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<E30> M3 Upgrades
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Subject: <E30> M3 Upgrades
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From: Mark Magee <[email protected]>
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Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 19:47:30 -0700 (PDT)
I ran my new (to me) '88 M3 at Laguna Seca with the Ferrari Owners Club on
the day after the Historics. Nice event for experienced drivers. Much
more free-form than the BMW CCA events, but not as wild as NASA events.
The M3 is almost completely stock, but I want to start to start upgrading
it, with an eye to the BMW CCA club racing rules. I want to run in the
"stock" class. Despite the name of the class, lots of modifications are
allowed.
The first problem is the brakes. I'm considering Cool Carbon
carbon-kevlar, ATE super blue and some ducting to the front brakes. Any
opinions?
Then I want to put in the safety equipment. I'm considering a welded
cage and a Butlerbuilt winston cup seat. Any recommendations on cage
kits or cage fabricators in the SF bay area?
The next upgrade on the horizon is wheels and tires. I ran Yoko A-032
225/20/15 on stock rims, but I would like to go to 16 or 17" rims. What
can I fit on the car with minor mods to the fenders and without violating
the club racing rules? (Can't reduce rolling diameter less than something
like 3%. Can't increase wheel width more than 1".) The A-032 are decent
intermediate tires (except for the harmonics), but I think I can do better
with a tire specialized for the dry. Hoosier has a new radial that looks
interesting. Hoosier also makes a very interesting race tire for stormy
weather.
Later, I want to stiffen up the suspension quite a bit. I can't do
coilovers in the stock class, so I'm looking at springs, shocks, swaybars,
stress bar, and some minor geometry tweeks (camber plates, etc.) Any
recommendations?
Any recommendations about these upgrades or others would be greatly
appreciated. The car is intended for driving schools, open track days,
time trials, a little misc. auto-x, club racing, and driving on the
street to the track (without blantant violations of the vehicle code).
- -MRM
club racer wannabe