OEM+ Sterling Silver 1990 325is

[Zeemz]

I need updates! Either car will do! :P

Sorry things have been crazy lately. Finished the track season out with a 2 day event with the NCC BMWCCA chapter at Summit Point Shenandoah in the ZHP and another 2 day event with the NJ BMWCCA chapter. Brakes are due for an overhaul and plan on doing a BBK this winter so for my last event with the Mercedes Benz Car Club did a one day event at Shenandoah in the E30. I got signed off to solo at the NJ event and drove solo in the E30 for the whole MBCA event.

Ran two different track setups, full track including pit row with NJ and no pit row (Old Ram cut through) with MBCA. Some clubs don't like to run the pit because of the wall. It is a little intimating, but the noise of the wall and the building is amazing...Volume up to hear the S54 scream!

From the Summit Point Website:

The Shenandoah Circuit is a 2.2-mile (3.5 km) road course that first opened in 2005. It is a no holds barred technical challenge that will take years for drivers to master. The track contains a dimensional replica of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife’s famous banked Karussell turn complete with 20 degrees of banking.

Youtube Best Lap Videos:

NJ BMWCCA Summit Point HPDE- Shenandoah -10-7-18 - 1st solo, best lap of weekend-2005 ZHP S54 Swap

Summit Point HPDE MBCA NWS- Shenandoah - 10-21-18 - Best Lap - 1990 BMW 325is E30

A few longer videos on my youtube, also a few of the NCC event but it rained the entire weekend so not as exciting.


Shout out to Mike.BMW for grabbing shots between his runs of the S54Door at the NJ event and Jackie for the shots at the MBCA event!



McLaren behind me...well at least for a little bit!

[Zeemz]

September 2018 Car of the Month: Zeemz

It was very cool to make COTM in September. Thank you 2mAn for the honor! And thank you for all the appreciation in that thread and this one. As well as all the appreciation of the latest acquisition, the ZHP...The S54Door.

A couple of my favorite shots from the COTM photo shoot:

[Staszek]

i know this is an older post but I just saw your ZHP, wow thats awesome, not only is the ZHP one of my favorite non M E46's you got the best of both worlds with the swap!

[TFJR]

That is just about a perfect E46 in my eyes. It's got everything I'd want! Congrats on the purchase, it looks like a ton of fun. I'd love to hear an exhaust video

[ATL_E30]

I need updates! Either car will do! :P

[add1ct]

Congrats on the ZHP its gorgeous!!!

[UNHCLL]

One thing that made me think twice, which surprised me, was that ZHPs did not come with LSDs. Additionally, to swap a LSD in you have to do a full M3 rear end conversion.

Uhhhh...... or you could just buy a custom DiffsOnline differential and select your ramp angles, lock up, ratio, and bolt it in.

S54 is great, but the beauty of the ZHP is the engine/suspension package.
Once you pull that apart, it's no different than a bog standard E46 sedan with an S54 swap.

My ZHP has 193k on it... and I plan to run it until there is nothing left. They are, as you described, that great.

-CL

[mike.bmw]

The ZHP looks fantastic, Lewis! Nice choice on the license plate too. ;D

[ATL_E30]

Dyno with the Euro headers, Euro cats, and exhaust. Before the euro headers and cats, dyno was 274whp

My first BMW was a Black ZHP back in 2012. I loved that car and lived on e46fanatics dreaming of a S54 in that sedan. This car is straight up gorgeous! (just like your E30).
I'm a jealous man right now! Enjoy that thing! Can't wait to see some pics of it ripping up the track!

[Zeemz]

As I mentioned before after getting hooked at recent HPDEs I started looking for a ZHP as a fun car for the track and fun car for a quasi-daily. I looked at a few different cars and then made a few calls and spoke to RRT who had a customer that was selling a ZHP that they had done a S54 swap on. No expense had been spared on the swap and the car had been done from front to rear, not to mention by RRT who I know and trust and does awesome work.

One thing that made me think twice, which surprised me, was that ZHPs did not come with LSDs. Additionally, to swap a LSD in you have to do a full M3 rear end conversion. Well this car eliminated that concern.

ZHPM3 Highlights:
60K on chassis
70k on motor
30K on swap
Rod Bearings Replaced 15K ago
Vanos overhauled 5K ago
Full M3 rear end - Axles, drive shaft, M3 brakes, Dinian 3.91 LSD, M3 sub frame
Reinforced sub frame
New/upgraded clutch and flywheel 5K
M3 Re-programed Cluster
Emissions compliant
Euro headers, euro cats, and custom exhaust
Dyno'd 296 at the wheels
Hotchkis Sways & Springs and TC Kline/Koni Adjustables
911 Calipers for BBK upgrade (not installed yet)
Apex Arc-8s with new Pilot Super Sports
and lots of other small upgrades

I can't wait to get it out on the track. The car is a beast and is loud as hell.


Day I brought it home






Shots taking by https://www.instagram.com/kixnwhips86/ on the way to Katie's Cars and Coffee two weeks ago.




Hope to install these this winter.


Dyno with the Euro headers, Euro cats, and exhaust - 296whp. Before adding the euro headers and cats, dyno was 274whp

[Zeemz]

I love that as clean as this car is, its out getting driven!

What are your future plans? Also where did you get the euro trim from? I managed to get the front through various r3v channels, but still need to get the rear

Thanks Simon. She may be a bit of a garage queen, but when I take her out she gets driven like she was meant to be.

I will continue to take the E30 out for autocross, but I am working on acquiring something for the track. The car handled amazing on the track and I was instantly hooked. But it is a little too clean for regular track duty. I would beat myself up if I put it into a wall. PPI scheduled for Monday on something pretty interesting.

Guten hooked me up with the euro trim.

Immediate plans is to enjoy the car as it sits. I am sure I will do some little things here and there. The radio needs some attention as it currently sounds like an alarm clock.

Biggest thing on the list is to eventually rebuild and stroke the motor to a 2.9 or 3.0. I know it would probably be cheaper and more power to shove an S52 in, but since it is a clean "is" car I want to keep the M20 and keep it period correct/OEM+. Since the car drives so well right now, this will be a few years down the road, especially if I pick up a second fun car.

[2mAn]

I love that as clean as this car is, its out getting driven!

What are your future plans? Also where did you get the euro trim from? I managed to get the front through various r3v channels, but still need to get the rear

[mmoyer11]

@Zeems, I am fairly certain you and I met at Katies a couple months ago. I drive the delphin 325i S52 swapped sedan. I just picked up a set of BBS RS003 myself and was looking for someone to do exactly what you had done. Mind PMing me some info on where to go?

[audiquattrot]

Pulled up next to Audiquattrot's gorgeous Sterling 325ix. His car was was one of the first Sterling cars that got me hooked on Sterlings and made know that I had to have one one day.

Thanks for the shoutout Lewis! Your cars originality, stance and those WHEELS....man do NOT ever sell those things. The fit and finish is one of my favorites. Don't ever paint that car either! Even w/ all my horrid paint checking I once had, I wish I kept it like that.

[mike.bmw]

Two weeks ago I attended my first HDPE event at Summit Point that was hosted by the NCC BMWCCA Chapter. Summit Point Raceway's "Main" circuit "is a ten turn, two mile road course that includes a 2900 foot straightaway and 400 feet of elevation change". (Mike I stole your Summit Point Intro! Hopefully we can out there together sometime this season)

Haha, it's all good because I stole that text and image from Summit Point's website. ;)

Yes, I'm already itching to get back out there!

Great photos!