I just found these forums today and I'm looking forward to getting and sharing information and ownership experiences from fellow M3 members. I live in Seattle, Washington and have owned my 1988 Diamond Black M3 for about 1 year now. Before the M3, I had a 1988 Cinnabar Red 325is - which is what started me down the path to E30 fanaticism (the dark side as I like to put it). My M3 was restored to its current state by the previous owner (and good friend of mine) in 2005. It was a neglected (but straight) heap when he purchased it in California back in 2003. The 194,000 mile chasis has all new bushings, links, arms, etc. She's got Bilstein Sports and Eibach springs at each corner, with OE sway bars and subframe reinforcements. She also has new axles, 4.10 LSD, driveshaft, guibo, clutch, lightweight EVOIII flywheel, and a rebuilt tranny. The engine was completely rebuilt to 2.5L EVOIII specs using BMW OE crank, cams, pistons, valve springs, airbox, AFM, intake trumpets, throttle bodies, and a ported/polished head. Exhaust flows through a Gruppe A 2 piece 50mm header and SuperSprint exhaust. Finally, the car was finished off with new Diamond Black Paint, shadowline trim, mouldings, and a new, Cardinal Red interior (originally black). E39 17" Sport wheels and Pirelli PZero Nero tires put rubber to the road. She's a joy to behold and to drive. I've enjoyed owning and working on my M3 over the past year (I did the suspension and driveline work last year), and like most of you, I look forward to upgrading and experimenting with more aftermarket mods - though I will always keep them tasteful and in the spirit of the original car. I'm interested in engine management alternatives and will probably get rid of the AFM before the year is over. Best regards, Brian
Looking good Brian......and Welcome ! :] Good call....that afm is chuckable. When you are ready, there's a plethora of options :m:
Welcome Your car looks superb I was in Seattle, August last year, and completed in a lapping day at the local race circuit Pacific Raceway. Awesome track and very much a mini Ring circuit as the track disappears into the woods.
Thanks for the welcome everyone! I have been lapping at Pacific Raceways since 2003, and have lots of "wheel time" there. You're right, it's a great track, especially with it's elevation changes and nice mix of turns. Look me up the next time you're in town!
Maybe this year. I raced an e30 325is. My mate set up the 325is race series and competed in a novice race at mission last august. at pacific we were flat out on the main straight 135mph hard up against the concrete wall on the left before the slight kink right and then the long sweeping left.
Veer right, ride the groove in the pavement downhill to Turn 2, downshift, turn in, settle the car and then rotate towards the apex. Yup, that's PR! 135 MPH along the front straight?!?! That was no ordinary e30 you were driving! My old 325is (with street tires and Porterfield street pads) never saw over 120 MPH at PR - and even then, my brake pedal was getting mighty soft by the end of 10 laps.
215m3 Here's a lap around PR with me in my old 325is... http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=729928011
This looks like a nice track, how long is it ? Btw what camera did you use ? I am asking since I had problems with mine last weekend. Thomas
It's 2.25 miles in length. I use a Sony Hi8 camcorder mounted to my headrest posts - very low tech but it gets the job done.
It's my mates race car. he set up and runs the 325is series. It is a cheap series so more folk can enjoy the pleasure of racing. He is building a race car to sell for $15k if i recall the price correct. It is a greta competetive race series. His car has strengthened engine internal, but nothing to improve the performance and says he gets 75 hours out of it, standard discs, but uprated pads are allowed. cage, fuel cell and uprated suspension. that's it. PR from the last bend, then aim for the tower on the left and clip the wall on the right, keep right and then clip the apex on the left and drift out to the wall. then clip the end of the wall on the right at 135, down to 90 round the bend and the 100 down the hill. I could never get this turning in point as it's so late, but got the rest. I raced at mission when i was out there last time and the brakes on this car lasted a 30 min race without fade.
Sounds like he runs either ICSCC or Pro3 (or both?). I know several people who own cars and drive in these groups. I've toyed with the idea of buying or building a race car over the past couple of years, but work and kids keep me too busy to commit. I've never driven at Mission, but would love to get there someday. I've lapped at PR, Spokane and Bremerton so far, and hope to get down to Portland and Willow Springs this year. Regards, Brian
Brian Pro 3 is the series, i could not remember for my last post. We were going to do spokane, but there were no days on when we had spare time. I meet a few of the owners on the lapping day we did. Ours ended early as the pulley cam loose. It was a day for getting use to the car before i raced at Mission.
Lance Richert and Tom Olsson are usually at BMWCCA lapping days (Tom is the track day coordinator) and they both race Pro 3. You probably met them. I lap probably 5 or 6 times a year, and I watch a handful of Pro 3 races too. Maybe I'll see you around when you make it up this way next time.
I'm sure i met Lance. There is Bob with the huge ford truck, 20ft long and Fred who used to race alfa's. Wes and Ken run/set up this 325is series
They bravely let my mate and me use there cars, i'll refraise that, Wes said to Jamie and i you have to come over to the states and have a race in my car. How could we refuse and we did.
Very generous offer - I live 10 minutes away from Pacific Raceways and have yet to rent, borrow, or steal a Pro3 car to lap in. The itch is getting harder to ignore as I spend more time lapping and watching the races. I'm definitely envious of you. Brian
