Highly Modified '90 Race Car

[EdPhillips]

1990 BMW M3
WBSAK0312LAE33753
Diamond Schwartz black

After 5 years of ownership, the time has come for me to pass this special car onto a new owner. Last year, I purchased and began racing a Spec E30, and it does not make sense for me to keep two race cars when, realistically, I can expect to use only one. Here is some background regarding the car’s history. Some of you may already know the car.

Featured in Bimmer Magazine (2001) and on Gustave's website:

http://www.e30m3project.com/e30m3per.../tad_laird.htm.
http://www.e30m3project.com/e30m3per.../ch2/index.htm.

Two-owner car before I purchased it in June 2006, with prior owners residing in California and Nevada. Never any rust or wrecks. I have a NY title for the car.

The original build was completed in 2001 by the prior owner. It was a relatively low-mileage street car prior to that. Most of the fabrication work, including the cage, was done by Fahey Motorsports in San Diego, CA. All of the work was exceptionally well executed. I have a 3-inch binder of receipts showing more than $100k invested.

More recent pictures can be viewed at:

http://www.s14.net/photopost/showgal...r=2175&cat=500.

As you will see, the car has evolved into a more purposeful race/track car. I used a professional fabricator for the additional work I have done. All fluids changed frequently, always garaged and well maintained.

The prior owner, a doctor, used the car primarily for driving schools. He did very little racing with the car - in fact, he entered only two race events with it. Initially, I attended driving schools with the car. In 2008, I started club racing with BMWCCA, and later with NASA in GTS-3. The point here is that the car has never seen frequent or particularly hard race use.

Very popular car in the paddock, and very quick and rewarding to drive on the track. Car weighs approximately 2,500 lbs without driver. It could easily lose more weight, as it still has the factory bumpers, hood, trunk lid, glass, etc. I have logbooks for both NASA and BMWCCA (classed as GTS-3 and D-Mod, respectively).

Motor was rebuilt by S14 guru David Pan in 2007 after the original motor broke a connecting rod. The entire bottom end was purchased new for the rebuild. This included (among other items) a new, genuine EVO3 block, new EVO3 crank, new connecting rods and pistons. The cost of the rebuild was approximately $14k. Dynoed in April 2010: 246 rwhp and 202 lbs torque. Motor was built and tuned conservatively for torque and longevity, observing a ~ 7k rpm soft redline. The sound this motor makes is incredible, but you already know that. The motor could make significantly more horsepower with hotter cams, if desired. I was more than happy with these numbers, which allow the car to fit nicely in GTS-3.

Specifications and modifications:

Motor

• 2.5 EVO3 block with oil squirters
• Ported and flowed head with oversized valves
• Schrick cams 284/276
• 48mm throttle bodies
• CP 12.3 comp. pistons with custom valve pockets (sized for larger cams, if desired)
• Crower billet rods
• EVO3 crank
• Burns custom-built, long tube ceramic coated 4-1 header (flow benched with head)
• DTA engine management and custom wiring harness
• Carbon fiber intake with long (18cm) runners
• Custom intake / air filter box
• Gruppe N motor mounts
• VAC ignition wires
• Bosch EV6 34lb injectors (375cc/min)
• VAC mega-sump oil pan
• Fluidyne custom 3-row NASCAR radiator (combined radiator/oil cooler)
• Custom KRC lightweight power steering pump
• Power steering cooler (using a custom-plumbed factory oil cooler)
• Ross Machine billet fuel rail
• Aeromotive FPR with gauge
• Braided stainless hoses with AN fittings throughout
• Deka ETX-18 lightweight battery
• Electric fan

Fuel

• Fuel Safe Pro cell (top model, FIA-FT3 certified) 22 gal fuel cell
• Custom steel tube framing for fuel cell
• Dual Bosch fuel pumps; dual large canister Mercedes fuel filters
• Braided stainless lines with AN fittings from fuel cell to motor

Transmission

• Euro close-ratio 5spd (dog leg)
• Gruppe N tranny mounts
• AKG race shifter
• UUC selector rod (DSSR)
• EVO lightweight flywheel
• Motorsports lightweight pressure plate

Differentials

• 3:73 race prepped with Timken bearings, 50% lock, M Coupe vented diff cover
• 4:10 race prepped Quaife with Timken bearings, custom ramp angles, Gruppe N mount

Exhaust

• Custom modular 3" side exhaust, exit on driver's side
• All exhaust pieces fabricated to use Burns V-Clamps for quick changes
• Includes multiple mufflers, a race cat, and straight pipe. Allows for multiple configurations: open exhaust, 1 muffler, 2 mufflers, etc. Under 91db when running two mufflers.
• Custom stainless exhaust diffuser
• New Hooker muffler

Suspension

• Front: Gruppe N Bilstein inverted front struts, custom valving, threaded collars,
single adjustable. 650lb springs.
• Rear: Gruppe N Bistein shocks, Gruppe N Eibach large diameter springs, 900 lbs.
• Ground Control spherical control arm bushings
• Ireland front camber plates
• Custom steel strut tower brace
• Dinan rear camber plates (weld-in)
• Powerflex subframe bushings
• Suspension Techniques front and rear sway bars
• Reinforced sway bar mounts and subframe
• Steel reinforced rear shock mount attachments
• Turner aluminum shock mounts

Body

• Fiberglass doors (Fiberartz doors, custom-finished to integrate factory door handles -- they look and work exactly like factory doors)
• Custom lexan travel windows with Dzus fasteners
• EVO2 spoiler
• EVO front hood seals
• EVO3 front fenders
• Custom carbon fiber/honeycomb splitter
• Competition Concepts CF Hood Vent
• Brooks Motorsports carbon fiber rear wing
• Carbon fiber dive planes
• AC Schnitzer single wiper blade
• Startec smoked rear tailights
• Custom drive shaft safety hoop
• Custom front tow hook
• Custom rear tie-down hooks welded to subframe
• Dekra historic number plates
• New OEM windshield

