MasterC17's HPDE/Time Attack Track Car (Re)Build

[MasterC17]

Heck...I think I knew you from the E46Fanatics days. LCI E46 330Ci, right?

Nice color change! I don't know why but I love the way alpine white E46 M3s look. It's a subdued body style with a classic color I guess.

If you have the S54 JB Racing flyheel then you need an E46 M3 pressure plate with the E34 M5 clutch. I've always wondered if I could bolt up an E36 M3 flywheel to the S54 and then use an E36 M3 pressure plate which has more options available. I think Sachs makes an HD/non-SAC version of the pressure plate for the E46 M3. The issue is the E36 and E46 have different diameter pressure plates.

Details on the side exit? Do you the have the total length of the piping?

Yup - that was me!

I totally agree, Alpine White is just a great color. Tentatively planning to use an E46 M3 ACT lightweight flywheel.

I'm not certain of the total length of the side exit, but it's using a Bimmerworld Y-Pipe to 3.5" tubing which is probably about 2ft in length or so. Only one exhaust tip is used, the other is for show lol!


Some updates!

The MK60 swap is basically finished, I just need to do the wiring now and get fluid in the system.

The Moton's are installed - once everything else is done will focus on corner balancing, alignment, and damping adjustments.

Got a lot of the exterior bits back on - tail lamps, wing, trim, some glass, etc. Still a bit to do there.

Pedals are in. So manual swap is probably 1/3 of the way done.

Motor is nearly complete at the machine shop, planning to pick up next week.

Still a lot to do, but making progress!

[bigjae46]

Heck...I think I knew you from the E46Fanatics days. LCI E46 330Ci, right?

Nice color change! I don't know why but I love the way alpine white E46 M3s look. It's a subdued body style with a classic color I guess.

If you have the S54 JB Racing flyheel then you need an E46 M3 pressure plate with the E34 M5 clutch. I've always wondered if I could bolt up an E36 M3 flywheel to the S54 and then use an E36 M3 pressure plate which has more options available. I think Sachs makes an HD/non-SAC version of the pressure plate for the E46 M3. The issue is the E36 and E46 have different diameter pressure plates.

Details on the side exit? Do you the have the total length of the piping?

[MasterC17]

Front Control Arms + Tie Rods Replaced. Got started on the MK20 -> MK60 retrofit.

[MasterC17]

Hey man it was nice to see you at Gridlife earlier this year.

I'm happy that I talked to you about your car. Bring her back out!

You too man! I'll have it out at the Lime Rock event next year!

[Sharocks]

Hey man it was nice to see you at Gridlife earlier this year.

I'm happy that I talked to you about your car. Bring her back out!

[MasterC17]

Welcome back and very cool build! I'm curious about the "5-Speed 320Z Transmission". Is that similar to the E36 5-Speed? I'm not familiar with that conversion.

Thanks! That's correct - it's the same thing. The 95 M3 used the ZF "310Z" and the 96-on used the "320Z", in the M3 and several other E36/E46/Z3 models.

[robgill]

Welcome back and very cool build! I'm curious about the "5-Speed 320Z Transmission". Is that similar to the E36 5-Speed? I'm not familiar with that conversion.

[MasterC17]

Got the front suspension/subframe/steering rack apart today. The control arm ball joints did not want to come out of the knuckles. I finally got them out, but the rubber seals didn't make it. Not a big deal, since I'm fairly certain they had never been replaced. New ones ordered. Otherwise, got some cleaning done, touched up the paint on the subframe, and swapped in a Purple Tag steering rack! Including a pic of the interior.

[MasterC17]

It's nice to be back on some M3 forums. Some of you may remember me/my car from back in the M3Forum.net days. RIP. Sad to see that go, and lots of great information and builds with it. Fortunately, I was able to recover most of the information from my car after searching Photobucket, etc.

It's been a long time since I've worked on or driven this car. I purchased it in 2011 with ~105k miles on it - Titanium Silver/Black with SMG. Quickly converted it into a track car and ran it from 2012 through 2014. Car ran nearly flawlessly, but at the end of the 2014 season, I had an issue with the SMG shifting slowly.

