Black & Tan 332iT

[bigjae46]

The hole in the bottom pic has a rubber boot with the EVAP wiring passing through it.

If you use a hole saw, start the hole and the finish with the drill on reverse. Once the teeth start digging into the carbon it will go quick since I think Iaid up core material there. Then 120 grit sand paper to remove any frayed strands.

[Bry5on]

Now you've got me wanting a milkshake - I think that'll be my next move today.

Took a few hours this morning to make the full commitment. Here we go! 16lbs removed, 3.5lbs added back in:



Carbon panel fits pretty well, exhaust hanger fits great. This should all go together nicely.




And I'm reminded of why welding subframe reinforcement plates is a bad idea (this area had road dust in it, as it's technically exposed to the environment. I will be painting this part up to at least keep that section of corrosion at bay.



Anyone know how the wiring for the M3 evap system is run through/out of the cabin? It looks like it's reasonably different than the non-m and I'm going to at least need to reroute that harness. Could use some pointers as it's hard to find photos of that system.

[bigjae46]

EthanolTurbo is about to be the one in the hot seat unless someone local in SD has muffler hangers, heat shield and all of the evap parts handy that they’re willing to part with bigjae46 you’re no longer it!

Haha...thanks! I wish I had gotten the mold done earlier instead of waiting until late Jun in Houston.

I'd work on the mold until noon when I was no longer in the shade.

A trip to DQ for a blizzard afterwards made everything ok

IYKYK


🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Bry5on]

Alright, back on the horse. We’re still waiting on the gearbox, clutch, shifter components and driveshaft but today I received the trunk floor from bigjae46 who pulled a mold and made a floor for me after pestering him about it for a year. Thanks man! It comes in at 3.5lb and has some extra blocking to be able to install it all from the top inside the trunk. This will drop 10lb from the back of the car, offsetting some of the weight from the bigger quad pipe M3 muffler.

Here’s some quick mocking up:


And the prep work for mounting the passenger side hanger, featuring a rivet-in bracket and locating fixture to get everything in the right spot. Thanks George Hill for validating the fitment of this and the driver’s side drill jig on an actual M3.


EthanolTurbo is about to be the one in the hot seat unless someone local in SD has muffler hangers, heat shield and all of the evap parts handy that they’re willing to part with bigjae46 you’re no longer it!

[Bry5on]

I think its for the better. The shifter feel of the zf z4mc is better. I think it may have slightly lower gear ratios, not sure if I'm remembering it correctly.
How many miles were on the transmission?

88k according to the listing. And a roadster so probably not ripped on like a coupe would have been.

[enjoy_m3]

I think its for the better. The shifter feel of the zf z4mc is better. I think it may have slightly lower gear ratios, not sure if I'm remembering it correctly.
How many miles were on the transmission?

[Bry5on]

This is just prior life error.

It happens and it sucks OP, sorry to see.

This is why I have multiple SMG boxes as spares.

I like to think of it as something good must be happening to balance this out. Is what it is! Just a car at the end of the day.

[Sharocks]

This is just prior life error.

It happens and it sucks OP, sorry to see.

This is why I have multiple SMG boxes as spares.

[bigjae46]

Hmm.

I have a combined ~500,000 miles (including 20,000+ track miles) on 420G’s and have had… zero issues of any sort. Meanwhile, never had a BMW 5 speed that didn’t develop lean and need seals replaced.

I feel like they’re generally pretty solid!

Most people that claim they can drive a manual...can't. I think you take really good care of the car and know how to drive a manual. Yes, that makes you weird. Maybe borderline ice cream truck driver weird. lol

So I'm sure a maintained 420g in capable hands will last forever but 99.99% of manual M3s have been grinded and beaten on with the original fill from the break in service...if it got one. It is hard to find a good shifting used 420g, not hard to find a ZF320 that shifts well. The lean is an easy fix if you can find parts and afford them.

[Obioban]

Seems like these 420g gearboxes have a lot of issues. More than other gearboxes. This is a feeling, no data. Its hard to tell since fewer and fewer non-Ms are manuals. I think the E46 was the last gen to have a decent number of manual cars.

Hmm.

I have a combined ~500,000 miles (including 20,000+ track miles) on 420G’s and have had… zero issues of any sort. Meanwhile, never had a BMW 5 speed that didn’t develop lean and need seals replaced.

I feel like they’re generally pretty solid!

[Bry5on]

Nooooo! I’ve had that in my cart forever! I do miss my ZHP box. When I swapped to manual my immediate thought was “really? This is the sought after feel of the legendary E46 M3?” Hopefully we can still do a cable shifter? I have all the bits from my SMG, transmission included ☕️

Not much extra effort to use the 330i flywheel and gearbox, you’re not totally hosed!

[YoitsTmac]

I agree, which is why I bought this Z4M GS6-37: https://ebay.io/m/8qnreU

I did unfortunately have one of the smoother shifting G420s though. Sad it had to go out this way.

Nooooo! I’ve had that in my cart forever! I do miss my ZHP box. When I swapped to manual my immediate thought was “really? This is the sought after feel of the legendary E46 M3?” Hopefully we can still do a cable shifter? I have all the bits from my SMG, transmission included ☕️

[Bry5on]

I agree, which is why I bought this Z4M GS6-37: https://ebay.io/m/8qnreU

I did unfortunately have one of the smoother shifting G420s though. Sad it had to go out this way.

[bigjae46]

Seems like these 420g gearboxes have a lot of issues. More than other gearboxes. This is a feeling, no data. Its hard to tell since fewer and fewer non-Ms are manuals. I think the E46 was the last gen to have a decent number of manual cars.

[Bry5on]

Well, as suspected, broke a shift fork 💪

Looking for a new gearbox now - factory one is $15k 😑