Worth upgrading to a different track car?

[g_force]

I've an e36 M3 track car set up to drive to/from the track.  It's got all the weld in unit body reinforcements, poly bushings, MCS coil overs, camber front and rear, bolt in roll bar, fixed seats and 6-points, no interior but dash, center console, and front door cards.  I kept the AC and radio and DOT tires for the commute.  The engine is stock, but for an oil pan baffle.  I've had it for a while.  It's been a great, reliable track car that can reel in most modern cars (except the power monsters, of course). 

 

If I were to do it all over again today, I'd think about an e46 for the reasons Toby says.  Maybe consider an e46 M3 for the S54 if you're willing to shell out more money.

[AustrianVespaGuy]

So thanks all for the great responses!  I'm still waffling, but currently leaning a *little* more towards just keeping the E30 for now, but still considering.  Some of this may sound a bit silly, but I've been zeroing in on what's important for me and well, here's some of the current biggies:

 

 - While an E46 WOULD be great, well, I really gotta go for the 25+ year old emissions exemption on this one

 - Don't want to pay the M tax on this one, however I think that pretty much resigns me to doing subframe reinforcements in any E36 I get, which  of course I could do. . . but not terribly excited about that job.

 - Seats is actually an interesting conundrum from a safety aspect.  @bento is right as I absolutely want to use my HANS but I also don't really want to run *just* stock seats, but why in the hell does Schroth say the only fixed backs that are compatible with the QuickFit Pros are the $1200+ Cobra and Recaro seats?!?

 - That articair is sexy, but doesn't look like it'd work at all on the street without a helmet! Damn I want A/C. . .

 

Oh and all kidding aside, I HAVE tracked the '02 and while it's just fine, I've found the way it's set up is much more conducive to windy mountain roads than *regular* track duty, plus four-fold the expense/difficulty/aggravation of going sideways into a tirewall compared to a beater E30/E36 trackrat!

 

[tomphot]

Have you considered going the seat rental route for race series like ChampCar, WRL or AER?  By far the cheapest way to track and tons of seat time!  During a weekend you can easily get 3+ hours behind the wheel.  When we have extra stints, we have rented time to friends.  Living in Atlanta is amazing with regards to tracks close by, Road Atlanta, AMP, Barber, NCM, Charlotte, VIR, Daytona and Sebring are all within an easy drive.

[jscaptura1]

Cheap, ready to race, fun, lots of track time for the money!  My sons Lemons car, hopefully we will be racing it next year.   That's why the ti is just fine for occasional track and autox use!

[TobyB]

Bad news, AVG-

the E46 is the current beater.

 

Look at the E30 market- and then, that done, try to find a set of E36 headlights.

Yes, they 'were just $50'  but it's been 2 years since I found a set in the cheap junkyards...

 

The winner on the E46- it usually passes smog, because it's the first generation

to have a real DME.  Hacked, so it's easy to extract the last 5 bhp, 

and hacked, so you can have a stock one to stuff in to go pass the sniffer.

 

Now, that all said, given the choice, I race the 2002.  It's just better.

 

t

 

[AustrianVespaGuy]

Damnit @TobyB I'm starting to shop local E46s now. . . they're cheaper than I'd have guessed, tend to have working AC, and no rear subframe issues to worry about, right?!? 

Edited August 14, 2021 by AustrianVespaGuy

[TobyB]

Quote

no rear subframe issues to worry about, right?!? 

 

errr....

 

The E46 is an E36 with extra weight and horseypowers, so yeah, the rear subframes have a history of tearing off the sheetmetal, too.

 

I stripped an E36 and an E46 last spring, and the rear's identical- right down to the dumb double- ended stud and

the very minimal torque used to hold them it.

 

Sorry.

 

t

 

[irdave]

For the e46, using the yellow powerflex bushings is good.  My understanding about tearing them out is based on sliding sideways into a curb is what usually does it, so don't do that...  And make sure the PO hasn't either.  That's my understanding anyway- didn't reinforce it on my e46 wagon / m3 swap, just used the yellow bushings and stayed away from the curbs.

 

And I'd agree- the most fun I've had on track was on the cheapest bike I owned, didn't care at all about chucking it down the road- and so had a great time.

[tzei]

On 8/14/2021 at 4:14 AM, jscaptura1 said:

Lemons car

Nice Lamecia!

 

btw i always enjoyed flying GenAtalia.

[uai]

been on the track in France a couple of days ago. After seeing the pix I changed my swaybar setup...

There were no "old" cars but mostly Clio Cup, Megane RS, Focus RS, Fiesta ST, Alpine, Elises
At least I wasn't the slowest car on track, but definetely the most spectacular.

A lot of the guys came in the paddock to tell me "elle marche bien la BMW"