Landed my first M car this week. After making some track events in my C63 507 ed.... and my old C5 Z06..... I really wanted to build up an E36 M3. The good price point, the potential for a future LS swap (vorshlag)..... got me motivated.
I'm keeping the C63 for weekend..... but depending on how this build turns out... I just might off the merc. (more to come).
Time-line:
Last Tues - picked up the craiglist 176K mile 1999 M3 for $8.8K USD. WAs local sellers dd for 7 yrs.... so not from a flipper. Always a Tx car. No wrecks etc..
Comes with mods: Dinan Ported TB, CAI, Tune, and LT Header, Dinan Catback.
Lowered on HR sports, and Bilsteins.
Known Issues: random brake light circuit warning (but brake lights work), air bag light (plan to remove anyway, perhaps install res across circuit), seats pretty worn (recover, or race seats TBD), needs brake job, rear shocks blown... TLC.
Stuff on order:
New OEM tail lights,
New yellow fogs (after market),
New yellow side markers (after market),
New rear struts, strut mounts, gasket set,
New front OEM rotors, pads,
CF door cards (contoured) with racing pulls,
New front OEM carpet kit,
Rear Seat Delete panel,
3 spoke Alcantara steering wheel on order (no airbag style),
All new BMW emblems, wheel caps, etc... (currently has cheesy cf crapppy stuff),
Projects completed this weekend:
1. sounded like the rear subframe was falling off over bumps.... literally on teh drive home and not before... I thought OH Hellllllll I got shafted..... it was just the rear shock mounts on top disintegrated..... so the shocked were dancing in the perches..... what a racket. (no flames.... just installed a couple old 5.0 mustang bushings.... until my new bilsteins arrived)>>>>> works like a charm.
2. rear wing was coming loose.... vibrating like a beeech..... had to tap a hole to mount the broken insert..... probably just going to go with a CF trunk... will research best mfr of this part.... guessing VIS>
3. Totally degreased engine bay..... steering rack was covered in 170k mile of crud..... top end of engine was clean.... perhaps a valve cover service? No record of vanos svc... but pulls good up top.
4. Removed 10 yrs old tints.... what a pain.... remove outer skin... then razor blade glue 1 hr /window!
5. cleaned inspected each wheels well, brakes, rotors, wheels, tires, brake lines.... cont arms, etc.... nothing loose by hand... wheel bearings.. no play..... just front rotors/pads shot. ... just ordered cheapo stock rotors for now.
6. degreased trunk carpets... must have hauled a motor back there!!! removed some insulation in the truck area....
7. pulled a small dent out of the right front wheel arch.... not perfect.. will get perfect on paint time.....
8. dremel the curb rash on wheels..... might get pro done if I keep these wheels.... they do weigh a bit....
After driving high power mercs for years.... supercharged CLK, and a few C63's..... I was shocked at how damn much fun this car is on the street...... engaging to say the least! It's go-cart like...... and the n/a pull of that little motor is pretty intoxicating....... I was pretty sure I would just have an LS motor installed..... but now I'm rethinking my plan.... Just depends on how long this old 176k mile motor will last on a track, and I know its worth more to sell in running shape.....
I'll probably daily drive for a month of so.... work the bugs out.... then hit an autocross.... then a track day..... and go from there.
Glad I found this place.
New..... M fan.....
I'm keeping the C63 for weekend..... but depending on how this build turns out... I just might off the merc. (more to come).
Time-line:
Last Tues - picked up the craiglist 176K mile 1999 M3 for $8.8K USD. WAs local sellers dd for 7 yrs.... so not from a flipper. Always a Tx car. No wrecks etc..
Comes with mods: Dinan Ported TB, CAI, Tune, and LT Header, Dinan Catback.
Lowered on HR sports, and Bilsteins.
Known Issues: random brake light circuit warning (but brake lights work), air bag light (plan to remove anyway, perhaps install res across circuit), seats pretty worn (recover, or race seats TBD), needs brake job, rear shocks blown... TLC.
Stuff on order:
New OEM tail lights,
New yellow fogs (after market),
New yellow side markers (after market),
New rear struts, strut mounts, gasket set,
New front OEM rotors, pads,
CF door cards (contoured) with racing pulls,
New front OEM carpet kit,
Rear Seat Delete panel,
3 spoke Alcantara steering wheel on order (no airbag style),
All new BMW emblems, wheel caps, etc... (currently has cheesy cf crapppy stuff),
Projects completed this weekend:
1. sounded like the rear subframe was falling off over bumps.... literally on teh drive home and not before... I thought OH Hellllllll I got shafted..... it was just the rear shock mounts on top disintegrated..... so the shocked were dancing in the perches..... what a racket. (no flames.... just installed a couple old 5.0 mustang bushings.... until my new bilsteins arrived)>>>>> works like a charm.
2. rear wing was coming loose.... vibrating like a beeech..... had to tap a hole to mount the broken insert..... probably just going to go with a CF trunk... will research best mfr of this part.... guessing VIS>
3. Totally degreased engine bay..... steering rack was covered in 170k mile of crud..... top end of engine was clean.... perhaps a valve cover service? No record of vanos svc... but pulls good up top.
4. Removed 10 yrs old tints.... what a pain.... remove outer skin... then razor blade glue 1 hr /window!
5. cleaned inspected each wheels well, brakes, rotors, wheels, tires, brake lines.... cont arms, etc.... nothing loose by hand... wheel bearings.. no play..... just front rotors/pads shot. ... just ordered cheapo stock rotors for now.
6. degreased trunk carpets... must have hauled a motor back there!!! removed some insulation in the truck area....
7. pulled a small dent out of the right front wheel arch.... not perfect.. will get perfect on paint time.....
8. dremel the curb rash on wheels..... might get pro done if I keep these wheels.... they do weigh a bit....
After driving high power mercs for years.... supercharged CLK, and a few C63's..... I was shocked at how damn much fun this car is on the street...... engaging to say the least! It's go-cart like...... and the n/a pull of that little motor is pretty intoxicating....... I was pretty sure I would just have an LS motor installed..... but now I'm rethinking my plan.... Just depends on how long this old 176k mile motor will last on a track, and I know its worth more to sell in running shape.....
I'll probably daily drive for a month of so.... work the bugs out.... then hit an autocross.... then a track day..... and go from there.
Glad I found this place.
New..... M fan.....
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