Sparco Strut Bar.. Won't fit??

[EVOIIIM3]

Originally posted by Mick

I'm not so sure this approach will work for anyone because the Sparco bar is made to fit between the "lips" at the tops of the towers. If the holes in the bar are slotted I don't think you'll be able to make it sit flush on the tops of the towers.

It still fits flat, you do both sides about 1/4in.

Next time my friend is over I'll snap some shots. You really would have a hard time knowing what we did, the nut covers the hole.

Then what you can do is mount the 3rd hole in the strut and put the towers back where they belong over time.

[JLee]

Just to add to this thread

i just received a front sparco bar and brought it to CCA Techfest East

We tried fitting it on my car, not even close, but walked it over to another E30 M3 and it fit almost right on...

My production date is 12/87 and his was 1/88

Could a month really made that much of a difference ?

Jeff

[iluvm3s]

No, it;s not the year or month of production. It's just how the car was driven. The strut didn't fit my car too. Because the strut towers cave in. Depending on how hard you drive your car.

[Highrever]

It still fits flat, you do both sides about 1/4in.

that's exactly what I had to do, I too was 1/2 inch off with a production date of 10/89 and had to drill out the holes a 1/4 inch on each end and then still had to muscle it on a bit. I guess this is kind of a weird way to check how hard the car was driven if you ever where in the market for another M3, twist off the radiator cap :D , mine too hits the plastic.

[ColinM]

From center-to-center, the strut towers should be 1002cm apart.

Has anybody welded in the E30 cabrio reinforcements for the strut towers?

[ADA///M]

Originally posted by ColinM
From center-to-center, the strut towers should be 1002cm apart.

Has anybody welded in the E30 cabrio reinforcements for the strut towers?

Check Magnus' recent thread about his car being back on teh road...he has a pic of that exactly

[ColinM]

Right you are, Adam!

[AlpineRunner]

Originally posted by ADA///M
Check Magnus' recent thread about his car being back on teh road...he has a pic of that exactly

Is this the brace in the last picture they you're talking about? It looks like a Sparco bar?

[///MBaller]

Originally posted by AlpineRunner
Is this the brace in the last picture they you're talking about? It looks like a Sparco bar?

The brace we are referring to is an e30 cabrio shock tower reinforcement...it goes from teh shock tower to the inner fender....more towards the front of teh car and opposite side of teh sparco bar...if that makes sense

[AlpineRunner]

ohhh, yes I do see it now, thanks!

[iluvm3s]

what's the difference between the our m3 and the E30 cabrio strut towers?

[BingM3]

The SPARCO bar will fit. You just need to jack up the car. Same thing happened to me, it was my initial outlook but after reading posts, I was able to install it.

[neo2]

Good reading that, all we need is now is someone with a low mileage non hard driven M3 to say his dont fit.

But here is a twist for you, a mate of a mate has been over tonight and brought with him a measuring tape, which is acurate, for body realignment purposes, as he jigs car chassis for a living he took 2 diagonal measurements of the car strut top diagonal to the front panel, and did the same the other way round, (other side to side) and guess what exactly the same size to the mm, now he says the tolerance is approx 3mm difference, now he took a few others as well, and the car seems fine.

My question is if the strut towers bend inward, or backward in time or driving, what is the chance both sides doing it exactly the same degree of bend as in my case, see where i am coming from here.

His words were its perfectly square

[e30m3power]

Originally posted by Magnus
Lift car by center support and jack it up very high. Take off the 2 outer shock screws from each tower. Make sure they are the outer ones. Then loosen the remaining 1 (on both sides) 1/2 way down. Now try and place it on. If you are missing it by 1/8 still, then have someone stand on top of the bar to force it to spread. Once you have the bar on (even just a little) quickly throw the screws back on use them to force the strut bar all the way down fluch...

Good luck...

OMG Magnus i thought that i was the only one who would did this. hahah.. i stood on top of the bar while my friend wedged in the passenger side with a pry bar

i thought i was never gonna get that thing on ut it did enventually and the result was awsome. i felt a huge difference afterwards. felt llike i was straightening out the cars sagging shoulders.......

Joey

[BM3K]

Hi guys, Im after getting a strut brace to......as mine is a cab and has the welded tabs do you think ill have some of the troubles you guys have? I really hope not...but I guess the only way to know is to try....