$125 to spend for LeMons... what to buy?

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  • LTDScott
    Wrencher
    • Jan 2008
    • 259

    #1

    $125 to spend for LeMons... what to buy?

    My 24 Hours of LeMons racer was assigned a residual value of $375 after our last race, which means we have $125 to spend on the car before our next race at Buttonwillow in August. The car is still running pretty well and there's not much we have to do to make it race ready again.

    Here's a rundown on the car so far: '87 325e with 160K? miles. Bone stock engine with new plugs, valve adjustment, and clutch fan delete. Cat cut off the exhaust and replaced with a Cherry Bomb. Stock trans, stock spec clutch with single mass flywheel conversion. Limited slip. Rebuilt shifter, new guibo/CSB, new stock motor/trans mounts. Most front bushings replaced with stock rubber replacements. Junkyard sourced Eibach lowering springs, new Bilstein shocks/struts (yes, we were within budget). Ghetto notched strut towers for extra camber. Stock spec brakes with some decent pads, steel braided lines, and ATE Blue fluid (this doesn't count in the budget anyway) and stock bottlecaps with Falken RT165s.

    I need some ideas for cheap upgrades. I'm leaning towards a crank scraper tray for the engine (mainly for oil pressure issues on long left handers - we were getting a bit concerned at Thunderhill). Or, we can replace some of the rear suspension bushings. When I lifted up the car from the rear diff, I could see the subframe move a good half inch compared to the car. So I'm thinking new subframe bushings and maybe trailing arm bushings while we're at it. But aftermarket bushings (aluminum or urethane) would eat up the whole budget.

    Any suggestions? Feel free to move this thread to another forum that may be more appropriate.
    The Homer: Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball.
  • SamE30e
    R3V Elite
    • Sep 2007
    • 4319

    #2
    Mark D chip?
    1985 325e 2.8 Turbo VEMS

    Comment

    • TopOfTheLine89
      E30 Modder
      • Jun 2007
      • 919

      #3
      ebay performance chip.
      97 tacoma 5 spd 4 cylinder
      2001 330ci 5 speed
      83 733i 5 speed, (FS)

      Comment

      • lennon
        E30 Fanatic
        • Jun 2008
        • 1416

        #4
        +1 on chip. you can get an ebay one for less than 50 bucks, then buy something else too. itll make a huge difference to the E, especially if youve got a 3.25 or more diff.

        Comment

        • ikkitousen
          Grease Monkey
          • May 2009
          • 386

          #5
          swaybars? There were an ST set on bayarea CL for like $60 last night but its gone now. Ebay then?


          ----------------------------------------------
          DAMN LEMONS LIMITS!!!

          Comment

          • LTDScott
            Wrencher
            • Jan 2008
            • 259

            #6
            I forgot to mention it already has a $35 eBay chip (dunno if there's any performance gain but it still runs fine). And IIRC, I measured our front sway bar and it was already the biggest, but I can't remember for sure. I'll have to measure.
            The Homer: Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball.

            Comment

            • p0cket penguins
              E30 Addict
              • Jul 2008
              • 481

              #7
              just fill the bushings with a tube of polyurethane window sealer from home depot

              Comment

              • Joe318is
                R3V OG
                • Sep 2005
                • 6451

                #8
                i think i have a chip for this! and id be happy to take your moneys.

                EDIT: oh and a 325i throttle body [larger diameter] and E28 533i injectors [more flow, low ohm]


                Originally posted by vlad
                Do you know anybody else who built that many bad ass E30s?

                Comment

                • laz
                  Member
                  • Feb 2007
                  • 40

                  #9
                  Our car was valued at $375 after THill too, and we sent a really sad picture. Maybe Jay assigns the same residual value to all E30's?

                  Since you already have a chip, rear subframe and trailing arm bushings would be my vote. Less rear end flex will let you put the eta power down!

                  You could also try slapping an i head on the eta block ... for $125. That's probably a stretch goal ;)

                  Edit: Also, cabrio sways are $25 from pick n pull.
                  Norcal Spec E30 #804 http://scienceofslow.com
                  Pandamonium Racing, 24Hrs of LeMons http://pandamoniumracing.blogspot.com

                  Comment

                  • Jonathan M3
                    E30 Mastermind
                    • Oct 2003
                    • 1837

                    #10
                    We installed a 21.5mm E46 M3 rear sway bar in ours, just had to fab up new mounts for it to work. :D

                    '05 E46 M3 Imolarot/Cinnamon - CURRENT
                    '98 E36 M3 Estorilblau/Dove - SOLD
                    '90 E30 M3 Brilliantrot/Black - SOLD
                    SRS BSNS Motorsports - 24hrs of LeMons Racer

                    Comment

                    • Joe318is
                      R3V OG
                      • Sep 2005
                      • 6451

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Jonathan M3
                      We installed a 21.5mm E46 M3 rear sway bar in ours, just had to fab up new mounts for it to work. :D
                      pics?


                      Originally posted by vlad
                      Do you know anybody else who built that many bad ass E30s?

                      Comment

                      • LTDScott
                        Wrencher
                        • Jan 2008
                        • 259

                        #12
                        Yeah Jay said he was being admittedly generous, but he knew he didn't have to worry about a cheating ringer based on past performance, heh.

                        I haven't done anything to the motor other than pull the valve cover and adjust the valves. We haven't pulled the head and I'd like to keep it that way! But I'm seriously considering the crank scraper if only for longevity. The oil pressure light on our car flickered a little going around the long left hand sweeper at T-hill.

                        I actually like the idea of getting some new stock subframe bushings and filling them with Window-Weld. Good ideas!
                        The Homer: Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball.

                        Comment

                        • Jonathan M3
                          E30 Mastermind
                          • Oct 2003
                          • 1837

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Joe318is
                          pics?
                          Nope. Its a SRS BSNS Motorsports patent pending mod. ;)

                          Heres the car though:
                          Last edited by Jonathan M3; 09-01-2009, 08:42 AM.

                          '05 E46 M3 Imolarot/Cinnamon - CURRENT
                          '98 E36 M3 Estorilblau/Dove - SOLD
                          '90 E30 M3 Brilliantrot/Black - SOLD
                          SRS BSNS Motorsports - 24hrs of LeMons Racer

                          Comment

                          • MDryVur
                            Grease Monkey
                            • Aug 2008
                            • 395

                            #14
                            stock bottle caps huh..... hahahhahaha

                            Comment

                            • LTDScott
                              Wrencher
                              • Jan 2008
                              • 259

                              #15
                              What's up with all the E30 teams using those wheels now? I know they were on sale cheap but damn they're everywhere!

                              I spy Pedobear!

                              Originally posted by MDryVur
                              stock bottle caps huh..... hahahhahaha
                              ?? The photo above is not our car. This is:

                              The Homer: Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball.

                              Comment

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