Just dropped a deposit on some M Power - Trackday Project Car

[Gibbo]

Yo Gibbo, Curtis (AST) would like you to give him a call after I mentioned today that you had bought an E46 as a track car. He has some toys you might like for it..

MOTONS!!

Just been chatting to him. He's gonna come to me with options Monday, was thinking AST as I don't want to spend on motons what I paid for the car.

If he sorts me find out how to dyno these things as might as well get a power run if you fit my coil overs

 

[Gibbo]

is it better than en evo tho gibbo?

Id rate an M3 over any EVO, the engine has way more character, but asking me is unfair because my ownership of M3's is a CSL and this stripped out M3 which handle amazingly well. Stock M3 vs an EVO FQ360 much closer but both completely different cars. As a track or dry weather car the M3 is one of the best. As for all year round ability, wet, snow the EVO is a hard act to beat.

 

[Gibbo]

Your M3 looked amazingly fast at Donnington today Gibbo!

I was very impressed with it, unfortunately did no filming in the dry, but the brakes were superb, was able to brake later than the 911 and zero fade, very impressed. Nearly 110 through craners which not bad as the suspension is not setup and federal 595 are not the stickiest tyres.

In the wet though, haha, complete opposite, slow and very tail happy so I practiced big slides, through it off 2-3 times but was epic fun. In the damp I did 1:29 so in the dry certainly on par with 911 just about, coil overs and slicks, it shall be something else.

What car were you in, should have said hello?

 

[Gibbo]

the fq360 is the better car. even on a cheap m3 (if there is such a thing)

Not for dry track use.

 

[Gibbo]

Good choice gibbo! I can keep up with a lot of the big boys, but a well sorted M3 is epic around a track. Last time i played with a mates M3 it left me for dead! KWv3's, pagid rs29 pads and lose the 595RSR for some khumo V70A would be more choice.

That car looks awesome, got more pics / details.

I am hoping PS can sort me out an epic deal on coil overs, otherwise I shall purchase some used KW clubsports. Pads are PF01, sticking with them as superb. Heard good things on V70A, ultra sticky and still legal!

 

[Gibbo]

no i don't even like evos but mate has a fq 360 and ive been in enough m3s to know the difference.

I've owned both, I know which is faster. Yes an EVO feels quicker as would pretty much any turbo car and on a poor uk road or wet conditions the EVO is quicker. But for track use M3 will muller an EVO.

 

[Gibbo]

Awesome car! Very jealous. I'm yet to get up the courage to do a track day in my M3 as its my daily runner and can't be without a car!

Sadly also been having issues with the SMG. The common problem that when it gets hot (i.e stuck in traffic or driving hard) then first the yellow cog appears on the dash followed usually by it then randomly dropping into neutral! Not fun.

Read about this, last week the car was displaying an outside temp of 37.5c so was very glad when I had no issues, even after a good 40 minute thrashing drive.

Read you can try different things as trial and error or the salmon relay to try and resolve it. Just glad mine does not seem to have.

Found an oil leak on Sunday, turns out the bolt for the timing chain which hides behind the thermostat housing works its way loose and it was loosing oil through there. Checked and it was loose, tightened it all up and fingers crossed problem gone.

Might be grabbing a set of KW Clubsports this week, see if my offer gets accepted.

Once the 595 tyres are done, Kumho V70's it will be and hopefully a sub 1:20 Donny time.

 

[Gibbo]

I did a damp track day at Donington with my neighbour - me in my M3, my neighbour in the FQ360. On a damp track, the FQ360 totally lost me. In the dry they were very evenly matched (the M3 had crappy Vredesteins, the Evo had R888s or similar).

Donington is known for being a particularly slippery damp track I guess.

Yes the M3 is next to useless in the wet, especially when stripped out and on stock suspension. So I just practiced drifting when it rained.

In the dry, I was eating pretty much everything, barr the Radicals and an E36 M3 on slicks.

However the 911 on Michelin Cups with 2-3mm tread in wet conditions on Donnington was marginally faster than my mates EVO 8 FQ-400, he was not happy because in the dry I was so much quicker, so on a wet track day he was like now its my turn for revenge, so you can image how he was still so upset he had to move over eventually to let the 911 pass on tyres designed really for the dry.

That is why the 911 is so damn good, because they are superb in all conditions, even the RWD ones.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there

A little update:-

Since having the car I've removed:-

- All airbags, except drivers, about 10kg worth, including airbag computer module.
- All trim, door panels etc. about 15kg worth.
- All speakers, stereo etc, about 10kg.
- Roof lining, and any other un-used bolts, brackets etc. etc.
- Glove box and everything gone.

Some pictures of interior:-

Things to do now regarding weight saving:-

1. Remove stereo, airbag wiring from within the car, about 4-6kg worth of wires.
2. Look at potentially removing front carpet / sound deadening, but I think its sub 5kg so might not be worth doing for the comfort it gives.
3. Ordered a copy CSL boot which weighs in at 4.5kg, about 10kg saving.
4. Maybe change battery to a braile lightweight one, about 10kg saving.
5. Remove secondary airpump and remap car, about 4kg saving and circa 20BHP more.
6. Look at maybe a copy CSL bumper and GTR bonnet, about 10-15kg saving.
7. Get interior panels trimmed up with lightweight plastic/carbon parts and other areas blanked off, just make it look a little neater.
8. Maybe look at some CSL or Eibach front/rear anti-roll bars.
9. Try to get a CSL pollen filter housing unit orone fabricated - 2-3kg saving.

