advice for track car?

[j0oftheworld]

I have a 195whp M50.. it's great but I'd say go for an M20 and focus on driving/tuning the chassis for a year or two and then once you/she rips up the track throw a swap in and add the extra speed!
Tuning an old chassis to hang w. much more modern cars isn't exactly easy. There's def some limitations I've found w. this car vs my Miata/S2000 background.
Should be fun.. and I'm in it for the long haul!

[BenM]

+10

It's not the car, it's the driver.

+11 for sure. I tracked my dad's E34 Touring w/ S50 swap, passed a lot of faster cars and had a blast doing it.

[kishg]

Personally, I think you'll have fun EITHER way you go.

I've driven a Miata MX-5, a MK5 GTi and of course my car on the track and all of them were a hoot to drive.

+10

It's not the car, it's the driver.

[dude8383]

Personally, I think you'll have fun EITHER way you go.

I've driven a Miata MX-5, a MK5 GTi and of course my car on the track and all of them were a hoot to drive.

[balooshinakus]

Gotta love Mike giving bullshit track advice based on things he has "heard"... If you waste money building an m42 you are pretty insane, or just have mad love for the m42.

[Danny]

Again, OP, please ignore Mike's posts in this thread, its all hearsay (incorrect hearsay at that).

[Mike The Bavarian]

Oh my gawd. You have no experience but you're giving advice? Bad advice at that. You sir, fail. OP please ignore Mike The Bavarian's posts in this thread, and Mike: don't talk outcha ass boy! Its bad for your health.

Not talking out of my ass. I gave my input and then I stated something that I heard.

[Danny]

Oh my gawd. You have no experience but you're giving advice? Bad advice at that. You sir, fail. OP please ignore Mike The Bavarian's posts in this thread, and Mike: don't talk outcha ass boy! Its bad for your health.

[Mike The Bavarian]

If you have no experience, why are you giving bad advice in the track forum?

becuase he asked for advise and I gave my input.
And it a forum, I'll do what i want

[nrubenstein]

I'm not going to argue with you. You have more experience racing then me; hell...I don't have any. But from what I've HEARD m5x swapped cars when gutted end up with a weight balance around that.

If you have no experience, why are you giving bad advice in the track forum?

[Jean]

Well are we talking early or late model? Because beside the different strut sizes and the drive train there's really no difference...

I said early vs late up in the previous post. There are more differences than you think, and it all adds up.

[Mike The Bavarian]

Is that another thing your heard?

Well are we talking early or late model? Because beside the different strut sizes and the drive train there's really no difference...

[Jean]

The only real difference between a 318 and 325 is the drivetrain. If you're going to swap it you might as well just start off with a 325...318is's are getting harder to find as is..

Is that another thing your heard?

[Fusion]

I can't imagine what you'd have to take off the rear to get it that much lighter.
I have a table of BMW engine weights, probably engine only: (this is in kilos)
M42: 100
M20: 117
M50: 135
M52: 118 euro, 140? us
M54: 126
S50: 152
S52: 152

Provided I have a FG hood that's 12kg lighter than stock, that makes me only 20something kilograms heavier. I'd be pretty damn close with the M52 (alloy block?). Not saying anything about handling, that'll probably depend on how you place the M/S5x, just trying to clear things up a bit.
And if I were to gut my car, I'd start with carpets, lighter front seats, sunroof delete, el. window delete, front window glass delete (if rules allow) etc. Pretty much all things on the front half of the car. I don't think it would be very hard to balance it out nicely.

[Mike The Bavarian]

When you say shot like that, try to at least glance at the numbers. Unless you really think the M5x motors are on the order of 500+lbs. heavier than an M42...

I'm not going to argue with you. You have more experience racing then me; hell...I don't have any. But from what I've HEARD m5x swapped cars when gutted end up with a weight balance around that.