Kale's E36 STX build thread

[Aaron]

awesome job man

 

what made you go with the zii over the rival?

 

I will be on rivals this year. Love them so far.

[bmwohio]

awesome job man

 

what made you go with the zii over the rival?

 

I will be on rivals this year. Love them so far.

 

Rivals seems to work much better for 'camber challenged' cars, and mine has more than enough camber. I previously had the Zi star spec and LOVED them, so this just seems like the right choice. The Rivals are also more forgiving, but sometimes slower at the very edge, whereas the Zii's are the opposite (less forgiving, but faster than the Rivals right at the 'edge')

[bmwohio]

Ok, lots of 'finishing up' jobs over the past couple of days......Here's where we sit with one day to first event...just a few things left to button up

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/31C733F9-538A-4699-A342-3CCEB4B4D045_zpsuwdnibxs.jpg

 

Drove the car on Wednesday to get an alignment done....I hadn't rolled the fenders yet, so I had to throw the 'bottlecaps' on and put the race wheels in the back seat for them to bolt on to do the alignment....

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/4B3F4730-8D53-43A8-8A65-70415FCD4E28_zpsprk7zegu.jpg

 

Haters gonna hate, but here's my battery box that will house the LTW battery....it's 'finishing up' task for tonight

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/B386F346-1276-47B9-AD5E-CA5AB585A466_zps8j0t77ky.jpg

 

Fenders got rolled last night

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/0DE4F239-532A-46E7-B4DF-0262C6B11A57_zpsbr2oq7rh.jpg

 

 

Instead of driving the car, we just jacked the wheel up to 'full compression' to see where we needed more, and it's a tight fit, but SHOULD be ok....have to take into account the slip angle of the tire too when it's 'full over' that it will clearance itself a little more....

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/BB3C6A2B-E737-44A3-8192-A71324578052_zpscu1se1bg.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/22B44F6B-A1E7-4BAA-9E02-61D432CDAD8B_zps86ozgdcp.jpg

 

Lastly, we got the passenger seat bolted down so I can take passengers with me, and finished installing the gauges and Proclip for the data acquisition.....

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/F0A0E3C9-73A9-4324-8A49-65EB6083EABE_zps6onfzgxa.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/0054FC4B-7D22-4A32-AF44-AE5AAEF37EE5_zpskxxij9hz.jpg

 

Just a couple things left to do tonight, and then we're in a for a COLD event on Saturday, but should be good for some shakedown runs.....

 

It was trash night again last night, so took a couple more shots of the almost finished product.....My wife is excited to get her garage spot back

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/C1C9F6D2-9C73-4BB6-B196-928B84CBC9E0_zpsa4lykbqi.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/4E1E91F7-8E68-4F49-AC56-31AFBE30ACBC_zpsq5hk8zve.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/EFD59B1F-C133-450B-A406-B10D0D1F8166_zpsxz2mhsjx.jpg

 

 

Hope to see some of you out on Saturday.......

[Das Borgen]

SOON

[bmwohio]

Although it wasn't optimal, I got to take the car out for it's first shakedown yesterday.

 

Before the event, I had one more job to do. Build a 'battery box' for the LTW battery.

 

I took a 2x4 and used a plunge router that I borrowed from Ryan (thanks Ryan!) to make a small 'sleeve' for the battery to fit in. Then I used a bench vice as a brake to bend some thin sheet metal for a brace. I utilized the factory threaded hole that holds down the battery and drilled a hole through the 2x4 with a fresh M6x1x65mm bolt with some fender washers as shims to secure it down. May look ugly, but it works! And it's wolmanized wood. I also bought a negative cut-off screw down switch from Harbor Freight so I can cut off the power when the car will sit for a while and won't drain the small battery.

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/4D589576-A5D0-4EA7-94CC-6A9C1B9EC358_zpsiyzg1hzd.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/C6BAB48A-83A9-43D0-B430-04906D9CD508_zpst1wqrc5j.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/C17991C8-F9A9-4147-937D-B2C37F9ECE43_zpszmwgjbjw.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/76DCC428-5610-4490-B82D-AD03E871BEA1_zpsecaeug76.jpg

 

Ok, back to the shakedown........

 

It was raining all day, and temps were in the high 30's.

 

It was too wet and messy to change anything on the car, so I left all tire pressures at 35 psi, and didn't touch a thing on the damper adjustments, so ran the car at with 2 clicks of compression in the back and full soft on everything else.

 

The car felt GREAT!!

 

My fastest time was a 50.7...not sure what everyone else was running, but thought I would throw it out there in case anyone else reading this was there.

