e30 m52 s14 s50 weight comparisons

[gobuffs]

88 M3
Euro 3.2
full cromoly cage
just enough wiring to get teh car running and power the accessories
No A/C
No PS
manual rack
manual brakes (APs)
electric fan
M coupe trailing arms (with M coupe brakes)
18x10s all around
basically everything removed from the interior (even the dash)
Odyssey P680 battery
Sparco seats
ATL fuel cell
FG: front bumper, hood, fenders, doors, quarters, deck lid, rear bumper
big ass wing

~2 gallons of gas....2200 pounds

[Mike B.]

Good to have another euro aboard.

Do you have any corner balance numbers?

[gobuffs]

At home I do. I forget exactly, but the cross weights are like 50.1/49.9. The front/rear is like 54/46 IIRC. I think the distribution would be better with more gas as the fuel cell is where the spare tire well used to be.

[payney8]

sweet so still good weight dis

[Drew325is]

Awesome...thanks for going to the effort and thanks for posting! Just a question though...

91e30 318is, aluminum m52 2.8, no ac, no driver.
full tank of gas, no weight reduction, vader seats, full interior.
2684# 53.4%f 46.7%r

90e30 325i, s50, no ac, no driver.
full tank of gas, no weight reduction ((still has trunk sound deadening), light floor mount seats, full interior.
2844# 52.3%f 47.3%r

Is there really 160lbs difference in weight between these two cars? That's huge! I'd almost suspect a typo???

[asubimmer]

Awesome...thanks for going to the effort and thanks for posting! Just a question though...



Is there really 160lbs difference in weight between these two cars? That's huge! I'd almost suspect a typo???

don't cause its true

[Drew325is]

So where is (or isn't, I guess!:)) the weight? AFAIK an alloy block M52B28 isn't 160lbs lighter than an S50...are we talking a 318 with no electric windows or roof etc etc vs a 325i with lots of weighty options??? What am I missing???

[new guy]

the 318 and 325 both have pw and crank sunroofs... I should know- they are in my shop and help build them. 90' 325i base model actually has recaro SEs no power, no slider... 318 has power/ heated vadars... neither have any a/c components to firewall...

Interesting thing well weighting them all- done at the same time calibrated scales everytime... I had the hurt feelings thinking mine was going to be the lightest by far with my 88 m3- alum CA, VSR Center section, CF intake, No a/c, FG race seat- granted VSR Roll cage in there- literally full tank of gas(filled up 1 mile from weighting)

[BimmerToad]

Doesn't the 318 have a smaller gas tank as well? 13 gal tank vs ??

[new guy]

Underneath they appear to fill the space equally... I know that is not as accurate but ??? Just thought I would look.

It makes me think that it is possible to be smaller because the range would be higher from economy of the 1.8 .... I believe manufactures look at economy and try to achieve similiar ranges in same models when mutliple engine choices... Just speculating.

[Jason89i]

88 M3
Euro 3.2
................
~2 gallons of gas....2200 pounds

wow, thats like 420 hp in my car. dang, thats got to be QUICK.
cheers, jason

[e30pq]

I have an E30 M42 turbo track car and an E30 S50 convertible.

The track car hasn't received it's final tune and we haven't had it on the track since we dropped that motor in it.

The S50 convertibile is a daily driver (weekend cruiser) with the same suspension as the track car. GC 550 fronts 700 rears with SA Koni's, GC camber plates and Eibach adjustable sway bars. I have autocrossed this car since 2001 prior to the 24v swap and it has done well at the SD BMWCCA events in the past.

I autocrossed the car for the first time with the S50 and I can say that the car had understeer for the first time. Keep in mind I can probably dial it back neutral but I haven't had a chance to play with the adjustments yet.

With the S50 the car produces more understeer (at least my car did with the same suspension).

The only suspension changes I made was increasing the spring rates up front prior to installing the motor.

I hope to have the M42 turbo car on the track next weekend. We have a dyno appointment on Tues to put the first dyno tune on the car.

Paul Q

[matt]

With the S50 the car produces more understeer (at least my car did with the same suspension).

The only suspension changes I made was increasing the spring rates up front prior to installing the motor.

Stiffer front springs = understeer.

Or did the car understeer more with the same springs?

[new guy]

Corner weight with coil overs on to balance the spring rates front to rear.

Amazing how my S50, IE stg IIIs, Bilsteins, blau blau blau - never understeered for me on the track. With the S50 you can throttle steer the thing around huge if the inproper line was taken. Take the time to dial it in- make a big difference.

[static]

I have an E30 M42 turbo track car and an E30 S50 convertible.

The track car hasn't received it's final tune and we haven't had it on the track since we dropped that motor in it.

The S50 convertibile is a daily driver (weekend cruiser) with the same suspension as the track car. GC 550 fronts 700 rears with SA Koni's, GC camber plates and Eibach adjustable sway bars. I have autocrossed this car since 2001 prior to the 24v swap and it has done well at the SD BMWCCA events in the past.

I autocrossed the car for the first time with the S50 and I can say that the car had understeer for the first time. Keep in mind I can probably dial it back neutral but I haven't had a chance to play with the adjustments yet.

With the S50 the car produces more understeer (at least my car did with the same suspension).

The only suspension changes I made was increasing the spring rates up front prior to installing the motor.

I hope to have the M42 turbo car on the track next weekend. We have a dyno appointment on Tues to put the final tune on the car.

Paul Q

Mine understeers a bunch at autox too with HR sports and koni SA and s50 under hood.
Would like to find out what would be the best (cheapest?) way to neutralize it. I have camber plates and even at full negative 3 deg it still understeers like a pig.

Do let us know about your turbo 4-banger venture, might be my next project now that i got all comfy with megasquirt.

Alex