wrs 118 Report post Posted June 6, 2006 Can you make your own rollcage? I made mine for my old racecar (before I found BMW's) and it didn't cost all that much. Not up with the latest regs on racecars anymore. 15 years ago when I made mine you could make your own cage as long as it was inspected and passed by the appropriate authority... I used seemless tube, sand filled and capped it before bending so it didn't deform. Had a sweet lookin cage that slowly turned into a space-frame. That allowed me to start cutting out huge area's of steel (like the floor) and replace it with aluminium etc... By the time it was finished, it extended front the front to rear suspension. Ended up taking 77kg's out of the car and making is many times stronger. It was one strong mother when finished. However, it was a Ford so it was doomed before it began!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted June 6, 2006 Don't knock the Fords! I have owned one or two in the past (actually over 30!) and they are mostly allright! (still have an Escort Cosworth in the garage) I have made a few cages in my lifetime, but I also realise that there are people out there who can do a better job than I can, and am happy to farm this job out.Besides which, I don't have a tube bender or welding gear, and I am having it made out of lightweight T45 tubing and all TIG welded. I will be supplying the design, which will be based on the Gp.A M3 cage, with a few "tweaks" of my own thrown in. Like I said, vegemite sandwiches for a while!............ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spargo Report post Posted June 7, 2006 I will be supplying the design, which will be based on the Gp.A M3 cage, with a few "tweaks" of my own thrown in. Very interested to see how your doing this Conrad, the Gp. A is assymetrical, and with the driver being on the left hand side of the car and all...?Just mirroring the cage basically? Marmite is nice too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted July 24, 2006 (edited) Latest purchase is this BMW Motorsport dry sump pan. YOu will have to use your imagination on this one, as I do not seem to be able to post pics up!!!! Edited July 24, 2006 by conrod Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted July 24, 2006 no idea what andrew is doing about this, but for the meanwhile link them from a site like www.xs.to, or email to me and i can do it cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted July 24, 2006 (edited) Okay, haven't done this before, but give this a go! http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/con...12-1271_IMG.jpg Seems to work! A bit of added clearance for the rear wheels................................ http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/con...12-1276_IMG.jpg And some more for the fronts too..... http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/con...12-1278_IMG.jpg I am about 3/4 of the way through seam welding the shell, next step will be to buy some race seats and send it off to get the cage built. Edited July 24, 2006 by conrod Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spargo Report post Posted July 24, 2006 Are you using an accusump or a proper dry sump? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted July 24, 2006 (edited) It is a proper dry sump,(have yet to purchase pump and tank) The accusump is a large "bottle" of oil under pressure that discharges back into the oil system if the pressure drops suddenly, usually when cornering and all of the oil buggers off from the pickup. It is a "poor mans" dry sump system, not as good as a proper dry sump, but certainly better than nothing. Edited July 24, 2006 by conrod Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aleks 0 Report post Posted July 24, 2006 LOL, and I though mine were a bit OTT!! What are you doing for shock Conrod?? Something more elaborate than run of the mill Koni coilovers, Maybe some tasty triple adjustable Moton's or JRZ's?? Got $6k US to spend ? Very interesting build up Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted July 24, 2006 Looking good Conrod!! Can you put up some more pics of the rear guard mods. I have edited your front end pic to show where the tyre will rub. I have 18mm steering stops to prevent the chassis rail rubbing, the footwell wall I took to with a 12lb (bit rough but didn't need much). Just giving you a heads up rather than waiting till it's off the spit!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted July 24, 2006 (edited) Thanks Glenn, appreciate that.I will be fabricating the suspension arms so will move the wheel forward a bit in the wheelhouse, in order to give a bit more clearance at the rear of the wheel (it also helps a tad with F/R weight distribution- similar effect as moving the engine rearwards) I am still going to have issues with tyre clearance, I am dummying it all up with a 240/640-18 slick tyre (Porsche GT3 front) and basicallly these tyres are too tall, I have modified the top of the front wheelarch for more clearance, but really need to do what they did on the last of the DTM E30's, and raise the whole inner wheelarch, which is more work than I want to do at this stage. So I will just put up with running it 30 or 40mm higher than ideal. And as for fitting the wheels under the stock wheelarches- no chance! It was my intention to do this originally, but they are WAY too big, so instead I am going to have a monster set of wheelarch flares made by a very capable friend of mine, complete with side sill extensions and huge front spoiler splitter (think early-mid 90's DTM) which explains my chopping out the rear wheelarchs and tubbing them to the top of the original wheelhouse. A few more pics of the rear wheelarch mod. You can see the R/H side is a bit different inside due to the original fuel filler setup. And the last pic gives you an idea how high the tubs sit, I have dummied the rear suspension up and the wheel will run right up to the top before things start crashing into each other, such as driveshafts into chassis rails etc!........ http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/con...12-1279_IMG.jpg http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/con...12-1280_IMG.jpg http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/con...12-1281_IMG.jpg http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/con...12-1282_IMG.jpg http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g196/con...12-1283_IMG.jpg Edited July 24, 2006 by conrod Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted July 24, 2006 (edited) V.interesting. How have you sealed around the outside of the extension?? And the part where the filler is: Is that