Want to try Spec E30

#1

Good morning,

I am looking for someone in the ohio/indiana division that would be willing to let me rent their car for a HPDE session or two. I’d like to race it wheel to wheel, but I really don’t need that to get the feel of the E30. I am debating about 4-5 other cars right now, and I’m leaning toward Spec E30.

I have plenty of racing experience, and also have my NASA instructors license.

Tracks I’d like to try it out at:

Grattan
Mid-O
Beaver Run
Gingerman

If anyone does have a ride, please let me know.

Thanks!

Ryan CieChanski
Foglght@aol.com

#2

I should be able to hook you up. I go to most of the events in OH/IN. I’ll be at Mid Ohio in August and of course Nationals in September. If you could make it to Putnan in october that might be ideal. It will be after nationals so I won’t be paranoid about someone else driving the car. Email me off line at huntersimon AT yahoo DOT com. Also what are the other cars/series you are considering, so we can shoot down those options :wink:

#3

I was considering a bunch of classes. I’ve been considering Spec E30 for a while, but wanted to get a feel for the car and how it drives, maintenance, and parts availability.

I think the other serious considerations were:

Spec Focus
944 cup
GTS
CMC

I’ve only made 1 good decision with regard to race car purchasing, and don’t want to make any more mistakes, thus I want to drive it before I buy it. There was nothing worse than paying 18,000 for a 2002 Z28 T-2 car and learning I hate it because the brakes suck.

#4

Spec Focus, Spec Neon, Spec E30 and Spec 944 all have similar lap times one is not significantly faster than the other, you can throw spec miata in there to. I’m sure one is faster than the other but based on my experience they are pretty similar overall.

Spec Focus & Spec neon. I would skip these if you want a lot of competition, I don’t see them growing very significantly. Although Spec E30 has small numbers in OH/IN, (I was the only one at Grattan and we had 4 at mid ohio), I see there being a much bigger upside to the numbers. The mid-atlantic and south east have very strong spec E30 regions. They get 10-25 cars at their races. Of course you have nationals at Mid Ohio so that is great. They are also front wheel drive if you like that sort of thing :slight_smile:

CMC – don’t know much about it seems like a good class if you like American muscle cars.

944 spec – very similar to Spec E30 in kind of car and numbers. There is a good thread about the potential differences here

http://spece30.com/component/option,com_mamboboard/Itemid,/func,view/catid,16/id,15084/#15084

GTS – this is a very simple class with simple rules which makes it attractive. The one drawback I have is that there it is too simple almost with no real cap on development. Right now it is still in its infancy so everyone is happy but there is a lot of room for development of cars as long as it stays kinda grassroots and you don’t get someone spending a ton of money on developing the ultimate GTS car it will be a good series. But there is always the potential

I’m a BMW guy so it was a pretty easy decision for me to race Spec E30. I can tell you that so far it has been very reliable (as I expected based on my E30 M3 that I raced for 5 years) and fun to drive.

To see video go to Google video and do a search on Spec E30

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=spec+e30&num=10&so=0&start=10

I have video of Grattan and Mid Ohio on there, 2 tracks that you know. My Grattan is not the best, I’ll use the first time there excuse :). I’ll email you offline about hooking up to try the car out for a session or 2. I understand you got bit last time you bought a T2 car but honestly you will love the way a spec E30 drives, ask anyone on this list, oh and the stock brakes work fine :wink:

#5

I raced spec neon at the nationals last year. I borrowed a car from a friend. He hadn’t touched it in 3 years. Needless to say it didn’t exactly perform well. His brother won the Spec Neon championship. That was also my first experience with Toyos. :unsure:

Spec Miata is not a choice for me. To be a front running car, I’d have to spend about 20g’s and I don’t have that, nor would I spend that kind of cash on a Miata.

Yeah, if there is something we could work out that would be fantastic. I’m just waiting to find that junker sweetheart for $500-800. I’m still in college and no longer have a truck and trailer, so this will be a 1+ year build. I can take my time and do it right.

I sent you an email.

Thanks,

Ryan

#6

I think you will like the E30. I was in your shoes about a year ago trying to decide which way to go.

The BMW is well built and easy to work on. 944s are more maintenance and more costly to repair (especially if you bend it). Neon build quality never impressed me. I think it’s too early to tell on Spec Focus…I’d have thought the Neons would catch on and they certainly haven’t, so I’m not hopeful for the Focus. I think the CMC cars will irritate you just as much as your prior Camaro did (lousy brakes, higher consumption of brakes/tires/fuel). Used parts availability and aftermarket supply for BMWs is exceptional also.

#7

Yeah, I raced showroom stock C for a couple of years with SCCA and had some great times. I loved living in the world of replacing brake pads and tires.

There’s nothing better (IMO) than the sound of a straight 6 at full song.

I just want to make sure before I plunk down the cash that I actually like driving it. I loved my 97 M3 sedan.

#8

If I had $10 for every guy building or racing a SpecE30 that gave up an e36 M3, I could buy a new set of tires! I had a '98 M3, and while it was definitely fun, the SpecE30 is more fun. It’s safer (I couldn’t stand to gut a perfectly nice sedan), it’s much less precious, it’s loud as hell, and it sticks better. In terms of fun on the track, I don’t think there’s any comparison between a stock (or nearly so) e36 M3 and a SpecE30. I haven’t looked back since I sold my M3!

Sasha