Leaving the fold - Spec E30

[benjpi]

bought someone's motor kit today: 325i long block, disassembled. Head's been redone & is assembled, bottom end still in boxes. Block is bored 0.019", just below the class max. We're getting the motor this weekend, and will start assembly right after that.

We've started the chassis hunt. Lots of E30's around, but tougher to find one that meets "the spec":

1. blown motor
2. not too much rust
3. five speed
4. less than $1000

We've located 3 locally (within 100 miles) that are close to spec. Now we just need to see who's driveway the carcass sits in...

 

[sm76]

Good luck. That seems like a well subscribed class so you should have decent fields to run in.

 

[low_psi]

How do you have adequate piston to wall clearance with a .019 overbore and a .020 piston? Just run it on the tight side?

Spec E30 looks like a blast, goodluck with the search for a shell.

 

[benjpi]

I think the motor was done 0.5mm over (.0196") which matched the pistons. Same net effect as 0.020" over, except with metric aftermarket parts. The pistons match the bore, 0.5mm overbore.

 

[Tom03es]

Nice. I know CMC is popular out here.

Did you read GRMs article(s) on the Spec E30 they did?

 

[benjpi]

GRM has been responsible for the bulk of my wallet lightening since I started getting it a year ago. Their article on the spec E30 and an earlier article about cheap race cars were the triggers that drove me over the edge. Dang magazine....

 

[aMaff]

GRM has been responsible for the bulk of my wallet lightening since I started getting it a year ago...

don't you hate that?! Hahahahah

Really glad to see another road racer on here, and I think you'll have fun with Spec E30

 

[sm76]

looks really fun! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6924914762068745761&hl=en

 

[benjpi]

Planning to go carcass hunting tomorrow. There's a guy out in central PA who specializes in rebuilding / reselling BMW's & he's got a thing for E30's. We called to see if he had a decent roller & he told us to come out & look around. It could work out well, since he uses things like seats, trim, speakers & such for his "day work". If we find a suitable shell we could get out of there for a few hundred with exactly what we wanted: a gutted shell with no motor.

 

[mikeyb]

subbing

by the way I work at Bavarian Autosport. Oops that was a shameless plug.

 

[benjpi]

Shameless plug? Not botherin' me. Cut me a deal on Bilsteins?

Already have a rough design done for the front camber plates. Hope to pick up a front shock assembly tomorrow to get the stack dimensions right.

 

[mikeyb]

Pm'd ya

 

[benjpi]

Got our chassis picked out: 1990 325i, blown motor, missing a few parts, already semi-gutted interior. Might be able to pick it up for just a few hundred, we'll see....

 

[mikeyb]

Post pics when you start the build.