You've probably not seen an E30 suspension failure like this before

[TobyB]

The diffs do break their tabs...
With ITB cages, the front inner fender welds break, too.

t

[ForcedFirebird]

We got it in 2016 for changing the clutch 3x at Sebring, and again for the giant snow man.

[redneckvtek]

I was there. We had the Kids Racing for Life e30. You're Huggy as another handle? ;)

Our issue was drivers. I tailed you through t10, that was the year everyone was doing aero, I lost grip. Our slow drivers were 9 SECONDS off pace lol.

We weren't going for the win, we got Sportsmanship trophy many times tho. :)

Yes, my name is Chris Huggins and I went by Huggy on the champcar forum until I changed to my real name after joining the Champcar leadership team.

The sportsmanship trophy (currently the "chandler school trophy") is an awesome achievement!

[ForcedFirebird]

All good points for any team getting started with champcar.

We are well beyond that at this point. We won RAtl in '18 (146 chassis with failed front subframe photo on p1) and '19 (246 chassis I just repaired frame rails on)

I was there. We had the Kids Racing for Life e30. You're Huggy as another handle? ;)

Our issue was drivers. I tailed you through t10, that was the year everyone was doing aero, I lost grip. Our slow drivers were 9 SECONDS off pace lol.

We weren't going for the win, we got Sportsmanship trophy many times tho. :)

[redneckvtek]

All good points for any team getting started with champcar.

We are well beyond that at this point. We won RAtl in '18 (146 chassis with failed front subframe photo on p1) and '19 (246 chassis I just repaired frame rails on)

[ForcedFirebird]

Actually we tired various stock sway bars. Vert, m3, even aftermarket etc. The best scenario we found was OE 325 sway bars, j-stock springs with matching front shocks. Rear b6 Bilstein from Camaro with a different bushing pressed in.

We are the points for solid engine mounts, but keep stock trans mounts. We found it breaks the tabs off less. Plus benefit of them engine u likely to hit radiator unless and accident.

Run your gearbox vent high. Under braking the g260 spits fluid out the vent. Pull the plastic cap off and use 3/8 vent, run it up by the fuse box.

ECU is now open/free. A well built Spece30 legal engine will do 175whp with a good exhaust and stand alone. My personal record is 171 with stock ECU and Spec legal exhaust. Our car was making 180whp with headers. You can skin the bodywork, and get close to 2200lb with driver if you used .090 wall cage material.

We ran 8" wide Tirerack forged wheels. They are about $130ea, BFG Rival 225/45 was our fastest tire.

We strategized our pit stops. The e30 is not going to be on the pointy end of the lap times, so if we had over 1.5hr on a driver and double yellow, we would put and typically stay on the same lap. Many thoughts are "run it till it's empty" but I found the strategy works better overall.

[ForcedFirebird]

No Coilovers. Turner J-stock suspension so ~700/1100 springs

I fixed it so she rides again, took a couple laps of VIR this past weekend. We roll until we find the next failure. 14hours of Road Atlanta scheduled for February

I LOVE RA 14hr! Unfortunately this is going to be the second year in the last 8 that I missed. We had snow the last two years I attended.

We also ran the j-stock, stock away bars so we stayed neutral in points.

[redneckvtek]

running coilovers by chance? that's a lot of transferred force!

No Coilovers. Turner J-stock suspension so ~700/1100 springs

I fixed it so she rides again, took a couple laps of VIR this past weekend. We roll until we find the next failure. 14hours of Road Atlanta scheduled for February

[ForcedFirebird]

They stop the Dyno, turn the key off, change the oil, and start again.

It's displayed in the video, along with mention of changing the catalyst and fuel injectors.

[hasa]

I always wonder how they change oil in that kind of long term experiments. Also Saab did some crazy experiment driving car in top speed something like month on a oval circuit.

[It's Soda Not Pop]

I've been around long enough, I feel that's hearsay.

However, I do believe that an engine block that went through many heat cycles, would settle.

There's also a documentary, that I've watched many times. It's all about the 1989 BMW 325 IS, that went 1 million miles on a dyno. It took 4 years, I believe they took the car from 50 mph up to 70 back down to 50 up to 70 and all weather conditions. Then they took the engine apart, and everything was in .0001" of new.

Saw that one too

[ForcedFirebird]

Dang. Y'all are aging me. I bought a 1986 326es in 2016 that had 480,000+ on it. In the glove box was a small 1/4 page spiral note book with every service dating back until new. Every wheel bearing, every oil change, spark plug mileage noted. That was one of the few e30's I met with actual authentic high mileage, with a working odometer.

[ForcedFirebird]

https://youtu.be/gHmMlU8Q-V8

[ForcedFirebird]

There is a documentary somewhere about the M10 block. They would leave the blocks outside to weather as well.

I've been around long enough, I feel that's hearsay.

However, I do believe that an engine block that went through many heat cycles, would settle.

There's also a documentary, that I've watched many times. It's all about the 1989 BMW 325 IS, that went 1 million miles on a dyno. It took 4 years, I believe they took the car from 50 mph up to 70 back down to 50 up to 70 and all weather conditions. Then they took the engine apart, and everything was in .0001" of new.

[It's Soda Not Pop]

That's just it. These poor cars are and my age ratio aren't doing so well these days. Lol.

Years of abuse, weathering etc. There's an ole rumor that BMW used to like to use old used up m10 blocks because they "seasoned".

My machining mentor mentioned something along the same lines. He told me modern manufacturers are in such a rush to get everything done, the blocks hadn't even really cooled by the time they started machining them. Lol I don't know if he was pulling my leg, but he was certainly on his game, and drove a 4 second funny car until he was 70. He would make fun of my m20s, saying that his starter made 400 horsepower

There is a documentary somewhere about the M10 block. They would leave the blocks outside to weather as well.