lowside67

www.bimmerforums.com is the biggest forum around for the e36 bodystyle. as a general rule it is full of really young guys who love 19" wheels and subwoofers and what not. however there is an exception, the track subforum is a real GEM filled with a bunch of very knowledgable and very successful racers driving a variety of cars. there is tons of information regarding any potential mods, good vendors to deal with, etc. highly recommended.

Mussl Kar

On the side of my head. BANG!!!! I threw my hands up and I pushed the button many times, as well as many unprintable words.

Mussl Kar

I have thought of bmw but prefer to stay with Pcars and learn the rear engine tricks.

TraqGear

It would take too many mods to get the 997 to handle like a GT3. I'm driving my 996 right now until I get some miles on the RS, but I ALWAYS wonder how much more fun it would be to have the RS on the track. I'll join the Kia club if I can get some more seat time and I'm driving the RS every chance I get to get the miles on it. I've looked at getting an 04 GT3, an 07 GT3, a cup car, a track car, etc etc. It just won't be the same as my RS and I can't see having the RS and a 997 GT3. (Although that would be awesome) Take it easy, track the RS and get some more seat time. All of us GT3 and RS owners have the BEST street legal production track cars available. See you on the track. Kind of hard to drive anything else with that sitting in the garage.

Flying Finn

As already mentioned, that BMW would be a good choice. Then you have plentyoptions with 944 and also some older 911s.

leif997

just go to the classifieds on the site and do a little shopping there....a bounty of bargains and all you have to do is turn the key!!! This is a no brainer AFAIAC.

doc2s

front cup lower control arms to allow for more camber in the front, lowering springs (h&r or eibach) and an agressive alignment. stay with street tires. you can try a muffler by pass (fabspeed) for the track. it's loud, cheap and lighter than changing mufflers.

both bmw boston and white mt. chapters have car control clinics (they call them advanced driving skills school ADSS). wet skid pad might be helpful.

krC2S

the cheaper no aids track car is the better route as others mentioned but some don't like it..if you are willing then get an older 911 like an SC or a 3.2 carrera

mooty

finn, where can you find 5-20k track cars?
even e 36 m3's need some suspension work else it's way to wallowy to track. a well set up e36m3 ready to track with safety equipment will be 40k easy (assuming someone else did the install and you have to pay labor)... unless you are talking about spec miatas?

yeah, i am still looking for a good 20k track car. haven't found one yet ;-)

krC2S

mooty what's wrong with a spec miata? it's a 20k (less) track car and it's good

lowside67

Mooty, you're right to build a winning BMWCCA M3 would take $40k. However, I was getting at that since he's newer to driving the track, a well sorted and track oriented M3 can be had at $15k, or $20k for a "modified one" including some suspension work, a cage, etc.

Here is an example:

Hi,

PRICE REDUCED-$16,500

I have decided to sell my car. I just do not have the money or the time to track/race this car while I am in college. Unfortunately, school comes first and fun comes later.

I am the second owner of this car. I bought it back in 2003 (100% stock). It has never been entered in a race. I have never driven it during the winter (no snow).

The hood is slightly bent on the front driver side corner because I dropped it when it was off the car (while having my euro 3.2 taken out and the new engine put in). Other than that the car is in average condition for a 95. Pics are attached below.

I just gutted the car and had the cage and everything put in, in August of 2006. This car was built to the 2006 BMW CCA IP class rules but, can be raced with other sanctioning bodies like NASA.

Off the top of my head, the only things that need to be installed in order to enter it in a race are a kill switch, fire extinguisher, aluminum door panels, a window net and catch tanks. As a race car, it is 98% finished, but I can not afford to make it competitive (coilovers, diff, etc) or enter it in races which is why I am selling it.

Clear title and clean carfax


Exterior-

V2 Corner splitters
Replica LTW spoiler w/ extensions
Smoked corners
Clear side markers
M3 LTW door badges
Clear tail lights
AKG mono-wiper (Single wiper system)
Hood pins

Interior-

Power windows and locks still work (except trunk lock-manual)
6-point cage + Driver and Passenger foot protection (8-point total)
Sunroof welded shut (perfectly flush with body)
Viper alarm (top of the line) with paging system, proxy sensor, and window modules (great for open trailers)
I/O Port camera mount
Corbeau Forza seats (Driver and Passenger)
G-Force 5 point belts (Driver and Passenger)
“Wink” Rear view mirror
Momo steering wheel
AC Schnitzer pedals
Aluminum shift ****
Oil Pressure warning light (20psi)
Auto meter shift light
Auto meter gauges (Oil press, oil temp, water temp, diff temp, volt, a/f ratio)

Other-

Rebuilt 3.0 engine from the ground up (15,xxx miles, currently)
Performance friction/Carbon metallic brake pads
Swapped front hats for camber
AKG aluminum racing RSM's
Stainless steel brake lines
H&R race springs/Bilstien shocks
17” ASA AR1’s/Khumo tires
Edge motorwerks cat-back exhaust
RE front wheel spacers
RE carbon fiber stress bar
Euro hfm/Euro airbox with Turner chip
Evosport under-drive pullies (I do not think these are legal in IP)


Please EMAIL me if interested at mjkriti@ilstu.edu

Thank you,

Mike

ChrisF

You might be cutting it close at $20K, but you can do an EVO for that or pretty close. Coilovers, cheap set of R compounds, pads, lines, fluid and some light motor tweaks and you have a very fast, forgiving, reliable track car.

I can definitely understand you wanting to stay with a Pcar, but as stated above, you have a lot of great options outside of Pcars.

mooty

nothing, i had one.
but as you know, if u aren't running with other SM, it gets boring quick, as just everyone outguns you on the straights and wont wave you by, even if you are faster. when you get to play with other SM, then we are cooking.

mooty

lowside,

oh man, where were you when i builts me e36m3?

lowside67

Couldnt tell you but I'm starting to feel pretty dumb having bought a lightly prepped 328 for not THAT much less money...