[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by Peter Morrin

Alphonse,
I hope you were spared the worst of the recent storms. Has your racing season started up again with cooler weather? Any updates on the car?

All good here! We only got some wind where live, like 30-40mph winds so nothing to speak of luckily. I’m waiting on some replacement carbon door panels to arrive from Fiberlab in Latvia. Nothing new with mods the car is currently prepped for a track day November 11th at Homestead Speedway. Don’t think I’ll get the door panels on before then.

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by infinitenexus

Hey, Biginboca,

since your home track closed, have you found a new one to frequent? Homestead, or maybe Sebring?

Heading to Homestead for a track day in about 3 weeks. Will be my first time there, looking forward to it!

[Biginboca]

Track day was yesterday. Car was perfect! I can run a 30 mins session no issues, cooling good, oil temps 260 max, brakes for days. So happy with how it’s all come together. It was a 90 mins ride to the track, very comfortable in the car and then 30 sessions flat out with zero issues. The car is just great all around daily/trackable car, which is what I was shooting for.

There’s pics and video here on my Instagram acct. Swipe the pics left to see the videos.

[Biginboca]

A large part of this session was spent behind a Z4 3.5is who would not give me a deserved point by. The car is a n54 with a DCT and was fairly quick but the driver was all over the place, missing about half the apex’s.

So what I run into is a lot of these guys with higher powered (than mine) cars think because they pull away a bit on the straights they don’t have to give me a point by, and then when I catch them again in a twisty section I have to back off. So it’s very annoying I wish I could just blow by them in the straights. Track etiquette is to let a car filling your mirrors go by, even if they are lower powered.

[Torgus]

Originally Posted by Biginboca

A large part of this session was spent behind a Z4 3.5is who would not give me a deserved point by. The car is a n54 with a DCT and was fairly quick but the driver was all over the place, missing about half the apex’s.

So what I run into is a lot of these guys with higher powered (than mine) cars think because they pull away a bit on the straights they don’t have to give me a point by, and then when I catch them again in a twisty section I have to back off. So it’s very annoying I wish I could just blow by them in the straights. Track etiquette is to let a car filling your mirrors go by, even if they are lower powered.

Fucking n54 owners always think they are superior. I am surprised how slow the Z4 was compared to you. Shows what you have done to your car and your skill.

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by Torgus

Fucking n54 owners always think they are superior. I am surprised how slow the Z4 was compared to you. Shows what you have done to your car and your skill.

Thanks brother, appreciate the compliments

[colorado.e9x]

Driver mod >

Sounds like its time for an SC, then they have no excuse

[randallprince]

First off, LOVE the build thread. Awesome to follow and very inspirational. I have an E36 328is that followed a similar life to what you are doing, but within the constraints of SCCA Solo STX rules (no carbon bits, no bracing from other models). Ended up with a car that has full interior that tracks at 2800lbs flat (with some lightweight SSR Type C rims, 1/4 tank gas, race seats, etc). So, I appreciate the time to keep things streetable and bring CSL/LTW philosophy.

That said, looking at what you have done, if you're struggling to get sub-3000, custom aftermarket exhaust is going to be the best bang for the buck. I had TRM Tuning here in Atlanta do a 2.5" single pipe with Burns collector, 500 cel cat, Magnaflow resonator, and muffler and I think we saved 40-50lbs off the OEM unit. Being an NA car, you could probably suffice with a 3" and still get away with 25-35lbs I'm guessing.

Lastly, please take some time to follow timetrials.scca.com and find an event to bring your car to! I'm one of the Atlanta Track Night admins and Time Trial T&S Chief of the National Tour (as well as a coach from time to time). Schedule is still pending, but closest to you will probably be VIR in early March 2023. I'll have my Tuner 3 335d (pretty much the opposite of your build :-) ) out there and would love to see a few more tuned Bimmers.



Keep up the great work!!

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by randallprince

First off, LOVE the build thread. Awesome to follow and very inspirational. I have an E36 328is that followed a similar life to what you are doing, but within the constraints of SCCA Solo STX rules (no carbon bits, no bracing from other models). Ended up with a car that has full interior that tracks at 2800lbs flat (with some lightweight SSR Type C rims, 1/4 tank gas, race seats, etc). So, I appreciate the time to keep things streetable and bring CSL/LTW philosophy.

That said, looking at what you have done, if you're struggling to get sub-3000, custom aftermarket exhaust is going to be the best bang for the buck. I had TRM Tuning here in Atlanta do a 2.5" single pipe with Burns collector, 500 cel cat, Magnaflow resonator, and muffler and I think we saved 40-50lbs off the OEM unit. Being an NA car, you could probably suffice with a 3" and still get away with 25-35lbs I'm guessing.

Lastly, please take some time to follow timetrials.scca.com and find an event to bring your car to! I'm one of the Atlanta Track Night admins and Time Trial T&S Chief of the National Tour (as well as a coach from time to time). Schedule is still pending, but closest to you will probably be VIR in early March 2023. I'll have my Tuner 3 335d (pretty much the opposite of your build :-) ) out there and would love to see a few more tuned Bimmers.



Keep up the great work!!

Awesome comments, thanks for taking the time to post all that. I’m glad you enjoyed (enjoying) the thread

I’m just now branching out into other tracks and exploring different organizations for track time. One group in tracking with has an event scheduled for Sebring in May which I’m 90% committed to doing. As time goes on I’m getting more and more into tracking and growing my abilities.

You raise a great point about the exhaust. One member here had a custom titanium exhaust made which I’m sure would save quite a bit of weight. Right now my exhaust is likely 30lbs lighter than stock due to eliminating all the cats and swapping to an aftermarket muffler. But I think there’s more to be had for sure.

I finally received my carbon door cards and am looking to install those in the next few months. That’ll get another 15lbs or so off, so the car will be 3035-3040lbs once that is done.

Love the picture you posted btw! You inspired me to post a few pics the track photographer took last week at homestead…

In the garage between sessions:



Heading out for first session with my buddy who is showing me the lines on this new to me track:

[AmuroRay]

Done extensive research on exhausts - you can never go to large after the collector - which is the most important part. (Placement matters too) So I would do a single 2” in 3” out, placed near or slightly after the middle or end of the transmission tunnel.

Parts- Borla XS and Vibrant a ultra quiet resonator, burns or the like stainless collector.

[Biginboca]

Another update since it’s been a while. I got some new Kumho V730 200tw tires installed on my VS5RS rims and hit the track again yesterday. Finally being on decent (but cheap) track tires put this car on a new level! I passed so many cars out of my league I can’t even count them. I feel like I lost out on a chance for a good battle with a F80 when I got hung up behind a red 997 Carerra S who wouldn’t give me a point by for way too long…

The highlight of my day was waving a red GT3 by and then giving chase as we headed into traffic. He moved on while I got held up behind a white GT3 who finally relented and gave my a point by.

So getting a point by from a GT3 while driving a 328i street car is just insane to me. This moment is something I’ll never forget lol



So at this point the build is pretty much done. I still have some carbon door cards to install which should get me down to about 3030lbs with 1/2 tank of gas. And then I need some maintenance on the car, the carbon roof has started bubbling so needs to be stripped and resprayed with clear coat and the headliner is sagging so need that redone. And then the car is totally good to go.

Oh, and the car just passed 140k miles yesterday on the track while chasing that white GT3… and it’s still on the original water pump. So take that Ferdinand!

[AmuroRay]

The build and experience I’ve always wanted for my E92. Enjoy your E46 M lite

[AmuroRay]

Love you 3rd gear vtec'ing that Z4 Coupe (though I know, he gave you a point by)
What's the actual suspension set up and spring rates? Alignment specs? How is tire wear?

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

Love you 3rd gear vtec'ing that Z4 Coupe (though I know, he gave you a point by)
What's the actual suspension set up and spring rates? Alignment specs? How is tire wear?

The suspension set up is a lot to get into. I have bmw performance springs but cut the rears down which increased the spring rate maybe 10%. I would guess my rates are pretty much equivalent to e92m3 rates now.

I have BMW performance front damper and bilstein rear damper (because I swapped to m3 rear camber arm and couldn’t use my bmw performance damper any more). The upper shock mount on the rear is the monroe

I have all M3 arms front and rear except for spl rear toe arms. On the arms and subframe and spindles every non uniball joint has been swapped to uniball. So there is zero rubber anywhere in the suspension arms. The only rubber in the suspension is the Monroe upper rear shock mount.

Front and rear swaybars are from e92m3

I have f80 m3 front spindles which increase dynamic camber (camber when turning) vs the e9x spindles. So when I’m turning I get a little more camber than normal e9x spindles.

I have front spl bump steer correcting tie rod ends.

The front strut mounts have been replaced with xdrive mounts which lowered a bit and are a little more durable/strong.

And of course the 12:1 m3 steering rack not sure if you count that as suspension, probably not.

And a bunch of added chassis bracing which I believe helps me to feel what the car is doing a lot more. It is very controllable and predictable at the limit.

Front camber is like -3.7 and rear is like -2.6. Tire wear is not good on the street but the car is now a weekend and track car only so I leave it with track camber/tires/brake pads all the time. I do run stock toe settings all the time also, I don’t go toe out on the track because I just don’t feel like screwing around with it all the time lol

[built.e92]

Absolutely love this build!

[Torgus]

Imagine the frustration of a GT3 owner who has to point by a 328i 'street car'

[Biginboca]

A few pics from recent track day…

[colorado.e9x]

Those apexs man..

[Donethat]

I will say, I’ve recently seen this car in person for a full day on the track/ trackday and it’s a well tuned monster. It carries fantastic corner speed, in fact more than a good selection of M cars. Smooth and fast, and on top of that, reliable, all day pushed hard without skipping a beat.
Great build.

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by Donethat

I will say, I’ve recently seen this car in person for a full day on the track/ trackday and it’s a well tuned monster. It carries fantastic corner speed, in fact more than a good selection of M cars. Smooth and fast, and on top of that, reliable, all day pushed hard without skipping a beat.
Great build.

Wow thanks Chris! That’s high praise, and I appreciate the encouragement.

Comments like these make me want to push the car… and especially my driving… further.

[72GMC]

[QUOTE=Biginboca;29882631]Another update since it’s been a while. I got some new Kumho V730 200tw tires installed on my VS5RS rims and hit the track again yesterday. Finally being on decent (but cheap) track tires put this car on a new level!

Big,
Do you have a more detailed tire review for the V730?
Also, what sizes are you running?
Thanks

[Biginboca]

[QUOTE=72GMC;29957710]

Originally Posted by Biginboca

Another update since it’s been a while. I got some new Kumho V730 200tw tires installed on my VS5RS rims and hit the track again yesterday. Finally being on decent (but cheap) track tires put this car on a new level!

Big,
Do you have a more detailed tire review for the V730?
Also, what sizes are you running?
Thanks

I’m running 255/35r18 all around. I only have one track day on them but so far I’m very happy with them! Much more grip (obviously) than my previous Michelin PS4S. Like next level grip. There were no surprises or bad behaviors I noticed. They break away smoothly and predictably when they go and will sing a bit to let you know you are getting to their limit. So far I think they are a really good bang for the buck. I’ve driven them twice on the street they ride smooth and balanced out nicely also. No complaints with them.