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What is your ideal build?


Ryan...

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Like the title states, what is your "ideal" car build with your current vehicle? What would you like to use it for? Daily driver? Track rat? Hard parking? Little bit of each?

 

To start, in addition to my current suspension upgrades I would love to someday do the following to my '89 325i, which I intend to explore tracks such as Blackhawk and Road America if possible:

 

1. RHD ITBs

2. Long tube headers

3. 272 cam

4. Megasquirt

5. Refreshed head

6. 16x8 Fifteen52 Formula TR wheels with some stickier meaty tires

7. Gut 50% of the interior (everything behind the front seats), gut out the trunk area (carpets, sound deadening, etc)

8. Welded in roll bar

9. Fixed back front seats and quick release harnesses for track use, were I can keep my OEM 3 point belts for DD use.

 

In my opinion, that is the *perfect* e30 combination of parts. I love the idea of taking the little M20 and just making it better, even though a turbo kit would cost 60% as much and make significantly more power. Making the car lighter and keeping its usability would also be a big plus, it's not as if I have people in the back seats :)


Your turn! 

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Megasquirt, even on a stock M20 is a huge upgrade in throttle response. There is the cost of entry and the learning and tuning but its well worth it.

I have always been chasing "The Ultimate Street Machine", essentially something that rides the ragged edge of being enjoyable to daily drive/a PITA to daily drive.

If I could throw infinite dollars at my E30 it would end up with:

1) S54 swap with carbon plenum, 6 speed 

2) Daytona Violet paint job, smoked ellipsoids, smoked Startec tails

3) Half-cage

4) Big brake kit 

5) 16x9 wheels with ~2"dish

6) 40% Lockup LSD

7) 2" air lift setup on top of coilovers for fearless driving on bad roads+tackling unfavorable entryways as long as it doesnt affect handling 

 

The more realistic dream for my car is: 

1) Cardinal interior

2) VAC Stage 2 head

3) ITBs and Megasquirt 3

 

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Megasquirt, even on a stock M20 is a huge upgrade in throttle response. There is the cost of entry and the learning and tuning but its well worth it.
I have always been chasing "The Ultimate Street Machine", essentially something that rides the ragged edge of being enjoyable to daily drive/a PITA to daily drive.
If I could throw infinite dollars at my E30 it would end up with:
1) S54 swap with carbon plenum, 6 speed 
2) Daytona Violet paint job, smoked ellipsoids, smoked Startec tails
3) Half-cage
4) Big brake kit 
5) 16x9 wheels with ~2"dish
6) 40% Lockup LSD
7) 2" air lift setup on top of coilovers for fearless driving on bad roads+tackling unfavorable entryways as long as it doesnt affect handling 
 
The more realistic dream for my car is: 
1) Cardinal interior
2) VAC Stage 2 head
3) ITBs and Megasquirt 3
 
We should buy ITBs and Megasquirt together...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

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I'd have to say for myself, it'd go something like this:

E30 M3 front and rear suspension conversion, swap in an LSD at this time too

Front X-brace, strut tower brace, Z3 rack

Big brake kit

Coils, but something and nice(read: expensive). I'd like to have a reduction in ride height and body roll without sacrificing comfort

For the motor, either:

-M20 2.9 or 3.1 stroker, RHD roller cam conversion, RHD ITB's, Megasquirt, long tubes, manual swap, etc.

-Euro S50 with a 6 speed

Recover the sport seats with one of the ///M fabrics or like a gray plaid center and black leather/vinyl bolsters

Euro bumpers, euro front valance and lip, possibly a late model valance welded onto the rear as well?

MTech I rear spoiler, either e28 or e30, rear plate filler, color the turn signals red in the rear

Euro grilles, clear smilies up front

Then for wheels, probably one of these:

-BBS RZ 394

-Alpina Softlines

-Apex ARC-8

There's probably more that I'm forgetting that I'd want, but that's the basic idea. I like the OEM+ look, nothing too crazy visually, somewhat comfortable to drive daily, competent on backroads,  and just a blast to drive regardless of what I'm doing.

 

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As of this morning, it is basically my 318is but with:

Supercharged M54

6-speed

Clean body/paint, restored engine bay/underbody

Half cage and 5-point harnesses, cage paint matched AW2 for extra stants points

Mtech 1 spoiler

M3 Evo 3 cloth M-tech interior with the matching recaro SRD's (rear seat delete with the half cage, even in my dream car I would never want to pay for the m3 rear seat...)

Re-barrel the front Weds Bavaria's to a 16x8 et35 so that they fit properly 

 

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As of this morning, it is basically my 318is but with:
Supercharged M54
6-speed
Clean body/paint, restored engine bay/underbody
Half cage and 5-point harnesses, cage paint matched AW2 for extra stants points
Mtech 1 spoiler
M3 Evo 3 cloth M-tech interior with the matching recaro SRD's (rear seat delete with the half cage, even in my dream car I would never want to pay for the m3 rear seat...)
Re-barrel the front Weds Bavaria's to a 16x8 et35 so that they fit properly 
 


I know of a 6 speed for sale semi locally out of an e46m3.....
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30 minutes ago, m42b32 said:

As of this morning, it is basically my 318is but with:

Cammed/ITB'd M54

6-speed

Clean body/paint, restored engine bay/underbody

Half cage and 5-point harnesses, cage paint matched AW2 for extra stants points

Mtech 1 spoiler

M3 Evo 3 cloth M-tech interior with the matching recaro SRD's (rear seat delete with the half cage, even in my dream car I would never want to pay for the m3 rear seat...)

Re-barrel the front Weds Bavaria's to a 16x8 et35 so that they fit properly 

 

I changed my mind, either would work but trumpets are rad

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I'll have to use my touring for this because my M3 is already sorted the way I want.

Ideal build for the touring would be

- respray in Imola with shadowline window trim

- S54 swap / RWD conversion with a nice set of apex wheels

- all the E46 aesthetic bits that I haven't done and probably never will - headlight conversion, black kidneys, mtech II bumper shroud, etc. 

I'd still use it as my daily at that point. 

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Well finishing the car as is currently would be what I'd do. In addition:

*M51 swap (fully rebuilt, repaint it all, and change out all of the external hardware)

*Alpina VDO Gauges

*Non-Airbag Dash

*Parcel shelf w/ rearblind

*New door, hatch, and windshield glass 

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