From DD to track rat, progress and questions

[Earendil]

My Former daily driver, a 1989 325i with somewhere around 260,000 on the clock has finally been replaced with a newer DD. This has allowed me to take my old and dilapidated baby and make her feel like she has a purpose again. Over my poor college years I had kept her mechanically sound, while sacrificing fixing creature comforts, like water leaks

Now though, I want to transform my baby into a track rat, but a safe and modest one on a budget. I’m not a “How do I blow 8 grand on a car” kinda guy. I do all the work myself, and I have more like $2000 after the planned repairs.

The intention is to build the car towards Pro3/SpecE30. Please keep this in mind. I don’t care about HP so much, which is why no turbo. But it’s also why I won’t be getting 16x9 wheels or a BBK either. Also, I won’t actually seriously consider racing for years to come, so no fire suppression or a roll cage on my list. The intent is to have a car that will serve well for working up to HPDE, AutoX, and sunny days here in the Cascade Mountains. I want to be able to drive to events. If I’m still enjoying myself and employed in a couple years, I might consider a roll cage and actually competing. But for now Pro3 racing is just an end that is helping me define the means.

Here is a quick list of how the car stands right now:

• 24 months ago front end Control arms, tie rods, and associated rubber was replaced. Rebuilt driveshaft. Mark D chip added.
• 12 months ago new valves springs were put on, resulting in a new head gasket, and a thorough inspect of the engine. New Timing belt, cooling hoses, gaskets, etc etc.
• 7 months ago a parts car was acquired, this resulted in my car getting a Bilstein + H&R sport setup, and sports seats. All new suspension rubber was put in at the same time.
• Weight reduction. Carpet, insulation, A/C, P/S, Seats, speakers, and the trunk fish tank are all gone. None of the components (but speakers) worked, and the carpets were wet. Bleh.

Set in stone, on the next sunny day I’ll be:

• Replacing the clutch, and relevant seals in the area
• Rebuilding the shifter. No AKG yet, just a Z3 and delrin bushings.
• Swapping in a 4.10 LSD
• Replacing bushings/seals. This includes the subframe bushings…god help me.

As I said, I want to make this car a fun and safe track rat. I’m not looking for power, or to look cool. So with the money I have budgeted (about $2000), here is what I’m planning on doing

• Signing up for every HPDS event this year
• Rebuilding the stock brake calipers
• Finding a good race/street pad
• Replacing old brake lines with SS lines (If only because my lines probably SHOULD be replaced, and if I am replacing them anyway, why not SS?)
• Replacing stock 14” with Racing Dynamic 1.3 (the 15x7 verity), so that I have options for…
• Replacing no season rubber with “extreme” summer rubber.
• Repairing factory brake ducting

Things I can’t decide on

• Preemptive wheel bearing repair? I could do the rears without much fuss since I’ll be pulling the subframe anyway. But the fronts will be a pain. I’d also have someone else pull/press the actual bearing. So this would be a $100-$200 job for the rear I’m thinking. And even more for the fronts.
• Reinforce the car? Front or back strut brace? End link reinforcement? I currently have stock sways.
• Stiffer bushings? Currently motor and tranny mounts are no more than a year old, but they are stock rubber. Any reason to put something harder in there now?

I believe when this is done I will have a solid engine and drive train to have some fun with, rubber for it to sit on, and brakes to slow it down. Is there any additional safety oriented parts or preventative work I should do? When people get their cars inspected by an AES certified mechanic for use on HPDE days, what are some of the most common reasons for not passing?

Things I believe I will be okay with getting further down the road, even though I’d obviously attract more chicks if I had them now :pimp:

• Proper racing seat. I have the E30 sport seat right now. I’d love a race seat, but I’m not sure the money spent on a proper one wouldn’t be better spent on something else?
• Helmet. I’m hoping to rent one for events. Good idea until I know I’m going to stick with it?
• Steering wheel. I have the big 3 spoke M-tech 1
• Exhaust. I don’t need a few more HP, and I’m attempting to stay road legal.
• Race Shifter. Something along the lines of the AKG
• Fix rust hole in floor. Not quite golfball size. I may have a buddy that can slap a piece of metal in there and weld it up though. Shouldn’t be an issue if I keep the rest from spreading?
• Fix rear end quarter panel damage. Corner is crinkled, but trunk shuts and the rear light fits.
• New paint. It currently aint pretty. But thanks to the silver paint, the silver primer doesn’t show too bad at 100 yards ;-)

Anyone care to convince me otherwise?
Are there huge holes in my plan? Any tips? Anyone want to wish me luck?