 

The more I ran it, the more comfortable I got with the car and the more the times kept dropping. The Dunlop ZII's did really well in the rain.

 

I brought my GoPro but didn't set it up, and I didn't run my SoloStorm either (looking back, I wish I had with the amount of runs I did)

 

I was able to get in about 7-10 runs in (I really wasn't counting)

 

First shakedown was a success in my books, and the car will be traveling to the old DHL airstrip in Wilmington next week for a joint Points Event with the Cincy SCCA Region.

 

 

HUGE thanks to Kyle (M0nk3y) for snapping some pics for me......

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/DSC_0291_zps9e812a93.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/DSC_0289_zpsba8e43c2.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/DSC_0280_zps60357de9.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/DSC_0279_zpsce28a978.jpg

 

More updates to come once soon!

Edited March 30, 2014 by bmwohio

[Aaron]

Rivals seems to work much better for 'camber challenged' cars, and mine has more than enough camber. I previously had the Zi star spec and LOVED them, so this just seems like the right choice. The Rivals are also more forgiving, but sometimes slower at the very edge, whereas the Zii's are the opposite (less forgiving, but faster than the Rivals right at the 'edge')

 

Sounds like I made the right choice then!

 

Wish I wasn't sick, or I would have loved to see how the car did in the rain on saturday.

[Ramsey]

Awesome thread.

[bmwohio]

Couple more shots from yesterday....

 

[bmwohio]

Not much to update in the past couple of days......

 

I forgot a few updates from last time....

 

Got a Hotchkis hollow front sway bar all ready for installation, and this will stay on the car front of the car with a stock rear bar. I may test and see what no rear bar feels like, but that is only if I have problems with grip/putting down power in the rear.

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/DE5EA8E2-65A1-425A-A17F-321F8FD9D350_zpskjaknhl6.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/B45734A8-45D6-4450-A4F0-057EDEEE04D9_zps6ncgo0j2.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/34512671-F307-43C0-8578-9EFDFAE8ECD2_zpsdfptzsbm.jpg

 

Also got myself some tire totes. When I travel to Toledo or Cincinnati I will throw on the bottlecaps for traveling to save the good tires.

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/6FED7E56-DB8D-43AB-8700-A494E4AB0861_zpsqzmltamw.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/B4D9CEB5-5F72-4155-8073-7B8F634B04AD_zps2uei0mgy.jpg

 

Lastly, I gave her a bath tonight to get her prepped for some polishing on the paint...next time you see the car it will have some of it's new livery on it...

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/F9F26D61-3EBA-4449-B027-D258EA7CE4F7_zpsj5f1lqsc.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/E5F30A92-85AA-42DB-B738-8863E151EBD9_zps48wisuaw.jpg

 

More to come later this week.....

[bmwohio]

Sneak peek.....

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/142676BF-1C78-4B9D-910C-4860775C073D_zpspbtdon6m.jpg

[bmwohio]

Phase 1 - Livery...complete

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/72BDD55B-6CAB-457E-962B-19E762327BF5_zps8r3qbhru.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/213462AC-FCC1-437A-A684-0B5A51C951AE_zpsaq0qoqwm.jpg

[TURBOED]

Needs more pictures of ducks and toilets.

[M0nk3y]

Needs more pictures of ducks and toilets.

 

 

Kale, gotta give you a nice little golf clap. The determination you had throughout this build is outstanding.

 

Can't wait to see the car on Sunday. I'll be ready

[WrxRcr]

So Rhonda or Ron burgundy?

[bmwohio]

Needs more pictures of ducks and toilets.

 

Negative, ghost rider..the pattern is full

 

 

Kale, gotta give you a nice little golf clap. The determination you had throughout this build is outstanding.

 

Can't wait to see the car on Sunday. I'll be ready

 

Thanks, buddy....excited to stretch her legs a little

 

So Rhonda or Ron burgundy?

 

It's Ron, but I will probably keep referring to the car as a her or she....

 

 

http://media.giphy.com/media/GODSCQebffJzW/giphy.gif

[bmwohio]

With the event in Wilmington this Sunday, there are just little things that need 'buttoned up'

 

I've been trying to figure out the best way to mount my GPS so I can collect data as accurately as possible. My friend showed me a pretty cool idea to get it mounted outside the car.

 

Basically I am using 2 GoPro mounts and one will stick to top of the rear window and one will stick to the actual GPS. I did have to get out the Dremel and do a little shaving for it to fit, and I also has to get a longer bolt and some washers to get it to fit, since these mounts are not 'designed' to fit up against each other like this.

