Mike

offset probs definatly. when the wheels are that wide it does need to be pretty spot on. AFAIK e30m3 use a similar offset to e28/e34 which is much lower (numericaly) than e36/e46. spacers will fix the probs but I can't tell you how thick to get. People run 9" wide on normal e30 so you should have no worries running them on the m3.

I looked into all this and by the time you have the FMU and a BTM your most of the way to a Link ECU (Less tuning costs of course) Also, it pretty hard to resist turning up the boost, I'm in the process of upgrades for more grunt, its bloody addictive.

Cheers, easiest way to do it would just be to make a cardboard template with the side profile that your after. make sense? I've no regrets changing to the smaller sub, I was a bit worried I'd find it too quiet after the 12's but it acually has the same power rating. Any more q's just ask.

you'll need oil and water lines, oil feed line alone is in the region of $90, some gauges as well are pretty necessary. waste pipe to exhaust will need to be fabbed up. Bigger injectors definatly needed. How you going to control fuel and spark? Even silicon joiners for charge pipes add up pretty quickly. And then theres all the gaskets you'll need to replace after you pull half the motor apart to fit the thing. Also things like catch tanks are needed so you don't pressurise the crank case, I also had to make a new windscreen washer bottle, etc etc. Can you weld, or know someone who will help you out? Makes it much cheaper/easier. I spent ages planning and researching my base setup and I came in pretty close to budget without too many surprises.

Only big increase in NVH I noticed when I did the IE stuff was over things like cat-eyes. Driveline noise isn't too bad. Maybe swap the diff out and see if its that. What else did you change/swap?

Whitelines up front and dobis in the back, I've gone 60mm drop in the front and 40mm rear. All captive and fully legal. With a sub in the boot and the rear arches being lower it has a real nice stance. Both brands are around 30% stiffer than standard. I'm also running camber/toe adjusters in the rear but some people don't bother or need them for a 40mm drop in the rear. Obviously getting decent shocks such as bilsteins or konis will be hugely beneficial but at over $1000 for the set its just not worth it for me at the moment. Also get yourself a rear swaybar out of a 325i, nice improvement.

Most disagree with me but I'm running lowered springs on stock shocks, I've had this setup for about 3 years now and the front shocks are starting to show their age a little bit now. Handles good enough for me. Camber should be fine if you stay don't drop more than 30mm

Nah mines white, lasts way better than you think, just prep it goo with plastic primer

agreed, thats bullshit. They can afford the massive repayments on cars and go fast bits but can only pay 5bux a week in fines, yeah right. The point has already been made but kids have been playing around in cars for years. All thats happened is that fast cars are now cheap and plentiful. +1 for compulsory insurance too

wicked man, that car is so straight. Maybe paint the iS lip to match the painted sills?

Um, 2 turbos and associated plumbing? More complex, more expensive and more sh*t to go wrong. IMO get a properly sized single turbo

I'm pretty sure you can't do that either, once you are failed on something it is logged into the LTSA computer so you can't just cruise around till you find someone who will pass you. I've heard that they are getting tougher on bent rims, at least its only a bottle cap.

.

since the rear spring is under a 'lever' type action, ie between the pivot point and the wheel, whereas the front is right above the center of the wheel. Around 0.65 ratio supposedly, ie 6.5mm change in spring height will change ride height by 10mm, and a 500 pound spring is effectively only a 325 pound spring.

pics don't work. I made mine for $60. As long as you have a welder, grinder and hacksaw you should be sweet. You can get them made up as well, I'd imagine a 6cyl one would cost anywhere from $500 upwards. Of course you could always get an adapter made up too, or make on yourself.

Here is a spreadsheet that tells ideal offset for a given rim size. also a few other things like tyre size and gearbox/diff ratios vs road speed. actually wont let me up load it. just pm email address if anyone wants it edited: http://www.antiform.co.nz/other/bimmerspor...Spreadsheet.zip

Was the 320iS 5 or 4 lug?

Hmmm, I should re-word that bit. Not trying to put down his accomplishments at all. I was trying to say all of the road cars that McLaren is famous for were built after his death. I suppose you could argue it was still his company and the F1 left a pretty big impression on the supercar scene. And I just like playing devil's advocate

Read the question guys, its about supercars. If it was motorsport you'd have to vote Bruce. I don't know much about Wallace but seeing as he was test driver for Miura and other lambos I'd say he's probably done more for the supercar scene. Much of what McLaren is famous for happened after Bruce's death.

x2

M10! count the cylinders noob or M12/13 to be correct, different heads to M10, 650hp

5mm should be enough to clear the strut but will look odd becuase the wheel will sit too far in, as josh said 20mm spacers would be ideal. watch the brakes though, I test fitted wheels that cleared the strut but the caliper hit the spokes

it will just change the name, we all know the hedgehog joke. @Ken- insurance companies already dislike BMWs, I'm sweet now but when I was younger it was nearly impossible to find insurance as a young driver with a BMW, even an old 318i

I'm planning on UK when I finish my eng degree, I should be able to go straight into work when I get over there. Basically I'm planning to work and save up then go see parts of Europe, then back to UK to get more cash and so on. If you have UK born grandparents it makes work permits etc so much easier. I'll just stay till I get sick of it. I've got a few mates that are also making plans to do their OE, depending on timing I'll either go by myself or go with mates. Don't think it really matters too much, if its just you, you can do what ever you want.

you can't really say what the standard offset is for a car, as the ideal offset changes depending on rim width. (unless of course they came with 17x8 from factory with that offset). The wider rims you get the more critical it is to get the right offset.