Ethan's HPDE E46 M3 Build

[ethan]

Hi all - Been meaning to resurrect my M3Forum thread for a while now. It'll take some time since I lost the old material, but I figured some media and a parts list would be a good start. I'll write more about this 3 year build, my introduction to track days, and other E46 adventures in future posts. Thanks for reading!

Body and Paint:

• 2002 E46 M3 TiAg chassis with 160k miles
• Lang Racing CSL-style Carbon Fiber Roof with OE CSL rails
• Status Gruppe SCZA CSL-style Trunk Lid, Fiberglass
• Status Gruppe Prepreg Carbon Diffuser
• Status Gruppe CSL front bumper cover modified to accept OE kevlar front bumper
• Hard Motorsports retractable tow hooks front and rear
• Southern Polyurethanes, Inc. Epoxy Primer
• Motobase LV, Sapphire Blue Metallic (M5J)
• Southern Polyurethanes, Inc. Universal Clearcoat

Brakes:

• Porsche 996 calipers powdercoated Brembo yellow and rebuilt with Stoptech seals
• RallyRoad conversion brackets
• CSL/ZCP rotors
• PFC08 track pads, Hawk Ceramic street pads
• RBF600 brake fluid
• Custom 3" brake ducting from CSL bumper center intake through OE skidpan
• MK20 -> MK60 conversion with custom copper-nickel lines
• Updated cluster with M-track mode

Interior:

• Recaro Pole Position seats with sliders
• Macht Schnell floor adapters
• Schroth 6-point harnesses with trans-tunnel-mounted inner lap belt
• Helmet and HANS
• Custom weld-in half cage in 4130 from Wick's Aircraft Supply
• Harry's GPS Laptimer with Bluetooth OBD2 integration
• SkyPro XGPS 160 on rear deck
• Cage-mounted GoPro HERO4
• Retained and rebuilt A/C and heater
• Hard Motorsports plastic door panels and pull straps

Engine:

• Karbonius CSL airbox and carbon flap-delete snorkel
• 288/280 CatCams
• Mahle Powerpak 11.5:1 87.5mm pistons
• Supertech valve springs with stock retainers
• Beisan VANOS disc, seals, and solenoid coilpack
• OE ECU converted to CSL running nearly-stock CSL tune
• GM MAP sensor teed off FPR line mounted next to MK60 module
• ATI Harmonic Damper
• Turner underdrive pulleys
• Walbro GSS342 255lph fuel pump installed with Radium kit and new PTFE line
• Fuel starvation prevention using E36 fuel pump in driver's level sender location
• OE motor mounts, Rogue Transmission mounts
• OE radiator
• SPAL puller on Massivebrakes brackets. Engine fan deleted
• CPI single-step headers ceramic-coated by Swaintech
• CPI catted/resonated section 1
• OE section 2 and muffler
• Mishimoto oil cooler kit
• Radium catch can in SAP location
• Updated oil return line with AN fitting in early oil pan
• Rogue VANOS oil line

Lighting:

• Retrofitted Lightwerkz FXR 3.0 projectors
• Osram Xenarc 66420 CBI HID bulbs
• 03.5 LCM/LSZ flashed with newest software
• OE LED tail lights with factory wiring from '05 harness

Steering:

• Steering wheel wrapped in perforated leather from eBay user tainik
• ZHP rack from RackDoctor
• OE high pressure line
• Custom front-mounted cooler with AN hardware

Wheels and Tires:

• Apex ARC8 18x9.5 ET35
• 265/35ZR-18 Hankook Ventus R-S4
• 5mm front and 12mm rear wheel spacers
• Rogue studs and nuts

Suspension:

• MCS 1WNR with coilover rears and Hyperco helper springs
• Hyperco 350# fronts, 325# left rear, 300# right rear
• Hotchkis front sway bar. No rear bar
• Ground Control race camber plates at minimum -3.2* camber
• ECS adjustable rear lower control arms
• Bimmerworld RTABs provided balljoints joints replaced with Lemforder units
• Turner delrin monoball FCABs

Rear axle:

• Rebuilt, second-hand Diffsonline 3-clutch BMW LSD
• 3.91 BMW Motorsport R&P
• OE diff bushings
• Turner solid aluminum rear subframe bushings
• VinceSE2 extended rear diff bolts
• Custom Vince-style topside RACP reinforcement front and rear
• Redish RACP underside reinforcement plates

Transmission:

• Rogue performance clutch kit with steel single-mass flywheel
• Autosolutions 30% SSK
• Bimmerworld Jaffster tall delrin shift knob
• Rogue stainless clutch line
• 6MT conversion. Bellhousing converted by Lang Racing

Misc:

• Dinan strut tower brace
• Hardwired visor-mount Valentine One with JBV1 via Bluetooth
• Voltphreaks VPR-P6 mounted in passenger's engine bay bin

https://sfo2.digitaloceanspaces.com/ethan-e46-public/club_motorsports/video/4.mp4

https://sfo2.digitaloceanspaces.com/ethan-e46-public/nhms_ds.mp4

[freshprince2421]

Epic

[eternaln]

Besides getting m mode, what differences did you feel on track going from mk20 to mk60?