 

Mostly everything taken apart (the two mounts stuck together are the ones I had to shave...it's a tight fit now, but it works)

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/8A5432AA-039D-4C8E-9630-866DFD55606A_zpsqs1ywegw.jpg

 

Assembled, and just need to attach 'sticky' to the rear window

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/9E5AD3BA-6E8D-45B3-81C1-CD3B6E9CAD26_zpsfl7tigxj.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/F7A9EA66-8D58-4CF1-AB63-CF55C7F7DB37_zpsrenmbuqh.jpg

 

When it rains, I will have a mount on the dash, and just have to deal with any 'drift' I get with it being inside the car

 

 

Here is the pad we will be running on this Sunday down in Wilmington. This is the old DHL airstrip, but have since moved out of there. You can see in the lower left corner where they run in the 'emplyoee' lot for the past couple of years, and just got on the Tarmac where the planes are parked.....should be a blast...

 

I'll report back with some video after Sunday's event...

 

http://i1071.photobucket.com/albums/u520/RedHondaSi/Wilmington.jpg

[bmwohio]

We like to have fun in the autocross world, so since my car has been dubbed the 'Ron Burgundy' I found it only fitting to help stamp that theme home.....I couldn't help myself....

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/7A8C2930-62BB-47B4-B3B1-4EE3980C4423_zpszkn83t95.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/B52D4CEF-1E28-40B4-87EC-5C4E3C01A9DA_zps5nznlpeq.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/DB5DE399-F75E-4F6C-A920-074687C86602_zpsklop0vwh.jpg

[bmwohio]

Since I can't stop 'tinkering' with the car at this point (I'm magnetically drawn to the garage each night) I thought I should do something about the AWEFUL sounding speakers in the rear deck lid.....

 

A trip to Best Buy, a quick search on the smart phone (Best Buy price matches) AND a $5 reward certificate that I had....and $25 later(original price $49.99), I have a new set of some BOOMIN 4" speakers :bigthumb:

 

They are installed and sound MUCH better.....

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/7495619C-F16A-44C2-9712-441A9577007E_zps239qusb8.jpg

 

I think it was time for new ones, don't you?

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/F6C2D02B-3FF5-4D6C-B28F-51306664049E_zpspegaa8s1.jpg

[Das Borgen]

We like to have fun in the autocross world, so since my car has been dubbed the 'Ron Burgundy' I found it only fitting to help stamp that theme home.....I couldn't help myself....

 

You are very most welcome

[bmwohio]

Had a great day today at the Wilmington Airpark getting a 'real' shakedown on the car today....I would say it passed with flying colors.

 

It didn't feel perfect, but I was able to squeak out the class win by almost 2 tenths of a second. Conditions were not optimal (~55* and 10-20 mph winds), but running on the tarmac feels sooooo good.

 

It will probably take quite a few events to get the car dialed in, as this is a little different than my M3. The car wanted to 'bounce' on corner exit as I was rolling on the throttle (you can hear it at about the 0:24, 0:30 and 0:39 mark in my video). I only had three runs, so there was only so many adjustments to make without completely upsetting the car, or being too drastic with my changes.

 

Overall, the car was very well composed, and pretty much did what I asked it to.....

 

Enjoy the video of my fastest run and class win for the day....

 

In 'race livery' today...

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/22528B73-2EAE-420D-8E44-482E0AACD70A_zpspx9afrnz.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/D1DE83C6-B852-40E0-BF83-7A870D4C33E4_zpspuxjg5m8.jpg

 

[10phone2]

great build. Whats your opinion of the older 325ix AWD bmw's? I'm tempted to get one down the road and do an engine swap, but I see conflicting information as to how strong the center diff/trans are.

[bmwohio]

great build. Whats your opinion of the older 325ix AWD bmw's? I'm tempted to get one down the road and do an engine swap, but I see conflicting information as to how strong the center diff/trans are.

 

Don't know much about the AWD ones, except that the E46 Xi eats halfshafts quite often....

 

Got my new data acquisition working and the first overlay uploaded.

 

Pulling 1.2-1.3 G's in the turns...not bad for street tires....

 

[zeitgeist57]

Hey, Kale...why didn't you go with poly bushings in the rear suspension?

[bmwohio]

Hey, Kale...why didn't you go with poly bushings in the rear suspension?

 

I did for RTAB's, but didn't do it anywhere else....mainly didn't do the subframe beacause I didn't have time....It may be a project in the future...

[zeitgeist57]

Thanks. That's why I'm asking: I need to do RTAB's and adjustable trailing arms but don't want to mess with anything else until it really needs it. :thumbup:

 

Again, great progress!