon as I have a properly running car to tune with.
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Nice website and nice job on the VWs. I hope you enjoy your bimmer, rwd rocks ;)
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Tossed a tensioner piston in today. Looks like I get to do a timing chain... still rattly. Goody for spending another $260 on my car.
On a good note though... I've only been into BMWs for a little over a week and we're already capable of chipping ECUs. If anyone needs any custom mapping, rev limiters, etc I'll probably be offering them at EXCELLENT prices just as soon as I have a properly running car to tune with.
would you be interesting in making a turbo chip for me? I will have my turbo on in less than a month hopefully. A friend of mine totalled his 525it and I am rebuilding it for him. Needless to say thats setting back my turbo project. But good news is the 5 SHOULD be done tommorro if all goes as planned.
ohh and feel free to head to the turbo forum and check out my turbo thread, although I haven't updated it in a while.
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I want to see how it works out with some big injectors first. I'm going to start with a mild turbo setup on my car and then from there try to make a few of them. I'll start with chipping my car stock and work from there.
To answer the questions I recieved over AIM (If I'm talking about eprom or Megasquirt). While I'm quite good with Megasquirt and there's six of them sitting on my table right now I am talking about eprom work. Or rather... eeprom. We've yanked a BIN file and placed wot, mid throttle and idle maps, rev limiter, etc. I just need to get some 29C256 chips, throw my wideband on the car and get some datalogs of how the car runs stock.
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The car:
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/bim.jpg)
I tossed the Enkeis on it to see how they fit. Even through they're an obvious BMW fitment they require 6mm spacers to clear the front calipers. No biggie... a trip to the garage solved that one. I have to finish refurbing them and pop the RT-615s on them. Still waiting on the balljoints. I guess I could pull the timing chain and control arms off while I'm waiting:mad:
Smileys are sitting here. Gotta get some Lamin-X for them. Sanded all the spraypaint off the Kamei eyelids today and prepped them for color matching to the rest of the car. I've been working really hard at "unpimping zee auto" as the previous owner thought that painting every lens on the car with either transparent red or flat black was a good idea. Several other aesthetic and performance related party fouls and half assed mechanical mis-adventures are on the 'list'.
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looks nice, i like how the chrome trim matches the polished lips.. not diggin the eyebrows though def not classy, boo on the blacked out kidneys too
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Yeah... I'm not convinced I like the eyelids or the kidneys (another previous owner job) but I'm selling the euro grilles I got to help pay for the timing chain parts. They'll probably end up euros without eyebrows again once I'm done finding major mechical issues.
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Never buy parts from Mercedes991 on ebay. I got to order a second set of control arms from another supplier today because they never shipped my product.
On a better note, my coil packs for COP are on their way. My test chip for chipping is on its way. We're working on a scaler value for the timing map... and it would help to figure this one out if the car ran so I could throw a timing light at it (timing chain stuff should be arriving today). This chipping thing should work out pretty well. Anyone want a turbo chip? Perhaps a supercharged chip? How about a custom tune for our 2.1L stroker?:D
Picked up a set of Jamex seats for it so now I'm considering doing at least a roll bar.
Oh... and these are the wheels that are going on. They're 5x112 ET30 so we're doing some interesting stuff to make them fit. Also considering a brake upgrade since I have several sets of Corrado rotors on my brake shelf.
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/e30%20009.jpg)
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those wheels are pure hotness...
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yeah those wheels look great. I would hate to clean them though ;)
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those wheels are pure hotness...
QFT.
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Timing chain job done. All new guides, chain, crank sprocket, water pump seal, front main seal, gaskets, etc.
Advanced the intake cam 2 degrees, retarded the exhaust 1 degree.
Fan and shroud removed.
Oil change done.
Green coolant removed and replaced the Saab blue coolant (VW G11 equal) .
New NGK plugs and Magnecor wires done.
New stock tail lights done.
Pulling the carpet out tomorrow for some pressure washer love.
Pulled the seats today and making brackets for the Jamex seats tomorrow.
Installed my 1992 Momo wheel today on the new hub which fixed several problems (broken wheel lock and turn signal cancel now fixed). Used a 1992 Benetton F1 horn button.
Ordered a CSB to replace the totally destroyed one that was in there. Replaced the trans crossmember and tranny mounts.
Ordered E28 engine mounts.
Ordered some late style coil packs so my new Magnecors might go up for sale.
Color matched the Kamei eyebrows to the car
Lamin-X ordered.
