For your entertainment. What would you do?
I’ve attached a some pics of my track car. Really! This IS my track rat, except its not much of a rat. I want a lighter car for the track, so I’ve decided to put it on a weight reduction program. Once I start down this road, there is no return, so here is your chance to talk me out of it. (That’s assuming you care, and then that I listen. Neither of which is highly likely :) )
Some specs on the car:
--M-technic II kit---yes its the real deal--ABS with bmw markings
--M50 with S52 cams, Conforti chip, ZF transmission, 328 driveshaft, MCoupe differential--everything with less than 100k miles
-- custom header back exhaust with Magnaflow cat, resonators and muffler.
--Spal fan
--AEM intake, Eurosport CF intake arm, homemade airbox
--H&R coil-overs, inserts rebuilt/revalved, Springs 470lb front, 650lb rear. (still have stock H&R 355f 445r springs)
-- Ground Control camber plates.
-- Ground Control rear shock mounts
-- ST sways
-- Sparco strut bar front, Ireland or Mason bar in rear.
--THR eyeballs
-- Racetech rollbar--really nice powder coated, tig welded, bolt-in bar.
--Ronal LS wheels (10 of them all straight, five with great finish, five brake dust damaged, but refinishable)
-- Massive Street kit brakes---will have custom 2-piece rotors soon, I hope.
-- Cobra race seats during track season, stock sport seats off track season.
What will weight loss include?
--removal of A/C --dryer, condenser, pump, hoses--- some custom hoses there for you 24Valve guys...
--removal of entire interior-except dash-
--removal of everything in the trunk except battery---sound deadening-liners etc.
--removal of sunroof cartridge--maybe replace with CF or not.
--replace hood with glass hood, paint to match.
--replace Ronal wheels with 949racing wheels.
Some other changes(down the road):
--remove bolt-in bar and weld in a cage
--exchange H&R/GC suspension for AST/Vorschlag
--Mishimoto radiator---actually this may be sooner than later.
Why am I planning to gut this car? Well its not pristine---the right rear quarter panel was replaced after it rolled down the street into a neighbor’s car, BMW damage $4500, neighbor's Nissan damage $300. (I somehow managed to not turn the wheels, not pull the emergency brake and not get the car all the way in gear---the tri-fecta---before walking into the house for lunch:roll:). It was in an accident before I purchased it that bent the frame rails in front of the shock towers, which I straightened after I grazed the wall at PIR. That incident required a right front fender replacement. We found some rust and fixed that while we were at it. The rest of the car is known good and in tip top shape. Its got a clean title, but there are cars that have had less damage that have salvage titles so... By the time I rebuilt another into the same mechanical shape as this one, I will end up spending more money than I could get by selling this car---and it probably won’t look nearly as nice to boot. And finally, I've owned this car for 13 years, its part of the family.
So stripping it is the plan, unless someone wants to pay me $11k for this car? ...tap, tap, tap... I didn't think so. :( Or unless someone has a well done, well maintained, S52 conversion in a straight, non-sunroof 318is, with a great suspension and they want to trade---those are on every corner right?;)
Thanks for looking. Discuss away!
I’ve attached a some pics of my track car. Really! This IS my track rat, except its not much of a rat. I want a lighter car for the track, so I’ve decided to put it on a weight reduction program. Once I start down this road, there is no return, so here is your chance to talk me out of it. (That’s assuming you care, and then that I listen. Neither of which is highly likely :) )
Some specs on the car:
--M-technic II kit---yes its the real deal--ABS with bmw markings
--M50 with S52 cams, Conforti chip, ZF transmission, 328 driveshaft, MCoupe differential--everything with less than 100k miles
-- custom header back exhaust with Magnaflow cat, resonators and muffler.
--Spal fan
--AEM intake, Eurosport CF intake arm, homemade airbox
--H&R coil-overs, inserts rebuilt/revalved, Springs 470lb front, 650lb rear. (still have stock H&R 355f 445r springs)
-- Ground Control camber plates.
-- Ground Control rear shock mounts
-- ST sways
-- Sparco strut bar front, Ireland or Mason bar in rear.
--THR eyeballs
-- Racetech rollbar--really nice powder coated, tig welded, bolt-in bar.
--Ronal LS wheels (10 of them all straight, five with great finish, five brake dust damaged, but refinishable)
-- Massive Street kit brakes---will have custom 2-piece rotors soon, I hope.
-- Cobra race seats during track season, stock sport seats off track season.
What will weight loss include?
--removal of A/C --dryer, condenser, pump, hoses--- some custom hoses there for you 24Valve guys...
--removal of entire interior-except dash-
--removal of everything in the trunk except battery---sound deadening-liners etc.
--removal of sunroof cartridge--maybe replace with CF or not.
--replace hood with glass hood, paint to match.
--replace Ronal wheels with 949racing wheels.
Some other changes(down the road):
--remove bolt-in bar and weld in a cage
--exchange H&R/GC suspension for AST/Vorschlag
--Mishimoto radiator---actually this may be sooner than later.
Why am I planning to gut this car? Well its not pristine---the right rear quarter panel was replaced after it rolled down the street into a neighbor’s car, BMW damage $4500, neighbor's Nissan damage $300. (I somehow managed to not turn the wheels, not pull the emergency brake and not get the car all the way in gear---the tri-fecta---before walking into the house for lunch:roll:). It was in an accident before I purchased it that bent the frame rails in front of the shock towers, which I straightened after I grazed the wall at PIR. That incident required a right front fender replacement. We found some rust and fixed that while we were at it. The rest of the car is known good and in tip top shape. Its got a clean title, but there are cars that have had less damage that have salvage titles so... By the time I rebuilt another into the same mechanical shape as this one, I will end up spending more money than I could get by selling this car---and it probably won’t look nearly as nice to boot. And finally, I've owned this car for 13 years, its part of the family.
So stripping it is the plan, unless someone wants to pay me $11k for this car? ...tap, tap, tap... I didn't think so. :( Or unless someone has a well done, well maintained, S52 conversion in a straight, non-sunroof 318is, with a great suspension and they want to trade---those are on every corner right?;)
Thanks for looking. Discuss away!
Comment