Author Topic: Febi Guibo's Excellent Adventure... (Read 48732 times)

dude8383 · « **Reply #60 on:** May 18, 2006, 01:08:33 AM »

wow! that was an absolutely awesome read. sounds like this place is just flat out amazing! i really wish i could have gone with Sam, but these damn finals!!! UGH.

Anyways, keep us updated with your visits...hopefully Sam will chime in tomorrow!

sheepdog · « **Reply #61 on:** May 18, 2006, 02:26:00 AM »

Depending on how things go, I may go back Friday (400+ mile round trip so...), if I do I will try to remember to take my camera (DOH!).

Well worth the drive for me though.

I wish they were closer, I would be there a lot.

I am sure Sam can add a lot more info though. I was only there 4 hours or so, he will have been there a week.

Funny though, that place has almost no Bimmers other than them. The entire town thought they were nuts moving there from Kansas City. I kept joking that we "drive them funny lookin' foreign cars".

No joke at one gas station on the way there, my car stood out like a sore thumb, mine was not only the only red car, it was also the only foreign car and nice looking. One car driving around did not even have a hood. Damn city slickers...

Oh, and you guys think I joke when I say there are no other e30's around me, I saw one yesterday, and 2 today, I was shocked. I will probably not get to see another one for 3 months now. Think about that, I went 450 miles today and saw 2. I had one of them shocked to see me, and one cop I passed slowed down to look as well, and not because I was speeding.

I do not count the shop, or shows since they are supposed to be there, but even the last BMW show/get together, there was 3, counting mine.

Moral of the story, if you ever rob a bank in Missouri, do not use an e30. There is no way you will get away with it. Use a Pontiac!

nickmpower · « **Reply #62 on:** May 18, 2006, 08:08:46 AM »

wow 8000rpm. I am doing this! now we just need full engine specs

tim_s · « **Reply #63 on:** May 18, 2006, 10:23:46 AM »

wow, sounds like its quite something, you know the complete spec yet?

Quote

I also am having douts about the balancer exploding myth we have heard about. There is simply nothing there to really explode. After looking at it and talking to Jim, I have serious doubts it is true

This is how i felt about it (and have been telling everyone who will listen!). I can see that the rubber for the VR pickup can perish, in fact my original balancer shows some signs of wear on the rubber (i've fitted a replacement), but other than this i think the design is strong enough for high rpms. It's not my favourite BMW design, but i don't think its liable to exploding. I think if I was running 8k rpm i'd change it though just as a matter of course really.

sheepdog · « **Reply #64 on:** May 18, 2006, 11:32:41 AM »

Quote from: tim_s

wow, sounds like its quite something, you know the complete spec yet?

This is how i felt about it (and have been telling everyone who will listen!). I can see that the rubber for the VR pickup can perish, in fact my original balancer shows some signs of wear on the rubber (i've fitted a replacement), but other than this i think the design is strong enough for high rpms. It's not my favourite BMW design, but i don't think its liable to exploding. I think if I was running 8k rpm i'd change it though just as a matter of course really.

Most balancers weigh several pounds, that, is less than 2.
Even at 8k, it shoudl not generate enough force to have an issue, at least that was Jim's and my thoughts on it.

I guess we will find out though.

sheepdog · « **Reply #65 on:** May 18, 2006, 11:53:18 AM »

Quote from: nickmpower

wow 8000rpm. I am doing this! now we just need full engine specs

About the only thing I was not told was the exact cam profile and that is about all he did not share. However there is a lot of little tricks he uses to make the engine hit 8k.

I honestly do not know how much Jim would be happy with me posting on a board like this, as I know enough about engines to understand and replicate a lot of what he does, knowing this, I know another shop could use it to do something very similar if I could. He spent A LOT of time engineering this. I will say this, there is a ton of work on that motor in places you would not expect. It is overbuilt. More or less, it is a fully built race engine, minus the compression (Jim used to do circle track race engines).

Jim does have plans for another cheaper version that will simply be an overbore with the other mods. Works out to a 2.0 liter. While cheaper it is by no means a cheap rebuild, but you get what you pay for. I would guess power on that will be around 180-190 hp.

If you are honestly interested, talk to them. He is very open and took the time to show me everything while there. I just do not want to hand out a lot of the info about what all he does to just anyone who reads this place.

kramerica5000 · « **Reply #66 on:** May 19, 2006, 07:40:52 AM »

Quote from: sheepdog

If you are honestly interested, talk to them. He is very open and took the time to show me everything while there. I just do not want to hand out a lot of the info about what all he does to just anyone who reads this place.