new?? Looks like the lip flipped/bent 180d!?!?! Are you still planning to run the centre-lock rims?? front & back?? I would have thought the 240's would be getting a bit wide for them, let alone wider again on the rear?? eagerly awaiting the next installment ps. I'll find some pics of the area I "beat-up" Edited July 24, 2006 by E30-323ti Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 (edited) The outside of the extension is puddle welded all the way around, at about 40mm intervals, so there is effectively two skins all the way around (the rear guard has a 90 degree "flange" all the way around, which was a bit of a mission to do, but makes for a very strong join between the two panels) and I will just run a bead of sealer inside the wheelarch, to stop any water entering. In fact, I will probably get the two edges TIG welded together all the way around. Fuel filler area is stock,apart from the piece I beat out to meet the outer arch,and I will be panelling over the standard filler hole, and fitting a dry break system if I can find the readies to pay for it! Rims are 8.5", and I will be running these front and rear, with same tyres both ends, and 240's are a good fit on these rims, although I will have to fit DOT tyres for the endurance series, probably a 225 or 235/40x18. Will be drilling them and bolting them on though, centrelock makes the whole thing too expensive, and unnnecessary for the racing I am planning on doing. Edited July 25, 2006 by conrod Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 (edited) Thats what I thought, could see the slight heat warping on the underside. I thought they were 8" rims for some reason. It's a shite load of work to fit those 640's!! I presume it also has a lot to do with wanting to run it very low (with your geometry correcting suspension mods)?? The 240/625's I plan to run (oneday when I get around to it) should fit with a slight massage here and there. Although I'm tempted to try the Silverstone S585 in a 225/650, reasonably cheap come in 17&18", and road legal, the 650 height is rather off-putting though. The pic below is not mine but shows a bit of what needs to be clearanced. This was done for a 225/45 hoosier iirc. Edited July 25, 2006 by E30-323ti Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aleks 0 Report post Posted August 21, 2006 How is it comming along conrod? Any updates? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted August 27, 2006 (edited) Progress has been a bit slow lately, I haven't really touched it for 3 or 4 weeks, the reason which I will reveal later this week! Could be time to start "E30 race car part 2" Anyway, here is a pic of my latest purchase. Edited August 27, 2006 by conrod Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeremyb 0 Report post Posted August 27, 2006 Wow, best thread ever! Can't wait to see more as the project progresses! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smokenbaby 0 Report post Posted August 31, 2006 Will be drilling them and bolting them on though, centrelock makes the whole thing too expensive, and unnnecessary for the racing I am planning on doing. You can buy adaptor/spaces that convert 4 or 5 stud to centre lock. This could be a better and economical way to retain the tough look of centrelock. Go on you know you want to. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted August 31, 2006 You can buy adaptor/spaces that convert 4 or 5 stud to centre lock. This could be a better and economical way to retain the tough look of centrelock. Go on you know you want to.Funny you say that, i have been revisiting the whole centrelock vs. bolt on thing, I might still go down that road!....... As for the update I promised, well it didn't eventuate. I flew to Chch on Tuesday to look at a "Group A" M3, supposedly complete less engine. Plan was to dump the S50 into it. The car unfortunately was not "quite" as I had been led to believe, and the price has escalated somewhat.......... So continue with the 318i. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spargo Report post Posted August 31, 2006 What was the car Conrad? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted August 31, 2006 What was the car Conrad? IT was a "nothing" car. RHD for starters, it had SOME Group A parts, centrelock wheels, AP brakes, air jacks, Gp.A suspension.(BUT, it was really early spec stuff, not very nice as far as nice bits go) No engine,gearbox,diff, fuel tank,wiring, seats/belts, and a lot of other small stuff. The shell was pretty rough, and it was not built from a BMW Motorsport kit, no known history, and not exactly cheap either! Even with the Group A parts, it still wasn't a patch on what I already have. So I'll continue as I was!........... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smokenbaby 0 Report post Posted September 4, 2006 IT was a "nothing" car. RHD for starters, it had SOME Group A parts, centrelock wheels, AP brakes, air jacks, Gp.A suspension.(BUT, it was really early spec stuff, not very nice as far as nice bits go) No engine,gearbox,diff, fuel tank,wiring, seats/belts, and a lot of other small stuff. The shell was pretty rough, and it was not built from a BMW Motorsport kit, no known history, and not exactly cheap either! Even with the Group A parts, it still wasn't a patch on what I already have. So I'll continue as I was!........... Good man “Conrodâ€. Just don't forget to post pics as you go. I am very interested in this lil project of yours. Have been thinking about doing a new Race car for a while. What you are building is pretty much what I was wanting. Funds are short as a house is on the horizon but once I have a garage of my own I should be good to go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted November 8, 2006 Okay, my final post on this project. Unfortunately, I have decided not to continue with this. I still think the concept was a good one, however the costs to complete were going to be huge, so I have sold the shell, engine and most of the other bits I had collected. The good news is, that I have a replacement sitting in my garage already! With a bit of sorting to get it performing as it should, I will be at the next BMW Race Series meeting in it to join in some of the fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spargo Report post Posted November 8, 2006 Bimmersports worst kept secret haha! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smokenbaby 0 Report post Posted November 8, 2006 Well at least you were able to pass on a good shell and some very tasty parts and recoupe some cost. How about starting a post for the M3. Hopefully with more pictures. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
