Clubsport 316 Compact

[euroriffic 612]

So, acquired this 316i  compact this time last year to use for autocrosses, and to slowly build into a clubsport car instead of using the m3.

Havent really done much with it over the last year, apart from sorting a few wee issues for a wof  and picked up some e46 15” alloys with new tyres for $150. 

But last week that changed to have it ready for an autocross in the weekend,. So was a mad rush to get everything done, but managed to pull it off after a few late nights.

First thing to address was the rear end as it was horrible to drive at 100kms and all over the show. So got a replacement rear end from a z3 to refresh while keeping the car movable, and to replace the rear drum brakes with discs. So ordered poly bushes all round, raised subframe bushes to dial out some camber, weld in brackets and ecentric bolts for adjustable camber and toe, and some reinforcing plates for diff mounts and  trailing arms mounts, and braided brake lines  from garagistic.

So after getting a mate to weld them in, I removed the old bushes, new ones fitted and subframe painted it was ready to swap over, which had a few issues. Turns out the z3 use a different handbrake cable and hard line on the arms. So had to find some replacements since the original ones wouldn’t work, which slowed things down. So while held up with that I swapped the suspension over to bilstein shocks and springs with reinforcement plates, 328i front calipers and rotors and what brake lines that I could. Luckily the local wreaked had the bits so was able to get the  rear end finished, brakes bled and ready for its booked wof on Friday by 12.30 Thursday night. 

Saturdays job was to strip out everything on the rear and remove the tow bar ready for the autocross. Was a good day out and the car was great to drive finally! Nice and tight.

 

So next one is on the first of November...so figured that was plenty of time to do an engine swap, and on Tuesday night started to strip a few bits ready to come. Finished work early Yesterday afternoon and it was out, taken away, replacement picked up, new poly engine mounts fitted, box bolted on and all in place by 10.30pm. So is now sporting a m52b25 with a sc14 blower bolted on the side running a speedino computer, which you may have seen arron selling not too long ago.

So today spent and hour or sorting the loom out, and getting some new fuel lines and heater hoses ready to connect. Hoping to get some time on it tomorrow but will see how i get on for  time.

[euroriffic 612]

Righto!
Was a busy last week and many a late night to get things over the line yet again! 
After getting the engine in I was able to figure out what parts I needed to replace or was missing, so did another order with fcp for a new cooling system and driveshaft coupler, and after a couple trips to the wreckers to find the right power steering pump and lines and a front section of exhaust.

so while waiting for that to arrive, I removed the radio and redundant wiring, relocated the battery to behind the drivers seat,  made a switch panel where the radio was, and using the old radio switched supply to wire up the fuel pump and electric clutch for the blower. Also swapped the cigarette/12v socket for a twin USB switched from the dash since its not switched off the key, stripped some more interior and setup the body mounted shifter.

At  this point I was able to start the engine, which fired up no probs so that was a relief all that was sorted, just waiting on parts to finish it, which were due on Thursday, with the  exhaust booked for Saturday, and autocross on Sunday.

So Thursday came and went and parts didn’t show, even tho fedex tracker had shown them in Dunedin depot by 7am Wednesday. Waited till 10.30 and no update on delivery time. So chased them up and was found with post haste to deliver, and would call Me back  about it. Didn’t get a call so rang them direct at 3pm and sure enough was still sitting there yet to be picked up and dropped off. So said can that, I’ll grab them in half n hour and shot down to get it.

next dilemma I was home alone for the evening with the little fella, so by the time I got him sorted and asleep it was about 8.30pm before it was safe to go down to the garage. 
So by 1am had water pump, thermostat, idlers, belt, radiator assembled, in and filled, driveshaft coupler on and driveshaft in, exhaust section on and tried to jam some gauze in it and wired in place to keep the noise down.

so was a quick coolant bleed at 7.30am then drove to magoos in the morning. The gauze blew out at the bottom of my street so was a very loud trip, luckily was mostly all down hill, so coasted a lot of the way. 
Picked the car up after lunch with its new pipes and just a rear acs/remus rear box on it. Sounds pretty good I must say! Even if a little loud. Noticed on the way home it was running on 5, and found it had dropped the no.6 cylinder. So pulled the coil out to find a heap of water in there, and no. 5, so sucked that out and checked the rest and plugs then reassembled and tried again and all good. Other thing I had to sort was the front exhaust mount and a snapped manifold to exhaust bolt on each flange. So drilled them out and put a nut and bolt through to hold for the time being.

Race day Sunday, so drove it 90odd kms down to Balclutha, did my four runs then drove back home. With no issues. Was a bit worried about over heating having no radiator fans at all, but was good. Just ran the heater for a bit and kept the bonnet open. Was a windy day too so parked into the wind to help as well. 
Only turned the blower on for one run once the track dried out but was a bit much and just no traction at all with still the single pegger, but was fun none the less! 
Doesn’t seem to like the on/off throttle use much and splutters a bit, and tune is pretty rich, so will get it on a dyno and get that tickled up, but all in all is a fun drive! 
 

Will upload some pics later tomorrow. Forgot to take any of the Complete installation.

[euroriffic 612]

Small update 
have since added an electric fan and replaced the rear springs  as the ones in it were for a sedan, so didn’t lower it all, causing all the camber correction to make it 0.78’ positive, so by dropping it 40mm should sort it.

Have also sorted a medium case diff, and  to be fitted with a rebuilt lsd and new seals  and bearings by another member.  
 

[qube 3570]

that CAI though hahaha

[euroriffic 612]

On 11/27/2020 at 11:55 AM, qube said:

that CAI though hahaha

She’s classy! Was the only place to squeeze it in. Had to remove the headlight adjuster motor to make it fit in

Edited November 30, 2020 by euroriffic