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    CSLManual's Manual CSL

    Hello. I guess this is the place for this albeit not really a build because there's nothing much to change or improve now! More of an excuse to post some of the beautiful pictures Jordan Butters took of it!

    Vehicle Spec:
    2003 M3 CSL
    145,000 Miles
    AP Racing Brakes
    Manual Transmission
    4.1 Differential

    I bought this car in May 2014, so I'm soon going to have owned it for 7 years. It spent the first 5 years of its life as an SMG which I was pretty happy with, but thought my more road-biased use case would better suit a manual transmission. It was something I looked into before I even bought the car and it took me those 5 years to pluck up the courage to "mess with" a "classic". In the end, I decided there were two choices, sell the car and find something better or convert it. The next car, in my opinion, would be a 997 GT3 and unfortunately it's about twice the price. So I got in touch with my friend who runs a BMW specialist and we decided to get stuck in.

    It wasn't the first CSL to be converted, I think it was maybe the fourth, but with my friend's business being new I thought I'd try to make a big deal of it. I'd spent a few weeks getting all the parts together so that we could get it done over a weekend together, and weirdly the build date coincided with a video Autocar released about which was the best M3. Their conclusion was that the CSL was their favourite, apart from the SMG box. I tweeted the journalist, Matt Prior, to let him know that I'm building exactly the car he wanted, and that he was welcome to come have a go when it was finished. At the time I'd also had some conversations with Henry Catchpole (someone who really loves manual gearboxes) and once the Autocar video was launched, we set a date to do the Carfection film. For the Carfection film, my friend wanted to show off some of his other offerings so fitted his favourite modification, a 4.1 final drive differential. I know to some of you this sounds low but believe me, on British roads where there's a lot less space, a lot more corners and ways to get across the country without touching a highway it makes huge sense and makes the car so much more eager and hooligan-like on the road. Granted it's not the best for tracks but my car spends 99% of its time on the road, so that's where my priorities lie.

    Both of these videos were big hits and my friend's business has now converted around 10 CSLs from around the world. I realise of course there's very little difference in converting a CSL over and above a standard car, more of a psychological barrier than anything else! But the videos we did and subsequent press he got on his own have meant he's the first name people go to.

    In the mean time a magazine that is unfortunately now out of business, Modern Classic Magazine, got in touch to say they'd like to feature my car as part of a big M3 group test I was doing. This is where my beautiful photos have come from. He's said that I can post them on social media and print them for myself, but obviously he still owns the license to them so please don't go printing T-Shirts or selling posters

    Before the manual conversion the car lived a great big adventure with me, it's been to Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Switzerland and Spain. Then the pandemic hit and it's sat in my garage for nearly a year, being used for the odd commute when my wife needed our family wagon. Currently the battery is dead and there's some corrosion that needs fixing (something I guess you US guys don't have such of a problem with!). I'm hoping to go on a few more adventures but I'm also wondering about selling it and moving on. I had a baby last May and life has changed completely along with my priorities, so who knows!

    Any questions I'm happy to answer them!

    Onto the pictures:

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    Attached Files

    #2
    WOW, very nice!!
    Instagram: @_Frank_Stone_

    Comment


      #3
      Thank you for the wallpaper.
      2004 BMW ///M3 Carbon Black/Cinnamon 6MT
      2005 BMW ///M3
      Interlagos Blue/Black 6MT Dinan S3-R

      2008 BMW ///M3 Alpine White/Bamboo/6MT Track Build
      2000 BMW ///M5 Royal Red/Extended Caramel 6MT
      2004 BMW X5 Toledo Blue/Sand Beige 6MT
      2023 Toyota Supra //A91-MT CULG/Hazelnut 6MT


      Instagram

      Comment


        #4
        Oh man, this is incredible.

        So it's bone stock other than the swap, 4.10 diff and AP brake kit? Very nice.
        '03.5 M3 SMG Coupe - Jet Black / Black

        Comment


          #5
          Have enjoyed watching the Carfection video a few times over, love your car and hope you continue to enjoy it (or whatever else comes next!)

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by r4dr View Post
            Oh man, this is incredible.

            So it's bone stock other than the swap, 4.10 diff and AP brake kit? Very nice.
            Yes, well I suppose I have an aux jack too...

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by CSLManual View Post

              Yes, well I suppose I have an aux jack too...
              That adds weight. Bad. Bad CSL owner.
              2004 BMW ///M3 Carbon Black/Cinnamon 6MT
              2005 BMW ///M3
              Interlagos Blue/Black 6MT Dinan S3-R

              2008 BMW ///M3 Alpine White/Bamboo/6MT Track Build
              2000 BMW ///M5 Royal Red/Extended Caramel 6MT
              2004 BMW X5 Toledo Blue/Sand Beige 6MT
              2023 Toyota Supra //A91-MT CULG/Hazelnut 6MT


              Instagram

              Comment


                #8
                Nice shots! Professional grade photography right there. Nice project.
                Instagram: M3Journal

                Comment


                  #9
                  Beautiful!
                  2005 ZCP SMG ///M3

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Best thread title.

                    Also, nice car

                    2005 IR/IR M3 Coupe
                    2012 LMB/Black 128i
                    2008 Black/Black M5 Sedan

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Sell it 2028 when I can import it easily to the US. Amazing car.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        ugh, so much want. Such a beautiful car!
                        E46 324i k24/dct/turbo Build Thread
                        Phoenix Yellow e46m3 Build Thread
                        Melbourne Red e93m3

                        Comment


                          #13
                          You win!

                          Current:

                          1997 BMW M3 - Boston Green/Modena
                          2003 BMW M3 · Coupe · 6MT - Alpine White/M-Texture Alcantara

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Hey CSLManual , you still have this car? I come back to this thread every so often. These pictures are amazing.

                            Love the story, love the video, love the car and your "build" thread!

                            -Casa
                            Build thread: Topaz Blue to Shark Blue

                            Comment

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