FuturisticConcept Art BMW E36 with a V8 on a bottom dollar budget

[straight6pwr]

when the aliens come, we'll be calling you.

[Jdesign]

GunMetalGrey said:

$50 amazon/ebay light bars are pretty hardcore these days. Just make sure to seal up the front lens so you don't get moisture buildup. 

In the phuture they call that "patina"

[Jdesign]

Made some progress this weekend in anticipation for the upcoming weekend.

Installed;

• Coilovers
• Angle kit
• New cut inner tie rods
• New Cut outer tie rods
• Centerlines
• Light bars (hooked up to high beams)
• Seat belt harness for driver

Still needed before Sunday;

• Alignment
• 1 Eyebolt for the Drivers harness
• Windows that work with a switch 
• Seat time

I plan on driving this to Milwaukee sometime this week if I can, otherwise I will be daily driving it to work as well.

[Jdesign]

I want to add that the angle kit did help improve the steering angle quite a bit, but what was more noticeable to me was that it added a shit ton of steering response. I would suggest that anyone considering swapping for a Z3 or M3 rack to think about getting a bolt on angle kit first. Its a much better improvement for a lot less cost and work.

[GunMetalGrey]

Jdesign said:

I want to add that the angle kit did help improve the steering angle quite a bit, but what was more noticeable to me was that it added a shit ton of steering response. I would suggest that anyone considering swapping for a Z3 or M3 rack to think about getting a bolt on angle kit first. Its a much better improvement for a lot less cost and work.

I've never put thought into angle kits like that, but that is an obvious side effect when you look at it! 
It is certainly an interesting way to achieve a more "responsive" rack. 

Yay Radii!

[Jdesign]

GunMetalGrey said:

I've never put thought into angle kits like that, but that is an obvious side effect when you look at it! 
It is certainly an interesting way to achieve a more "responsive" rack. 

Yay Radii!

Exactly. I wasn't even thinking about it, but then after I drove it I was blown away how much response I gained.

9/10 would suggest.

I would give it a 10/10 but its an eBay part, and we all know those usually fail somehow...

[jc43089]

Jdesign said:

I would give it a 10/10 but its an eBay part, and we all know those usually fail somehow... 

Meh it's only the steering, not that big of a deal.

[YoungCR]

Any review yet on the coil overs?

[jc43089]

He already crashed and died.  Bummer.

[Jdesign]

jc43089 said:

He already crashed and died.  Bummer.

Bimmer*

YoungCR said:

Any review yet on the coil overs?

Not really. I haven't really driven it since the first night. I need to revisit my alignment. After everything settled its way off. I have a guy that is going to do it, but hes super busy trying to get his car ready for this weekend too. I plan on driving it a bunch tonight.

From the driving I did then, it still seemed quite soft. I might need to spend another $150 and get myself some swift 873244K rear springs so that I cant feel my spine after driving it.

[Jdesign]

So I forgot to post on here. I have been fairly busy, but I was able to get my car aligned before the drift event even though it was cancelled. It was probably one of the more "accurate" things done on this car.

In a swift last minute decision I bought cheap tie rods from Orielly. A good friend of mine is the Madison area rep and got them overnight delivered for $11 inner and outer the night before the alignment. When I installed them everything seemed to bolt up just fine, but there was a problem I didn't realize until I drove it. The taper of the tie-rods is smaller than the aluminum of the angle kit.  This means there is ever so slight play in the mounting location and I will need new tie rods that are the correct size, which also means I will need another alignment.  Ughhh At least the event was cancelled because if I leave it like this im sure I will oval out the aluminum angle kit. 

The alignment shop was a good 45mins from my shop so I got a bit of seat time to get a feel for the new Coilovers. The new suspension seems a lot better than what I had. I was able to sell the old coilovers for $100 which now means I have $180 into new coilovers LOL. I currently do not have a sway bar in the rear of the car, but I just got end-links to install the one I have. I think thats going to make a world of difference to how the car feels, and its likely part of the reason why I think its feels "soft" in the back.

[B C]

The alignment heads fit the style of the car too well. A permanently installed set should be your next mod

[Daggerty]

$50 dollar ebay angle kit?

[Jdesign]

Daggerty said:

$50 dollar ebay angle kit?

Yeah. Like so:

[Daggerty]

Jdesign said:

Yeah. Like so:

Ordering

[Jdesign]

Daggerty said:

Ordering 

Be prepared to be amazed at the steering response difference.

[Rekpoint]

Opps im dumb

[Jdesign]

Rekpoint said:

Opps im dumb

WUT?

[Jdesign]

Had a decent weekend and was able to finally get a good 4 hours of solid seat time in this thing. Prior I also flushed all the fluids and fixed 87% of all the mechanical issues.

https://www.facebook.com/rpodell/videos/627341451616/

With that, I did have some issues as expected......

• (FIXED) I managed to shear the front diff bolt on my lunch break
• (FIXED)I developed a decent size oil leak right onto the exhaust from the remote oil filter plate (a new gasket from a spare oil filter fixed this thankfully)
• (FIXED) I also realized that the top nuts of the struts wiggled themselves loose while driving(prob weren't tight from new)
• The rear lower strut bushings on my XPeeding rods are already shot (LOLOLOL)
• The tie rods are still not the right size and I order (hopefully) the right ones -E46
• (FIXED)I put too much oil in it as I must have marked the dipstick incorrectly when I finally added one a few months ago
• My lifters tend to stick if I hit redline for more than 20 seconds or so
• One of the V-bands on my exhaust is about to break because it hangs too low from jim-bobs weld job

Oil leak-

Bad bushings-

Tie rod fitment-

I currently ordered more parts to hopefully solidify the suspension. 

• E46 control arms ( I have the dimensions for offset CABs from Earl so I will be making my own from delrin) 
• E46 tie rods
• Rear sway bar brackets (currently no rear sway bar)

WMTB5670.MP4

Attachments:

• WMTB5670.MP4

[Jdesign]

E46 control arms showed up, but it turns out I dont have CAD data for the CAB's. I ordered some offset CAB's as I continue to wait for the tie rod ends.

The rear sway bar brackets did show up and I installed them in the car. I drove it a little bit but the tie rods are making quite the racket now and I dont want to ovalize the mounting holes before I install the tie rods. So I wait....  

In the meantime I REALLY REALLY would like to have functioning windows. I think My plan will be to run a momentary 6pin 3 position toggle switch on each door, as the motors and doors have been swapped around and nothing is compatible anymore. if anyone has done a door swap from a late to early model E36, please chime in if its easy to convert. Otherwise Im hard-wiring some Steampunk Phuturistic one the door so I can relive my self of swampassness.