[r4dr]

Wow that parts list is really well done.

For your power steering lines, what was the rationale with keeping the OE high pressure line from the pump to the rack? What reservoir are you using? Was it hard to make all the AN lines and mount the cooler?

[akshon]

Awesome car!

[liam821]

Beautiful car! Just love the color you painted it.

[enjoy_m3]

Love the build, pretty much sums up my end goal for mine with a different color. With those spring rates, I'm assuming the car is pretty street compliant?

[liam821]

Love the build, pretty much sums up my end goal for mine with a different color. With those spring rates, I'm assuming the car is pretty street compliant?

I'd think so. I run twice his spring rates and my car is very streetable.

[ethan]

Epic

Awesome car!

Beautiful car! Just love the color you painted it.

Thanks guys, and thanks for being a part of this community. Couldn't have built this thing without (NA)M3Forum.

Besides getting m mode, what differences did you feel on track going from mk20 to mk60?

I actually swapped to MK60 before ever driving the car on track, so can't comment.

Wow that parts list is really well done.

For your power steering lines, what was the rationale with keeping the OE high pressure line from the pump to the rack? What reservoir are you using? Was it hard to make all the AN lines and mount the cooler?

Though you can run the high pressure line in AN, technically peak pump output pressures are pushing the limits of high-end aramid lines. I figured it'd be safer to just buy a stock one (designed with flexible rubber specifically for this job) and replace it with a freebie from FCP every now and then when the crimps start leaking. I use the stock reservoir and expect to replace it whenever I do the HP line - fresh filter. No problems with seepage given the improved cooling.

Having said all that, I made mine before the Chase Bays kit was out. I know some people on the forum have had good luck with that setup.

With the right tools and quality parts, AN lines are a breeze to assemble. Highly recommend the gear from Pegasus Auto Racing.

Love the build, pretty much sums up my end goal for mine with a different color. With those spring rates, I'm assuming the car is pretty street compliant?

Awesome, thanks! I put a lot of thought into parts selection trying to keep the car reasonable on the street but without sacrificing too much performance. The rear spring rates can be deceptive because it's a true coilover setup, so multiply by 2 to account for the motion ratio, and consider that I've set it up for flat ride, so the fronts are significantly softer than most track M3s. I matched GT3 frequencies as measured by Shaik as closely as possible, the idea being that if anybody knows how to do dual-duty well, it's Porsche GT. I think that was a good decision: the car isn't soft, but it settles extremely well and feels appropriately sprung for 200TW track work.

I will say the race camber plates, solid rear coilover mounts, and lack of sound deadening make it feel pretty race car, but I have a DD E46 M3 too, so I'm cool with it.

[freshprince2421]

Interior pics? Need to see those Recaros!

[ethan]

Interior pics? Need to see those Recaros!

Just have this one from during the build at the moment, but will get some high quality shots of the finished product once it's out of winter storage.

[Tbonem3]

Great build! Where's the DD?

[Sergmann]

awesome build. I thought I recognized club motorsport and then saw the NH plates. Hope to see you at the track sometime. I'm a white mountain member and attend most all the Boston/NH events.

[ethan]

Great build! Where's the DD?

Here's the beater out in the elements where it usually lives. I flew to LA in 2013 to buy it from an M3Forum member at 124k miles and then drove it up the coast all the way to Seattle. Since then, it's been my year-round car and has been all over the country. I've driven it through snow storms on Loveland Pass, up the Coq to Lake Louise (Highway Thru Hell), down 15 from Calgary to Yellowstone, and back and forth to New Hampshire a few times. It's been to Aspen, Jackson Hole, The Badlands, Sun Valley, Alta/Snowbird, and many other fun destinations. Sees enough road salt to eat a Subaru annually.

Coming up on 200k miles on the original rings and mains despite my abuse. Finally gave it a much deserved paint job with a color change to Aston Martin Racing Green (FKA Almond Green) this past summer. I've tried to keep the driving experience as stock as possible with this one, but I'm a sucker for a CSL trunk, so got an OE one of those, a Euro bumper, and a CSL diffuser during the respray.

Still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. BMW just nailed it with these cars.

awesome build. I thought I recognized club motorsport and then saw the NH plates. Hope to see you at the track sometime. I'm a white mountain member and attend most all the Boston/NH events.

What a track Club Motorsports is! I'm definitely planning on making it out to events this summer, so say hi if you see the car. I have a bit of an issue to deal with first though:





That's what I get for street parking I suppose. Should've stayed safe and only driven it on track...

[Tbonem3]

Ouch sorry . That green paint job is sweet nice choice