m3dragon

Look at what Mr FedExaclause dropped off for me to take over to the shop. Large box with fragile written all over it. I wonder what it could be.....

OK So the updates have taken a while to get done, sorry about that. With the help of some M3 forum members we have completely stripped down the E90 M3 to just its shell. We also started a little on the E46 to being that tear down and prep. The M3 sadly is in VERY bad shape, more so than I thought. Hopefully it is not so bad I can still use it.

How to remove a S65 from a E90:

Made a new friend on the drives and found out he is a BMW tech for Performance Motor Works. Funny part was I used to use Performance until I was told they were gone. Now I find out there are still there and can also do CSL ECU flashes for E46 M3 guys. Long story short I am glad I have my old service shop back as well a new friend who made getting the motor out WAY easier. Here is how to remove a S65 out of an E90.

Everyone always post this on the threads. The answer is no the real ones were not S62 motors. As posted above they were custom race motors. They are 4.0 V8's so to keep in the spirt of the actual car the S65 is the best option. As you can't buy the race motor or if you could they would be a arm and a leg and that is more than I would want to spend. I have talked to BMW about the street cars and I can't comment at what our chats were about the cars. Lets say the interent has a few things wrong.

There is a reason why I am hunting the forums. Mostly cause I am crazy but also just trying to make contacts in other countries to when the family travles I can say hi.

To keep the project moving along, wife gave me the OK to work on the car after work as long as I am home by 5 to take over watch the little one. At any rate I was cleaning the donor car and know more about who owned than I should. I can confirm the car did go through a building wall. As you will see from the pictures there is dry wall and insulation in the car. Hopefully everyone was ok when it happened.

From a M3forums member: Shop = Family owned property with shop space (not finished) since 1983. Just finished this last Sunday with the help of friends and new friends from the forum. E90 - Bought salvaged from auction so pretty cheap E46 - Bought from forum member - needs love and very cheap Wife - Understands its the hobby so just smiles and lets me do it with in reason. It just fits by 1 inch LOL.

Sorry for the lack of updates. Between new baby, yard word and trying to finish the shop, time has been rather thin. Hopefully the lift that was ordered will be in this next week so actual work on the car can begin. For now it is waiting for the lift and finishing the shop organization and cleaning. Some parts for the car did arrive. Below is an image of the parts needed for the carbon fiber roof less the carbon fiber panel. In the boxes are the roof rail, headliner, glue and cover brackets. Here is a sneak peak of the shop space. Not organized nor are the benches in the right area. But this will give you idea why it is taking so long. Once the shop is done this will be a place for learning. By this I mean a place to work on car by invite as well as make DIYs or classes on welding or Vanos timing. Advantage of have a private facility available.

That plot has thickened with the E90 M3 donor car. What I had reported was it was a roll over with unknown mileage. I was working on the shop space with some buddies and we discovered it was not a roll over. Instead we found it went through a building and has 24K on it. Mileage is easy as car turns on and drives. The reason we know it went through a building is there is sheet rock and insulation in and around the car. It has a winter tire setup so likely someone lost control and found a house or office building. Images of are the car after I picked it up from the shipper and have it resting inside the shop. Last image is of the shop under construction along with the chasse car.

I was waiting to post this for some odd reason but I don't know why. At any rate, the donor car has been found and acquired. She is a roll-over but runs and drives and is on here way west. Delivery date is Friday 3/28 WHOHOO. Project will not start for a few a month or two as the shop where the majority of the work will be done is almost complete. I will share the shop pics once it is done. For now here is the pics of the car at copart.

First progress update: Living in the car hating state of California, I had to get a smog check done before I registered. Took the car on my usual 20 minute warm up run and had no issue. Car is mechanically sound just looks like the ugly duckling. Made it to the smog station, kept the car warm before they pulled into the bay. Only idled for 3 minutes before they pulled it so I was not worried about passing now. Go in take care of the paper work, come back out to see how the car does with the usual test. Guy is doing his usual visual check and was waiting for him to do the sniff test and what happens, they pull the car out as all they needed was a computer. WHAT! I went through all that and you just did a computer check to pass. While that is YAY it was a DOH!. So those in CA who are reading this I got the 411 from the station. They are now finally slowly rolling out the computer only test. Select places have it and are ensuring it works. Any car 1996 till now is computer only. Older requires the full sniff test. Next step is to begging tear down as well as find a wrecked E9X M3. I am having the damdest time getting one. Friend of a friend is trying but no luck / unknown if they are bidding on either copart or IAA. If someone has a lead I am all ears.

Car moving out west Car was packed up and shipped out west to start its new life on the other side of the US. The car as you see in the images needs some TLC but over all in is in good shape for what is needed.

The last M3forum member to have the car before me was Tsnipe. Images of the car Set 2:

The last M3forum member to have the car before me was Tsnipe. Images of the car Set 1: