BMW e30 Chassis Lower X Brace (very soon)

[TwoJ's]

Looks very nice. I'll have to get an aluminum one when I finish the other things my car needs. I like the hood/trunk seals too.

[MGYVER]

24v Swaps ?

Will this fit an E30 with the M50/S50/S52 swap ?
If so I will probably buy one.

Thanks !

[DCColegrove]

All grade 8 hardware I bet too.

Grade 8? (BMW guy scratches his head and says "we do not screw around"... get it Screw around)

Metric Grade 10.9
Medium carbon alloy steel, quenched and tempered.
Tensile Ultimate Strength, MPa, Min. = 1040.
Hardness, Rockwell = Surface 30N59, Core C39.

Component and material cost isn't even a factor in what we do.

[george graves]

All grade 8 hardware I bet too.

[DCColegrove]

Nice!

and in aluminun:



There is a Group Buy here on R3V...only on R3V.

[george graves]

Nice!

[DCColegrove]

:loco: Did anyone notice that Black won over pink with flowers and polkadodts by only 1 vote?

[e30rcr]

Or even a generic M20 skidplate that isn't connected to this x brace at all? There are a couple on the market, the price point seems to be about $150 for steel, and a friend of mine made one from 1/4" 6061 for around $300.

[DCColegrove]

So what do you think of the integrated skidplate? I'm not the first to ask about it in this thread....

This is an interesting idea for sometime down the road, John and I briefly talked about it and we may come up with an addition in the future.

I would not be integrated into the brace as the e30 has several engine configurations and as would follow several different needs in pan protection (we don't want to re-create the BMW one size fits all fireplace grate thing that was available).

[monty]

I vote for a r3v group buy in lime green for $200.

I second that. Even though I dont really care what color it comes in because I dont plan on jumping my car for anyone to see my undercarrage, i'm the only one that turns wrenches on it to see it anyway. But it would match niceley with my lower control arm mounts, I think they are AKA lollipops?

[e30rcr]

So what do you think of the integrated skidplate? I'm not the first to ask about it in this thread....

[kowalski]

with a name like "the dude" he needs no introduction.

[DCColegrove]

WARNING SERIOUS CONVERSATION IMMINENT:

Ok, you know what, I'll bite.

This seems like a very interesting product and DCColegrove seems to know his stuff.

Honestly I must say posting some background about yourself would be beneficial when making claims like these, too many random kids running around these forums...

I started in this industry at a very young age with the intent of being an A&P (Airframe and Power-plant) mechanic. Couldn't make enough to support my flying habit. (I did a little air racing and aerobatic flying before my first daughter was born...she's 10 now) so I switched to automotive.

I worked for BMW in the early to mid 80's. I also raced Datsun 510s and built chassis and power-train equipment for them and the Z's during this same time (did a little work with BRE before Electromotive took over).
I worked at a dozen BMW dealerships as a line tech until the early 90's

I am currently the BMW Mechanic at B&C Foreign Car in Ventura, California and DBA as BMW Zen Performance.

I'm on my 9th and 10th e30.

My first BMW was a '71 2002 and I think I went through 6 of those (the last one, a '75 turbo nearly killed me in 1997...too fast too light if you could believe such a thing).

should I post this on my site?

My R&D...and now production Compadre is "The Dude"...he did fabrication on March and Lolas for Indy, and a long list of other out of this world projects.

His name speaks for it's self.

[e30rcr]

WARNING SERIOUS CONVERSATION IMMINENT:

Ok, you know what, I'll bite.

This seems like a very interesting product and DCColegrove seems to know his stuff.

Honestly I must say posting some background about yourself would be beneficial when making claims like these, too many random kids running around these forums.

I am a mechanic with 6 years of experience and 4 years of concours detailing. I have owned over 15 e30's, with my last one being sold for $9k. Currently I have my 88 M3 2.5L and a 1990 325is track car. Now that we are aquainted I would like to make a serious proposition.

The main thing a lowered e30 needs (m20 engine) is a skidplate. I have replaced MANY oilpans and had to get a fresh one on my track car a few months ago and JUST cracked it again a week ago.

Why not combine this product with a front lower radiator plate and a oil pan skid plate between? This would provide even more rigidity in the front end and provide the needed protection for the oil pan. For us track buffs, maybe even add "buttresses" that extend to the lolipop mounts for the control arms from the x-brace?

I would be willing to add the weight and pay $400 for that, no doubt.

[nefarious7907]

Holy crap $315 !!!

I'll pass