Das Beast: My E30 track / street build

[Spec_E30]

Thanks for the comment. I've been racing for 10 years in various SCCA classes: coupes, open wheel, sports racers. Familiar with the potential for stuffing race cars into walls. This build is for the fun of fabrication & learning new things. Will probably have it forever for DEs and such. If my racing coach gets his way I'll also get seat time in a spec "Arrive and Drive" class. It's all good.

Good to hear! I was just thinking so much work and I hope the work does not get wasted but you know the deal. You should join NASA Spec E30!

[wworm]

holy shoes the engines finally in!

cant wait for turbo sounds

[dvallis]

LoL. Spec30 wouldn't touch Das Beast with a 10 foot pole. :devil: NASA GTS and Super Touring are the target classes. They're HP to weight based & don't mind all my mods as long as it passes tech.

[ForcedFirebird]

What class would you be eligible/competitive in wheel to wheel anyways? There's a turbo e36 in the shop right now that I am swapping a turbo m50 for a N/A s50, just for the simple fact he wants to avoid "unlimited" type classes.

EDIT: Left the window open last night and replied without seeing the above post lol.

[dvallis]

NASA Super Touring

[ForcedFirebird]

NASA Super Touring

Quite ambitious! Not sure there will be much w2w action up against blown c6's, protoypes, sport racers etc. lol Although, it would be neat to see an e30 doing sub-20's at Sebring!


If you are at all like me, it's the enjoyment of being on the track anyways. I raced our chumpcar in the Spec e30 class many times, and surprisingly would be in the middle of the field with a lesser car.

[Digitalwave]

I run that same clutch and PP, really happy with it.

[dvallis]

Hey, never said I was going to run Super Unlimited. LoL. Prototype or Sport Racer would eat my lunch. They have lower STx classes. We'll see. NASA local director said I qualify for GTS class as well (German Touring Sedan). Like you said, it's all about getting track time.

[dvallis]

Thanks for the clutch and pressure plate feedback. Can't wait to fire this thing up.

[ForcedFirebird]

Funny, I just got off the phone the chief classroom instructor for NASA FL, he needs to come by to do some welding on his car. He told me they opened up the rules quite a bit for ST to base it on HP/wt, and is leaving a lot more open. In the past, most turbo cars would end up in unlimited class (PTU, STU, TTU etc). Haven't officiated in just over a year now, so haven't been keeping up as much as I used to. He also mentioned aero is nearly unlimted in ST. Sounds like the mix up will be better now!

So, I stand corrected. :p

[dvallis]

Thanks for the update John. Looking forward to racing in ST

[Digitalwave]

I think the power/weight classing changes for ST and TT classes makes a lot of sense, and will encourage more entries.

[Spec_E30]

LoL. Spec30 wouldn't touch Das Beast with a 10 foot pole. :devil: NASA GTS and Super Touring are the target classes. They're HP to weight based & don't mind all my mods as long as it passes tech.

This is understood. I was more thinking a run run-down E30 for spec E30 and the beast for a nice sunny track day.

[dvallis]

Drive train installation in progress next. Here's the new short shifter setup:

Garagistic dual sear shifter rod and delrin bushings

Z3 1.9 short shifter with 5.13:1 ratio vs 7.23:1 stock

Also replacing the locking ring.



We pre-installed the shift linkage widget which mates to the shift sear on the transmission before dropping in the engine. Smart but it was still a right bastard getting all the pieces in place. Not much room to work under there, even with the car on jack stands. Yeah, we wish we had a lift.



Once that was done we jacked the transmission and got the cross member in place. Note to self: transmission support is asymmetric. If you put it on backwards all kinds of ugliness ensues. LoL. Make that mistake once for five minutes only.



Engine was sitting fine on its motor mounts with the transmission cross member in. We torqued everything down to spec.



In the spirit of "while we were in there", replaced the drive shaft carrier bearing. Old one was kind of ratty.



Made sure the alignment marks were lined up when re-assembling the drive shaft. Looks like they were put there with a drift punch and some white paint at the factory.



Was easy getting the drive shaft in. Rear part goes in first. I like all the clearance we have above the shaft to route a 3" side exhaust and muffler where the fuel tank used to be.



Front part and carrier bearing were also easy to get in.



Installing the clutch slave cylinder was a royal pain in the ass! It's really hard to get tools in there. We didn't want to pre-install due to risk of damage while dropping in the engine.



Got it done though. We have good clutch pedal. Feel is firm but not "Truck clutch". The 3/4" clutch master cylinder is a good match with the stock slave for heavier pressure plates. Clutch disengages when pedal is about 2" from the floor. We'll fab a new rubber clutch stop.



That was it for today. To be continued ....

[dvallis]

Went back to finish up the cockpit today. There were a few things left to do.

Every time I got in the car over the roll cage, my foot brushed the turn stalk. Eventually I was going to kick it off. We shortened it and relocated to the right side. Yes, I swapped the turn signal wires. :devil:



Did final install on our brake bias adjuster. I can reach it when strapped in. Need to put a F-R label on it. LoL



Dimmer switch has been a pain in our ass for removing the dash. Relocated it so there is no interference.



Hooked up the boost gauge tube, kill switch and did final mounting of the dash. Looking great.



On to some more big pieces. Starter installed and wired up.



Briefly lost the motor grounding strap. Rob reorganized the shop ("Cough. Packrat!" :devil:) Eventually found it and re-installed.



Started looking at the oil system. Figured out we have everything except the right hose barbs. There are several spare bits in the kit we won't use (sandwich plate, adapters) etc. They came with the oil cooler kit. Putting this on slight hold until I get the 1/2"-M22 hose barbs.



Optima Redtop arrived. Will fab a mount for it later.



That's all for now. Getting closer to starting the engine.