Kale's E36 STX build thread

[bmwohio]

Played with the ride height a little today, and corner balanced the car...she came in at 50.00!

 

Ready for battle!

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/820B5650-8650-404B-9012-EC0EBCC7D1F2_zpsfzsy9vjp.jpg

 

[WrxRcr]

50/50 woot

[bmwohio]

So I've had a chance to 'shakedown' the car a couple of times, and got a good feel for the car on a 'tighter' course when we set-up at IFO.....I've determined the front bar I have is just a little too big.

 

It's a Hotchkis 33.4 MM hollow front bar, which makes the front end a little stiffer than I want (and the car wants). The car feels GREAT on really fast slaloms, and switchbacks, but as soon as you try to get around a decreasing radius sweeper, or a mid to slow speed tight turn it wants to PUUUUUUUSH......Granted, these cars tend to push anyway, but the tires just aren't getting to roll over enough to take a 'set' on the slow speed turns and sweepers.

 

So I went with an H&R 28mm 2 way adjustable bar. This is a very similar bar to the one I had on my M3, so I feel confident that this will help me get the car set a little better in some turns.

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae245/bmwohio/E36%20STX%20build/E2B52CED-CE2A-4E1B-9CD7-46457144903D_zpstul7ii52.jpg

 

Headed to the Toledo Express Airport Tomorrow for a pretty decent sized event....22 signed up in STX so far......

 

I'll post up some video after the weekend.

 

That is all, hope everyone has a good weekend!

[WrxRcr]

I would say good luck in toledo but you don't need it.

[bmwohio]

I would say good luck in toledo but you don't need it.

 

Thanks for jinxing it, ya jerk :lolguy:

 

 

Unfortunately, this event didn't go as well as I would have wanted it. Since the last event, I corner balanced the car, and also dropped the rear in the process for proper rake.

 

It seems as though I have too much grip in the rear and the car is pushing really bad.

 

I have talked with quite a few folks whom I trust and can bounce ideas off of about the set-up and I am going to try and tweak the alignment a little to see if that helps.

 

Here is my fastest run from this past Saturday, and you can see in quite a few spots where the front end will NOT grip, no matter how smooth or wide of a line I took. Have another event this weekend (however on asphalt and not concrete) to give it another go.

 

Need to get the car dialed in pretty well before the Toledo Pro at the end of June.

 

[M0nk3y]

You'll get it Kale. Keep the head up and keep pushing hard. You'll find the solution and get back to kicking my ass as usual

[Aaron]

the car is pushing really bad.

 

and keep pushing hard

 

:lolguy:

[WrxRcr]

Challenge accepted?

[bmwohio]

Well, the car took it's first Top PAX this past weekend at the SCCA Great Lakes Divsional Event at Ackerman. I had some alignment changes made this past week and took some camber out of the rear and the car felt much better.

 

The car still isn't perfect, but definitely much better from when I started this season.

 

I'm going to continue to test different 'tweaks' to get it ready for the Toledo Pro Solo at the end of June.

 

Here's the class and Pax results from the event.

 

Class --> http://www.ovr-scca.org/uploads/ax_results/2014/02_fin_2014-05-17.htm

 

PAX --> http://www.ovr-scca.org/uploads/ax_results/2014/02_pax_2014-05-17.htm

 

Here's the winning run:

 

[Bam]

Looks like fun and congrats! How fast did you get to or were you averaging? Just checking to see if my eyes are tricking me.

[bmwohio]

Looks like fun and congrats! How fast did you get to or were you averaging? Just checking to see if my eyes are tricking me.

 

Data says my fastest on course was the hole shot from the start up to 57.4 mph...and I got back up into the 50's a couple of times....I would say average on course is around 40-45 mph....

[bmwohio]

Getting to know the car a little bit better now. Beautiful day this past Sunday at OSU for our event.

 

The 'drag race' start (as you'll see in the video) meant that I had a sheer disadvantage right from the start, as my car will not out accelerate a highly prepped 3.0 E46 on Hoosiers, a GT3 on Hoosiers, and a Street Mod STI.......this is the reason most national course have a turn right at the start, so this doesn't happen.......

 

Took 4th in the class behind those 3 and 6th over all in PAX.

 

Was able to get some good data this past weekend too trying some different damper settings, tire pressures, and 'lines' on course.

