building track rat

[bradze]

about to get a '89 325i for $975. my budget is pretty low so itll take a while but eventually will get cage, seats, harnesses, steering wheel, and probably fuel cell. just curious how much did you pay for your track e30s? someone told me not to spend much more than $500

[MattAvino]

spend $500 on car if you plan on replacing pretty much everything in the suspension.

[325ix]

If you are going to build a track rat, you need to replace everything in the suspension anyways. If the 975 car is rust free, get it and sell off the nice, unused parts.

[F34R]

You might want to skim over my build thread(link is below in my sig ("DD/track build")

I lost track of the money I have involved with it. I would have to guess some where around 9k. I stopped keeping track at 5,428(last update in my notes). That is before brakes, wheels, cams, Muffler and SS exhaust tubing, Performance coils etc

If you can get a cheap running e30 and plan on using the m20 motor. I can say you can do a cheap SCCA solox car for around 3k. I would do a Schrick cam(272 degree, IE beefy rockers). Long tube header with custom 2.5 exhaust.

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/BMW-E30/c-134-camshafts-schrick.aspx

Most of the money will be in suspension and wheels/tires.

Engine will be like 800.00

Suspension- Bilstein sports/H&R race springs, e90 drop hats. 500(used)-1k You CAN do ground-control.com coilovers conversion and bilstein sports for UNDER 900. Then get some tower braces etc. Polly bushings..

Brakes- rebuild cailpers(nothing but grease), tuner rotor kit(250ish?) Hawk pads.

Wheels can be just about anthing, Rota makes some light ass wheels. Can get them in E30 fitment for 650.00

Tires are whatever you want to spend 280-600+

Seat- Sport seat works fine. Try and find a cloth, I slip in my leather one too much. I am going cloth Recaros when the money builds back up. And a fixed back MOMO once the deal is swapped.

So you CAN build a cheap weekend toy for under 3k finding used parts on here and there. I WOULD NOT buy used control arms. And go all out with Meyle arms(200ish).

You are welcome to PM me and talk over ideas and such, more than happy to help you out with brands etc.

[Roysneon]

I'm not just trying to shit on you here, but have you ever done a HPDE or Auto-x? Building a car up for something you've never done isn't a good idea as you really don't know what you want or need from the car or if you're gonna be interested in tracking it later on. Any DD that's not falling apart could survive a HPDE easy.

Other than that, start with the cleanest shell you can find, and if you just want something to get on the track with, stick with stock motor, cheap, effective bolt ons if you have extra cash.

[bradze]

i've done 20 or so in my last car, i professionally raced formula cars a long time ago, its safe to say im not totally clueless. thanks for the helpful advice everyone

[bradze]

the stuff i listed is the gear my friends and i will need (the basics anyway) to do 24hrs of lemons or chumpcar, if car survives, itll be track car and then eventually maybe a pro3 car

[acolella76]

Buy a car with a good running engine, and replace literally EVERYTHING suspension related. Bilstein sport shocks, H&R race, all bushings, control arms, tie rods, etc.

Buy new brake pads and rotors, SS lines, bleed the system, make sure all is okay.

Maybe some RS3's or Dunlop Star Specs or similar if your budget allows.

Done.

[bradze]

a friend of mine constantly races pro3, was looking into other cars before their bbq yesterday. didn't realize so many were around me. things like last post are just what i need thanks, this is what im about to get, would rather have a 2dr but this just makes it easier to shove things into back on way to track til i get a truck http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/2556012443.html

[bradze]

seller flaked out on me, does a car built before 1991 have any value? kbb wont go back further than that. a '91 in good shape is worth $1300. just about everything i've considered was between '87 an '89 with high miles.

[Hick]

seller flaked out on me, does a car built before 1991 have any value? kbb wont go back further than that. a '91 in good shape is worth $1300. just about everything i've considered was between '87 an '89 with high miles.

lol, no. all cars from before 1991 legally have zero value.

its worth what you will pay for it. some dudes have sold their 86 e30s for 10k+, but its basically a new car. Others have been given 93 verts for free...

[bradze]

thanks