Then, I pulled the motor out of it to use as a donor for another M3 I had. Next, I decided to send it to my buddies body shop - the paint wasn't bad but the carbon stuff needed some TLC and I always really wanted Alpine White.

The body shop did a complete inside and out (engine bay, door jams, etc) repaint with new VIN stickers. They installed a carbon roof onto it. But, it took a while. I finally picked it up in 2021. And in just these past few weeks, with a few other project cars gone, it is finally time to get this car back together!

The chassis now has about 110k miles on it. It's incredibly clean, no rust anywhere (Florida car). The donor motor has 80k miles on it. It had an issue with the VANOS bolts that caused timing to jump and two intake valves to hit on Cylinder 6. I just dropped the motor off at the machine shop for a full rebuild.

Here's the planned build, most of which is carryover from the previous iteration. Main changes are the plan to move to a 5-Speed ZF, and just a general refresh of some of the older components.

Engine

Fuel Filter

Spark Plugs

VANOS Filter

Beisan VANOS Rebuild

Ignition Coils

VAC CSL Race Airbox

HTE MAP Tune

Heater Core Delete

Treated Rod Bearings

Valve Guides

Timing Chains

JE Pistons

Treated Main Bearings

ARP Rod Bolts

ARP Main Bolts

ARP Head Studs

Kassel Performance MAP Sensor Kit

Kassel Performance CPV O-Ring

R&L Engine Rebuild

Bimmerworld Braided VANOS Line

Valve Adjustment

TurboToy V3 VANOS Hub

Valve Cover Gasket

Head Gasket

Oil Pan Gasket

Oil Filter Housing Gasket

Driveline

Slave Cylinder

Serpentine Belt

AKG Steering Coupler

E34 M5 Clutch (Sachs OEM) - E36 Pressure Plate (or Something)

OEM Replacement Guibo

Bimmerworld Solid Race Shifter

Bimmerworld Little Nicky Shift Knob

E46 330 Purple Tag Steering Rack

Tegiwa Driveshaft Spacer for ZF 5-Speed Conversion

4.10 BMW Motorsport Diff Gearing (33108321899)

5-Speed 320Z Transmission

Cooling

Zionsville Radiator w/ 14" Offset Fan

BimmerWorld Oil Cooler

BW Oil Cooler Diverter Valve

80C Thermostat

Exhaust

TopSpeed Headers

Bimmerworld 3.5" Race Exhaust Side Exit

Brakes

F8X M3 Caliper Set Front + Rear (Machining + Adapter)

Bimmerworld Brake Duct Kit

F8X M3 Rotors

G-LOC R10 Brake Pads

Suspension

Moton Motorsports 3-Way Adjustable Coilovers

Treehouse Racing FCAB's

Ground Control Front Sway Bar

Ground Control Rear Race Control Arms

Ground Control RTABS

BW Rear Subframe Reinforcement

BW Rear Solid Subframe Mounts Set

BW Front Subframe Reinforcement (Not Installed)

BW Solid Motor/Tranny Mounts

BW Solid Differential Mounts Set

Rear Knuckle & UCA Bearings/Bushings

Wheels/Tires

Apex ARC-8 18x10 ET25

200TW 275/35/18

Bimmerworld 92mm Race Studs

Interior

Sparco Evo 2 Driver Seat

Custom Aluminum Seat Floor Mount

Howard Motorsports Roll Cage

Custom Floor Pan Driver Side

6-Point Schroth Harness

Custom Sparco Steering Wheel w/ Functional Paddles

Exterior

BimmerWorld Front Splitter

BimmerWorld Rear Tall Wing

Custom Rear Diffuser

BW Carbon Dive Planes

MAShaw Carbon GTR Hood

MAShaw Carbon Doors

Scorza CSL Trunk

CSL Carbon Fiber Roof

Miscellaneous

AIM Pista MXL OR

AiM Sports MXG 1.2 Strada

Aluminum Tow Hook

BimmerWorld Fuel Starvation Kit

Helmet Hook

Wink 5 Panel Mirror

Lightweight 12V

Lexan Rear Windshield

MK60 ABS Module/Booster/MC/Harness/WSS Retrofit

Miscellaneous OE Replacement Parts

I'll keep this thread updated as I make progress! First thing to tackle is cleaning and refreshing the underbody/suspension.