 

Class results --> http://www.ovr-scca.org/uploads/ax_results/2014/03_fin_2014-05-25.htm#PAX

 

 

PAX results --> http://www.ovr-scca.org/uploads/ax_results/2014/03_pax_2014-05-25.htm

 

My fastest run:

 

 

 

Edited May 27, 2014 by bmwohio

[Das Borgen]

Jeremy killed it with that shot... so good

[bmwohio]

Finally got around to doing the data overlay on my Top Pax run from 2 weeks ago......

 

[bmwohio]

Points event 3 this past weekend

 

[bmwohio]

OK, I am officially signed up for 2 National Tour Pro Solo's coming up at the end of June and July. I am very excited for these events, as these are probably my favorites all year.....

 

A Pro Solo is an autocross that has a 'Drag Race' start with a Christmas tree,reaction time and 60 ft times. There is a left side and right side course, which are mirrored to duplicate each other. At the end of the weekend you take your best time from each side of the course and add them together to determine a winner and the rankings for the class.

 

Here is a cool video from a Pro Solo earlier this year in Texas, that gives you a feel for what the atmosphere is like.....I can tell you it is like nothing else I've ever experienced in Autocross.

 

[bmwohio]

Fun course over the weekend with lots of elevation change. I am almost there getting the car dialed in, as I am keeping consistent with the hot shoes in our club. Toledo Pro Solo is at the end of this month, so the REAL test will come then....

 

Here is my fastest run from Sunday:

 

[AudiOn19s]

looking good that was a much faster course than they had setup on Saturday for PCA.

[bmwohio]

looking good that was a much faster course than they had setup on Saturday for PCA.

 

 

Yea, I saw the course from Saturday and it was a little slower. Elevation change was a blast in that lot.

[bmwohio]

Ok, I am officially signed up for 2014 SCCA Solo Nationals! I went last year (first time), and co-drove another guys prepped E36, but hope to do better in my own car this year. They will be the first week of September this year in Lincoln, Nebraska at the Lincoln Airpark.

 

Entry List (I'm 22 STX - Street Touring Extreme) --> https://www.motorsportreg.com/index.cfm/event/event.status/uidEvent/1985B83F-A293-5C58-59BC49CFD704E49F#class1-4A1D717D-93B9-33C0-33A0C72A5802F3C3

 

In the past few years, entries have been near the 1,200 mark. That number is expected to remain consistent, making the Solo Nationals the largest motorsports competition in the world.

 

Can't wait!

 

A few pics from last year:

 

[Aaron]

You sir, are commited.

[bmwohio]

You sir, are commited.

 

 

Not sure if commited, or should BE commited :dumb:

 

Go big or go home, I guess......

 

I didn't spend all winter in the garage and the freezing effin' cold to have the car sit in the garage all summer :fuckyeah:

 

Hopefully I can represent the region well this year.....I'll know more once we get a Pro Solo out of the way.....so, at the end of this month.....

[bmwohio]

Had a local event this past weekend at National Trails. Car did well, and I think I have her pretty well dialed in for this coming weekend.

 

My first national event is this weekend at the Toledo Pro Solo, I hope to bring home some hardware....we will see.....

 

Here is my fastest run from this past weekend which was good enough for 2nd in class and 2nd in PAX. Twas a very boost friendly course....

 

Class --> http://www.ovr-scca.org/uploads/ax_results/2014/06_fin_2014-06-21.htm

 

PAX --> http://www.ovr-scca.org/uploads/ax_results/2014/06_pax_2014-06-21.htm

 

[bmwohio]

A few pictures of Ron Burgundy in action from this past weekend's autocross....

 

[bmwohio]

Well, not as good of a weekend as I had hoped. For those of you not friends with me on Facebook, here is my update from the weekend....

 

This was probably the worst weekend of autocrossing I've ever had in my life. I can't remember the last time I came away from a weekend feeling like this......From my first run to my last, it seemed like I just could not get anything right this weekend. Made a lot of changes to the car throughout the weekend trying to get something to work, but to no avail.....

 

Lots of bittersweet this weekend to go from 2013 driving the Toilet Duck with Danny doing so well and then having a weekend like this the following year.....and watching a great guy like Kyle do SO well while I feel like a novice out there......Congrats again, Kyle!

It has been a HUGE learning experience for me, and i hope to just pick myself up, dust myself off, and get ready for Wilmington and Nationals.

 

Thanks to all my friends who have been chatting with me over the past couple of days, it has really helped with my spirits.....

Time to leave this event in my rear view mirror........

 

Ironically, the only highlight of my weekend that has to do with driving was getting a .500 light on Saturday.....yup, that's about it.....

 

Here are my two fastest (I use that term very loosely) runs from the weekend:

 

Right:

 

 

Left: