325E to low budget spec E30 325i build

[morerevsm3]

bought a 325E from ebay for cheap with M tech 1 kit an zender wheels a couple of years ago to convert to Australian version of spec E30, and on a very small budget.
here is the car when I bought it home-

fitted R comp tyres, and entered a regularity event, had a ruptured achillies in left foot which had been sewn up 4 weeks prior, so had to have special boot etc, still lucky enough to win the event (I actually ruptured it pushing the E30 when it broke down just after I bought it)


then after a little while, I bought a wrecked E34 525i to get the engine, and the real fun started.
US spec E30 springs and camber plates were purchased and fitted, and IE bars, and cage done



before



after









then I fitted the 2.5, and gave the car a bogy drivewaqy paint job

[morerevsm3]

and early 2010 saw me get the car ready to be log booked for racing, and upgrade my license from speed events to door to door race license.
handling wasn't too bad, considering rear shocks were ones in the car when I bough it, and fronts were S/H commodore shocks that didn't really suit spring rates. had a few problems first couple of rounds with a false rev limiter, it just stopped at 4500rpm, even though had full 325i engine loom and 173 ECU, and some water leaks etc, but ended up with a 5th place for first meeting so was pretty happy (aided no end by 2 of the 4 races being very wet, so lack of power from 4500rpm was not as evident)next couple of meetings I was throwing parts at it trying to fix the miss, TPS, AFM, plugs, leads cap, all to no avail, tried different ecu, still no good, also kept overheating as well, our rules allow head porting, so, I bought a S/H head, and sent it off for reco and port job







when I removed the old head, the gasket had blown, I was sure it must have been cracked, but appears not

by this time, I was up to the second last round of our series, I had also fitted some S/H Koni single adjustable rear shocks so was keen to see how the new head and new shocks performed



car went really well, was the fastest of the low compression cars (8.8:1, our rules allow the pre cat 9.7:1 pistons to be used, we are also allowed coilovers etc, which I still don't have) the 2 high compression cars were just over 2 seconds/lap quicker!!! was having a great meeting, but got taken out in last race, and retired with a bent tie rod end.

last round was back at the same circuit as first round, forecast was for rain all weekend, and a good field nominated, only diffence in car from last round to this was I now have koni single adjustable front shocks as well, and new custom cold air feed, well, the weather turned out to be perfect all weekend, and, due to the 3 high comp cars that were there encountering niggling problems with their cars, I ended up with a race win, and a round win

[morerevsm3]

now, it is March before round 1 this year, so time to make some more improvements

[billy31]

sweet ride man, i'd love to race my E30, but it's my DD and by no means a race car. keep it up!

[inkk]

That's really cool. I'm sure I read your thread on Eurocca a while back. Where do you race at?

Oh ya, what pistons are they?

[morerevsm3]

race at all the vic state race rounds, so Winton, Phillip Island, Sandown, Calder when it runs, and one away round per year, can be Baskerville (Tas) Wakefield(NSW) or Malalla(SA)
pistons are OEM 9.7:1 Mahle, used on european pre cat models

[Pete_E30]

I think they need a BMW series in NSW - that looks like fun

[nomade30]

Those studs and nuts look familiar! Keep the photos coming!

[morerevsm3]

Originally Posted by Pete_E30

I think they need a BMW series in NSW - that looks like fun

there is 4 cars being built in ACT to our specs now, if enough get built, it will happen