Strut Tower Brace for M42

[M42boy]

Can't believe I missed this post haha.
Dan we can test fit on my cars if you like. I'd suggest jacking the car up as suggested though. With my Sparcos I never had any issues with fitment for the stock strut mounts and with GC adjustable plates.
Worry not buddy -

Car is already up on all four jack stands right now as I'm still trying to sort the prop shaft issue.  My E30 has been a nice garage decoration....  I certaintly can't seem to ever get to drive it though.  

Anyone want a stagnant E30 garage ornemant?  

No, the upper strut studs are all fine, but it was noted that some people have two different lengths in-between thier strut towers.  Off a few mm (enough to cause issues when mounting a bar like this).  

I don't think BavAutosport makes a bar in another length, but I'll ask.  Yeah, e9nine...  I'd like to see if it fits one or both of your cars!  Let me bring it over when we look at your prop shaft alighnment!  

[john mason]

actually there is no adequate filler wire for welding used food ,as the alloying constituents are of a questionable origin not allowing proper coalescence,  

I can't weld shit.  :p

That's for people like you.  I don't mess with metal work, welding or body work AT ALL!  

I'm gonna call Bav Autosport on it.  I may need to get an adjustable one.  But, this bar is REALLY nice, REALLY light, and I REALLY would like to use it.

[mgold]

actually there is no adequate filler wire for welding used food ,as the alloying constituents are of a questionable origin not allowing proper coalescence,

LOL!!!!

[M42boy]

actually there is no adequate filler wire for welding used food ,as the alloying constituents are of a questionable origin not allowing proper coalescence

I'm gonna punch yaw mamma in the mouth!  :rolleyes:

[M42boy]

So, I brought it down to my neighbor's house last night...  tried test fitting the Bav Autosport bar on his '88 325iS and it doesn't fit that either.  Hmmm.

[M42boy]

Seems I'm the only one that cares about this...   Oh well.  

I called Bav Autosport to complain to them today that thier strut brace doesn't fit.  He was telling me that he has had a lot of people tell him that they won't fit, or won't fit well... etc...  They've sent a lot back.  So, I showed him something I read on the IE website:

IMPORTANT--The factory book says the distance between the strut towers is 1002.2mm +-2mm (39.5"). Measured from center to center (where the shock sticks thru). We have found many cars that measure about 980mm (38.75"). This leads us to believe BMW made two slightly different unibodies. Therefore we now make two versions of our brace. Please specify model and year, and measure your car to specify the "regular" or "short" brace.

He'd never heard this before...  But said he was going to investigate this and may end up trying to make a version of this lover strut tower brace to fit our "shorty" cars!  

That would be AWSOME!  

[john mason]

I use the 8mm  dia.studs for all datum measurments , that seems to be a bit more precise and straight foreword than finding center of the large dia. hole, On e30 chassis i use the front pair studs and measure center to center across, I have seen on 3 un-molested/damaged chassis 36 1/8 - 36 3/16 -36 1/4 inches =add them up ==108.562, divide by 3 ==it seems the median average is = 36 3/16 inch  c-c, this is approximate/there about  definitely the stuff shrinks whilst welding so we put the fixture greater so the part will shrink into spec.when cool, one piece strut bars are of a superior design nature,and function  but also bring some  amount of fitting grief along with it , one physical law of planet earth is that "poop flows downhill"  and also  another in regards to racecar parts  is you cannot make "chicken soup out of chicken shit"  == [J.M. 1987]  when i telephone bavarian  auto they do not take my calls , why is that??my bars fit  - theirs do not      

Seems I'm the only one that cares about this...   Oh well.  

I called Bav Autosport to complain to them today that thier strut brace doesn't fit.  He was telling me that he has had a lot of people tell him that they won't fit, or won't fit well... etc...  They've sent a lot back.  So, I showed him something I read on the IE website:

IMPORTANT--The factory book says the distance between the strut towers is 1002.2mm +-2mm (39.5"). Measured from center to center (where the shock sticks thru). We have found many cars that measure about 980mm (38.75"). This leads us to believe BMW made two slightly different unibodies. Therefore we now make two versions of our brace. Please specify model and year, and measure your car to specify the "regular" or "short" brace.

He'd never heard this before...  But said he was going to investigate this and may end up trying to make a version of this lover strut tower brace to fit our "shorty" cars!  

That would be AWSOME!  

[M42boy]

John, yours is very nice, but I need an adjustable one since the one in the garage is fixed and needs to go back since it won't fit.  

Anyone know who in the US sells this strut brace?  
Preferrably at a decent price...

http://cgi.ebay.com/SPARCO-Aluminium-Strut-Brace-BMW-3-SERIES-E30-M3-2-3_W0QQitemZ4636426657QQihZ002QQcategoryZ10374QQcmdZViewItem

Don't need to pay shipping from the UK!

[romkasponka]

You can put it between two trees and bend it little bit

[D. Clay]

Lucky Mustang boys! A strut brace that is structurally triangulated by being bolted to the firewall, not just connecting two points that are trying to move in the same direction. On a track rat it wouldn't be a problem to connect the strut towers to the lateral dash tube of the roll cage using a "W" configuration.

[M42boy]

If I ever turn it into a full-time track car and weld in a full cage, this is a must.  But, then you are talking some $$$.

[kevo__]

hey guys, has anyone fitted one of these to a 318is? i've seen one for sale and need one. cheers it's made by racing dynamics for an m3 e30.
Kevo

[fabe]

hey guys, has anyone fitted one of these to a 318is? i've seen one for sale and need one. cheers it's made by racing dynamics for an m3 e30.
Kevo

I doubt it can clear the intake manifold... but I could be wrong...

[fabe]

But definately not on both sides!  

Just a little bit off...

You can op to send the bar back or another way is to use the E30 car jack to push the bar enuf for the bolts to slide into the holes... I did that when installing the Sparco bar for my fren's car.. Just be a bi creative and the solution will come to u...

[jpod999]

So I am going to be building a strut tower bar with the help of a friend of mine who is a metal fabricator.  We need some help.

It looks like the best place to thread the bar through is at the very back(closest to cockpit) of the intake manifold where it is angled down slightly.  Is this true?

What size tube should we use, and with that, how much space is in between the manifold and the hood?