New to spec E30

#1

Hello everyone! My girlfriend became really interested in spec E30 about 6 months ago and decided she wanted to build a car,get a bunch more seat time and then get her prov/comp license. We ended up picking up a 87 325is for 1000 bucks. It already had the required shocks that were 6 months old, H&R spring that have to be swapped because they are for a M3, 15X7 heavy Borbet wheels and new dunlop SP sports. I figured we at least got a grand in the tires/wheels/shocks/springs so its not a bad deal. We have been building it for about 2 months.

So far we have:

New waterpump
New Distributor cap/rotor
Plugs and wires
Timeing belt and tensoner
Oil pan gasket
Have a new radiator but we havent installed it (old one is ate up)
All new coolant hoses
Rear brakes and rotors
Removed A/C

Removed all sound deadening
Stripped the interior asides from the stock front seats (untill we decide on a racing bucket)
Only thing I have not stripped is the sunroof because I can’t think of a way to make its replacment not crappy looking.

At first I had some bad idling/running problems but got that fixed with an o2 sensor and removal of cruise control. I also pulled the plugs to find a few of them fouled and am getting a compression/leak down test done in the next week or so. After I get those results it will let me know if I need to rebuild the engine. I also have an issue were under higher Rpms the tranny is very hard to shift into second, it might need a rebuild too.

But yeah, im kinda rambling now so Ill stop. But im looking forward to having her join the SE region soon! Thanks!

#2

Maybe check the transmission and motor mounts. If you haven’t already, definitely replace those. The old stock ones can cause the motor to rock forward under heavy braking and the mechanical fan will chew through the lower radiator hose.

Aside from that, Welcome!

#3

Justin, Most of us use the same panel from the sunroof and bolt it in with tabs. Some have welded it in, but no need to make something else. A quick search would probably yield photos already posted on the subject. If not, I can snap a few pics of what I did.

#4

I am planning on replaceing the motor/tranny mounts. I’m getting all new suspension bushings and some IE sways and that will all go in at once.

Stephen, I would love to see some pictures of how you did your car!

Justin

#5

Justin Levanger wrote:

[quote]I am planing on replaceing the motor/tranny mounts. I’m getting all new suspension bushings and some IE sways and that will all go in at once.

Stephen, I would love to see some pictures of how you did your car!

Justin[/quote]

Welcome Justin,

If Steve doesn’t have any photos, e-mail me. I liked his roll cage / sun roof bolt set up so well I took my own pictures of it. Having said that, my car is having the sunroof weled in at the cage shop right now.

Don
p911sc44@hotmail.com

#6

Justin Levanger wrote:

[quote]I’m getting all new suspension bushings

Justin[/quote]

Good luck with your build, and welcome to SE30. Another suggestion is, if you don’t know how old the front control arms are, you should replace them too while you’re doing the bushings. They can and do snap off at the ball joint shank with ugly results.

#7

When I was under the car for the oil pan adventure, I did notice one of the control arms looked brand new. The other one…well not so new; so thanks for the advice! This is our first ever race car build so any and all advice is very helpfull.

I’m really suprised how helpful and nice you guys are, I have been "lurking" here since we got the car and was somewhat hesitant to post up.

#8

Where do you live. I noted that you’re racing in the Southeast, so perhaps one of us in the SE area could arrange to give you all of the low-down on things you’ll need to do to join the race commmumity.

Regards, Robert Patton, Atlanta area.

#9

Steve’s sunroof mounting solution was so great that all three of the Beertech cars copied it as well.

#10

Post pics of the Beertech sunroof solution pls.

#11

Here you go. [file name=Rockingham_016.jpg size=616001]http://spece30.com/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/files/Rockingham_016.jpg[/file]

#12

I’m out of Savannah, I heard there was a bunch of spec e30’s at the last track event at RRR but I couldnt make it. I would love to get some advice,tips,ect from some people. I’m a good tech, but obviously new at building a race car.

#13

Justin, sorry for the offer to help and then to vacate the premises. I’ve been slammed at work for the last few days. I’m in Augusta if you want to see my car first hand, or if you can be patient with me, I’ll have time to throw pics up this weekend. I promised I would send some to Carlton also, so it is no trouble. Just need to find some time or a clone

#14

While I like that bolt-in idea for the panel, how do you seal it from leaking?

#15

Dwight Varnes wrote:

I did something very similar on my car, except my brackets are welded in. I went ahead and masked the bottom of the opening, and filled it with silicone. It turned out better than I expected…

#16

Dwight Varnes wrote:

Mine’s the same (just didn’t have a picture). I left the original panel in place (with weatherstripping) and from the top just used some clear silicon in the joint. Looks great. Just be meticulous with the caulking job and you won’t even know it’s there. Just like Brendan said, I masked with tape before caulking. Basically, just put a wide strip of tape over the entire channel, then went back with a razor blade and carefully cut where I wanted the silicon if that makes sense…

#17

The best way to make a nice smooth bead around the top, was to go ahead and get the silicone in the opening. spray over the top with a spray bottle with denatured alcohol and scree it of with some flexible rubber. The silicone won’t smear over the outside since the denatured alcohol makes a barrier…

PS. Do it in sections, because it doesn’t scree off well if it has had any time to set up.