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

[bam2002]

Timing Belt.. Has every one replaced the belt and the water pump. Since you need to finish the race to win.

Also the Ebay ford focus $30 coil kit is a nice upgrade. You can use the adjustable perches and the rear springs are a bit stiffer. Our opinion was not to Lower the car, If it was going to be hit and pushed into some one I would like my bumper to be as high or higher than the other car so the Radiator would not get smashed. We also have an oil cooler.

We did the last 2 CMP events. Getting ready for the Sept event.
Team Euro Trash

[LTDScott]

325i oil cooler has been added. Timing belt and water pump (along with all hoses and belt) were replaced before our first LeMons race last year. I have new subframe bushings that I filled with urethane. I don't know if I'll have time to get them into the car.

Time is starting to run out so I'm getting down to the nitty gritty. Cooling is going to be a big issue, so I need to rig up a driver air cooling duct, and I'm thinking about running the car without a thermostat.

I'm leaving my springs alone (Eibach lowering springs but we have "bash bars" behind the grille to protect our radiator) but I'm going to see if I can find a cabrio front sway bar at the junkyard. Bam, do you have any protection covering your oil cooler? I have mine mounted in the stock location and I'm concerned about potential damage.

[Scott///M]

I'd just use it to buy bribes for the judges... they hate e30's

[kishg]

I'd just use it to buy bribes for the judges... they hate e30's

+10 bribe money..

[LTDScott]

Bribes are outside of the budget but are already planned -- one of our previous bribes was proclaimed to have been the best ever by Judge Lieberman.

E30s may be hated, but we're a veteran team (I've been racing LeMons since 2007 - this is my 5th event) and we're in good standing with the California judges.

[mattdk318i]

we are getting ready to do this next april. we picked up a auto 86 eta, to be swapped to 5 speed.

[bam2002]

You can see our front end on this photo. Our car had been the middle car in a 3 car accident before we got it. Hence the $500 car. So we had to cut away the sheet metal under the bumper to get the oil cooler to fit. We ended up welding some angle iron and steel mesh in to protect the oil cooler.

We plan to fill the front bushings and add Aluminum plates to them.
Also added a Electric cooling fan and hot wired it on all the time as soon as the car is started. heater core bypassed.

I also swear by the 10 point cage. It has kept the rear end from getting pushed in. Since the mounting point are all the way back near the tail light area. We have been rear ended at least 2 times at each race.

Last of all check fuel lines. A kinked return line took us out of the last race. No leaks , but after we got bumped on the fuel filler area, it some how twisted the fuel tank and the metal filler, plus the lines and caused random blockage. It took over a month to figure this out..

[LTDScott]

Do you have a better photo of the oil cooler protection? We cut away all our sheet metal around the oil cooler and now I'm regretting it.

[bam2002]

LTD Ill try to get a photo posted later today. The car is over at a team mates shop, since we needed to use a lift to get the gas tank out.
We just used 1/4 inch angle iron and made a little cage around it. Welded it to the body and the tow hook area.

[LTDScott]

LTD Ill try to get a photo posted later today. The car is over at a team mates shop, since we needed to use a lift to get the gas tank out.
We just used 1/4 inch angle iron and made a little cage around it. Welded it to the body and the tow hook area.

Cool, I'd appreciate it. Sounds like I'll have to go beg my friend to do some welding again.

[Nonspec325]

What about retro fitting a X brace from a e36 Cabrio to the e30? Should stiffin up that old front end.

Oh btw, the judges are getting really tired of e30's. That why were building a 3000gt (God help us) :crazy:

[LTDScott]

I'd have to find said brace, and there ain't too many E36s in the junkyard!

I know they're tired of E30s, but as I said this is our 3rd race (my 5th as a driver) so we get some veteran cred, and our pile is still unique as far as theme goes. We'll probably be retiring the theme after this race.

[bam2002]

I dont think you need the x brace. Its not like you are running R compounds. With the street tires we had no issues with flex. We are not even running an upper brace.
But we have over 3 deg of Camber.

Yea next year we are going to do an old school BMW either a 2002 or a e21 with a Carbuterated 2.3 euro 6 swap.
I have 2 euro and 2 ETA engines just laying on the floor of the shed. It amazing what you can get for free if your willing to go pick up the whole car.

[bam2002]

Here is a photo i just found that I had on Photbucket.
We welded a Bar across from each of the towing hoops - to attach the front bar.
Then ran the one across the bottom and welded it directly to the frame of the car. its out far enough that we can slide the cooler out the side if needed.

As you can see we also reinforced the sides- ends of the bumpers.

[lostbeachbum]

We plan to fill the front bushings and add Aluminum plates to them.
Also added a Electric cooling fan and hot wired it on all the time as soon as the car is started. heater core bypassed.

.

Can you explain this too me a little more? This sounds like something that I should be doing with my GRM CHallenge car. Any further info on this idea would be great.