Another question about class...

[Mtriple]

I'm pretty sure that my car will be in the prepared class, just want to make sure.

1989 BMW 325i
-95 M3 motor, cams, software upgrade, injector upgrade, etc...
-Gutted interior, full cage, fire suppression, etc...
-Suspension-pretty much every upgrade possible...

I use the car for HPDE's but I would like to try and make a few auto-x events this year. I used to run with the club about 4 or 5 years ago...

What kind of turnout should I expect in this class at a typical event?

Thanks,

Bob

[MNbiker]

Bob,

Welcome back!

Since you've been gone, MAC and the Met Council have started using SCCA car classes. You have a couple options for classing:

XP - It's hard to predict what kind of turnout we'll see for this class, as it's essentially brand-new - replacing the previous AP. Since XP is the only Prepared class that allows engine swaps like yours, it will be a good catch-all for any production car with an engine swap & gutted interior. In addition, it's the highest Prepared class, and will invariably get a few cars from other Prepared classes bumped into it at typical events. Given these factors, I'd guess we'll have 3-4 cars in XP at most events. The level of competition will be pretty unpredictable, as I'm not aware of anyone in the club preparing a car specifically for XP yet.

EM - We had 3-4 cars at most events, and EM bumps to DM, which also saw consistent 3-4 car participation. This would be a pretty tough place to play, as most of your competition will be Lotus 7 clones, Cobra clones, etc.

-Steve Garnjobst

[washburn]

Cool car!

[Mtriple]

Thanks for the quick reply, sounds like XP is the place for me as my car may be a bit "heavy" for EM compared to those mentioned.

Looking forward to getting out there and meeting you guys...

[esper]

It's looking very likely that I will be in XP next year, so with bumping etc. there may be a few people in there. depends on whether or not i can go to E Mod, or if SM rules will allow my bumper modifications. If one other person runs it, it might be better than emod or SM for me

(sorry for the momentary thread hijack, but I talking to neal about the idea of wrapping my JDM bumper beams in lead tape to return them the the original bumper beam weight to allow my car to run in SM.. dunno if its quite within the rules or not...)

[MNbiker]

...I talking to neal about the idea of wrapping my JDM bumper beams in lead tape to return them the the original bumper beam weight to allow my car to run in SM.. dunno if its quite within the rules or not...)

That wouldn't be SM-legal. You'd be much better off finding a set of USDM bumper beams in a junkyard, then beating them into whatever shape you need with a BFH.

[StevenMosley]

Nice E30. What do you run for wheels and tires on it?

[Mtriple]

Nice E30. What do you run for wheels and tires on it?

Thanks, right now I have a couple sets of Kosei's that are 16x7.5. I think I'm going to order a set of 8.5's to play around with. I had some rear traction issues at BIR last summer running 225/50/16 Tech-r's. I would like to try a 245 this year, maybe staggered, maybe all the way around...

[Mtriple]

Here's a couple pics of the car. I'm rather proud of it as the only thing I didnt do was the cage. It took about 2 years to complete.


Turn 10 at BIR
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/Mtriple/E30-S50/orig1.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/Mtriple/E30-S50/P7051359.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/Mtriple/E30-S50/DSC00022.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/Mtriple/E30-S50/DSC00346.jpg

[EWAustin]

:o Wow
I'm in love.
Did you have to modify the firewall at all in order to make the engine fit? I've been thinking about doing an E30 M30, But in order to be SM legal I'd have to mount the engine so far forward that it would mess up the weight distribution.

[SalahK]

Turn 10 at BIR
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/Mtriple/E30-S50/P7051359.jpg

I'm assuming the above picture was taken on a cool-down lap because it looks like you (and the Ferrari 355 ahead of you) totally missed the Apex :lol:

[Mtriple]

:o Wow
I'm in love.
Did you have to modify the firewall at all in order to make the engine fit? I've been thinking about doing an E30 M30, But in order to be SM legal I'd have to mount the engine so far forward that it would mess up the weight distribution.

Thanks, the beauty of this swap is that it uses all factory parts to get the motor in the bay. For example the brake booster is out of an E21(77-83 320i), oil pan from a E34(91-95 525i), motor mounts from a E28(84-88 528e), etc...

Motor drops right in, the only custom work is the exhaust and the electrical. Since I did the swap, there is now a company that sells an adaptor for the electrical so that it's "plug and play". Pretty easy really, and the swaps have now become quite common in the E30 community.

The M30 swap is MUCH harder.

[Mtriple]

I'm assuming the above picture was taken on a cool-down lap because it looks like you (and the Ferrari 355 ahead of you) totally missed the Apex :lol:

I honestly can't tell you if I was on a cool down lap or not, but it looks like it might be based on where my car is at in that picture. I can tell you that I had an absolute blast pacing(and passing) that car all day. I've got some pretty good video of me passing the F355 going into turn 10, and then getting passed by a Carrera GT on the straight. Good times!

Turn 10 is a strange corner, you dont necessarily have to hit the apex in order to have the fast line... Take a look at this pic again and you can see what I mean.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/Mtriple/E30-S50/orig1.jpg

and another
http://www.centralcoastweb.com/nsxb/media/pics/bir7.5.05/P7051330.JPG

[StevenMosley]

That darker pavement on the inside can get very slick if it is slightly wet. If it has rained I usually avoid that surface. I watched 2 cars spin out about 3 hours after a shower trying to run tight on that corner. I would usually be coming up to 10 at about 115mph+ and hit the speed limiter and brake. If I come out of 8 & 9 right it is the perfect braking point, if not I'm a little deep. :)

[SalahK]

That darker pavement on the inside can get very slick if it is slightly wet. If it has rained I usually avoid that surface. :)

You are right that in the wet that patch is slippery and does not provide very good traction. In the dry however, im sure youve noticed that it grips well in spite of producing a lot of tire squeal.

It is better to go all the way to the apex as The banking in 10 is too slight to justify not hitting the apex.

Im sure you also noticed that in the picture above, the red corvette is taking a terrible line through the corner. The Vette driver is totally clueless. Or he is on a cool down lap and is about to leave the track :)

As for the pair of BMWs in the pic above, while their line is much better than the red Vette's, they are still not utilizing the outer limit of turn 10 efficiently by not being at the edge of the friction circle (I can just tell :)). It is necessary to use the outer edge of the exit in spite of the fact that turn 10 tightens right before the slick part of the dragstrip begins.