Far from an E30, E39 M5 Racecar

[jrhaile]

After I smashed up my rare 91 Dinan E30 Turbo back in 2007 which happened to be the same year my completely built E36 was also smashed, I wasn't much into modding my cars for a bit. Well a trip to Germany and the Nurburgring changed that for me. I got hooked on racing. Started with a couple of years of AutoX in my then pretty much stock E39 M5 and after that in my 97 M3.

I knew I wanted to build a racecar but I didn't want to build my E36 as it has been done a million times before. I thought about just buying a PRO3 or building one and then Adam from Hard Motorsport suggested I build my M5 into a road racer. And 18 months later we have this.







And I also have some footage of some very famous (around these parts) PRO3 drivers and I going at it at Oregon Raceway Park :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOPHg7mgCVs

Thanks for looking fellas. One day I plan to join the ranks of PRO3 but for now, I will stick with my 400hp 3100lbs M5 :D

Also, anyone in the Portland, Seattle area who are interested can come check out the car at 5erWest in Gladstone, Oregon on July 23rd.

[lambo]

I couldn't imagine sitting down one evening and saying to myself...

"You know what I should do to my M5? Gut it and make a race car."

Props, good sir.

[jrhaile]

I couldn't imagine sitting down one evening and saying to myself...

"You know what I should do to my M5? Gut it and make a race car."

Props, good sir.

It happened while driving to Montesano, Washington. Sheer boredom and a random idea turned my mint, extended leather packaged M5 into a racecar lol

[318isbmw]

Glad you finally posted it on here James, it's one hell of a car.

[VinniE30]

Woah did you really get it down to 3100 lbs? How is that even possible? I can't imagine just stripping the interior and the glass dropped 900lbs. I see the lexan windows and sunroof, what else did you do to drop weight?

[VinniE30]

Engine bay pic pls

[nrubenstein]

Woah did you really get it down to 3100 lbs? How is that even possible? I can't imagine just stripping the interior and the glass dropped 900lbs. I see the lexan windows and sunroof, what else did you do to drop weight?

E39 bits are very heavy. I don't see why that number is surprising. Also, IIRC, they actually start in the 3,800-3,900 range, depending on options. Curb weight includes the driver and fluids.

[Wh33lhop]

I can see the appeal but I never ever EVER would have done this.








Ever.









Fuck that's awesome.

[James Crivellone]

Hah, love the video. You can see John to your right and I'm in front of you during race start.. for all around 2 corners :-)

Awesome car and awesome driving.. LOVE seeing that thing out there.

[jrhaile]

Glad you finally posted it on here James, it's one hell of a car.

Wouldn't be finished if it wasn't for you xoxox :D

Woah did you really get it down to 3100 lbs? How is that even possible? I can't imagine just stripping the interior and the glass dropped 900lbs. I see the lexan windows and sunroof, what else did you do to drop weight?

Engine bay pic pls

The car weighs 3350 with me in it (195lbsish) and my gear and 1/4 tank of gas officially. Without the cage it was probably around 2800-2900lbs. There is a TON of rollbar in there.

M5 interior weighs a TON, literally :D. You can strip 500-600lbs out of an E46 M3 so taking out close to 1k wasn't a stretch and there is probably another 50-70lbs in wiring we could remove too (which we will).

You named it, lexan windows is the only lightweight component we have put on there. We also did a ABS plastic sunroof. If I had more money, losing 30lbs+ on the hood and 20-30lbs+ on the truck with CF parts would be possible as well. Future mods.

Stock airboxes and all.. for now.

E39 bits are very heavy. I don't see why that number is surprising. Also, IIRC, they actually start in the 3,800-3,900 range, depending on options. Curb weight includes the driver and fluids.

The car weighed 4120 or 4180 with me in it back when I was 260lbs weighing it at the dump.

Hah, love the video. You can see John to your right and I'm in front of you during race start.. for all around 2 corners :-)

Awesome car and awesome driving.. LOVE seeing that thing out there.

You guys coming over for Spokane? It was a blast running with the PRO3s.

[th3blue]

awesome car... they should have a spec M5 class for racing!

[Mlarsen]

My dad has an e39 540i that we made into a track car. We gutted it as well and it was really surprising how much weight we took out. Lexan windows are going in this summer and a JB racing LW flywheel with Tilton 5.5" twin disc clutch.

Oh and it has 8' Ford rear end.

What kind of suspension are you running?

[dude8383]

Wow sir, that is doing it very very RIGHT.

[jrhaile]

My dad has an e39 540i that we made into a track car. We gutted it as well and it was really surprising how much weight we took out. Lexan windows are going in this summer and a JB racing LW flywheel with Tilton 5.5" twin disc clutch.

Oh and it has 8' Ford rear end.

What kind of suspension are you running?

Sounds awesome! Does yours have a cage? I'm curious on what weight you got it to. I wish we would have weighed mine before cage but oh well.

I love the JB Flywheel, very easy and little pressure to heel and toe with it.

Ford 8' straight axle? I'm sorry I don't know American car specs that well. I'm running JIC Cross Racing Coilovers with custom spring rates. JIC hooked me up on the price of a custom setup with plates.

[Mlarsen]

No straight axle, it's a IRS unit.

It does have a roll bar in it, not a full cage.
I can't remember the exact weight. I know we have the paperwork laying somewhere after we got it corner balanced.

It would really to cool to see your car go up against my dad's. I know he's itching to get back on the track, the clutch went out on him last year up at Pacific raceways. He loves PIR so, I'm sure he'll be down around your neck of the woods some time this year.