I’ll try and keep this thread updated as I progress.

Thanks for reading!

[Spiff325iS]

Well from the sound of it, you have your head on your shoulders with the proper gear and maintenance required and expected for a car that will be seeing HPDE's/Canyons.

It's good that the rubber has been replaced, and even better that you are replacing more.

Definitely get a lil' set of 15x7 wheels with some rubber (don't worry about expensive rubber).

IMHO, get the cheapest NON-all season rubber you can and rock that. Don't worry about rubber saving your lap time until you've really started to hone your skills behind the wheel.

Yes the tires will probably squeal on the track, and yes they will probably last longer than race rubber, and yes they will have a minimal amount of grip. HOWEVER, it will be great to learn on them as you will learn the threshold of grip at slower speeds (and many more things).

Aside from everything you've talked about, the next thing would be getting a good spring/shock combo. HR Race & Bilstein Sports is a great combo (and if you want, get sways, but they are unnecessary right now).

All in all, I go by this: "you gotta fix the nut behind the wheel before you start changing the bolts on the car".

Having said that, it's great that you have PROPER maintenance lined up (and taken care of), now you can focus on doing as many HPDE's and get tons of instructor time.

Good luck!

Dan

[Pussy30]

Sounds like a great start. Needs more pics!!!!

What experience do you have on the track already?

[JRKOUPE]

track rat...

W/ all due respect.....

I have a track rat too, and learned so very much from the fellas here on the forum. AND searching the forum will give you almost all your answers.


........did u search at all?

this topic has been beaten to death.....there is even an ongoing thread right now on it....

and your post was so long I could not even get thru it.....but thats just me.

have u ever been on a track?....

get her up to snuff w/ the consumables.......get her road worthy/safe

Go track it a few times...............then re think what you want to do.......

[Earendil]

W/ all due respect.....

First, thanks for the respect I'm due :)

I have a track rat too, and learned so very much from the fellas here on the forum. AND searching the forum will give you almost all your answers.

........did u search at all?

I searched, read, posted, read, searched some more. And on more than just r3v too. Do you know what answers I seek?

have u ever been on a track?....

Nope. I've volunteered at a track, been a flagger for an enduro. But being on a track has always been just a dream, a dream that no one around me shares... no one but a few of you guys. Now I have some resources, and I want to give this the best shot I can.

get her up to snuff w/ the consumables.......get her road worthy/safe

That is what this post is about. You'll notice the lack of a question mark in my original post until near the very end. This is a check list, a sanity check, because no one else in my life is going to look at the big picture and spot errors. I'm also cautious by nature. I apologize if my long winded post offended you in some fashion. A few years ago I knew nothings about tracks, nothing about racing gear or parts. I didn't know to even investigate or look for some of the parts that I am now contemplating. It is mostly due to the vast knowledge here on R3v that I can even compose the kind of post I did. I didn't pull it out of thin air, and I certainly didn't have a friend/parent/acquittance pass it on to me.

Go track it a few times...............then re think what you want to do.......

Iterative-evaluation-and-improvement is my middle name :)

[Earendil]

Dan, thanks for the affirmation. Really :)
It's good to know that the time I've put into researching this endeavor has produced a course of action and a philosophy that people agree with!

Well from the sound of it, you have your head on your shoulders with the proper gear and maintenance required and expected for a car that will be seeing HPDE's/Canyons.

Definitely get a lil' set of 15x7 wheels with some rubber (don't worry about expensive rubber).

It seems that is one of the great things about 15" wheels. You can put some pretty solid rubber (figuratively) on there for little more than no-season tires. Star Specs are at the top of my list currently.

All in all, I go by this: "you gotta fix the nut behind the wheel before you start changing the bolts on the car".

I thoroughly agree with this. That is the most fun for me personally anyway, knowing that my own skills are improving.

Good luck!

Dan

Thanks Dan!