None the less, glad it’s done and the car sounds so much better and is running awesome. At some point, on one of the few drives after the belt job, I started noticing popping in the front suspension in parking lots. I assumed this was my GC camber plates so I jacked the car up and started inspecting. What I noticed was with the car up in the air and turning lock to lock the rack appeared to be shifting internally. Confused, I pulled the boot back on one side and you could literally see the rack move about half way through the rotation. I have been running e36 racks (un powered) for quite some time and this is the 2nd time this has happened so this rack only last a year or so. At this point, I said “enough is enough” and convinced myself that having a power rack is worth the additional weight and power draw from the pump. I had a gold tag zhp rack hanging around so I ordered all of the stuff to convert my car back to power and some new tie rods and was on my way. 
I will say, it feels awesome. I still need an alignment but it’s kind of crazy how light it makes the car feel. I have been driving it without power steering for so long it’s honestly like a different car. The one draw back is that not having power steering muffles a lot of e NVH so it’s a bit odd having some of that back but makes it worth it. 
Finally, my front end clunk in parking lots is still there so I ordered new camber plates from GC. Mine are pretty old and I’m impulsive so hopefully this solves that. Next up will be getting my camber plates in and my new rear shocks (GC warranty has been a nightmare to deal with BTW) an alignment and then hopefully a track day at NJMP next month! Lastly, an updated interior shot. I tend to change my steering wheel/shift knob and other little things quite often just to change things up. Really into how the interior is shaping up. Next winter I plan to do a new dash (maybe flocked) and new gauges. I hate the way the ones that I have look and they are mechanical. Will switch to a set of VDOs that match a bit better and ideally not in the dash vent location. TBD though. 
After doing a ton of research, I was thinking I could just raise the motor a bunch and not drop the subframe but with the baffle in place, the tolerances were way too tight to try and get it in place and maneuver through the subframe. No baffle, it would have been easy. 
So I dropped the subframe. Honestly, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. I’ll need an alignment but was able to put it back up by myself with a jack on the subframe and bungee cords keeping the struts in the wheel wells as it went up. 
I am now back on the road but still have a list of things to do. Next on the list will be the timing belt/water pump and new skid plate. I did the belt 2 years ago and the tensioner is squealing like crazy so that obviously makes me nervous. The water pump I did in the fall and it’s already weeping (Graf) so want to do that as well. As for the skid plate, the roads are brutal around me and just adds insurance so I am hesitant to remove it all together and the current plate I have (red46) is awesome, it provides 0 airflow to the pan. I decided to try a new one that looks like it will provided some flow the pan and hopefully help keep temps in check a bit more. I notice a massive difference in oil temps with and without the current skid plate. 
Hoping to have some more updates in the next month or so and hopefully a track day at NJMP, as it’s only a hour from me. Sure beats these 4 hour drives!
So after a long winter of trying to get e car sorted, I had my first “real” track day/weekend. Previously, I had only done a TNIA at Lime Rock, which was 3 20 minute sessions. Enough to hook me in for good but not enough to really start to get conformable. This time, my buddy and I made the 250 or so mile trek up to New York Safety Track for a 2 day event with Mass Tuning. We woke up to snow on Saturday and needless to say, the first few sessions were “interesting” I don’t think I have ever even started the car in sub 40 degree weather, let alone push it. Thank goodness I put that race heater in in the fall. Having no heat at all would have been brutal. 
Overall, the car was amazing. Hard to ask more from it. I did have a few issues and a handful of things I have to address after 750 miles and 2 full track days. I went with a new wheel set up specifically for the track and 205 RT660s and they were awesome. Lived up to the hype...
One of my brand new rear Konis from GC exploded for some reason... weird. 
My oil temps were quite high (compared to what I’m used to) saw 230 a few times and on the way home a sustained 220-225 on the highway (measured from the sandwich plate by washer bottle mount) Historically I had run 15-50 M1 synthetic and just switched to conventional 20/50 VR1. Per some Spec E30 threads I read through, I deleted my stock oil cooler (simplicity) but am also running a skid plate so think that’s the main issue. Water temps never saw above 180 all day so engine is being cooled. I’m going to try the UUC skid plate that has cut outs to cool the oil pan and hope that just the air flow to the pan helps and then go back to an oil cooler if need be. Finally, I have a massive oil pan gasket leak from the previous owner installing a crank scraper. I’m going to finally fix that and also install an IE oil pan baffle to be on the safe side. I am dreading and have been dreading doing this haha. Outside of pulling the motor/trans, it’s the last job that I have been dreading/putting off but needs to be done. Aside from that, the car was really awesome. I cannot wait to get back to the track and could not be more stoked on how this car has been. 
Here are a few other shots from the weekend/prep of the car 
suspension/steering: your standard stuff here: condor bushings all around and GC coilovers. E36 m3 rack (de powered) 205 r888rs 
I love this set up... I came from a very modified Miata and when I first bought the e30 it had sloppy suspension and a factory rack. i remember thinking to myself “did I make a mistake? This thing is like driving a truck” Since doing what I have done, it’s as good as the Miata and even better. 
I am going to finish updating shortly as there’s a ton more to update on and a handful of pictures but here are a few recent shots of the car, as I prep for a track weekend in May. 
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