Tomorrow I'm going to start measuring for a rollbar which will tie into a rear shock tower/diff mount brace.
Still waiting on my control arms, wheel adapters and Weitec kit. Probably go order tires this week. Going to the American Lemans Series this weekend. So stoked.
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I like your approach to modding with basic maintenance, perf. upgrades and aesthetics as well. Can't wait to see the final product :D
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Did the CSB today without pulling the exhaust or disconnecting the rear driveline from the diff. Why I didn't order a guibo with the other stuff I'll never know. I'll be getting one soon enough.
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Aaron, have you installed the motor mounts? Could you give us a small review?
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I'll be doing it in the next day or so. I just got the car on the road today for the first time since I got it more than a month ago (tons of issues with getting people to actually SEND me the parts I ordered). Found out today that not only did the previous owner not tell me that the gas gauge never moves below full but he left me the car with less than a gallon of gas.
Oil leak, crap tires, dead suspension... ahhhhhh. Still waiting on my wheel adapters, but I got tires for my wheels. Suspension is still somewhere between here and Germany. I'm probably going to cut some delrin subframe bushings on the lathe too... since they're def shot.
Anyways... motor mounts. I'll probably do a DIY on how to use do the E28 motor mount. I didn't get the 'green' ones so the upper studs on mine aren't threaded all the way. I'll be making spacers for mine but a stack of washers will work. I'll take pics and write it all up.
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Hope everything turns out well for you.
Definitely be looking forward to the write up. Thanks!
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(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/chippd.jpg)
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(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/meshd.jpg)
Temp rollers while I wait for my adapters
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/rimz.jpg)
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/rimz2.jpg)
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A trip to Canada this weekend yeilded quite the score. $200CA got me a 4.10 LSD diff, 325IC front swaybar, pockets full of little interior goodies from a euro spec e30 320i that was there and about $250US worth of non-us VW interior parts.
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wtf?????? :eek: WHERE in canada ... i never see shit that cheap
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One of the yards in BC. There was a '91 318i, '91 318is, 325ic, 320i, another 325i plus two E36s and a handful of 5 series. I plan on making another trip with more tools and time. We were just up there for a car show and figured we'd swing by.
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I plan on eventually getting a dash cluster from Canada so that I can get all of the international symbols. KPH is pretty cool too.
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BC is a gold mine for BMWs. Wish we had nice scrap yards like that here in Quebec...200$ for a 4.10 LSD...damn lol
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bc... i shoulda known, 200 bucks for an lsd is unthinkable
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How much will the 4.10 help off the line? How about top speed?
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The 4.10 is the stock gearing on a 318is. What he bought is an LSD differential (Limited Slip Differential) which is, if from a convertible or automatic, a 15% lock-up and if from an E30 M3 a 25% lock-up (correct me if I'm wrong) That means you get better traction because both wheels are working together, and it's not a full lock because then you wouldn't be able to turn corners since when you corner, the inside wheel has to turn faster (or is it slower?) then the outside wheel. Do I make sense?
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The holy grail IMHO is the 4.27 lsd found only on a handful of 318i cabrios (most, like mine came with the 4.27 open diff). Mike Miller of the Roundel had one on his '91 318is, and I understand it was a screamer.
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what about the 4.45 LSD found on some E36 318ti automatics?
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what about the 4.45 LSD found on some E36 318ti automatics?
Interesting, but I think the gearing would be too tall for practical use. Fine for drag racing and maybe autocross but you wouldn't want to drive with that every day.
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^ i used to, and i have one here waiting to go in. i didnt mind it for daily.
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Oddly enough this diff was in a bone stock 318is and the LSD checked out correct. And to be more correct about the price... $150CDN for the diff and 325ic front swaybar. The other $50 was VW parts.
I'm not big on percentages as diff measurements but I would like to see someone connect a torque wrench to a few diffs and see what the break pressure is.
Oh... and to keep up with the thread on my car... I'm working on the wiring pinouts for a German spec Active Check Control (I couldn't get the whole harness, just the plug) and I'm now running a Ford Contour fuel pump since mine went out today and that was the best fit I could find at the local pull-a-part (fits perfect). Probably pop a Walbro in there soon.
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Wow... a day and a half for the E30.