Had these arrive too:-

Looking forward to getting them fitted, the ride height set low, all corner weighted up, they are KW Clubsports, so ideal for track use, they come with from top mounts with camber adjustment upto -4.00 degrees, going to setup with around -2.3 for the road. Also got strengthened rear top mounts too and will eventually get new rear lower adjustable arms so I can dial about -1.75 degrees on the rear too. Once the tyres are worn down I shall try some of the Kumho V70 medium compounds.

 

[Gibbo]

Have you thought about changing the windows for plastic versions.

I have, but its a lot of money for very little savings.

Once all above is done, I shall weigh the car and if its still mid 1300kg area I shall look to see what else can be done as would be nice to get it down to the 1280-1330kg region.

No idea what it weighs at present but it absolutely flies, so with another 30-50kg and a good 20BHP or so more it will be on rapid bit of kit.

 

[Gibbo]

Are you saying you've removed the airbag ECU?

Yes m8. The airbag unit just in front of the handbrake. Is that an issue?

 

[Gibbo]

this is why i said there is no such thing as a cheap m3 obvious hell end up spending more than what he could have got a clean awesome eg.

before all those dive in just watch this thread and wait and see

So far the only money spent has been £1300 on coil overs which would have being expenditure on any M3 as the stock suspension won't cut it on a stripped out track focused car.

The CSL boot cost me £330 painted.

Taking stuff out the car has so far made me £400

 

[Gibbo]

Just the fact you said you left the drivers one in....
So it won't work anyway.
However, If this was because of cosmetic reasons alone.... Get an aftermarket wheel and quick release mount. Makes life sooooooooooo much easier getting in and out once you have a cage!

Wheel is cosmetic reasons.

My stock wheel has paddles for the SMG so had no plans to change it due to that.

 

[Gibbo]

I thought you could save around 4.5kg for about £160?

True, but the big savings would be on passenger, rear and even front window, just idea of plastic worries me, as you always see it going misty, plus could create a lot of wind/rattling noise.

Something to consider for sure, I am just not so keen to mess with the glass, once I have it where I can do what I can, I can leave it with someone who has done such projects before and collect it once they've worked their magic and no doubt a big bill afterwards. A mod for the future though I think, not right now.

 

[Gibbo]

Don't plexiglass the drivers or passenger door for now, it's more pain in the ass than it's worth.
If it was mine I'd be doing the rear window and the two side rears and leave it at that.
Getting windscreen done is not only stupid money but as you say, with wipers, they don't stay shiny and clear very long. I'd rather I have a piece of glass I can see out of!

Heard the same because the doors are frameless mean plexiglass don't seal so well.

Got the boot, can change battery, then can look at bonnet and front bumper. That's 30-40kg there, if it's circa 1300kg after those I think that would be some achievement. Just drive it then, took a mate in it tonight and he was shocked how fast it felt.

 

[Gibbo]

Clarkey, this will make you proud:-

Wheels in the arches, rear shocks and springs fitted. That's about 325mm from wheel centre, way too low. But not finalising ride height until front is on.

CSL is 350mm front and 345mm rear, I'm gonna go with 345mm front and 340mm rear. 330mm is the lowest possible, any lower and arch liner rubbing can happen and worsens handling. So going with what's ideal and will look far better, but 19's simply fill the arches better.

 

[Gibbo]

Stay away from trying to slam it as low as possible, they don't like it.
Speak to Curt!

Yeah it's why I'm going for pretty much CSL ride height when CSL owners have fitted these which is 345mm front and 340mm rear is what CSL owners found worked best.
330mm is the lowest KW say to go and I'm staying a good 10mm+ above that.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there

Suspension is set to ring dry settings height measured from hub to arch are 345mm front and 340mm rear which is 5mm lower than CSL all round and recommended by CSL owners:-

Looks far better without looking slammed, arch gap is 2 fingers front and nearly 2 fingers rear.

Ride wise it seems way better than it was, feels like it has dampers now but only driven it sub 30mph. Now just all tarr being removed / sound deadening from inside. Then alignment and corner weighting session after boot and bumper is done, then ready for track.

 

[Gibbo]

Looks well

Can't wait to drive it properly, amazed with how it seems to ride so much better, the dampening just feels superb and it's set for the ring in the dry which is the stiffest setup in the install manual as there is also road dry, slightly softer and ring in the wet which is slightly softer again settings. Or of course you can set what ever you wish on rebound and compression.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there


A little update:-
- Most of tar removed from interior, so far about 8-10kg removed, the rest being left in for now as its stuff on transmission tunnel so probably prevents quite a bit of noise.
- Door straps fitted to can now actually close doors without having to wind windows down.
- A good wash done and ride heights roughly set to 345mm front and 340mm rear, not perfect but that shall be perfected once car is corner weighted.

Some pictures:-

Not sure if I mentioned it, had an oil leak, was just a bolt behind thermostat housing come loose, needed tightening up, just an absolute ass to get too.

Apart from that car is driving superb, the KW suspension is unreal, absolutely superb and the dampening fantastic, car seems to simply have more grip now too. Can't wait for how it feels once it is setup as am gonna go for following setup:-

-2.5 front negative camber with 0.01 toe in either side.
-1.75 rear negative camber with 0.10 toe in either side.

Then using the top mounts I can slide the adjust fully in at the track, this will give -3.5 front negative camber with some marginal toe out, should be incredible.


My CSL Boot and CSL front bumper should arrive in next week or so, a further 20-30kg in weight saving.
Then the corner weighting and allignment shall be done, at which point we shall finally know what it weighs. I am going to take a stab at 1330kg!

Then enjoy it! Next year I'll probably fit some 100 cel cats, remove the secondary air pump and get it remapped to map that out and get some extra horses.