E30 M42 Turbo at Willow Springs

[e30pq]

My first session on the track I couldn't believe the difference in power.

The YouTube post was my second lap in the second session. I probably did 3 or 4 laps in the first session and brought the car back in so that we could check everything.

By the end of the second session I was getting the hang of the car. My last lap of the second session was my best of the day -- 1:39.3.

We wanted to get the car on the track to see if the turbo setup performed as planned... and it did. The next step is getting more rubber to the ground and improving the brakes. Both require some work with an E30 car.

[golde30]

wow. looks like a blast to drive. cant wait to see the car @ a track day.

[LivingLegend06]

Wow that car almost makes me want to turbo my m42, but I think when I am ready for more power a M30 swap is a little more in my budget. Good sounding car though.

[e30pq]

That's a good point. I own an E30 convertible and I just dropped in an S50.

That car is a weekend cruiser. I also use it for an occasional autocross.

For the street I can say the S50 is a really nice upgrade. My car is one of the cleanest convertibles and cleanest conversions you will probably see. It's a fun car.

On the other hand, I never drove a turbo car on the track until last weekend. The M42 turbo was really a kick in the pants. I still can't get the smile off my face from last weekend and my body is craving the adrenaline rush.

If you are building a BMW track car the M42 turbo is a cost effective motor to do it with. It obviousely has 2 less cylinders and it is a non-M motor which make for cost effectiveness right out of the box. Yes, there is customization needed.

If you are building a street car, I think building a 318is into a turbo car would be a cool conversion.

Going fast isn't cheap but we think we build a cost effective D-mod car that will be competitive.

[e30love]

Nice