325ic swaybar is in
4.10 LSD is pressure washed and installed
E28 motor mounts are in
Throttle body pre-heater is gone and the throttle body is cleaned
Someone replaced the airbox with a cone filter before I got the car so today I ran a 3" aluminum tube from the MAF to just over the ABS unit and mounted the filter over there. Then I templated a heat shield around it out of cardboard and duct tape and ran a ducting hose from one of the 'brake ducts' in the front valance into my new 'airbox'. I'd make the box out of aluminum but for now the cardboard is proving itself helpful. The fact that I'm turbocharging the car and probably changing the MAF means I wont waste my time on an aluminum heat sheild that wont fit when the car is done. This is all temporary.
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right
e28 mounts made zero difference for me
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right
e28 mounts made zero difference for me
Word? Mine mounts must've been really bad cuz those e28 mounts made my throttle response alot more crisp.
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My stock mounts were completely collapsed so it needed them BAD. It made the car far smoother.
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Haha I saw your post in the MAF thread, I never would've thought of the name Euro Nation to be a joke. Your avatar makes sense now, LOL.
EDIT: by the way, my name on VWVortex is "wickedmystic," I wanted to change it to deutschbag but it didn't happen :(
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My stock mounts were completely collapsed so it needed them BAD. It made the car far smoother.
What are some signs that they need to be replaced? Mine appear old (165k--Is is possible they're stock?) and I'm trying to determine how big of a priority this may be. Definitely don't want to go through the experience thumper3ld had a short time ago.
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What are some signs that they need to be replaced? Mine appear old (165k--Is is possible they're stock?) and I'm trying to determine how big of a priority this may be. Definitely don't want to go through the experience thumper3ld had a short time ago.
mine fit with no problems...even though the mechanic had a ball getting the bolts on (i had no idea they needed to be trimmed).
the install is fairly simple with a lift but could be done with jackstands...i just didn't feel like going through all the trouble.
Anyways the thread on the mounts needs to be shortened on both sides..bmwman91 wrote a write-up quite a bit of time ago, shoot him a PM im sure he can pull up the DIY for you.
oh and Euro Nation ...
What are the advantages of getting the 325ic swaybar? Is it thicker than our stock swaybar?
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What are the advantages of getting the 325ic swaybar? Is it thicker than our stock swaybar?
Cabrio front sway bar is 21mm vs 20mm for the hardtop cars. M3's run a 19mm front sway but have a different mounting location for the swaybar. I've upgraded my cabrio to the M3's 14.5mm rear sway bar.
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A freshly failed mount will have hydraulic fluid oozing out of it. The best way to see if your mounts are shot is to look at both of them. If one is thicker than the other then they're probably toast and the compressive side has probably collapsed. When I took mine off I could hear the air moving in and out of them when I compressed them in my hands. Air shouldn't be in there... it should be all fluid.
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Cabrio front sway bar is 21mm vs 20mm for the hardtop cars. M3's run a 19mm front sway but have a different mounting location for the swaybar. I've upgraded my cabrio to the M3's 14.5mm rear sway bar.
has it made a significant improvement in handling?
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has it made a significant improvement in handling?
Hard to say as I upgraded to M3 springs along with new shocks and struts at the same time. I got the idea to run the M3 rear sway from Dave Adams who had one on his old M-technic cabrio (http://www.davelength.net/car/cabrio.html).
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Until I get my new springs and shocks all I can say is understeer city. The stock suspension isn't working well with the swaybar but it should clear up a bunch once I get something else on there. If not it was free and takes about 10min to change.
What I really need is a bigger rear bar.
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test fit
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/meshy2.jpg)
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looks really good. I'm not sure about 4 to 5 lug converters, but those wheels do look nice.
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Drilling the hubs to 5x100 (common thing in VW land) and I had a set of custom 15.5mm thick double hubcentric 4130 CroMo 5x100 - 5x112 adapters made. The wheel will fail long before the adapter does.
I wasn't too big on it either, so we overbuilt the adapters. I couldn't let these wheels go to waste.
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wheels look good, but dont you think tahts a tad too low?
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looks perfect, the stance is just right and the rims really fit the car.
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wheels look good, but dont you think tahts a tad too low?
I helped build this:
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/bucket2.jpg)
So no... I don't really think it's too low. This guy and I put more than 500 miles on our cars over a weekend following eachother to and around BC from Seattle last week. As neglected as it looks we've got a couple hundred man hours in making it that low.
(http://is.rely.net/1-5113-60682-l-G2kvM1JTpKdhQrHc2vSA.jpg)
Looks just about right. The control arms are maybe 1/4' lower than level right now.