Does he have a website? I'm guessing not, but if he did he would prolly get lots of interest.

e9nine · « **Reply #67 on:** May 19, 2006, 07:51:52 AM »

Quote from: kramerica5000

Does he have a website? I'm guessing not, but if he did he would prolly get lots of interest.

Or a lot of people bothering him.

Typically it seems to be a case of most serious engine builders spending most of their time in ths shop and not answering a bazillion e-mails from "wannabe" buyers.

They would guage buyer interest and seriousness better over the phone or can actually communicate better for that way. My 2 cents

The reality of the true engine builder seems to be one where their reputation sells their business and typically they are small outfits. Turner Motorsports, Dinan etc take the whole marketing thing to another level

sheepdog · « **Reply #68 on:** May 19, 2006, 11:56:13 AM »

Quote from: kramerica5000

Does he have a website? I'm guessing not, but if he did he would prolly get lots of interest.

It is lacking but they do have a site.
http://www.metricmechanic.com/

Jim is not the cheapest builder, but he does it right.
He is quite well known.

sheepdog · « **Reply #69 on:** May 19, 2006, 11:58:03 PM »

Ok, I went back to Metric Mechanic again today.

I got some pics I will post once they are edited, just got home a bit ago, I need to eat and shower first.

I talked to Jim about what I can tell you guys. I will work on that later tonight, got some pics of that as well however some of it I will leave for Febi as it is his car, I will just cover some of the finer mechanical details of the motor, they did much more than that to his car while he was there.

I also got some good pics of Febi's old motor and how/why what happened did, expect a complete write up soon explaining what happens or happened and how to prevent it from happening to you.

As for now, I did get a ride in the up and running car today, while not running perfect, they are still tuning and we think it has a vacuum leak, I would say it was pulling like a low to mid 15 second 1/4 mile car.

Way FAST for a 318is. It feels like an older Mustang GT (say 1991 best way I can describe it), and remember this is not running correct. And torque, wow does it have torque. Bottom end and midrange is unreal.

I talked with Jim, and I am probably going back to get a chip and an intake similar to Febi's. Once done he intends to market the combo. It improves low to midrange power. This will be a couple months away most likely. May also do a cam. Basically my car may become the guiney pig for some of his creations. He will not sell it if it does not actually produce results though.

Looks like we have an e30 m42 performance marketer finally!

dude8383 · « **Reply #70 on:** May 20, 2006, 12:32:59 AM »

SWEET! I took a look at the website and i want to get some stuff from him! They had prices of exhausts on there, except im not sure if its for our engines..price was around $300 or so. Im interested in that chip that you mentioned...i'd love to get a little bit more in the low and mid range.

::Anxiously awaiting pictures and explainations!!::

ak96ss · « **Reply #71 on:** May 20, 2006, 01:20:44 AM »

So, to ask a stupid question, is this an M42 that he is doing? 'Cause I don't see diddly about M42s at his website...

Ballpark cost on this?

m42 fan · « **Reply #72 on:** May 20, 2006, 08:09:33 AM »

If you know, what comparison could you make between his chip and, say the Jim C or Mark D chip? I'm curious as to any differences.

Brian

D. Clay · « **Reply #73 on:** May 20, 2006, 10:56:08 AM »

We bought engines for circle track and road racing in the late 80's and early 90's from some guys who would only build new engines to their spec. These were small block chevrolets and cost $22,000 each. They always said that there were a hundred builders that could make that much power and a lot of guys that said they could build the same motor for half of that. They blew up a couple every season. At the end of the year we sold ours for $18,000. The good old days = sponsors - nothing like racing on other peoples money!.
Sounds like Febi Guibo may be tooling around with that engine 100,000 miles from now. I have 200,000 on my M42 and am curious about what happened to that oil pump thingie and how to prevent it.

sheepdog · « **Reply #74 on:** May 21, 2006, 12:44:37 PM »

Sory guys, been busy, I will try to get the info up later.

There is nothing on the website for M42 because this is the first one he has done.

Right now, he has plans to peice out nearly everything used on Fibi's car.
Chip/intake combo (just a guess, but expect around $1200-$1500, but remember, these are real gains)
cam
Heads
2.0 liter built motor (overbore with other power mods) probably available as a bottom end as well if you ask.
2.1 stroker, same as above, only stroked and bored.

In order to do 8k, you will need a built motor as everything gets modded.

I doubt he will do just a chip by itself, kind of pointless, as we have seen, what is out there does only a little, but ithat market is plenty full. That small of a gain is not really worth doing as far as he is concerned.