Interior

• All sound proofing and insulation removed, sunroof secured
• Sparco steering wheel with quick release hub
• Sparco EVO2 seat
• Sparco 6 point HANS-specific belts; proper reinforcement of all attachment points
• Longacre mirror
• I/O camera mount, remote on/off switch for camera
• Custom framing, reinforcement points and eye hooks for installation of a passenger seat, if desired
• Custom black carpet for entire interior (not presently installed)
• Evolution door sill strips

Safety

• Fahey-built 8-point custom cage
• SafeCraft RS 15-lb Halon Fire System with 3 nozzles
• Window and interior nets

Air Jacks

• AP Racing air jacks
• Aluminum tubing, air nozzle on rear trunk face
• Compressed air tank, regulator, high pressure hose and air chuck included
• AP Racing jack stands included

Data

• Stack DataPro dash (w/multiple sensors, including lateral-g and predictive lap timing)
• Infra-red lap timing system and battery pack included
• Hardwired AMB transponder
• Custom gauge pod on dash (water temp, AFR, fuel and oil pressure gauges)
• Innovate standalone AFR gauge
• VDO fuel gauge

Brakes

• Front: Brembo GT2 330mm front brakes, custom brake ducts
• Rear: Brembo GT2 (uses e46 M3 rotors)
• Tilton pedals
• Tilton balance bar, dual reservoirs with remote bias adjustment

Wheels

• (4) BBS RGRs 17 x 9 w/Hoosier R6s 225/40/17 (tires are good)
• (4) BBS RGRs 17 x 9 w/Hoosier R6s 225/40/17 (tires are shot)
• (4) IFG wheels 17 x 9 w/Hoosier rains (full tread, tires very lightly used)
• (3) Hoosier R6 tires 225/40/17 (brand new, never mounted, properly stored)
• BBS long wheel studs
• (4) H&R spacers

Spares

Pads, belts, front rotors, alternator, water pump, factory oil cooler, t-stat, modified factory fuel rail, H&R spring sets, lightened flywheel, starter core, 4-puck racing clutch, two bosch fuel pumps, spark plugs, fuel injectors, studs, lug nuts and other bits/pieces, some new and some used.

Many fresh/new parts (e.g., injectors, FPR, wheel bearings, studs, control arms, fuel filters, plugs, ignition wires, O2 sensor). The car was hardly driven in 2011.

Price for all is $34,500. No trades – as mentioned, I’ve already purchased a different race car. I will not sell any parts separtely.

Please PM or email me through s14.net for more information.

Thanks.

[Jayzc529]

Ed,

Your picture link doesn't work.

[EdPhillips]

Ed,

Your picture link doesn't work.

thanks, should be fixed now.

[francogt1]

Good Luck that thing must Ripp

[Jake]

Impressive. Sad to see you let it go Ed, but it is what it is. Best of luck with the sale. If I had the cash I'd be on it.

Jake

[spreston]

Fantastic ride. That is a lot of car for the money!

[EdPhillips]

Thanks guys.

[AndrewLang]

I wish this was my car, easily worth the asking price, there's no way this could be duplicated for anywhere near that and all of the modifications are exactly what an e30 m3 race car needs.

Good luck with the sale Ed.

[EdPhillips]

Thanks Andrew. This might be a good opportunity to update this thread.

I started-up the car this past Sunday, after it had been sitting for a few months. Pulled the plugs, cycled the starter to build oil pressure, and started it up. After it warmed-up a bit, I noticed a significant coolant leak. The new head gasket I installed last year has failed.

Long story short, I'm not thrilled about spending more time on this. I'm racing my Spec E30 this year and had no plans to race the M3. The head was pressure-tested last year before the reinstall and checked-out fine. I don't suspect a major problem, but I don't have much desire to pull the head again.

So I'll entertain "as is" offers in the mid 20s. That ought to give a new owner plenty of cushion to deal with fixing the head gasket. I'll go through the full history of what was done last year and why with serious buyers.

Alternatively, since the current motor could be parted-out for some serious money, new buyer might decide to skip fixing the HG, part the motor, and drop-in an S54
Or install a 2.3, factory brakes and a few other mods, and you'd have a bitchin M3T car. I'd be willing keep the 17x9 RGR wheel sets for future use and adjust the price accordingly.

But I'm not willing to unload the car at a stupid price, so please no low-ball offers.

[Justin(OKC)]

Ed,

Just so happens that I could be really interested in your car. My only issue is that I've been trying not to need a tow vehicle for a car. What would be involved to make the thing streetable (mainly to drive it to DE's and autoX events)? I actually happen to have an S54 setup that I was planning on putting in my street E30 M3, but I could see putting that in your car and putting your motor in my street car. Man, that would be the dream garage for me!! Shoot me an email at justinpower at cox dot net with any additional info you might have on the car

[EdPhillips]

This car is an absolute blast to drive on the track, but I highly recommend getting it there with a trailer regardless of how it's repowered.

Sent you an email.

Ed,

Just so happens that I could be really interested in your car. My only issue is that I've been trying not to need a tow vehicle for a car. What would be involved to make the thing streetable (mainly to drive it to DE's and autoX events)? I actually happen to have an S54 setup that I was planning on putting in my street E30 M3, but I could see putting that in your car and putting your motor in my street car. Man, that would be the dream garage for me!! Shoot me an email at justinpower at cox dot net with any additional info you might have on the car

[EdPhillips]

sale pending