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i see, well whatever you like i guess (:
husqvarna....lol
id be concerned with suspension travel however, that M3 doesnt need much being a track car and all
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H&Rs, Bilsteins, camber corrective mounts and braided front brake lines installed, A/C belt, clutch fan and shroud removed. I switched the compressor clutch switch and electric fan wires on the sensor on the radiator so the fan turns on at 91 degrees instead of 99.
Just picked up a JB flywheel from ebay. $360 shipped Have some plans for the clutch.
Ordered the parts for my 11lb battery install. Now I just have to order the battery. $65 for an 11lb battery... I can't pass that up. I'm going to mount it in the stock location under the hood. I see no reason to try to lose 15lbs of battery and still leave 15lbs of cable from the front of the car to the rear.
Ordered a turbo but when it got here it was the wrong one so that will wait for another day.
Currently testing chip V1.16. Timing curves are pretty nice, couple rich spots in the fueling. Chances are V1.17 will be tested tomorrow. Thank god for for re-flashable chips.
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test fit
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/meshy2.jpg)
I see that VR6 Euro lip, sneaky sneaky! The fitment looks perfect, did you have to trim anything to make the lip fit?
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Yes. Very much yes. Much trimming from the top lip, the ends, and the corners and several tapping screws are the key. When it's done though it fits fine, looks great and grabs a surprising amount of attention.
To top it off I'm $85 into it and OEM VW Quality means I can run it into stuff all day and not hurt it. If I hurt one side I can go to my local dealer and pick it up one half at a time.
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Oh yeah, those wheels are for sale since the machine shop we were using for adapters dicked us over bad. Here's what it looks like for the most part.
(http://www.fakelag.net/gallery/d/16847-2/DSC_9884.jpg)
(http://www.euronationmotorsport.com/misc/lowerer.jpg)
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im lovin the vr6 lip..did that fit like it was meant to be tehre???
any trimming??
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Up two posts ;)
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Absolutely love how your car stands on the last pic. The drop is amazing. Are those the wheels you're selling?
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Nope. The gold ones are for sale.
At first I cut the stock springs because I was getting tired of waiting on my kit from Germany. Ghetto, yes, but when done right it actually isn't that horrible. Some shops have been known to sell carfully cut springs as track springs. As you lessen the number of coils you stiffen the spring rate. My car actually rode and handled surprisingly well like that.
Then I built a coilover set for the car while awaiting my Bilsteins/H&Rs (second suspension kit I've bought since I got the car) that puts it where it is in the pics but I wasn't happy with the spring rates I ended up with. 350/450. I went through a friends collection of coilovers and sleaves that he uses to make AE86 coilover kits and came up with the proper length but the weights were soso in my mind.
Then I got the H&Rs and Bilsteins from bmwman91 and installed them and the car sits a hair higher on both ends. I'm going to buy some Falken RT-615s soon so it's probably better that I open up a hair more wheel well gap. I'm probably going to pick up a set of H&R Race springs before too long and off the sports, then trim the front dead coils until I like how the car sits again.
Coming soon to a 318 near you. ABS delete.
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Awesome fun playing with the car,
Looks like some euro fun
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details on vr6 lip.
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More than a year later... I'm back. Well... kinda.
I couldn't stay away from bimmers. I just loved my 318i too much. About a month ago I stumbled upon an E34 Touring on craigslist. They're rare enough that when you find a livable color combination you buy it. This one was silver with black interior... so I made it mine.
Next I need to find another E30. Tempting as it is to get another 318 plans call for an LS1 in the E34 which would leave me with an M50 in the garage corner with an E34 pan on it. I just can't ignore that.
Long story short, I like the community here so despite not having an M42 anymore I may be around again.
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More than a year later... I'm back. Well... kinda.
I couldn't stay away from bimmers. I just loved my 318i too much. About a month ago I stumbled upon an E34 Touring on craigslist. They're rare enough that when you find a livable color combination you buy it. This one was silver with black interior... so I made it mine.
Next I need to find another E30. Tempting as it is to get another 318 plans call for an LS1 in the E34 which would leave me with an M50 in the garage corner with an E34 pan on it. I just can't ignore that.
Long story short, I like the community here so despite not having an M42 anymore I may be around again.
Welcome back, I was wondering why I didn't recognize the name. What kind of touring is it? My dad has a 530i touring...little V8 and the car is so heavy that it never goes anywhere. Pretty good looking car though.